20 Best Hoist For Jeep Hardtop (2023 Updated)

So 3. 5 stars overall but now that I have it in, I’m happy with it. XT was true to its word; it arrived 2 days after I ordered it and I was eager to get started, although I knew it would be a process, since I have a 15ft garage ceiling with parallel joists, so more difficult than average on two counts.

The primary design issue for a parallel joist installation is that if you only use two 2×6 boards (with a gap in the middle) per the instructions for mounting the power unit, you have to make adjustments to stop the power unit from moving AND rotating during operation and you’ll never get the hardtop properly balanced when raised.

I figured this out after several iterations trying to balance the hardtop (mine was not level on any axis) then looked up and saw the problem. The bottom of the unit had rotated toward the pulley and it had moved on the bar riding up over one of the lag bolts.

Not wanting to tear the whole thing down, I solved the slide issue using a cut down 2×4 with a door lock plate screwed onto it, to fill the sliding gap and provide a reinforcement point for the closest bar bracket to press against.

I solved the rotation issue just by installing two 2×4’s in front and behind the unit screwed into the 2×6 back braces. Now since the unit doesn’t move when raising, my hardtop is balanced when both in the lowered and raised position.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to upload pics. The second design issue is the length of the cords. The power cord is only about two feet long (easily overcome) and the controller cord is only 5. 5 feet long (a bit less easy to deal with on install and less easy to overcome).

Both are 18 AWG. I’ll be splicing and extending the controller cord soon. Sure those lengths work for most folks, but if the product works for up to 20′ ceilings, shouldn’t there be a “long cord” option or “long controller” option? My third design issue is the back bracket that goes through the window gap.

There has got to be a better way than taking that thing apart every time, not to mention the rubberized coating on that bracket and the hooks is weak, I already see metal after one use so I had to cover those spots with electrical tape.

My last “design” issue is just a suggestion: don’t use the poor quality phillips head wood screws provided to mount your back braces. Even with pilot holes those things will strip and shear off. Use high quality star drive construction screws.

Nobody wants to see their beautiful Jeep ruined or a person injured by an object falling from the ceiling due to weak hardware. Anyway, it took much longer than expected to install the hoist but I’m looking forward to using it further and would recommend it.

I didn’t have the right setup for a manual crank, which is why I chose this product.

Good quality. There were some scrapes in the paint on a few of the parts, which is annoying but this is a tool, not a museum piece. The box was missing one part (the handle) which i guess I’ll need to raise with the manufacturer.

There is no way I’m disassembling it after working for 4 hours on the hottest day of the year putting it together. Got to the part where you need to thread the straps into the crank, and like many others, couldn’t make heads or tails of what they were trying to show in a black and white picture that was taken in the dark.

Found the assembly video on YouTube and it made sense instantly. Watched the second video for the instructions on how to take the top off and my wife and i were able to do it in 20 minutes, with very little yelling.

Happy with the purchase, hoping to get the handle from Lange.

This lift works well! It works as advertised and allows me to go topless. It is also much cheaper than it’s electric counterpart. It took me longer than anticipated to install – I have 11. 5 ft ceilings which was tougher and I had to adjust the length of the cables multiple times to prevent my hardtop from “nose-diving.

” Recommended tips: 1) Make sure to watch the extreme terrain video for install help. I found the paper instructions included to be unclear. The video did a better job, IMO, of showing you how to install.

2) I was not impressed with the small screws included for mounting the pulleys. I instead used 2. 5” Spax construction screws for mounting the pulleys to the 2”x6”s.

The installation took much longer than expected with the major difficulty being locating the studs and mounting the 2 x 6 x 10′ boards on the ceiling of my garage. Also getting the lifting points just right took some time.

What you are getting here is basically a set of four pulleys, four screw eyes, two straps, a fairlead and block and tackle, manufactured by Harken which specializes in marine hardware and running gear for sailing yachts.

