Hard top removal and storage

[TerryMason]

Well I finally bought a house, and my only requirement on it was that there be a garage. Since I only have a small one car garage, I was thinking about getting a hard top hoist and just leaving the hard top up in the air. Does anyone do this? Should I buy the hoist or make my own.

Just looking for opinions.

Thanks,
Terry

[willys]

terry, yeah thats what i do to lift off my truck shell, and jeep top. some rope around the rafters with little pulleys.i just leave em up there till needed, [saves alota room]

[TerryMason]

did you just use ropes and pullies, or did you build a frame that attaches to the hardtop (like the ones for sale in the mags)

Thanks,
Terry

[willys]

i just lifted them up high enough to get the rope under, then raised em up, and drove out, using only rope. i used the barn, & when i went to retrieve them, what a mess of bird crap&nest's

[ChrisCJ7]

I used four screw hooks, similar to bicycle storage hooks and four friction type tie-down straps

[MORGSTER]

HERE'S A LITTLE TRICK WE USED. LIFTING THE HARD TOP OFF YOUR JEEP IS SIMPLE. A HOOK, SMALL HOIST, AND ROPE, AND IF YOU LEAVE IT HANGING FOR A SHORT TIME, NO PROBLEM. HERE'S WHERE WE FOUND A PROBLEM. WE REMOVE OUR TOP EVERY YEAR FOR THE SUMMER, AND EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THAT ANNOYING WIND NOISE WHEN WE REINSTALL IT. WE FOUND THAT LEAVING IT HANGING WARPS THE TOP. THE SOLUTION WAS TO BUILD A LIGHT WEIGHT METAL FRAME WITH HOOKS AT FOUR CORNERS THAT ATTACH TO THE HOIST. WE MOVED THE HOIST UP BETWEEN THE RAFTERS AND NOW WE PUT THE TOP ON OUR FRAME AND HOIST THE WHOLE THING UP INTO THE RAFTERS. CONCLUSION: THIS PLAN IS A LITTLE MORE HASSLE, BUT THE TOP KEEPS IT'S SHAPE, IT'S OUT OF THE WAY, AND WE COVER IT TO KEEP THE ELEMENTS OFF IT TILL NEXT YEAR. TO US IT'S WORTH THE EXTRA WORK.