Just thought I'd post my experience with a motorized hoist. Since no two seem to be the same and my experience didn't match up exactly with anyone else's, I thought it might help.

My parts list was almost exclusively from Harbor Freight:
Electric Hoist 440/880 lb - Item 62854 - the 220/440 would be plenty, but 20% off knocked it down to 109$
Ratcheting strap 2 pack 700lb 1 1/4" x 16' - Item 62258 - for 12.99$
Ratcheting strap 500lb 1" x 14' - Item 61295 or 62762 - 2 at 3.99$ each.
3 pack of quick chain links (only used 2) Item 68899 for 3.49

I did buy a square steel tubing 1 1/2" x 4' at Home Depot for 19$ though I could have found one or gone to the scrap yard and found something sufficient for little or no cost. I was just kind of impatient, so shelled out for the mounting tubing.

Things I had in hand that were used (because I have a lot of random crap):
2x6 (about 6' worth)
Hose clamps

Here is the finished product:




I had initially placing the hoist just over the rafters, so that the bottom was about 6" above the ceiling, but after placing it, I noticed that between the stopper, the pulley, and hook, there was about 20+ inches of lead that would leave the top barely off the jeep where I had envisioned it almost flush with the ceiling. I made 2x6 supports that were fitted to the inside of the trusses and fastened at each cross member for support. I ended up putting the hoist about 2 feet above the rafters.

I cut square holes for the steel tubing to hang the motor and since the motor brackets had about 1/2" extra space, I shimmed between the tube and the motor casing and used that shim to also maintain spacing with the side posts. Those were held in place by the hose clamps.

I doubled the cable and used the included pulley to increase the weight capacity (not really necessary), but my main reason was to slow down the lift and lowering rate.

The 2 larger ratchets straps are used longitudinally and I adjusted them to the desired tension while the top wasn't under load (on the floor). We ended cutting a few feet off before winding the straps, so they didn't bind when cranked down. Once at the desired length, we hooked the closed end of the hooks to the quick chain links. The left side went to one link and the right to the other. This allowed for each side to not bind or pull the other and made adjusting the placement easier when finding the balance point. While the top was on the floor, we lifted the top slightly to find the balance point, which is right around the midpoint of the rear windows or thereabouts. Once found, we tightened the straps a little, but not enough to put pressure on any of the weather stripping.

I have seen folks send the straps through the side where the rear door is, but we had less spinning when raising, and more stability when we ran them to the front edge where the two notches are.

Because I don't trust the top to just the brake on the motor, we used the other two straps to place across the width of the top near the front and the other near the back corners. We just threw these over the two rafters, so they aren't fastened anywhere in particular. We actually lowered the top to see if they would support it if the motorized brake failed, and they did.

It was pretty straight forward except for cleaning out the crap in the space over the garage and the unanticipated mounting of the motor well above the ceiling line.

Otherwise, it went well and we are quite happy and both of us tested removing and replacing it without any assistance.

 

Mine costed me $15 for the ratchet straps. Already had the deer hoist cause thats what we do in Northern Wisco but those go for $20. Strap the top, hook it to the hoist and pull. Tie the rope off and we're off.