Any solution for hoisting hardtop as one unit?

[TahoeTexan]

Are there any solutions for hoisting the entire 4dr hardtop as one unit with the front and middle panels in place?
I certainly wouldn't want to just stress on the panel latches.

Has anybody seen an option or have ideas how to do this?

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[BitterBronco]

How handy are you? Are you willing to cut some lumber?

Also, are you trying to remove with a hoist from the ceiling?

If you’re comfortable with a saw, drill, and are hoisting from the roof, I think you could easily rig something up to lift it all in one unit

My only comment would be that finding a way to fit that rig into the Bronco, storing the rig, etc. is likely more cumbersome than just removing the front 3 panels and dealing with them independently

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out a similar question (2 door in a carport with only 3 inches of clearance, no one to help remove the top, etc).

if you come up with a cool idea, I’d love to see you post it!

 

[BitterBronco]

How handy are you? Are you willing to cut some lumber?

Also, are you trying to remove with a hoist from the ceiling?

If you’re comfortable with a saw, drill, and are hoisting from the roof, I think you could easily rig something up to lift it all in one unit

My only comment would be that finding a way to fit that rig into the Bronco, storing the rig, etc. is likely more cumbersome than just removing the front 3 panels and dealing with them independently

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out a similar question (2 door in a carport with only 3 inches of clearance, no one to help remove the top, etc).

if you come up with a cool idea, I’d love to see you post it!

Also, removing the top imperfectly has been known to crack the seal around the windows and allow water to leak in (at least in early roof units; maybe/hopefully they figured it out)

 

[huey]

I have had my top off plenty of times. No issues so far. I use the toplift pro and love it. Easy to use on your own and quick.

https://topliftpros.com/pages/bronc...OJ6GH2t43tHZWPs--0_Dqaz7IM3cKyvAaAjY2EALw_wcB

To the OP question, I don't see how the 4 door top could come off as 1 pc. The removable sections have no support cantilevered so far away from the main rear portion. Also you need to remove the mid section to remove the single hardware from each side to remove the rear. Since that's already off why no need to reinstall

If you find a method be sure to report back here

 

[BlueBronco]

Not saying it is impossible but it would take a lot of time and effort to come up with a working solution. And I don't think lumber would cut it, you are going to need to break out the welder.

 

[lakesinai]

Are there any solutions for hoisting the entire 4dr hardtop as one unit with the front and middle panels in place?
I certainly wouldn't want to just stress on the panel latches.

Has anybody seen an option or have ideas how to do this?

I think @huey summed it up well. If you're looking to compact lifting or storage, the midpanel will store nicely on a TrailRax half-rack on the rear cap. You could hoist it that way. Maybe front panels in bag on top if you have the garage height. I drove on the beach like that before Skyrider installation.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I think @huey summed it up well. If you're looking to compact lifting or storage, the midpanel will store nicely on a TrailRax half-rack on the rear cap. You could hoist it that way. Maybe front panels in bag on top if you have the garage height. I drove on the beach like that before Skyrider installation.

That looks like a handy idea!!

I feel like heavy straps should run front to back ....and they should be BEEFY. You have got to keep that leading edge from lifting at ANY and ALL costs.

Beefy side to side straps for bonus points.

Throw those bungees in the trash.

Man, the amount of shit I've seen fold in half or take flight into traffic because air got under the leading edge .....

My favorite was somebody's brand new garage door panels folded in half on top of their ladder rack on their truck because they didn't have the front tied down enough.
(In narrator Morgan Freemans voice)
"They bought two garage doors that day."

 

[lakesinai]

That looks like a handy idea!!

I feel like heavy straps should run front to back ....and they should be BEEFY. You have got to keep that leading edge from lifting at ANY and ALL costs.

Beefy side to side straps for bonus points.

Throw those bungees in the trash.

Man, the amount of shit I've seen fold in half or take flight into traffic because air got under the leading edge .....

My favorite was somebody's brand new garage door panels folded in half on top of their ladder rack on their truck because they didn't have the front tied down enough.
(In narrator Morgan Freemans voice)
"They bought two garage doors that day."

Like I said, "on the beach!" (20mph) Is perfect for that set up. Highway? Web straps. Overall, that's why I got a Skyrider. The point of the post was to illustrate stackability for efficiency in hardtop storage.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Like I said, "on the beach!" (20mph) Is perfect for that set up. Highway? Web straps. Overall, that's why I got a Skyrider. The point of the post was to illustrate stackability for efficiency in hardtop storage.

LOL, I read " to the beach ".
Sorry about that.
That is a really handy idea though, I didn't mean to blast it.

 

[lakesinai]

LOL, I read " to the beach ".
Sorry about that.
That is a really handy idea though, I didn't mean to blast it.

Your concern is legitimate, but it was also my concern and I took steps to mitigate it. The straps are upgraded, custom built full rubber (in mote photos), and there are three hold down points at the front. The way the clamp brackets reach down into the TrailRax rack, it's very tight and helps hold it in place. I even tried to use the mid panel clamp as a mechanism to clamp to the rack, but that would have taken more metal fabrication ability I have. When I did that midpanel experiment in 2022, the TrailRax had just been released, there was no Skyrider, and there were several others on 6G who were looking to see if this were combination was possible. It is, but as you note, I would never run this setup on the highway. Well-strapped, around town, on the beach, sure.
The other experiment was to see if the TrailRax half-rack and the Skyrider are compatible.

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