Hanging Gladiator roof from garage ceiling joists?

[ShadowsPapa]

MAYBE there's already a good answer out there............. didn't know what to call it and search wasn't getting what I wanted, but if the topic is there, please - show me the way! LOL

What's a good way to be able to lift the roof off the truck, leave it hanging, drive away, and come back and park the truck under the roof, but not necessarily put it back on yet - but, be able to easily lower it back down and put it back on - AND, not break the bank! I don't want to spend 500-1000 on a fancy robotic thing that I simply push a button on my phone, walk out and it's all done, but I must be able to do it by myself!
I have a little bit of space where the truck will be parked that have open ceiling joists, There's no ceiling in there but the PO had wood up there so he could store stuff overhead and I have some shop lights up there.
I want to be able to lift the roof off, drive away and leave it hanging, or come back and back under it, lower it onto the truck and bolt it back on, by myself if necessary.
It must be simple, safe, and not cost an arm and leg - those are already gone from buying the truck HAHAHA.

Back-story of sorts - Iowa weather sucks. If it's not raining, it's HOTTER than hell and the humidity is there to match. But once in a while there's a decent day.
My truck has been sitting under the lean-to of my shop when parked. It's open on the ends and east side and critters like to rummage through stuff. Can't use the word coon these days but we have 4 legged animals with stripes and a mask that love to get into things and rip stuff up, and chipmunks live in the leaves that blow into the lean-to, BIRDS hang out there and use my front bumper as a PERCH and I have to wash the bird stuff off almost every week. So taking the roof off has been a no, that would be STUPID! thing. I'd have to put it right back on when parking it even for a few hours. I live in the country next to woods, creeks, fields, we get the critters.
I say I need to be able to take the roof off, or put it back on by myself if need be because -
My wife has a handicap with her arms and wouldn't be much help as the roof sits higher than she could raise her arms, especially with a load like the truck's top.

So, I've decided to move the 04 WJ I bought from Dad's estate after he was killed out to the lean-to, and rearrange the garage. These Gladiators are LOONG trucks! Wow, longer than anything else I have. So rearranging the garage has turned into a 3 day project.
The SX4 HAS to be in there, some day the Javelin may be in there and the SX4 in the shop but I've got the Javelin tore apart for work. (I sold the 70 Javelin, down to the 73 now and those are LONG cars, longer than a typical station-wagon of that era)
So I need to clear out a ton of space, get some length freed up, especially under open joists.
I have a whole lot of stuff up at the end of the driveway with a "FREE" sign in the middle - air compressor, tiller, bicycle, wood shelving units, transfer pumps, I'm giving stuff away.

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[Gladiator Joe]

I used a couple cheap bike lifts. All in was less than $100. They are rated for more than roof weighs so I felt good. Had it hanging there for a couple weeks before I put it back on.

 

[12BNNT]

I have the same issue here (west of St Louis)
You have several options, seen enough of your post to know you can be creative in coming up with what will work. Ive done a couple different iterations of lifts like the previous post. Ive used small angle iron to make a frame (Covered with pipe insulation) the size of the roof of my 4 door JK, attached vinyl coated cables to each corner (each going through its own pulley to a central ring) and then a cable from that to a pulley at the top of the wall down to a $30 boat winch. Back under the frame, lower the frame to the roof, unbolt, run straps under the roof attached to the frame, crank the handle And pull out. Could pull in forward to park the hood under the roof when leaving it off. Putting it back on was as simple as backing in under it, lowering it back down and hooking it up. Ive since gave that setup to my buddy for his Jeep and made a smaller frame with some of that thinner unistrut for the 2 door JK and attached a $90 electric winch from Northern tools to make it even easier. This one had a sliding frame that could be moved forward and aft or left and right so I didn’t have to be so accurate backing in and could rotate the roof and move it towards the side of the garage once I pulled out to hang over my bench instead of in the parking spot. Both of those cost me less than $200 to build. Still in the process of changing the lift system to fit the gladiator but Ill try to find pics of the previous setups for ya as well as the long thread from last year talking about this.

