Anyone have a truck "cap" "topper" "shell" hoist?

I was thinking about buying, or preferrably building some sort of a hoist to be able to take off and re-install my topper on my truck. The topper would then be stored on some sort of strap system attached to my rafters in my garage. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with these and could steer me in the right direction as far as parts for building one? I appreciate all advice. Thanks!

 

http://www.garagestrategies.com/harken.htm

Had this same system a few years ago for the hard top on my Cobra replica, really worked great! Sorry no pics of it though.

 

I built one using ropes and pulleys and 2x3's under the shell. I had 4 separate ropes and pulleys which made it a bit cumbersome but doable by one person. Just clamp the shell to the 2by's with the bed clamps and it stays very stable to lift.

 

I built one too. Although my shell has some bars across the top which makes it easier to connect than most shells.



I used a purchased from Harbor Freight. Its a very low gear ratio, so I can remove the handle and connect a drill to raise and lower.














You get the idea.

 

I went the cheapie way and just use ratchet straps and eye-hooks in the joists.........but that winch setup is pretty slick

 

That is f'in sweet! What a luxury to have those bars on top for this task. I need to figure out somethign for mine, but I don't even have traditional joist (or studs) in my detached garage's ceiling. I will have to build some sort of gantry deal.

 

I would love to see pix of this if you can take some...especially the 2x3s. I imagine they clamp along the length of the bedrail area, and then you just screwed eyebolts to the outside edge so attach the hoist ropes? Do you lift the shell intially with a floor jack in the bed just to get it high enough to put the 2x3s underneath each side?

 

a common place to find info like this is search for them for jeeps...

 

how heavy the average topper?

 

I wonder if the one for his cap is similar to my setup for the tonneau? No pulleys on mine though. But for $15, can't go wrong.

 

Thanks guys. That set-up is perfect and looks pretty affordable. Reason #1,000 that I love this site.

 

Its a SnugTop XTR Shell.

It weighs about 220 lbs (my best guess). Without the winch 2 men (one on each side) can lift it.

 

wow, in my mind..this sentence was crafted perfectly.

thanks for the idea on weight.

 

this is essentially the same thing as what's in the first post, but cheaper. you could get away with using one (it's strong enough) but two would make it easy to lift and be plenty secure. i've used them to lift many different items. it has a lock mechanism for the rope, so even with two of them, you could completely lift the topper to the rafters by yourself. helps that they're cheap too http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1023851_-1_400028_400007_400245

 

I thought poetic it was.

db67fm, my SnugTop has the same close-fitting curved (I think?)edge where it rests on the bed rails, but I bought my truck used with the top on it, so I do not know what the profile of the edge is like, and I don't have the original shipping rails it came on. I'd like to know so I can consider my options when having to lift or set it down on these edges without damaging the fiberglass or rubber gasket.

If it is convenient for you, would you be so kind as to snap some close-ups of this area on your cap while it is off, like a shot looking down along the rail edge from back to front?

A cap lift is my next project, so I can do the next project after that: I need to replace the stupid rubber boot that the original owner had installed, which rubs against the cab, which makes noise and ruins the paint. I need to replace it with a fold-down slider, and that will require some serious adapting, because the existing hole is bigger than the window that will replace it. Anyway, I need to have this thing resting securley on the rails at workbench height for a while when I fabricate tha adpater and install the window.

I can figure out the rigging and winching and all, but I just need to understand that bottom edge of the cap...

 

sweet set up bro...

I plan on doing something similar to this for my tonneau cover when I purchase my house...

 

I like this idea, but it says that the max load for one of them is 55 lbs. The canopy that I recently ordered is about 130 lbs., at least that's what the salesman said.

I definitely need to make one of these hoists!

 

^^^ my bad, i didn't even look at the load cap. you cold run 3 of them and just rerout the lines using pullies so that you only have one line to pull that opperates all of them at once. essentially like db67fm, but without the winch, and using rope instead of steel cable

 

Hey DB,

I bought one of those winches but I noticed there is no racheting latch. How do you keep it from unrolling?

 

I bought a really cool crank hoist shelf from Costco Online and then I simply unhook their shelf and hook in 2 notched 2x4s. Notching is important so I lift from inside the shell so as to not damage by lifting from the outer edges. It works great.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11040990

RZ Rob