As such, the components and ropes are of good quality and the system works very well if installed properly. I can easily lift the top of my 4 door Rubicon pulling with one hand and feel confident that it isn’t going to crash down on my Jeep which I park directly underneath.

Just make sure that you hit all of the studs with the lag bolts (not provided in the kit) or the mounting boards (obviously not provided) and your top could come down. I used 10 foot boards so I could easily hit 4 studs with the lag screws.

You also need to make sure the lag screws are long enough. I did the installation myself but it is really a two man job. Final advice is to read the instructions all the way through to the end before starting the install and purchase a good stud finder!.

They lift works well and definitely makes it easier to pull the top off and store it up out of the way. It is kind of a pain as it is extremely difficult to get it down off the ceiling unless you pull on it while working the rope.

The rope is very stiff And would probably work better if it was softer. Install was easy and function is pretty damn good. I probably would not pull my top off nearly as often without it. For the price it is not worth trying to put my own kit together.

Overall I like it, but could be a bit easier to use. Definitely worth $158.

Like most other reviewers I got this hoist so that I could remove my hard top without the assistance of others. Getting it out of the way so I could pull my Jeep into the garage afterwards was also a plus.

Of course, there are other hoists out there, but I went with the Harken Hoister because of its 4 points. After watching videos of various hoists, I saw that the Harken lifted the top with much less movement/sway than other hoists.

This is not only good because it prevents damage to the hard top, but it also avoids needing an additional person to steady the top as it goes up/down (as was illustrated in some of the videos I watched).

Put that all together with the price and it seemed like the obvious choice. The product itself is pretty basic, but the instructions can be a bit challenging. Be sure to look through them and familiarize yourself with everything before taking on the project.

It’s also important to keep in mind that using the hoist and getting everything 100 right (when taking your top off) can take a few tries. Give yourself some extra time the first couple of uses to ensure that you can adjust straps and positioning for ease of use.

Overall, it’s pretty much the best bang for your buck. It’s easy to use and isn’t overly complicated. Would, and have, recommended it to others.

I have a workshop at my house 6. 5M X 9M. I floored the attic of the workshop to store some stock and material. As the walls were taken up with work benches and material racks etc. my access to the attic was via a ladder in front of the entrance doors.

Taken up and down material was difficult at times. I decided to make a full spec stairs as you would have in any house. I then looked up hoists with my local Screwfix store where I get quite a bit of material.

I accidently came across VEVOR on the web who I never had heard of before they had a hoist that looked exactly the same. I purchased a 1000 Kg. hoist for less than the price of a 250 Kg hoist from Screwfix.

As I had never heard of VEVOR before I was very wary of the value for money I was getting. After a few days I received my hoist weight 31 Kg. no delivery charge I went for the 1000Kg hoist I can take it on to building sites rig it up on the scaffolding.

My back will thank me a lot for purchasing this piece of equipment.

I bought this for a large garage hoist that I am building, with rollers and beams, etc. However, right after I bought it, my dad had an ice storm that broke trees and shattered the power pole next to his house.

I took this hoist, still in the box, and generators to his place, built a temporary derrick frame, and used this hoist to raise a new power pole and drop it into a 4 foot deep hole. It had the extra pulley and straps that made that possible.

Also used it horizontally to pull the power cable back up to the top of the new power pole and hold it while we attached it again. Horizontal was a challenge, as I had to hold up the hoist to keep the cable from triggering the autostop safety mechanism since it was on its side.

But, it worked great, and the remote was easy to use and worked flawlessly. Now back to my real project!.

This is a great little lift. I’m using it to bring up materials to my attic workshop. For this configuration I mounted it permanently in the rafters and have the wire run out a crane arm. The horizontal configuration works very well and there’s no difficulty with it lifting things.

The only trouble is that the wire spools up unevenly. I have to use a piece of scrap wood to help it wind without jumping or piling up on one side. This is likely due to the way I installed it and the forces not being perfectly perpendicular to the spool.

