One person hard top removal

[Fatbackswag]

Wondering what kind of solutions there are for someone to remove the hard top by themselves. My garage isn’t tall enough to use a hoist so that option is out. I have only ever owned soft top wranglers so hard tops are new to me.

I don’t even know it it’s possible to do.

Thanks for any advice ! ?

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[kevman65]

Take out all bolts and disconnect wiring harness. Open rear window. Climb in bed of truck, put one arm through rear window. Stand up and lift top. Walk to back of bed with top in hand. Set top down on bed rails then climb out. Lift top and set gently on ground.

 

[Chocolyle]

Yep

 

[Fatbackswag]

Take out all bolts and disconnect wiring harness. Open rear window. Climb in bed of truck, put one arm through rear window. Stand up and lift top. Walk to back of bed with top in hand. Set top down on bed rails then climb out. Lift top and set gently on ground.

Well that sounds a lot easier than I thought

 

[kevman65]

It only weighs about 60 pounds. It is a tad awkward.

It's a LOT lighter than an old CJ7 hard top though.

 

[DBravo]

Wondering what kind of solutions there are for someone to remove the hard top by themselves. My garage isn’t tall enough to use a hoist so that option is out. I have only ever owned soft top wranglers so hard tops are new to me.

I don’t even know it it’s possible to do.

Thanks for any advice ! ?

I've posted this previously - reposting here as this works great for me.

I built a storage rack that I can back under out of 2"x4" lumber. I built runner guides and set the top on furniture sliders and slide it back. 4 vertical 4"x4" posts.
Remove the Freedom Tops
Remove all bolts
Unplug rear harness
Fold the back seat down, then sit on the folded back seat with my back to the window and lift, then slide back
I purchased the BestTop Sunrider that replaces my freedom tops in the summer, so I don't take the top completely off as much as I did at first.

Here are the details and measurements if interested:

Stock 2020 Gladiator Overland (18” wheels, Goodyear Wrangler 255/60R18 tires)
I have sinces added a shelf in the center area (12 sheet of plywood) that I store my BestTop Sunrider on in the winter and my freedom tops in the summer


48” deep (4”x4” front to 4”x4 rear)

Opening is “86” wide

55” from floor to cross bars

Cut Lumber list:

4 ea 4x4 @ 61” (corner posts) adjust for bigger tires & remember - unless you have a levelling lift, the rear is higher than the nose

4 ea 2x4 = 48” (L & R front to back supports top and bottom) top is inside front to back bottom is outside for tire clearance,

2 ea 2x4 @ 92.5” (top front and back L/R cross

1 ea 2”x4” @ 94.5” (bottom L/R cross)

1”x3” top slide rail supports

2 ea 1”x6” slide rails for top - 8.5” in toward center from left and right vertical post

2” and 3” construction screws

I used the scrap pieces of 4x4 from the post cu to create parking stops for my front wheels. Used a driveway marker mounted in a scrap piece of 3/4” plywood stand to line up with rear camera when backing in. The pool noodle pads the back window against bumps when backing in.

My Jeep hard top rubber corner guards for the top sit freely on furniture slides that slide on the 1”x6” “track”. Used scrap 1”x2” to create the guide rails and bump stops.
Top removal::
Back under the frame, fold down back seat, remove front tops and bolts, sit on folded back seat and lift top on to “slides” then slide it back and rest front tabs on Orange padding. The Orange padding is a cut up garden kneel pad for the front tabs of the hard top to rest on (rests in the 1”x3” cross pieces).

 

[DBravo]

2 more pics with the top resting on the frame

 

[Gvsukids]

Wondering what kind of solutions there are for someone to remove the hard top by themselves. My garage isn’t tall enough to use a hoist so that option is out. I have only ever owned soft top wranglers so hard tops are new to me.

I don’t even know it it’s possible to do.

Thanks for any advice ! ?

If you search, there's about a dozen threads on this and one as recently as this week.
Also, great YouTube videos.

 

[GrubbyBaja]

Here was my cheap solution. My shed has an 8' ceiling.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-from-garage-ceiling-joists.32357/post-525209

 

[noside85]

looked for a video i saw before that made it look quick and easy, couldn't find it but these should help some

 

[Deleted member 28696]

This is my Titan adjustable gantry crane 1/2 ton. I have a vevor 1100lb hoist attached. It's 8'3" at it's lowest height and goes to 11 feet tall. I use it outside it's on wheels and rolls around. It's how I got my full sized 37"x20 spare tire up top on my platform rack. I also have the titan push trolley. It's probably the most inexpensive Gantry available. I doubt you'd be able to build it much cheaper.

 

[Alex.mo]

looked for a video i saw before that made it look quick and easy, couldn't find it but these should help some

not that hard though

 

[Jeeperjamie]

Take out all bolts and disconnect wiring harness. Open rear window. Climb in bed of truck, put one arm through rear window. Stand up and lift top. Walk to back of bed with top in hand. Set top down on bed rails then climb out. Lift top and set gently on ground.

This right here is how it's done and how I do it. I'm 5'4" and weigh 150lbs and I can do it no problem. Lay some towels or something down across the bedrails to sit top down on so your don't scratch anything up but other than that @kevman65 is right on point.

 

[Casique]

This is simple but expensive solution if you cannot fit a hoist.

https://topliftpros.com/products/jeep-gladiator-hardtop-removal-tool

 

[dcmdon]

Does a painted top weigh more than a black one? Not that the paint weighs anything, but it seems to be made of a different material.

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