Jeep Wrangler Hard Top Removal Hoist on a Budget!
Its spring! If you have a Hardtop on your Jeep Wrangler, you'll love this simple Hardtop Removal lift system i've created in my garage. Spring and warm weather means removing your Jeep Wrangler Hard Top for the summer. This is an easy and inexpensive system to create and makes removing your Jeep Wrangler hardtop easy. This also stores your Jeep Hardtop up out of the way so you're not tripping over it on your garage floor. I can remove the top in about 20 minutes by myself with this set up, where before I had to ask my wife to help me and she had a really hard time with it. Thanks for watching!
#Jeepwranglerhardtop #redrockcrawlers #jeephardtoplift #removingjeephardtop
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Five minutes in you'll see that the majority of your views were people looking for design ideas, not their time wasted. Thanks for the upload.
Thanks so much for this!!!! I was almost ready to shell out $699 for one of those new rolling hardtop lifts but a friend told me about this video. I just set it up and it’s working GREAT….
Thanks for this I just picked up a JL and can’t wait to go topless! 4 years later and this vid is still helping us! 🔥🔥🔥
my wife told me to make this video, and I thought it was a dumb idea. Good job Wife haha
Thanks Man! I went to my local hardware store bought the straps, screws and eyelet anchors, got home and had it done in less than 20 minutes, for a little over 20 bucks. Much appreciated!
Jeff Heifner that's awesome! Glad it worked for you. It's a simple way to remove that hard top 😎👌
Thanks for posting this! I installed an identical setup today for my rubicon JL. Works beautiful. Simple and sweet. Hell yeah.
the idea of the straps through the hard top connected together, lOVE It! TY I like this idea better then the 2x4 in the back.
TY again. Built it yesterday, very easy thanks to your video.
Great video and how to. I’m going to set mine up next week. Thanks!!
The best and easiest idea ever !! Thanks for the idea 💡 I’m gonna do this one ☝🏼
I'm so thankful for this video. As someone who bought his Jeep and wanted to strip it down as soon as possible, and as easy as possible, this video was a real game-changer. Now I'm into the schizophrenic Pacific NW weather in such a way that is pretty easy to navigate, due to this video. Less than $20 to be able to lift the back of the hard top off our Jeep, and take the family out the way in which it's intended is great. Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
Awesome video! So easy.
thanks for the video...totally doing this soon!
Yours is probably the simplest and most economical system...Thanks man !
Dude, this is awesome. Thank you!
Good idea! Thanks
I can't thank you enough for this great idea! I was so frustrated trying to install another system. Thanks for saving me time and money.
Rick Kumler glad you like it.
Very easy to install and works great. Very budget friendly.
Nice great idea and very simple system!! Thanks a lot!
Veej glad you enjoyed it. 👍🏽
I owe you a beer or 3 for this money saving lift.
David Palmateer haha glad to help fellow Jeepers. 👍
This is a great video and great idea. Heading to HD to get some straps and hooks...Its time to expose my Rubi and enjoy the summer topless...Thanks buddy
I'm a Jeep mom and we have such a small garage. This is awesome!!! Thank you for sharing! I'm gonna get my almost 5 year-old to help me. God bless!
I’m glad I was able to help! Good luck with the install, it’s always worked great for me. God bless!
Great idea!
Thanks! its simple but effective
Yes this is perfect!
Thanks, I plan on doing this in a few weeks!
Good Luck!
I did this and it worked out great. Thanks for the easy process.
Awesome! glad it worked for you. its a cheap and simple solution!
Just built this!!!! Worked amazing thanks for the great video and information. Went to the big box store and got everything.Thank you soo much
glad it worked out for you!
Great video. Very easy inexpensive effective way to do that I like it.
AZ WESTSIDE WHEELERS thanks guys! 🤘
Thank you very much for this video. Ty ty ty
Awesome man!
hope it helps!
great video love the idea.
glad you liked it! hope it helps
That is awesome idea! I need that for my garage! 👌😎👍
You should!
First ! Beautiful family. Nice videos and work!
trjnsd thank you that's nice of you to say. We got rained on today, Can't wait for sunny topless days!
I like it, thanks.