 

[kevman65]

Pulleys, rope, couple of boat cleats to tie off rope. and a way to "grab" the roof without damaging it (rubber coated hooks).

Had a CJ7 hardtop, MUCH heavier than the JT roof and that's how I did it.

Back into garage, use a ladder and plumb bob to find locations and mark. Install pulleys, run rope(s) and mount cleats.

Then when you want top off, back in, remove bolts, place hooks, pull, tie, drive out topless.

 

[12BNNT]

2door setup with 400# rated electric winch.

 

[12BNNT]

Here’s a link to a thread from last year with a few pics of how others have set theirs up.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/hard-top-hoist.15044/

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I used a couple cheap bike lifts. All in was less than $100. They are rated for more than roof weighs so I felt good. Had it hanging there for a couple weeks before I put it back on.

This is soo funny because while cleaning out the garage, I ran across a couple of those exact bike hangers, still in the box. One I had bought a few years back, the other my son gave me when he moved as he never ended up hanging his bike in his garage. So I have two of them brand new in the box I bet they are exactly like yours.

I like some of the other ideas as well - none are bad in any way, but this one really hit me because of those bike hangers and I have two in the box.

My questions, though, would be related to the FRONT side of the roof. The rear has sort of an edge the hooks go under and once weight is on the rear edge of the top sits in the hooks, they can't go anywhere.
But the front - it's like trying to hang onto the edge of a FLAT roof with your finger tips. The hooks don't really appear to "hook". Did you get around that by placing the bike hanger setups a bit closer together than the roof is long front to back so the natural pressure is to keep the hooks inward and not pull out away from the roof?
For example, of the truck roof is 6' 7" front to rear, you hang the bike hangers 6' 4" apart?
I assume you'd hang them left to right so that the hooks are in just 3 or 4" from the corners?

I was concerned about how to do this in part because I assume there was some sort of gasket or seal along the bottom edge of the roof and didn't want hooks pressing on any seal or weatherstrip and causing it to take a set -and allow water or air in.
I've never even looked at how these come off until now as I was more concerned about it being a truck, but geesh, might be fun to raise the roof!

All good ideas, thanks - and thanks for the link, too - more interesting stuff.

 

[Gladiator Joe]

This is soo funny because while cleaning out the garage, I ran across a couple of those exact bike hangers, still in the box. One I had bought a few years back, the other my son gave me when he moved as he never ended up hanging his bike in his garage. So I have two of them brand new in the box I bet they are exactly like yours.

I like some of the other ideas as well - none are bad in any way, but this one really hit me because of those bike hangers and I have two in the box.

My questions, though, would be related to the FRONT side of the roof. The rear has sort of an edge the hooks go under and once weight is on the rear edge of the top sits in the hooks, they can't go anywhere.
But the front - it's like trying to hang onto the edge of a FLAT roof with your finger tips. The hooks don't really appear to "hook". Did you get around that by placing the bike hanger setups a bit closer together than the roof is long front to back so the natural pressure is to keep the hooks inward and not pull out away from the roof?
For example, of the truck roof is 6' 7" front to rear, you hang the bike hangers 6' 4" apart?
I assume you'd hang them left to right so that the hooks are in just 3 or 4" from the corners?

I was concerned about how to do this in part because I assume there was some sort of gasket or seal along the bottom edge of the roof and didn't want hooks pressing on any seal or weatherstrip and causing it to take a set -and allow water or air in.
I've never even looked at how these come off until now as I was more concerned about it being a truck, but geesh, might be fun to raise the roof!

All good ideas, thanks - and thanks for the link, too - more interesting stuff.

No seals to worry about but you’re right that it barely grabbed on. I was keeping a very close eye as I slowly raised it.

