Taking the top off by myself

[TTraut]

Installed this lift/hanger for about $20 and can handle the lid solo now with ease.

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[Playbak54]

Maybe when I was younger I could have taken it off myself, but not anymore? I bought this Freedom Jack unit ($277) and a Harbor Freight 1 ton shop crane ($150) to do the job. The piece you get from Freedom Jack is the black piece holding up the top. It fits into the end of the crane arm. I also bought the door hangers ($169) that mount to the crane as well. It stores all 4 doors and the freedom tops on the crane.

Pros
- It only takes me 10 minutes to pull off the tops and doors.
- I can park the jeep under the top. I have low finished ceilings and this works fine.
- the doors hang on their hinges, so no worries about messing up the seals.
- I can fold the crane up when not in use.
- I can, and have, used the crane for other things.

I've been very pleased with the whole setup. It keeps everything together nice and neat. The whole rig, including the crane from HF was about $600.

BTW, the orange thing on top of the crane arm is a drywall handle I picked up at HD for a few bucks. It makes the doors much easier to handle?

 

[Erievon]

Dumb question(s) alert...

1. How do you pull 2/4 straps simultaneously?
2. How do you get the boards under the top to lift it up? Do you pick up the top and slide them under?

I don't use the board so I can't speak for that piece. As for the 2/4 straps simultaneously, you don't have to. I pull the front first, and since I'm using the topsy strap for the front, technically the two straps are connected, pull one, and the whole front comes up together, and tilts the top back very slightly. Leave the driver side shorter and just pull the passenger side up, the strap is long enough to do this.

Then I pull the rears one at a time that are connected to the topsy brackets on the hinges. Remember the top only needs to come off the jeep about an inch to be able to pull out with the back glass open. The trick is I don't "pull" with the straps, I take my left hand, lift the top up slightly, and then reach up to the strap and take up the slack so it holds in place. So I start with both straps tight, so when I lift the one side, the other side isn't going to droop and rotate/pivot on the tub of the jeep. Get one side up an inch, then the other side up an inch, and you're good.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[wbee]

Hey any chance you can record this set up and record how you lift it and send it my way I love doing shit like this

I’m traveling right now but will when I get back home.

 

[NewJLU2019]

No Worries.

 

[WhereRU_A-A-Ron]

I had the brilliant idea to take the hard top off on my wife's previous JKU by myself one day. How I managed to not break it or myself is beyond me.

Listen though; sometimes, you just need to see her topless.

I'm talking about the Jeep. Well, my wife too but that's not for you guys. I'm gonna stop now.

 

[hoag4147]

I had the brilliant idea to take the hard top off on my wife's previous JKU by myself one day. How I managed to not break it or myself is beyond me.

Listen though; sometimes, you just need to see her topless.

I'm talking about the Jeep. Well, my wife too but that's not for you guys. I'm gonna stop now.

No reason to stop now ?

 

[wren]

Maybe when I was younger I could have taken it off myself, but not anymore? I bought this Freedom Jack unit ($277) and a Harbor Freight 1 ton shop crane ($150) to do the job. The piece you get from Freedom Jack is the black piece holding up the top. It fits into the end of the crane arm. I also bought the door hangers ($169) that mount to the crane as well. It stores all 4 doors and the freedom tops on the crane.

Pros
- It only takes me 10 minutes to pull off the tops and doors.
- I can park the jeep under the top. I have low finished ceilings and this works fine.
- the doors hang on their hinges, so no worries about messing up the seals.
- I can fold the crane up when not in use.
- I can, and have, used the crane for other things.

I've been very pleased with the whole setup. It keeps everything together nice and neat. The whole rig, including the crane from HF was about $600.

BTW, the orange thing on top of the crane arm is a drywall handle I picked up at HD for a few bucks. It makes the doors much easier to handle?

I love that you're hanging the doors on pins by the hinges, and I think I could cobble together a wall hanger similar to that.

 

[wren]

At the risk of showing you how cluttered my garage is, this is my rig. I picked up 5 cargo D-rings, 4 200# and one heavier. Also some rope and a hand crank winch. A friend of mine has the same rig with an electric winch on it but I have mine set so I can run it up and down with a cordless drill. The drop ropes are connected to straps that run forward and back with quick links.

I'd tried ratchet tie-down straps first but I got into trouble with the length and couldn't fit enough strap on the reel to get them all the way up in one go. And ratcheting them up and down was a hassle.

 

[cpawlFL]

Love my Top Lift Pro. Worth the money. I take the top off more often bc of having this.

 

[Deleted member 59498]

That top lift pro is sweet.

 

[sf5211]

Love my Top Lift Pro. Worth the money. I take the top off more often bc of having this.

Hi Chris, just a little tip. You can put your freedom panels in the bag, place them on the top and crank it right up to almost the ceiling. Then you can close the back window and if you want or need extra room you can pull the Jeep inches away from the Top Lift Pro.

 

[NewJLU2019]

Love my Top Lift Pro. Worth the money. I take the top off more often bc of having this.

I know they are more money but it sure is a breeze to remove top. I really like mine.

 

[ecnrsfm_3hnds]

Anyone got a current Top Lift coupon code? Mine expired before my ordered JLU arrived. Top Lift won’t honor the expired coupon and I’d rather not wait for the likely Labor Day sales.
Thanks!!

 

[swflfireguy]

I have managed to do it with two ratchet straps into 4 eye hooks. I used some old fire hose to protect the straps at the edges. Just a few ratchets and it's up and off. Door hangars are hose holders into the concrete wall.

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