Armee Green hope it helps! 👍
Got my first Jeep and I am ready fro Spring to get the top off. Thanks for the video!
Awesome! how do you like the Jeep so far? I'm also ready to get the top off and enjoy the summer!
@@RedRockCrawlers I am in love. We got a good snow here last week and I played and played in it!
Thank you so much for this easy, budget-friendly solution. We have a tandem garage with a high ceiling and due to thick soundproofing on the back half of the ceiling, only had access to the trusses in the front half of the garage. We used cam buckle straps instead so we could lift it all the way to the ceiling and both cars can clear underneath. It’s perfect!
awesome! i'm glad you found it useful
Thanks brother going to Home Depot today
Thanks, just got my JL this works great.
Awesome! i'm glad this was helpful
This was very similar to my first hoist. Although I used straps that had friction cams instead of ratchet straps. That made it quicker to get the top up and down. I also lifted the top, and slid a 2X4 with eye screws in ti under the hard top. One near the rear glass, and one where the top cuts up to accommodate the rear door. That gave me a stable platform to rest the freedom panels on when the top was off and it was stored. It was a really good economical system, especially since I already owned everything I needed.
Did you have any issues with the cam straps? I want to get my top higher than the ratchet straps will allow, and the cam tie down straps would do the trick because there is no winding.
@@mckeancole no sir. The hard top weight is only a couple hundred pounds, and a good cam strap has a rating for more than double that. Using 4 of them was plenty strong enough. You just need to walk around a few times as you raise it to keep it more or less level. I found I pushed up with my left arm and tightened the cam strap with my right.
@@stanruta8254 Awesome, good to hear. I'll probably grab a 2x4 too and make some sort of resting frame eventually vs. connecting with another cam strap or just using 2.
can u post a pic? I am having a hard time picturing it in my head but i like the idea
Watched the video, hit up the Depot, and got this done today pretty easily. Great idea! Saved me a ton of $$$…
glad you liked it! pretty simple solution eh
Perfect have the same unpainted garage setup with trust joyce ehhh trust lol . I have a JL body would be nice for some ratchet strap links etc and hardware . Thanks again for your video really made simple hoist awesome
haha yes i couldn't get those names right. Hope you can get your lift installed! its a pretty simple solution!
Elegant, simple solution.
easy and inexpensive!
Did this, installed it, works easily, totally worth it
Awesome! Glad it worked for you
I just built an 8x10 "deck" in my garage bay so I can store junk on top.... and pull the jeep underneath to lift the hardtop off. Was looking for what others did for their lift mechanism... this was a simple idea, thanks! Were you not worried about such small hardware/straps with the top... maybe swinging or breaking/stripping and dropping it?
I think I'm doing this tomorrow. so much easier install than the expensive solution and feels more stable..
Matthew Sanchez it’s very easy to install and will hold the hard top all year no problem. 👍🏽
Buying the parts soon. Have the straps so go get hardware now heheh
This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing. What size ratchet straps are you using?
Bryan Rosenberg glad you enjoy it.
Dang that's a quick easy lift
Ari Paterson quick and easy. Just the way we like it. Haha
@@RedRockCrawlers Ya i'm gonna use that idea to lift the box off the old truck. probably just get some bigger hardware
Wow the hard top hoist came out perfect couldnt ask for a better solution works great finally took my hard top off for summer on JL body turbo . All black . Family enjoyed the ride it was perfect. Thank you for your video . putting together the hoist it required that I add some length to the 38 inches actully took it to 40 inches because of the truces in the garage are settup side ways . Got some amazon choice straps in blue . Now the question is whats your solution for the doors HAHAHA.
erf glad to hear it worked out for you. The doors is a whole new problem! Guess I'll have to make another video 😉
Thanks for the video. I did the same thing as you but I used cut sections of foam swim noodle wherever the straps touched the hard top. Thanks again.
ah yes thats a good idea. I thought about adding some padding, I might just have to do that
They now have reversible ratchet straps that don’t free spool and ratchet back down slowly.
that might be a good way to go. I've never had an issue with these as I just let out a little at a time. I can see where the backwards ratchet would come in handy though.
