Scaffold for Hardtop storage and removal works great

[Springtail]

can anyone post a video of them sliding the top off onto the scaffold? I am thinking about going this way, I am sick and tired of driving with the top. My wife is strong for a gal but she is tiny as hell and cant help me. Ive been taking it off by myself but last time I did it I woke up with terrible back pain.

This is still $200 so I dont dont if it is worth it or better to just spend $1000 on the real thing.

I don't have a video but my wife just helped me put ours back on....she is 5 foot 3 inches and basically just guided it while i got inside and put my back to the ceiling and scooted it forward. It's not heavy just a little awkward and much easier with 2 people. Completely done in 10 minutes.

Doc

Sponsored

 

[Morbo101]

Here’s a photo of mine. I bought it at harbor freight today for 169. So far it feels sturdy and wheels work smooth. Will take my top off Tuesday and post a mini vid.

 

[Morbo101]

It was a two person job. I think the hardest part was getting the top off from the two guide pins on the sides. One person on each side of the rear windows, we lifted And slid if off little by little onto the scaffold. Scaffold lines up with the height of my jl. The guide pins don’t rest on the scaffold.it took longer to remove the screws than taking off the top.

 

[viper88]

Spring is almost in the air. People will want to get their tops off soon. I am giving this thread a bump to get it back to the top since spring is around the corner.

I assume the main concern would be the top's locating pins and possibly damaging them. Any concerns with the top sitting or resting on the top's locating pins? Or do the locating pins straddle the scaffold during storage?

A picture is worth a 1000 words but a video is even better! Anyone actually have a video showing how easy it really is?

Great idea OP. Thanks!

 

[kermitjewel]

After seeing the post, I decided to use the scaffold. Bought a 6 ft wide scaffold at Home Depot. Placed an old blanket over the ruff surface on the platform. I added to the above ideas. I took 3 - 6 ft pieces of 1" PVC....put one under top about midway, one towards the back, and one on the scaffold. The PVC raises the top pins up to clear. With one person on each side, it basically rolls on and off. Just watch the back glass and open it to clear each way. Once the top is back in the proper position on the Jeep, lift just enough to remove the PVC pipe and lower the pins into the holes and put the bolts back in.

The top seemed to be stable on the scaffold but I put a towel over the top and ran a strap across it just to be sure it didn't shift while I was moving it. Since I had a blanket over the platform, I just placed the front panels on it under the top.

great overall design im thinking

 

[viper88]

Anyone have a idea of how much of a difference there is in size between a 2-door and 4-door hard top?

 

[HamiltonGuy]

Hey does anyone know when one of these are likely to come on sale again?
I don't want to wait until Father's Day.

 

[me109stock]

Online Walmart - $149 and free shipping to the nearest Walmart when I bought mine.

 

[Schism75]

Spring is almost in the air. People will want to get their tops off soon. I am giving this thread a bump to get it back to the top since spring is around the corner.

I assume the main concern would be the top's locating pins and possibly damaging them. Any concerns with the top sitting or resting on the top's locating pins? Or do the locating pins straddle the scaffold during storage?

A picture is worth a 1000 words but a video is even better! Anyone actually have a video showing how easy it really is?

Great idea OP. Thanks!

No issues with my pins and they sat all summer/fall on a scaffold with a movers blanket

 

[Buckleupletsgo]

Spring is almost in the air. People will want to get their tops off soon. I am giving this thread a bump to get it back to the top since spring is around the corner.

I assume the main concern would be the top's locating pins and possibly damaging them. Any concerns with the top sitting or resting on the top's locating pins? Or do the locating pins straddle the scaffold during storage?

A picture is worth a 1000 words but a video is even better! Anyone actually have a video showing how easy it really is?

Great idea OP. Thanks!

The pins do not protrude lower than the bottom lip of the hard top, therefore they do not make contact with the scaffold.

 

[ghollaba]

This looks GREAT.. As a new Jeep owner of a 2020 Sahara with dual top group I was looking for this solution.
Question, Can I nose the jeep engine compartment under the scaffold / hard top???
Enough width?

 

[me109stock]

My 2003 Porsche Boxster fit in between the scaffold uprights, but I doubt the jeep will. My Porsche takes priority over the Jeep for the garage space... so I haven't actually tried it (the Jeep) for fit. I used pipe insulation as a scratch guard on the uprights of the scaffolding. Also works to protect the bottom edges of the Hard Top.

 

[David P.]

Does anyone park their Jeep under one of these in their garage and could please help take a measurement to see how much space is needed, from the edge of the hard top to the end of their rear mounted tire? Any pics would be appreciated!!

Wondering if we’ll be able to still park a JLUR under this daily and still fit into the garage. I’d really hate to have to drop $1k on a Toplift Pro.

Many thanks to whomever can help!!

 

[David P.]

Bought a scaffolding unit at Tractor Supply Co. on sale for $159. Very similar to the OP HD version. Set the scaffold unit at 4' off the ground (same as the installed height on the Jeep. Lifted it off the Jeep using my back and 'walked' it towards the back and onto the scaffold, assisted by my 5'2" wife. No problem. Both Freedom tops can be stored on the scaffold unit as shown. A couple of straps to make sure it doesn't move and done. It is very well balanced on the scaffold on its own, so it would not fall forward as you would think Scaffold can be raised up to about 6' as needed but I am leaving mine where it is for now. Pix included as requested.

Any chance you could measure from the back of the hard top on the scaffolding all the way to your back tire when the Jeep is parked in front of this???

I’d love to see if this will fit into our garage and still allow us to park!!!

 

[gqgambler]

Bump
Love this idea. Father-in law has plenty of scaffolding, so I’m going to test this out for gratis and see how well it works before deciding if I want to install a hoist. Scaffolding is only 2.5 feet deep, so if you already have that amount of space in front of your Jeep it should work. If space is tight, one can raise the scaffolding up above the spare tire height and you can back a Jeep in nestling the spare tire under the scaffold. I love the idea of adding the shelves and using it for additional storage; its wide enough that I will store an extra set of rims underneath and add the shelf for all sorts of automotive care items if I like it.

Sponsored