Besides that it has saved me literally a hundred trips up my back steps with flooring, sheeting, and other heavy bulky aerials.

It’s great. Perfect size to weight. Great product. Well pleased

This is by far the very best hardtop lift and storage system on the market. I’ve tried other brands and I ended up replacing them. This system is remarkably well designed. It comes with two motors which really is the only way to lift balanced without tilting every time.

It’s also Bluetooth controlled (no internet required) just Bluetooth, which is perfect because I have a tall garage and my corded system before didn’t have a long enough cord to get the job done. Plus it was always in the way.

This system is sleek and looks really clean when installed. It also comes with a cargo net for the freedom tops. Nothing compares to this system. I’m a very happy customer. Top is off and balanced in less than 5 minutes!.

What a great buy. This is a true you get what you pay for. I did the research and looked at everything on the market. The big selling points for me were 1. Four points of contact. All other brands end up with 1 or 2 at the most.

Causing your top to spin or turn after its lifted. This goes up and down with one hand to guide it. 2. Nothing connected to wall or cable hanging down. Very clean when the top is off and even cleaner when not in use.

The only issue (and I dont have a better solution) is the storage for your roof panels. They sit in the net under the top. It just takes some balancing when your alone to get them in not move the top and drop them.

Again, just an awesome product. So happy I spent the extra money for what I would say is the best lift in the market.

I really give this product 4. 5. I love the look, operation, and ease of use. The motors are plenty powerful and the whole set-up looks great. The simple fact one person removal and storage of my hard top can be done is worth it to me.

The only complaints I have are the video isn’t exactly as is in real install. To balance the frame I had to make adjustments on the pegs and when lowered without the top on, it leans way forward. I think one pulley in the front would fix this.

Overall I love this product.

After much debate between the Lange Hoist-A-Cart and the top lift pro, we decided to purchase the Lange hoist. We received the item 3 days after ordering as promised. It arrived in two boxes with each box weighing 61lbs.

After unpacking and inventorying the contents against the well written documentation, I proceeded to assemble the product. I noticed bad paint flaking on a lot of the red frame pieces but it doesn’t seem to detract from the function of the hoist.

Have used two times since purchase to remove and install hard top without issue. Makes it very easy to accomplish this task by yourself.

OK- I gave this an overall 4. It works great amd would recommend it to all. The issue stems from the installation directions; they were the worst display of technical writing I have ever had to decipher.

The video is your go-to for installation. Use the directions to ensure you have everything. The wire guide pulley did not want to wind up like in the video. After having it up for the summer I plan to lower it and ensure it is even.

This is not OCD, but to keep the wires even and taut. Not enamored with the back window point. Worried it was going to break the window, but it does work. The wire for the hook points has a weird return for the extra wire.

You may have to adjust or trim the wire on a 10′ ceiling. Plan to do this over the winter so the top can get closer to the ceiling. I did not use the foam inserts for the TTops and simple stored the bags with the out of the way.

Make sure your space is big enough to house your top. Well worth not getting the motorized hoist too. Hint: leave the crank handle off and you can use your hand drill as a motor with a socket set up.

I recently had to replace my hardtop and opted for something a bit less cumbersome. So I bought this. It took about 2 hours to install taking care to follow the instructions provided. The instructions were very clear, just do what it says, don’t assume anything and review the ENTIRE process before you begin.

The material used is canvas like material, so if your vehilce sits outside in a rainstorm for hours and you get in your vehicle, the vehicle inside will be dry but the top canvas will be damp to the touch on the inside.

Damp, not wet to the point that you have drops forming. I think that can be be solved with a spray on sealer or something like that, but Im good with it as is. I run doors and top off from spring to fall and needed something just for the winter and for basic cabin protection during a downpour.

I installed on an 80 degree day and as most reviews, its tight, but easily managed by one person. On first fit, be sure to start sides at the doors and work your way back getting the fabric nice and tight so you dont find yourself with issues with fit at the back window zippers.

