taking my top off...one or two straps?

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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im getting somewhere with my lean too, and one of the things i want to do is put a rope and pulley system on the rafters so i can take the top off my bronco by myself (like the old block and tackle systems you would see on sailboats)

so, my main idea is to put 4 pulleys in the rafters (one on each corner of the top) and run a rope through them, down the to top, to a hook with a pulley, and back up

now, if i run a single rope through the whole thing i will had a reduction rate of 4, but if i run two ropes, i will have a reduction rate of only 2

my main concern on the single rope setup would be that it would not lift evenly

any thoughts on this?
 
Single rope will lift all the same if rigged properly.
 
diymirage said:
any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

When I had my fiberglass cap on my old pickup, I used a stand that I built.

I parked the truck where I want the cap, I then sunk 1 4x4 at each corner (in a few inches front and rear) of the cap, then ran a 2x4 along each side of the vehicle. Then I cut 2 more 2x4's to go across the other 2. I would get inside the bed, lift up a couple inches on the cap with my back and slide the 2x4 cross ways along the front and back.

Drive out from under it.

To put back on, reverse process. Seemed to work quite well.
 
As a kid I had a train setup on a 4x8 sheet of plywood suspended ironically above my dads 67 Dart. We used one rope for each corner. The 4 ropes come to 4 pullus that followed down a post in the garage. Never had an issue having the thing go up and down flat. I have a bicycle lift (harbor freight special) it uses one rope and sometimes the front goes up first and sometimes the rear.

I would go for the multiple rope setup!
 
The Blazer I had many years ago had a fiberglass top, loved it. I used a boat winch and two pulley system, one pulley above the truck topper and the other above the winch which was mounted to the wall. Above the truck topper I made a “H” frame and from there had four ropes that dangle down to the topper. Made four “J” channels as hooks to gently lift off the top. One man job........
 
Bad Sport said:
When I had my fiberglass cap on my old pickup, I used a stand that I built.

I parked the truck where I want the cap, I then sunk 1 4x4 at each corner (in a few inches front and rear) of the cap, then ran a 2x4 along each side of the vehicle. Then I cut 2 more 2x4's to go across the other 2. I would get inside the bed, lift up a couple inches on the cap with my back and slide the 2x4 cross ways along the front and back.

Drive out from under it.

To put back on, reverse process. Seemed to work quite well.
Click to expand...

that would be the easiest way
only problem is,
the truck has a full size roll bar in it, so i cant do that, or id catch the bar

Dana67Dart said:
As a kid I had a train setup on a 4x8 sheet of plywood suspended ironically above my dads 67 Dart. We used one rope for each corner. The 4 ropes come to 4 pullus that followed down a post in the garage. Never had an issue having the thing go up and down flat. I have a bicycle lift (harbor freight special) it uses one rope and sometimes the front goes up first and sometimes the rear.

I would go for the multiple rope setup!
Click to expand...
i thought of buying 2 of those bike lifts and call it good, but i would be right at the max weight
 
diymirage said:
i thought of buying 2 of those bike lifts and call it good, but i would be right at the max weight
Click to expand...
I have a 20 foot fiberglass extension ladder hanging from one right now. I'm not worried about the metal parts but the cord is really cheap and I keep waiting for it to come crashing down one night. That being said it has been you there for 10 years so I guess it is ok
 
I just did something similar with my tandem kayak in my garage. I bought a winch for a boat to crank it up there out of the bed of my truck. Works great.
 
diymirage said:
from the looks of it, the top weight 125 lbs
Click to expand...
When i read the title to this post it thought it was about something else.
Now with this post, i'm really confused.............
I would say that if her top weighs that much, definitely 2 heavy straps are needed.
 
ok, so here is the plan
im going to put in an eyebolt towards the back of the truck and run a cable down
hit a tackle block and back up (leaving the eye on the block open)
up into a second tackle block, mounted a few inches past the eyebolt
the run the cable forward to the front of the truck, into block #3 and down
hit block #4 at the front of the top/back of the cab and back up, into block #5

ill run two cables like this, one on the driver side, one on the passenger side and most likely tie them together after block #5 and into a hand crank like @1973Barracuda mentioned

then i will get in, pop the top up an put a piece of 2X4 in between the roll cage and the top, towards the front of the truck
then i can run a line connecting the eyes of block #2 and #4 (or perhaps even cross them, from left to right?)

this should allow me to lift even and effortlessly , sound good?
 
do a google search of jeep hard top removal, and i bet there are a crap ton of home made ones on you-tube for ideas
 
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