Store Hardtop in 8ft ceiling garage and still park in garage

[Grousemont]

Greetings JL, we faced a dilemma of needing to store the hardtop under where the garage door retracts up. So you can't simply drop down a hoist because of the garage door needing to open. So we engineered what I think is a great solution. We built a rack that spans the garage door width (8ft) and hoist it up and down as needed. I also made some static cable lines to make it very easy to get the height exactly right, because I had about 3 inches of room to spare between the garage door being open and high enough to let our car in. All in, the cost for the aluminum I-beams and T-bars, coated steel cable, crimper, shackles, pulleys, etc. $600. But worth it! Here are some photos. I serious over engineered the system, but that's what I do.

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[Adventure.AS]

Nice, neat job, but it isn't clear to me how you get the top off the Jeep onto the storage frame. Do you have to lift it on there manually?

 

[Rahneld]

Jeff, this is really great effort. My question though is why not simply buy a Freedom Jack or Top lift pro where the you could have turned the hard top backwards to lie over the engine first parked rig.

Wasn't aware, garage not deep enough, this solution preferred/cheaper, like to back the rig in...?

 

[Grousemont]

Nice, neat job, but it isn't clear to me how you get the top off the Jeep onto the storage frame. Do you have to lift it on there manually?

Yes it requests manual lift. But the hoist let’s me lower the frame onto the floor to place the top. When hoist isn’t in use I clip them together to stay out of the way.
I could add the hooks but I don’t like the concept of four acute pressure points on the top. It will torque over time. That’s why I wanted to have as much distribution of the weight as possible. If I used large t bars I could drill holes for the guide posts on the top but chose to use foam.

 

[Grousemont]

Jeff, this is really great effort. My question though is why not simply buy a Freedom Jack or Top lift pro where the you could have turned the hard top backwards to lie over the engine first parked rig.

Wasn't aware, garage not deep enough, this solution preferred/cheaper, like to back the rig in...?

There is not enough space for the jack. We have a shelf that already overhangs the jeep a little.

 

[debandi]

Very nice

 

[Abend]

That's really impressive. I would have looked at that garage and figured there was no way to do it.

 

[TrailTorque]

Looks like a fun place to take the kiddos zip lining!

 

[Rahneld]

..glad to know Jeff that the Top Lift Pro/Freedom Jack route was considered and ruled out, not overlooked. : - )

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