Leave top on for a week or two to relax in the sun and elements and than roll sides and rear off like jeeps are meant to be run. Removal of sides and back takes only seconds once you know how they go on and off.

So far, I would recommend the product, will update review after the winter if any issues are noted. Jeep on friends!.

I installed this with an existing powered hoist for my 4 door 2017 Jeep Rubicon Recon. I really only used the frame to hold the top off the ground. I don’t have enough vertical space to store the front tops, but I did put them on with the foam holder and they fit perfectly.

My biggest concern was it’s strength and durability in holding the jeep hard top for an extended period of time. I’ve left it in place for a full week three times and for 3 weeks another time. No issues with bending or strain.

The frame is strong. The form of the frame fits the jeep 99%. The reason for stating 99% is the front two hooks could be about a quarter inch longer and then they would not touch the molding in the corner of the window at all.

They do, but I have not had an issue with it putting enough pressure to crack or bend the molding. I have two jeeps. I’m planning on buying a second for that jeep. I highly recommend this product. Sorry i can’t provide any information about the hand crank hoist that comes with the product.

I didn’t need it.

Installed this bumper this weekend. Bumper looks great and arrived in perfect condition. Couple notes that may be helpful. Yes, you need to install the winch on the bumper before mounting on the jeep.

It may be possible to put the winch on after the bumper is installed, but that would be a real ordeal. I installed this myself (winch on bumper) and was quite concerned as I didn’t have a helper, a lift or any other lifting aids.

I used the foam blocks that the bumper was packed in and placed them under the bumper/winch unit once it was resting on the mount. Then I used cardboard from the box to slowly increase the height until the bolt holes lined up.

Not elegant, maybe a tad ghetto, but it worked and enabled a solo install. Again – very nice looking bumper. Well pleased.

First off, costing $1150 after shipping I was feeling anxiety after I made the purchase. I did just spend $45k on the Jeep 9 months before so, what the hell? It came in two 70-ish pound boxes. After opening it all up and laying in my driveway i soon realized there was no instructions manual.

I rooted through alllll the packaging to double check. After about 25 minutes of unpacking I was ready to assemble. I had watched the video Top Lift Pros posted on assembly all the way through once before I even opened the box to understand what I was getting myself into.

I was able to assemble correctly with just the video and a friend. I would have REALLY appreciated a book, but after unpacking I was in too deep. I do understand things happen when it’s come from China.

After assembly I will say great, solid build! I have an aggregate driveway so I was also worried about how it would roll. Casters stood up well, and it moves smoothly even on the uneven surface I have.

Quality material, easy easy to use, and is sturdy once the roof is on. All in all I give it 4/5 stars because it is a bit pricey, and spending that much I want everything with my shipment ( I am also missing the roof extension holder I will soon email and no instructions).

You bought a Jeep though (Just. Empty. Every. Pocket. ) so get one of these if you can’t get a garage hoist, or don’t have a spouse who can lift the roof off with you.

We found this product on Facebook and weighed it against a ceiling hoist. We wanted something sooner rather than later so took the plunge, so glad we did! Shipping was fast although the boxes arrived on 2 different days.

I did consult customer service to make sure that the stock inserts would be tall enough for my 2022 Rubicon, it seems so high to me I wanted to be sure, they were kind and quick to respond prior to purchase.

We assembled ours in about 2 hours on Saturday and used it on Sunday, my husband lifted the top off by himself. It worked perfectly on the first try and is now housing the hard top for the summer in the far corner of our garage.

My husband’s Renegade fits under it with plenty of clearance. There were only a few instances during assembly where we wish the pictures were zoomed out a little, it was hard to orient ourselves but there are plenty of other resources (video etc.

) if needed. The top was a little wobbly coming off but the device did its job and seems stable enough in the parked state. I definitely recommend this just don’t be alarmed that it comes completely disassembled and assembly is, in my opinion, a two person job.

