How are you guys storing your hard tops?

[MillerBuilt]

I’m going Top Lift Pros. So quick and easy. I need that with the PNW weather.

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[CHALK911]

To find the studs, you just need your knuckle. If there is an electrical box on the ceiling for a door opener or light, that is where a rafter is. The electrical box is nailed to a stud. Studs are spaced every 16 inches on center, so you just measure 16" laterally (toward the sidewalls) then start knocking on the drywall listening for the sound to dullen. Once the sound dulls, that's were a rafter is.

Studs (are in walls) and ARE 16in on center, rafters (are in ceilings) are NOT. Standard trusses are 24in on center.

 

[Bronkers]

$20. Weaving the webbing thru and tilting it back and forth with corner protectors underneath it is bit annoying. 15min job after some practice. But can drive under it w/ 8ft ceiling.

 

[fschael]

To find the studs, you just need your knuckle. If there is an electrical box on the ceiling for a door opener or light, that is where a rafter is. The electrical box is nailed to a stud. Studs are spaced every 16 inches on center, so you just measure 16" laterally (toward the sidewalls) then start knocking on the drywall listening for the sound to dullen. Once the sound dulls, that's were a rafter is.

This is extremely accurate and do not forget to punch first with an small screw driver just to be sure that is a stud and not a pipe.

However, Jose or Miguel sometimes forget to space it at 16 inches, so it could be 15-20 inches.

 

[fschael]

Tiny garage for me, so can't store mine on the floor, went with the pulley system from Harken. Easy to install, yeah, finding the joists is the hardest part, unless they are open like mine..

The system works well, nice and smooth operation, and so far no issues!

Those C clamps are more secure than my dodge coins.

you must love leaving right on the edge, don't?

 

[AZ_BRONC]

I have a hoist and pulley system for my old Wrangler Unlimited top, made specifically for it. Worked great. Some of the pics I’m seeing in this thread are going to warp the tops.

 

[JKommuter]

I love this setup. Do you know how far down is the bottom of the top from the ceiling with the middle roof panel on it? Is your garage a 9' garage? Thanks!

Yup 9' ceiling in my garage. Sorry I never measured besides making sure I had room for the Bronco hood to fit under it. That said, there's way more than a foot gap between my bronco hood and the hanging top, so I believe it would work with an 8' ceiling.

 

[CT203]

Anyone use and have pics of the garage ceiling pully lift? How do you like it. That seems to be my only option due to space. It just looks intimidating to install. I hate having to find ceiling studs.

Jealous of people with high garage ceilings. With My Wrangler, I had to store it outside under a tarp. Far from ideal. There's always a good amount of cleaning and de-bugging. This will again be my only option with the Bronco.

 

[STX Bronco]

My ceiling is only at 7'-9 1/2", here's a shot with the bronco underneath. It'll be a bit tight for driving & maneuvering under to put the top back on (will be a bit better with non-sas), but storing is no problem.

Very nice setup. This is what I was telling my wife I was planning on, right down to the bestop! What pulley system did you end up getting?

 

[Boxer4]

Does that one come with the hardware to attach it to the ceiling?

Here is my setup-
The crane accepts standard Unistrut. Out of a 10'-0 section I cut a spanner bar for the MIC top and the rest I used to span the roof trusses.
My MIC spanner bar allows me to offset the ( 10'-0 " lifting straps ) locations.

I set the spanner bar about 17" from the back and that seems to be a good center point.
The front of the MIC's rolled edge flexes so to me it best to set the straps inboard where at the back its best to secure at the far corners.
All in cost about $150
Crane
Unistrut (with lifting hook )
10' straps
Clamps

 

[The Beaz]

Just watched a video on this. Easy and cheap. I was looking into the harken hoist. But it looks way more difficult to install than it needs to be.

The install was actually pretty easy, just a little planning needed.

 

[The Beaz]

Can’t say I’ve ever seen a 2 door I thought looked good, but that FE with the Bestop looks great.

Thanks! I'm loving both!

 

[The Beaz]

Very nice setup. This is what I was telling my wife I was planning on, right down to the bestop! What pulley system did you end up getting?

I went with the Harken kit, love it so far!

 

[The Beaz]

Those C clamps are more secure than my dodge coins.

you must love leaving right on the edge, don't?

To test each mount I hung from them, each is able to take my weight easy, so the 80lbs for the top spread across all 4 isn't a problem. I do worry a bit about earthquakes tho

 

[Tychapman]

Bought the parts today. Planning to use a manual 3:1 ratio crank, with its chain connected to a dowel that hosts 4 cables which will go up the wall, across the ceiling and down to the 4 corners of the top via pulleys. I see a lot of pictures of people just opening the back window & running straps along the underside of the top. I'm probably overthinking it, but I'm worried about eventually wearing/damaging the weather stripping of the back glass. My plan is to use the 4' 1x4s in the picture as sleds which the top will sit on (utilizing the existing bolt holes on the MIC), and utilizing eye bolts inserted on the planks as carabiner connection points for the cables from the roof.


I'm starting construction tomorrow, I'll update with the finished project. Wish me luck!

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