 

[sarcasm]

You want simple? I got simple.
2x4 on ceiling secured with decking screws.
Eye Screws secured to the 2x4.
Eye Bolts and Washers for the top itself.
Raise the top manually with nylon lashing straps.
(Not necessary but I have quick link carabiners on the Eye Screws)

I setup this up for the JKU but it works well for the JT as well. In the past I have raised it level so I could put the Freedom Tops on top of the hard top. I double up on the straps since I am using old ones and want to make sure there is no single point of failure.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You want simple? I got simple.
2x4 on ceiling secured with decking screws.
Eye Screws secured to the 2x4.
Eye Bolts and Washers for the top itself.
Raise the top manually with nylon lashing straps.
(Not necessary but I have quick link carabiners on the Eye Screws)

I setup this up for the JKU but it works well for the JT as well. In the past I have raised it level so I could put the Freedom Tops on top of the hard top. I double up on the straps since I am using old ones and want to make sure there is no single point of failure.

Curious about this - maybe it's obvious if removing the top - but I've never even tried, heck, i've never even read the DIRECTIONS on HOW to remove it - so if this is obvious, sorry, but your statement here -
>>Eye Bolts and Washers for the top itself.<<
There are holes you can run eye bolts through?
I believe I have some stainless ones left from other projects.
Since I own the bike hangers already, was thinking of trying that out, but want to make sure the FRONT hooks can't slip off or out. The rear, no problem, they'll cradle the rear edge.

I get paranoid about stuff - safety, things falling, even my mower deck which I remove each winter when I put the snow blade on the lawn tractor - I use a boat winch and steel cable to pull it up against the wall then I wrap a heavy chain around it and secure to two hooks screwed into the wall studs to make sure the deck can't tip over. I bet it weighs close to 200 pounds. The winch and steel cable would be enough, but..........

 

[GrubbyBaja]

Here are pics of my solution. The locking rope hoists were about $10 each, some 1/4" rope, a couple 3/8" eye bolts, and a 3/4" diameter dowel cut into 4 pieces. If you already have the bike hoists, look at using the dowels and a piece of rope for the front holes.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Here are pics of my solution. The locking rope hoists were about $10 each, some 1/4" rope, a couple 3/8" eye bolts, and a 3/4" diameter dowel cut into 4 pieces. If you already have the bike hoists, look at using the dowels and a piece of rope for the front holes.

AHA - so the existing holes up front are what's being used. I like the rope and dowel method.
That could still be used with the bike hoists. The rear hooks could just go under the back edge and use the rope and dowel on the front hooks so they couldn't let loose.
Wood dowels wouldn't mark or hurt anything and are more than strong enough.
I keep forgetting, too, that with the freedom panels out already, the roof itself isn't really that long front to back

 

[Gladiator Joe]

Yeah this is good. I’m now rethinking using those holes in my setup as well. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Gatorized]

Here are pics of my solution. The locking rope hoists were about $10 each, some 1/4" rope, a couple 3/8" eye bolts, and a 3/4" diameter dowel cut into 4 pieces. If you already have the bike hoists, look at using the dowels and a piece of rope for the front holes.

This looks like the most cost effective solution I’ve seen! Wish I had a garage to put it in!
With the dowels and paracord this would probably work with just one bike hoist. Not sure of the weight limit on the bike hoist but you could check that before lifting into final position and then use a wire cable or chain to hold the weight once lifted out of the way.

 

[12BNNT]

Here are pics of my solution. The locking rope hoists were about $10 each, some 1/4" rope, a couple 3/8" eye bolts, and a 3/4" diameter dowel cut into 4 pieces. If you already have the bike hoists, look at using the dowels and a piece of rope for the front holes.

I like the loop and dowel idea.
Like I said earlier, still reworking my lift setup for the JT. I have a couple J-hooks from another project that I had already thought of using for the rear of the top with cable to connect from that to the electric hoist. Having a couple cables connected to the hoist that I could feed through the front holes and hook with this dowel method might work perfect. Then i could lower the rack, hook the four corners and lift with a touch of a button.

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