Very happy with this new tool! The price made me hesitate for a few months. Decided to purchase during a Black Friday offer. The discount covered the hefty shipping cost. Boxes arrived relatively quickly.

Parts where meticulously packed with protective foam and were easy to inventory. Only one piece had a cosmetic blemish due to rubbing during shipping. The manual was not included but was available online as well as helpful assembly and adjustment videos.

One manual said to allow 45 minutes to an hour for assembly. I worked consistently for about 2 hours to finish assembly and adjustments. Works well and as advertised. Best part of the design is that it doesn’t take up much more space than my Jeep.

You can park with base of the tool underneath the front of the Jeep and the hard top suspended over the hood. Very clever. Highly recommended for hard top Jeep owners with unreliable friends or friends that drink all your beer when they show up to help.

It was easy to use right out of the box. I used a long 1. 5 inch pipe as a track between my ceiling trusses as a track to slide the hoist. I used it to pick up my 5th wheel hitch from the back of my RAM truck.

Due to the weight of the 5th Wheel hitch, I needed to use the double shackle to lift the hitch (and not the 1:1 lift I had hoped for). But for relatively light loads (under 400 lbs. with a max of 440 lbs.

), this unit would be a good choice. If you are even close to the max weight, go with the next larger size and weight rating hoist. This electric hoist was easier to use in this application than a simple manual “come-along-hoist” allowing for a one man operation for lifting a heavy 5th wheel hitch (weighing about 300 lbs.

). OK, that is my 2 cents worth. :<).

Used to lift/lower attic stairs. Works perfectly. I used the pulley to reduce the speed of the motion by half. Mounted the Hoist to plywood framed into the roof rafters. Works great. FYI – I haven’t been able to find a Leviton type paddle switch that is a momentary DPDT switch.

Thus, I pulled apart the operating handle and mounted it behind an open switchplate in the wall. Looks OK, but not great. The hoist is smooth and reasonably quiet.

440Lb does not seem a lot. I needed to hoist a mattrass out the basement up a stair. It was just about impossible to get it up there by myself. The hoist got it up there. I bought it for hoisting up snowblowers and mowers and such in the garage and set them on a work table.

I recently used to too pull a big bike onto a trailer without any effort and do it a safe controlled way. I bought the bigger model and mounted it in the garage as I simply wanted a second one. They are that convenient.

It was stated by the parts list that this was supposed to have an 8 ton ram. It has a two ton ram. The bolts are not of good quality, maybe like grade 2. Two of the small bolts that hold the casters on stripped going in.

Does not instill alot of confidence. Replaced many of the bolts with grade 8’s that I had collected over the years. Would expect better for the type of price point and what this is expected to do. Also, when folded for storage it does not hold the legs correctly.

Making it work by attaching a bungee around the legs to hold them together. So far the welds have held up as well as the ram. Only used once so far. Time will tell.

– Straight forward assembly. Fold the legs up, up and it is easily stored out of the way. I plan to use the hydraulic engine hoist primarily with my posthole digger (auger), which is only around 200 pounds or so, but is very difficult to attach to the back of my tractor (very cumbersome – as they are).

I used it to lift the back of my zero-turn up and level with a jack on the front, while I changed the hydrostatic oil and filters in both transmissions. Worked like a charm. Outstanding! So, as perhaps you can see, the hydraulic engine hoist has many uses other than hoisting engines.

Glad I have it!.

I just finished assembling this. Every washer, nut, and bolt was present, although some had escaped their specific packaging and were loose in the big box. Every hole lined up. I didn’t drill any holes or even tap anything with a hammer.

The trick, I think, is that I followed another reviewer’s suggestion and did not tighten anything except the wheels until everything was assembled. When it looked like a hole might be off, I just shook the whole thing a bit until everything was dead on.

Once entirely assembled, I tightened everything and already put it to use.

