Anyone ever build a hard top lift?

[meltedpanda]

On and off with the hard top is at least a 2 person job, but...
anyone know of or care to share a lift building diagram

[Alkraut]

I put one together last year. The key is getting a good strap assembly that is safe and secure, and won't damage the top. I purchased a "Fritzi" strap from capitolwest.com for around $70 plus shipping. It is adjustable, and has the correct coated hooks for the hardtop. They provide the adjustment dimensions so the top is balanced. This has a lift ring in the center. I rigged up a cable hoist using braided steel cable and a pulley that are available from the hardware store. I think it was 3/16 cable. I put a s-hook on the ceiling by bolting a piece of angle-iron to the ceiling joist and hung the pulley. I put a loop on both ends of the cable They make tiny u-bolt cable clamps for this. I used a "come-along" that I already had and hooked the fixed end to a large u-bolt on the pipe column in the garage, and the other end to a loop in the 3/16 cable. The other end of this cable s-hooked to the Fritzi. This worked well. You can get also get a 30905-5VGA crank winch with cable from Harbor Freight for about $20 and mount the winch somewhere in the garage. They sell the come-along (4000 pound cable winch puller 30329-7VGA) for about $17. Overkill, but it works and won't slip if used correctly. I'm not sure if the crank winch is ratchet-reversable for let down. The come-along is. Harbor Freight also has some very cool electric winches that mount directly to the ceiling. Check em out. Make sure you test the system out with load before lifting the top.

[meltedpanda]

any chance you could post pictures, sounds like a great solution!

[Alkraut]

Here are some pictures of the Fritzi strap and the hoist setup that was used:

[meltedpanda]

sweet, and thanks, I ordered my fritzi strap today!