Hi All,

I found a sub $250 way to ceiling mount a winch to your ceiling to remove a hard top. I watched a YouTube video were he "Jerry Rigged" it to connect to the rig's battery. I wanted to get a clean install using my garage door openers outlet. I posted this here somewhere, but I believe it was in the wrong place.

First I went out and got a Harbor Freight 1500lb ATV winch. I then went to Lowes and got ~3.5" U bolts. They fit perfectly into the winch's mounting plate at a diagonal.






Then use a stud finder to find your truss (if you have sheet rock over it). Use the bracket to mark points around your stud and use chalk to mark it. Than use the same bracket to mark your mounting points.



After that, have a buddy hold it up wile you secure it around a truss. Plug it in and proceed with caution. I am not an expert, so do this at your own risk, and if you see anything that I can improve on, please let me know.

 

IMO, the actual method of cranking the hard top higher is one thing, but the flaw you have is that everything is dangling from 1 single point (the winch hook), and that does not make for much stability. The top can twist/spin/swing. For not much more you could have gotten something that was intended to lift the top and would have been safer. I have a similar set up I use to lift my RTT off my trailer when needed, and I don't even like dangling that from a single point for the same reason. I think the hoist I use for my top was $300, top is completely on/off in 5 mins (including bolts), it's a true 1-person job, and the thing is stable as can be when lifted to the ceiling.

 

Yes it does swing, so I just tie two areas at the back with string. Keeps it right in place.

 

These things are a completely different vehicle when topless, and even more so when doorless. Congratulations on your purchase.....have fun with it!