I have taken my freedom panels off but not the back I can't wait to do that I have a low clearance in my garage my jeep has a few inches it's tight great idea though
I hope this works for you. Might need more height to make this work, or you could go to something like an electric hoist that might save room above.
My issue is I think I have metal joists in the ceiling preventing me from screwing into the ceiling studs.
That blue Tank you have in the back, where did you get that set up from
Edgardo Solano it's a power tank. Holds CO2 to fill up tires. kzhead.info/sun/ZNalg6uZa5t5jas/bejne.html
Has the strap damaged the soft weather pad on the back where the window opens? It seems like long hanging might pinch that rubber pad and make it warped and leak? But this is the best setup I seen yet.
Fit Pro hasn't been a problem so far. I hang it like this all summer
I wish I had time to explain to each one of you how the red rock shapes came to be. It was hot a fun thing to see. Try to find my KZhead page for information. Now,... thanks to this post for a way to get my hard top off with out spending a thousand dollars. Have fun you Jeep crazies.
Were did you get the red roll bar covers? I need them in my life.
Kasirkin29 they are cagecovers.com they had several different color options. But I don’t know if they are still in business 🤷🏻♂️
One more question - are the anchor bolts directly above or slightly outboard of the hardtop?
John S I just followed where the ceiling joists were. Make sure you do the same. Don't just screw the anchors into drywall
Great idea. How do you lower with ratchet straps without dropping the hardtop?
John S I just lower it a little at a time. I've never had a problem lowering it.
@@RedRockCrawlers Thanks! I am used to tying down much heavier loads. I guess the top doesn't weigh so much that they will take off on me.
Going to Moab soon, should I do hell's revenge, or something else? Also, nice video
Torque Master hells revenge is THE trail to do. There are several other trails that are tougher or whatever but hells revenge is just awesome. Have you seen my video on it? kzhead.info/sun/iMOulseypp56mKM/bejne.html
Do fins and things in the morning and hells in the afternoon. Its helpful if you have a spotter for some of the hells stuff but if you are experienced you can do it alone. When solo, we would sometimes fall in with a group that was willing to take us with them.
Hell's is a absolute must do!
Would it help to use a larger set of ratchet straps? I used some like you have in the video but can only get it a few inches off my Jeep before they start to bind and are really difficult to get down. Other than that, this was an awesome idea!!!
There are different ways to do this, this is just how i've always done it and its worked great so far.
Thanks for the video. I used this system for the first time today and I had a difficult time lowering the roof to place it back on the jeep with these ratchet straps. Once you release the tension on the strap the roof comes crashing down? Any suggestions other than getting someone to help hold the roof while undoing the ratchet straps?
@@dougkauffman I ended up using some cam buckle straps. No ratcheting, but same concept. Much easier to lower.
Sweet system! We are going to use your idea this week. Why not reverse the straps so the ratchets are under the hardtop? Then you wouldn't have to keep climbing and moving the ladder around the Jeep.
Robert Brown 2 things. I don’t use a ladder I just step on the Jeep, just wicker that way. And I put the ratchets above the top so I didn’t scratch anything underneath.
Ok, now post the lowering process
@3:10... you mention 38 inches... mine is the same, but I have 50 inches in between the trusses. Is that ok? I would assume that measurement doesn't matter, as long as they are equal on both sides. Thanks
I would assume so. Hope it works for you
I like how simple this is. I have 2 questions. 1: can you close the back window once it is lifted and 2: does this cause any damage to the seals?
It is a great and simple solution. Yes you can close the back window and I haven't seen any damage to the window seals as of yet. I've been using this for a few years now and all seems to be good.
@@RedRockCrawlers I will give it a try. Thanks
@@zmoney2938 Let me know how it goes
How long of ratchet straps should I buy? 16ft? 27ft?
I guess it depends on the height of your garage ceiling.
I like the idea, but my concern is bringing it back down. Release the ratchet straps makes them free spool. So, if you release one side then the top comes down crooked and when you release the last one it drops. Maybe you should make another video showing us how that works.
i've had several people ask that same thing. I wish I had thought of that while I was putting this video together, lol. I just let out a little at a time until its resting on the jeep again. it comes down controlled that way.
