Storing a Hard Top?

[JaxLax]

How do, if you do, store your hard top? I was thinking about rigging up a system to store it on the top of the garage, like suspending it from the roof. Just trying to figure it out because summer is coming... ;D If you got pics, post'em I am open to any ideas.

 

[SteveL]

i store mine at somebody elses house. The bronco runs so much bettter without it I gave it away.

 

[Redrocket]

Mine is behind the garage, new paint and all. It was just to dam noisy in the cab with it so I went softop and never looked back! It is sitting on plywood on the ground. I guess I need to take it down to the barn this summer and put it indoors. But it has bin outside for at least 5 years. :-U

 

[TexasBronco]

I am planning to build a strage device in a few days I will post pics.

 

[Jeep Slayer]

Right now mine is on the side of the house covered with a tarp , But I to plan on building a hoist system so I can store it indoors , Frist I have to finish some projects I have going on the Bronco.

 

[MI-Bronco]

Someone on this site had a pulley system in their garage. Sounded like a great idea. That's where I'm headed, but about 3 months away right now.

 

[Blue71]

I put down some scrap carpet in the garage and laid the top on its side. I put a 2 x 4 in between the sides to keep its shape. I've done it for 3 years now and it works great. Takes up less room.

Blue71

 

[JaxLax]

Do you remember the guy with the pulley system, because that is what I was leaning towards. I don't have a barn or a real garage.. :-[ Just a car-port, It has a small storage area built in, but the top wouldn't fit well.

 

[75Sport]

yea when i took my top off i had planned to fix up a way to rig it to hanging in the garage. But it sat so nicley on theback porch, i was forced to become lazy and leave it there. Maybe this year when the top comes off...

anywho, it wont matter how you store it. Just make sure it sits straight and not twisted or in a unnatural position. Mine wen right on, no trouble.

 

[ken75ranger]

Mine's stored in a dumpster. 8)

 

[flousberg]

I put 4 eye bolts in the rafter of my garage and backed the bronco up underneath them. Took 2-2x4's and put them between the bed rails and the top with eye bolts facing up on the end. Hood chains at all four corners and got inside and lifted the top up while my wife hooked the chains. It was the only way i could get it off without a lot of help. If you had a pulley system to lift it, it would be really easy. ;D

 

[SURFMUR]

I used a pulley system at my old house. I used two large pulleys and spaced them so that one lined with the rear, and the other just in front of the door opening. I put a 2x4 across the back of the top, and two down each side under the window. Then I put another 2x4 across the top right where the door opening hits the roof, I attached this to the 2x4s that were running under the windows. I tried to keep everything airly tight together by bolting the top to th 2x4 wherever I could. Then I used the 2x4 that were running across the back at the door opening to lift with. It stayed up there for two years and when I set it down on the bronco it had not warped at all, a problem I had always had when storedon the ground. Plus I could do it all myself.

 

[americanhorses]

Mine is on top of sawhorses... good place to park the mower a tiller.

 

[Vin-Man]

[quote author=knoxbronc link=board=5;threadid=14789;start=0#111826 date=1046696693]
I put 4 eye bolts in the rafter of my garage and backed the bronco up underneath them. Took 2-2x4's and put them between the bed rails and the top with eye bolts facing up on the end. Hood chains at all four corners and got inside and lifted the top up while my wife hooked the chains. It was the only way i could get it off without a lot of help. If you had a pulley system to lift it, it would be really easy. ;D

I did this same thing but instead of chains I used adjustable tie downs, hooked them in the eyebolts in the rafters, hooked them in the eye bolts in the 2x4's and pulled up on each corner until I had it up as far as I wanted. I can do the whole thing by myself.


[/quote]

 

[g-money]

I have rafters in my garage so I took 4 eye bolts and put them through the rafters. Then I just bought 4 quality tie downs. I put one in each corner. I back the bronco into the garage and then lift each corner onto the tie down hook then lift each corner slightly. Then I drive the bronco out of the garage and rasie the top as high as possible. It has worked out really nice. It takes me about 20 minutes to get it unbolted and lifted off. The nice thing is that I can do it all myself.

Galen

 

[ASE-73]

I slide two 6' 2x6's between the top and body ... one just in front of the rear alignment posts and the other just behind the door striker plates. The 2x6's extend about 5" beyond the top on each side of the Bronco. I then ran four screw-studs with washers through the top attachment holes into the 2x6's and then fastened the top to the 2x6's with washers and nuts. To lift the assembly, the front 2x6's have "u-bolts" about 1" from the end with double cable pulleys attached to each. The ceiling has four 7/16" diameter x 5" long screw-eye's that are lagged into solid studs. The screw eyes are spaced in the ceiling to where they are directly over the u-bolts, but about 2-3" more "outboard" ... that way the cabling will not contact the top. My current lifting method uses two manual brake-winches bolted to the back 2x6's ... one used on the drivers side and the other on the passenger side. I lift the top using an electric drill, alternating on each side. This system was dsigned to lift the top flush to the ceiling so the garage door would open. I can now handle the top without assistance, while creating a storage solution that allows the garage door to open ... and best of all, preserves shop floorspace.

 

[thegreatjustino]

For those of you sliding 2x4s or 2x6s between the body and top, how do you get the front one inbetween to lift with the rollbar in the way?

 

[76Broncofromhell]

4 guys and 2 12 packs and some burgers usually get the top off mine. Then two 6x6's and a center brace provide some creatures a habitat for the summer.

 

[NicksTrix]

i have been hanging mine for years.i used a pair of con-ferr roof rack mounts to attach to the rain gutters and a 4x4 .in the middle of the 4x is a 3/8 eye hook that is through bolted and can pivot. the set up is located in the balance point of the roof, that way it hangs as flat as possible and you don't hit your head on the legs.
i then have a set up of another eyelet in the ceiling that is very secure( won't pull out), i use this as a pivot as the anchor point is off to the side about 6 feet away. i use a open come along with the cable attached to the eyelet on the top and anchored to the side point. i can remove the top by myself and re install it as well in a matter of minutes. of all the things i've tried, this is the easiest, as i can do it myself amd not have to count on others to help. it's kept nice and dry inside the garage too.
when it's hanging i put some foam around the legs so that someone taller than myself doesn't jab their forehead into the legs.

 

[JaxLax]

Thanks for all the help! ;D