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I've finally completed my pulley hoist! *New system started 8/1/09! More pics!

Craig Artzner

Craig Artzner

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Here are some pictures of my pulley hoist I just finished for my garage to easily R&R my fiberglass top on my '73. Sorry I don't have any pics of the top on the hoist yet. I popped it off and raised it 5" up the other day so I know it works but battery was dead in the camera. Since then I've put the top back on (still not quite warm enough to run topless yet).

Pulley_Hoist_System_1.jpg


Pulley_Hoist_System_2.jpg


Pulley_Hoist_System_4.jpg


Pulley_Hoist_System_3.jpg


Pulley_Hoist_System_5.jpg


Pulley_Hoist_System_6.jpg
 
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Any reason you went with two winches instead of one? Or at least putting the winches closer together on the wall so one person could crank both?

Looks pretty slick anyway. Good job!
 
ZooMad75 said:
Any reason you went with two winches instead of one? Or at least putting the winches closer together on the wall so one person could crank both?
Click to expand...

Believe me, I would have loved to have engineered it to work with just one winch. I was hard-pressed for room to work with there at the back, or else I would have brought them together as one. The slope of the roof and the overall layout of the studs and rafters was against me. It just ended up being easier and safer this way.

But even with the current layout, it only took me 20 minutes total to remove it. That time includes removing bolts, etc. :D
 
Well I did a design on the hoist I wanted to make but left the blazer and came here since so didn't need it yet but I used to put it on and off in less than 15 min including the bolts, and only by myself.
With my brother we'd do it in 5 min flat.
:D
That top came off and on dozens of times in the summer for us it was just like opening the windows or closing them.
We also had a bikini top that we used on chili nights if we left without the top.
:bow:

My comment on your design is that you have to slide your top on to it, how about incorporating something in the top to hook and lift, I would use a tab bolted to the bottom of the top between the top and the foam or rubber insulation, it can be as small as 1" sticking out with a hole 3/8" to hook to.
That way you are not ruining your top but still making it easy.
 
Actually I don't do any sliding on the top and my method does not damage the top. What I do is back the Blazer in under the hoist, loosen the bolts, then I get in the truck and push up with my back on each end as I put the 2x4s in between the top and the bedrail (when not in use I stack the 2x4s in the corner of the garage). Then I hook up the pulleys to the loops on the 2x4s and crank it up. Here are some pics of me removing the top (I know, I have a thread for everything): :D

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216496

If my truck wasn't in such nice original shape I might have installed some hooks on the top itself to make the process quicker.
 
So you have to climb up and attach ratchet straps once the top is up in the air? Why not cut the rope into mutiple pieces that tie to the winch rope? Then the top couldn't tip when it is on the pulley system. It also seems like you could bring all four individual ropes to a single winch, just be running some additional pulleys to route the rope around the rafters. Maybe I just can't see it right. Then you wouldn't have to run back and forth cranking each pulley a little bit at a time.

I would love to have mounts for a roof rack or something to attach directly to the top to avoid lifting it and placing boards underneath.

*Edit* Has anybody ever tried mounting something like this in the top? If you used a low profile one, nobody would even know it's there (unless their truck is bigger)
61571.gif
330291_lg.gif


Plus, you could use them to secure cargo on the roof.
 
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Blue85 said:
So you have to climb up and attach ratchet straps once the top is up in the air?
Click to expand...
I don't have to. I only install the ratchet straps as an extra safety feature since the top hangs in the garage for weeks at a time. They have nothing to do with actually lifting the top.
Blue85 said:
Why not cut the rope into mutiple pieces that tie to the winch rope? Then the top couldn't tip when it is on the pulley system. It also seems like you could bring all four individual ropes to a single winch, just be running some additional pulleys to route the rope around the rafters. Maybe I just can't see it right. Then you wouldn't have to run back and forth cranking each pulley a little bit at a time.
Click to expand...
See post #10. :)
 
wow nice setup Craig. beats the hell outta mine :D





i suggest noone do this cause when i went to put it back on it had warped a little bit. never even thought about it really DOH!!
 
Blue85 said:
Has anybody ever tried mounting something like this in the top? If you used a low profile one, nobody would even know it's there (unless their truck is bigger)
61571.gif
330291_lg.gif


Plus, you could use them to secure cargo on the roof.
Click to expand...
That's not a bad idea.
 
Yeah, I'm actually thinking about cutting my top to mount some of those eyes on now. I think I could get the top off in 5 minutes. I feel confident in sealing them and I think I could keep them from rattling, I'm just worried about the strength of the bolts in the fiberglass. Putting a plate on the underside and running the bolts all the way through might be the only safe way.

I read your post that 1 winch was difficult, I just didn't believe that it was impossible:D

Really though, if you just doubled a few of the pulleys, you could run 2 ropes from each winch and not risk the top tipping from front to back. The advantage to using 2 long 2x4s like you did is that you don't have to line the truck up perfectly under the top to get it back on. The drawback is that the top isn't really secured to anything. You could put some bolts through the topper holes and the 2x4's to hold it on. Maybe you already did. Anyway, no ratchet straps required then.
 
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