The OCD and Over-Engineered Hard Top Lift and Storage
06-18-2016, 08:53 AM
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The OCD and Over-Engineered Hard Top Lift and Storage
Hey all! This is my first post and before I start I want to thank all of you who have posted variations of this project. You gave me a lot to think about, several options to work from, and some good info about what works and what doesn't.
By nature, I tend to be a bit overcautious and OCD about SOME things - not ALL things, just SOME things. In the case of the design I built for my hard top lift and storage, I am quite certain I over-engineered it and I know I was OCD about it, so it is what it is. Would I expect most to do this? I doubt it, but it works for me and I guess that's what matters. If you like it and go for it and it works for you, then that's great too. If you're in the camp of wanting the cheapest, easiest to build/install lift, then this won't be the path for you. I'm a cheapskate about SOME things too, so I did attempt to keep the costs down while at the same time keeping the quiality and functionality up!
So here goes...
GOAL:
I wanted a lift that I could operate by myself without having to walk around my jeep and work straps one at a time to lift the hard top off. I tried that originally and while it worked, I thought it was a PITA whenever I raised and lowered it. Also, I didn't like having the top hanging by straps above my precious JKU and I wanted the top to be able to be easily moved out of the way. It probably would never have fallen, but it just didn't ever feel secure enough to me.
DESIGN:
The lift I built consists of the following primary parts:
1. A 'T' bar built out of Unistrut (or Channel Strut, depending on your preference) that attaches via ratchet straps to the hard top.
2. A 220/440lb electric hoist from Harbor Freight.
3. A track made using garage door track and hung using perforated angle iron.
4. A wooden platform on nylon garage door rollers.
FUNCTION:
1. Back Jeep in to garage centered between indicator lines on the floor and back the necessary distance.
2. Attach 'T' bar to hard top.
3. Roll shelf all the way back to the rear wall.
4. Lower the electric hoist hook and connect to the 'T' bar.
5. Raise the electric hoist and thereby the hard top up to the ceiling.
6. Roll shelf forward until underneath the hard top.
7. Lower the electric hoist until the hard top is fully resting on the shelf.
8. Roll shelf all the way back to the rear wall while 'letting out' slack from the hoist.
9. Reverse the above steps to lower the hard top back on the Jeep.
END RESULT:
I am very happy with the results. The project turned out pretty much exactly as I envisioned it and trust me, I changed my design a few times during the project, but I firmly believe it worked out for the best in the end. The biggest issue I had was finding the garage door track! I mean seriously, NONE of the big box stores around me carried it - not Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, True Value, Ace Hardware, NONE of them. I even turned to Craigslist to see if I could find someone selling some used track - I did, but they wanted to sell me the door with it and I didn't need that. I tried overhead door companies and they would sell it, but they wanted anywhere from $60-$120 PER PIECE and I needed 2 pieces! I found some online at a good price but they would have to ship it and being impatient as I am, I didn't want to wait. I eventually ended up at a garage door manufacturer locally and was able to score the 9-foot pieces I needed for less than $40 - TOTAL! I also bought my perforated angle iron from them, which I needed a total of 6 pieces 8' long each. If you've shopped for that stuff at the big box stores, you are well aware of the highway robbery they try to pull, we're talking near $40 for 1 piece 8-foot long! I grabbed all the pieces I needed for a grand total of $1 per foot, so 48' for $48! I thought I had died and gone to perforated angle iron heaven!
Here are some pics of the end result. I hope you enjoy and if you decide to go as overboard as I did, have at it, you won't regret it! If anyone would like more detailed build specifics, or if you have suggestions for improving the design, let me know! Thanks!
By nature, I tend to be a bit overcautious and OCD about SOME things - not ALL things, just SOME things. In the case of the design I built for my hard top lift and storage, I am quite certain I over-engineered it and I know I was OCD about it, so it is what it is. Would I expect most to do this? I doubt it, but it works for me and I guess that's what matters. If you like it and go for it and it works for you, then that's great too. If you're in the camp of wanting the cheapest, easiest to build/install lift, then this won't be the path for you. I'm a cheapskate about SOME things too, so I did attempt to keep the costs down while at the same time keeping the quiality and functionality up!
So here goes...
GOAL:
I wanted a lift that I could operate by myself without having to walk around my jeep and work straps one at a time to lift the hard top off. I tried that originally and while it worked, I thought it was a PITA whenever I raised and lowered it. Also, I didn't like having the top hanging by straps above my precious JKU and I wanted the top to be able to be easily moved out of the way. It probably would never have fallen, but it just didn't ever feel secure enough to me.
DESIGN:
The lift I built consists of the following primary parts:
1. A 'T' bar built out of Unistrut (or Channel Strut, depending on your preference) that attaches via ratchet straps to the hard top.
2. A 220/440lb electric hoist from Harbor Freight.
3. A track made using garage door track and hung using perforated angle iron.
4. A wooden platform on nylon garage door rollers.
FUNCTION:
1. Back Jeep in to garage centered between indicator lines on the floor and back the necessary distance.
2. Attach 'T' bar to hard top.
3. Roll shelf all the way back to the rear wall.
4. Lower the electric hoist hook and connect to the 'T' bar.
5. Raise the electric hoist and thereby the hard top up to the ceiling.
6. Roll shelf forward until underneath the hard top.
7. Lower the electric hoist until the hard top is fully resting on the shelf.
8. Roll shelf all the way back to the rear wall while 'letting out' slack from the hoist.
9. Reverse the above steps to lower the hard top back on the Jeep.
END RESULT:
I am very happy with the results. The project turned out pretty much exactly as I envisioned it and trust me, I changed my design a few times during the project, but I firmly believe it worked out for the best in the end. The biggest issue I had was finding the garage door track! I mean seriously, NONE of the big box stores around me carried it - not Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, True Value, Ace Hardware, NONE of them. I even turned to Craigslist to see if I could find someone selling some used track - I did, but they wanted to sell me the door with it and I didn't need that. I tried overhead door companies and they would sell it, but they wanted anywhere from $60-$120 PER PIECE and I needed 2 pieces! I found some online at a good price but they would have to ship it and being impatient as I am, I didn't want to wait. I eventually ended up at a garage door manufacturer locally and was able to score the 9-foot pieces I needed for less than $40 - TOTAL! I also bought my perforated angle iron from them, which I needed a total of 6 pieces 8' long each. If you've shopped for that stuff at the big box stores, you are well aware of the highway robbery they try to pull, we're talking near $40 for 1 piece 8-foot long! I grabbed all the pieces I needed for a grand total of $1 per foot, so 48' for $48! I thought I had died and gone to perforated angle iron heaven!
Here are some pics of the end result. I hope you enjoy and if you decide to go as overboard as I did, have at it, you won't regret it! If anyone would like more detailed build specifics, or if you have suggestions for improving the design, let me know! Thanks!
Last edited by TheSuperPaul; 06-19-2016 at 08:18 AM.