1. Needs to have a longer control cord option e. g. , a detachable control cord where you can add another 10′ section. We attached this winch below our hangar ceiling and now have to have a ladder to reach the control.

2. The photo of the hoist is not accurate. The weight to keep the line somewhat taunt only works without the pulley. In the photo the red weight is showed as attached to the hook at the end of the cable.

It is isn’t and will just bang around next to the pulley if not affixed at the end hook with a zip tie (how we fixed it). There needs to be a weight that can be attached between the hook and pulley. Not sure how that would be done.

Using the pulley you have to careful to keep the cable a little taunt so the cable does not make a rat’s nest on the takeup drum.

Super value for a 1 ton chain block! Worked great right out of the box. No issues, no problems, easy to operate. Using this to hoist my snapper rider mower. Super deal!

Tried to lift my dad’s hog with this. No luck. His hog is pretty heavy. My mom must’ve had a heck of a time with this massive beast. It’s supposed to be rated for 1 ton, but I guess his hog is heavier? The whole family is surprised.

I bought this to replace an antique that failed. I had to replace the old one standing on a staging plank. The Black Bull weighs much less than the old one, and was easy to lift overhead into the eye bolt.

When I went to lift the rear of the boat, it was a piece of cake, where the old one I had to struggle with. If this lasts well it will have been a jewel. As it is, it will have been well worth the purchase for this one job.

I should add that I. m 75 and working on a staging to lift a chain hoist 12′ off the floor is not easy for me, but the light weight of the Black Bull made it easy.

The assembly book print is extremely small very hard to read. You need extra long fingers to bolt the rear caster wheels on. The bolts are all in one bag and not labeled so you have to trial and error to figure out which ones go where.

Better have some long fingers to put the caster wheels on. Also the size of the bolts could be a lot easier to pick out. Other than that the assembly went pretty easy. I haven’t lifted anything to date but it seems pretty stout.

Good hoist for the money. Would be nice if they would fill ram up with hydraulic fluid. Had to purchase $14 dollars worth of fluid to get ram to work!

First of all, the manual is really bad, even for a Chinglish manual. You won’t believe how bad. Second, the remote will appear to not work. Only transmitting “”Stop”” an “”Off”” to the Hoist, UNTIL YOU PAIR THE REMOTE.

Here is how you pair the remote to get it to actually work. 1. Make sure the batteries in the remote are fresh, this unit drains batteries too quickly. 2. To pair the Hoist Remote control, press and hold down the START button for 5 seconds.

3. Only then will the Hoist respond to the “”Up/Down”” commands from this particular remote. You’re welcome, please upvote if this posting helped you.

I initially went the cheap route trying to save a buck and installed 4 D rings and used two cam straps to mount my kayak on ceiling and quickly found out it was a mistake as I dropped my Yak while lowering it.

I then ordered two Harken kits for my two kayaks. Outdoorplay shipped extremely fast as I received in a couple days. I installed mine into the rafters without the mounting boards and was extremely pleased with how smoothly it operates.

The lock mechanism keeps Kayak secure while lowering or raising. Make sure you turn your pig tail lag screws with the pulleys in the direction of the organizer pulleys for a smooth operation. I love this system, well worth the price!.

After following the detailed instructions on setting up the hoister I was a bit put off and found myself re-reading a few times before I started as I wanted to get it right. Once I started and went to the local timber shop to purchase the required bracing l found the installation only took about an hour.

Now that its done I am absolutely wrapped in the product. Its operation and function is smooth and faultless. The roofrack for my Landcruiser now lives on the cieling of my garage with my cruiser parked under it and only put on for my camping trips giving me a lighter more fuel efficient car when its stored.

I can now put the roofrack on myself with minimal effort. This is a great product, very happy.

I thought the directions could have been clearer in placing pigtails. Photos show them at each end of the 6′ boards. That is a bit wide for my 10’6kayak. I have cross rafters. Could they be moved without messing up the height of pull? I barely have 2clear above open garage door.