@@RedRockCrawlers Thats why i dont use the ratchet straps. I just use the ones that are used with you pushing your thump on them slow
@@wildwoody20 yeah those could work as well. I've never had a problem with the ratchets as i only let out a little at a time.
Is there any reason I couldn't tuck it up to the ceiling? Every video I see leaves the top hanging a few inches above the jeep.
Ron Markarian the reason I don't have it up higher against the ceiling is due to the fact the rachet straps only go so far. If you use this same idea but use a small electric winch or something you could get the hard top to go higher. Hope this helps
Quick and easy! Where'd you get the roll bar covers?
dkthom89 from cage covers. Check out the install. kzhead.info/sun/h5eQf92lmahooZE/bejne.html
@@RedRockCrawlers nice. Thank you!
Planning on getting this set up tomorrow. Has it worked for you long term?
Mary C my hard top sits up there all summer for 4 years now. It works great
how does it work for long term storage?
Robert Thomas it stays there all summer until I'm ready to put it back on the Jeep
Well..thats great and all..but what if you don't have a garage?
Well then this idea won’t work. I don’t think you would want to store your hardtop out in the open either
I think 2 door would be harder since my windows are bigger
Ideas,... only one. Place a padding at the strap contact points for better protection of the top. Again, Thank You.
i've thought about that before. I also want to get it higher out of the way. might have to do a 2.0 version ;)
How easy is it to lower this down gradually?
It lowers down just fine for me. I just let a little out at a time.
Nice way to raise the top off. What about lowering it back down? My ratchet straps free wheel when I release them. Just curious? See you in Moab and Safe Travels!
Chuck Zechman the rachets do free spool a bit. I just let a little out at a time
Safe enough to store and then still park my camaro underneath?🤔 I always fear stuff like this will give out over time.
Samantha White I park my camaro under it 😀. Just make sure to use the attic trusses to mount the eyelets and it won't come out
The problem with this common ratchet strap system is, sure ya can slowly ratchet the top up but lowering it back down is a fast crash. I've found little mini chain hoist work far better. more control both up and down.
i've been using this system for several years now and its never come crashing down on me. Not saying there aren't better options out there either. It was just a simple and cheap solution I thought others could benefit from.
Great idea, especially in running the 4 straps to the center of the top so that "the front right strap hook connects to the back right strap hook and the front left strap hook connects to the back left strap hook" (say that 3 times real fast! Lol!). This allows the top to rest on the 4 straps (not hooks) and distributes the weight across a slightly larger area. I never liked the idea of just hooking each strap hook to each corner... seems like it could snap off part of the top. Someone here posted using some padding, like a foam swim noodle, where the straps make contact with the top. That seems like the only suggested improvement I see, if it is even a concern at all. Also, seems that several people posted concern about letting the top back down. Like you stated, just pull and release the ratchet lever just a little at a time. The spring loaded action will only allow a little amount of the strap to be released. No big deal or concern. Again, great idea and great video. Now all I need is my new 2020 JLRU to be delivered so I can get that top off!!! Thank you!
yeah i run the straps through the top like that so it helps distribute the weight. Congrats on the new JL thats exciting!
they are indeed joists lol
As a renter, this is what I will do so the landlord doesn't get upset. Thank you, very simple indeed.
scot hansen yes it's an easy way to get the top off and you can remove it if you move. Good luck
@@RedRockCrawlers It worked as advertised ! Thank you.
Nice and easy, lowering it would suck but hey, it’s cheap AF!
i've never had a problem letting it down. I just let a little out at a time and it comes down nice and controlled!
I think that red handle hanging out from your garage opener is the easiest way for someone to drinking your garage didn't do not know that they take a coat hanger to the top feel it and pull it take off the string with the handle or someone will break in your garage that way it's too easy watch KZhead
Funny how those videos with ratchet or tension straps always show how "easy" it is to remove the hard top, but never how hard it is to put it back on.. Releasing those ratchets will make the hard top heading to the ground at gravity speed...
not true. I have been using this system for several years now. I just release the ratchet one corner at a time, that way I can control the descent. It works great
@@RedRockCrawlers If so, I'd love to see a video showing the hard top bring reinstalled.