Hard top hoist hook up question

[rpatton3]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I think these photos will help. Thanks to my brother in law and his digital camera, I learned some new computer skills today.

[ArtandKaren]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

OK, help. I admit that I'm not seeing it very well.
We're just finishing the construction of a new house with three car garage and want to purchase and install a hard top hoist. But where is everyone installing their hoist relative to the side rails that the garage doors open on that are mounted in the ceiling? Obviously, the door must be down to take the top off if you mount it between the rails.
But where is there room to keep the hard top in the hoist near the ceiling beyond the rails? We have an average depth garage and there is not a lot of space beyond where the garage door rails stop.
Am I missing something here?

[rpatton3]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

It helps if you back the car in to remove the top. You don't have to clear the windshield. We have a regular garage and it would have been difficult without backing in to remove the top.

Our door is the standard height 6'8" or so and the garage is not extra deep and the ceiling is 8' or so.

The hoist is in front of all the door rails etc. and I did not think it would fit either. It does, though.

We have an old clothes dryer we're saving for a niece or nephew in front of the Thunderbird and that's about all the extra room we have.

Russell

[MATBird]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

Russell:
Your brother-in-law also sent me the same pictures.
Thanks also for posting them. David, (DLJames) had asked me to post them when I got them, so you saved me the chore. These are very explicit and I appreciate it.

Art and Karen: I had a 3 car garage built as well. 25' x 36' three doors 9' wide and 8' high and with 11 1/2' ceilings. So when the Bird is in the garage, with the door down, there is still 8 feet from the rear bumper to the rear wall. So I used that space to hang the hoist. That way all I have to do is back up a few feet further to use the hoist.

I could have put the hoist between the rails with the ceiling height I have. It's 9' from the floor to the rails, so I could have had it hanging over the car, but that's too uncomfortable for me.

Either way, I can leave the top hanging and still go in and out easily. However, with my space, I'll just use the cradle for the Hardtop.
I hope this helps...good luck and thanks again, Russell

[DLJames]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

A picture is certainly worth a thousand words and in this case more than that. Using the pulley structure that you have shown, I should be able to mount the hoist on the side wall instead of the ceiling. Right?

Thanks for posting the pictures Russell.

[MATBird]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

David, correct. I wish I had done it that way. It was tough being 11' + up on a ladder and trying to hold the unit and screw it in at the same time.... Too bad Russell wasn't posting on hoists back then:)

[rpatton3]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I had an off-duty fireman install my hoist. Ladders don't seem to bother them!

[MATBird]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I never thought of that..:)

[texasbird]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

Disregard post. Thought I was in a more current thread. My bad.

[FEsTbird]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

Probably if you mount the motor on the ceiling (as shown in one of the posts) only one pulley should be needed.
If the motor is mounted on the wall, at least two are needed. One is above the motor to change the direction of the wire; one is centered above where you want the top to go up and down. In that case it is fairly important that the two pulleys and motor line up pretty straight. Otherwise the steel wire will cut the aluminum edge of the pulleys. Actually, I have three pulleys and one holds the weight ball. The photos below show the detail. I have the V set-up to keep the top straighter (sort of works).
I have my control cord hanging on a hook beside the motor (wall mount) so that it is easy to reach when I want to change the top.

[ge0rge]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I have the Harbor Freight hoist. I found that even using the extra pulley to cut the speed in half was not enough. It still was too fast for my comfort. So I bought more pulleys and slowed it down to 1/4 the speed. I like that a lot better.

Note that you cannot slow Harbor Freight the motor electrically, because it isn't that type of motor. It must be done mechanically.

I have a document with lots of explanation and photos of what I did. It's either PDF or MSWord format. If anybody would like a copy, PM me with your email address. I'll gladly send it to you.

geo

[bobc4383]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I hope someone with the same type hoist can answer my question:
It is the electric one and the motor is mounted and now I need to know how to route the cable.

I currently have the cable threaded through the hanging weight ball and with the straps hanging down. Then the cable to a hook, but there's an extra pulley that must have to be put on to ease the weight pull.

If anyone has pictures please let me know and we can possibly email them

[bobc4383]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I used a Harbor Freight hoist - the $139 one that was on sale. I mounted the hoist on a side wall (rather than on the ceiling since it weights 41 lb) and originally used one hook in the ceiling with a pulley (so the cable went horizontally to the pully and vertically down to the top). My intent was to lift the top about two inches, pull the car out and then lower the top to the floor (no long-term hoist storage). All seemed well until the first test. It went up about two inches and then the hook straightened which caused the pulley to pull off and the top to fall. Since the car was 'behind' the center of pull, the top had moved forward several inches so the pin on the top hit the driver's door (luckily only a small dent -boooo- and a minor paint ding at the rear edge of the window frame). Luckily nothing else was hurt (pride not counted), and my wife helping, I was able to put the top back in place on the car. I have since put two stronger hooks in the ceiling (helps with the speed issue mentioned before), and to be honest, I have not had the guts to try it again. When I do, I'll try it without the car in position and use 150 lb weight just to make sure all is well. Also, I used three suction cups from HF and made a triangular framework of ropes and plastic pipe to attach to the hard top roof with a series of s-hooks which seems to work well (each will hold 100 lb so ample strength). I did not include pictures - can if desired - so just another owner's input and caution. Some of the pictures show only one hook, and I did not have good luck with just one.

Bob

[rcjohny]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

I have a E Z Top, manual, they cost about 169.00 very easy to use, easy to mount & easy to use, you can move your top front to back side to side with one hand ,also move up and down a fraction of a inch at a time with your other hand. very user frindly great people to buy from.

[justjon]

Re: Hard top hoist hook up question

Why is everyone making such a big deal about a couple of pulleys? this is not rocket science gentlemen. I figured out how to lift an 8x4 sheet of plywood off the saw horses in the garage for my electric train set when i was 10, so my dad could park his car. get a grip.. so to speak. Harbor freight has more then you need and if you pay $300 for a "kit" to do this, I will come and personally install it for you for $1000, plus expenses.....