I need a way to store my topper

[r1ch999999]

Ok, so let me start by saying I thought I'd be able to take my topper off when I didn't need it, but it turns out it's a lot heavier than the one on my Sport Trac. I'm looking for a way that I could take it off and store it somewhere. I could easily make some saw horses that would help, but what about one of those Jeep hard top rigs? Think those would suppor the weight?

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[Ranger_Rocks]

How about an overhead hoist ?

 

[r1ch999999]

How about an overhead hoist ?

That could work. I wonder if my ceiling could handle the weight.

 

[HenryMac]

That could work. I wonder if my ceiling could handle the weight.

Quick answer is no.

Trusses typically have their load rating stamped on them.

You could however build a beam to distribute the weight.... that's what we did for our '07 Wrangler Hardtop.

The vertical steel column is only used when removing the hardtop.

 

[r1ch999999]

I was afraid of that, I don't know what my roof looks like under the sheetrock. I've been tempted a few times to add a center beam to my garage.

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

How much does that Wrangler hardtop weigh ?

 

[SafetyDan]

How much does that Wrangler hardtop weigh ?

Almost as much as a 5' topper for our trucks. Basically the same thing, I just sold my Jeep.

 

[RCMUSTANG]

I have the overhead with a harbor freight electric winch. Once it's up a high as i want i run a pair of ratcheting straps underneath to take the load off.

 

[Rinn69]

How much does that Wrangler hardtop weigh ?

That's what I was thinking too. Seriously, what does a topper weigh ?? I just looked at a fiberglass, full windows, for an F-150 and it was 190 lbs.... That triple 2x6 (?) beam with a steel jack post seems a bit excessive for a topper, but I'm not an engineer. If it were me, I'd screw (with construction screws, not drywall screws) a 2x4, layed flat on top of the rafters, contacting and screwed to 4 or 5 of the rafters, one for the front and one for the back. To truly spread the load across all the rafters evenly, a person should make a solid connection at every rafter. But that's me.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

That's what I was thinking too. Seriously, what does a topper weigh ?? I just looked at a fiberglass, full windows, for an F-150 and it was 190 lbs.... That triple 2x6 (?) beam with a steel jack post seems a bit excessive for a topper, but I'm not an engineer. If it were me, I'd screw (with construction screws, not drywall screws) a 2x4, layed flat on top of the rafters, contacting and screwed to 4 or 5 of the rafters, one for the front and one for the back. To truly spread the load across all the rafters evenly, a person should make a solid connection at every rafter. But that's me.

The best way I've found to think of these things is to put the weight into units you can visualize. A 190lbs is about that same as a lightweight American man, so basically visualize him doing a pull-up on one of your trusses. And then remember that if you spread out the load fore/aft, as well as over a handful across like you're idea, it will be better. You could also hang it in a corner so the load doesn't have very far to travel to get to a support.

At work we often deal in many thousands of pound loads and a lot of the time you get bogged down in just the numbers and not really understand what that means. We often like to use units like Corolla's or bears to help visualize real world. haha

 

[Charley]

Cant remember if I asked someone who - or I just roughly figured through research on google and Jeep forums, but years ago to hang the hardtop from my YJ, I sistered serveral of the rafters, then connected them all , basically building a boxed in area. This was a 1997 stick built house with a 3 car garage, using the middle bay. Never had a problem in the 5 summers I had it hanging. And mine was the just the hand crank winch, not electric

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

Search youtube also. Lots of DIY ideas.

This one lifts only the RTT or both the RTT and cap.

 

[HenryMac]

That's what I was thinking too. Seriously, what does a topper weigh ?? I just looked at a fiberglass, full windows, for an F-150 and it was 190 lbs.... That triple 2x6 (?) beam with a steel jack post seems a bit excessive for a topper, but I'm not an engineer. If it were me, I'd screw (with construction screws, not drywall screws) a 2x4, layed flat on top of the rafters, contacting and screwed to 4 or 5 of the rafters, one for the front and one for the back. To truly spread the load across all the rafters evenly, a person should make a solid connection at every rafter. But that's me.

The weight of the topper doesn't really matter. The support structure needs to be rated to support whatever the hoist is rated for, plus a safety factor. Our hoist is rated at 450 lbs. So if the safety factor is 3 then the structure needs to be rated for 1,350 lbs.

The design philosophy of the beam is to not load the trusses at all... The beam is actually not even touching the trusses when the removable column is installed.

If you modify the trusses by screwing the beam to them... now your talking about modifying the existing structure of the home... which means building permits. So you don't care? Well be sure to take that all down when you go to sell your home, because the local jurisdiction will care.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

The weight of the topper doesn't really matter. The support structure needs to be rated to support whatever the hoist is rated for, plus a safety factor. Our hoist is rated at 450 lbs. So if the safety factor is 3 then the structure needs to be rated for 1,350 lbs.

The design philosophy of the beam is to not load the trusses at all... The beam is actually not even touching the trusses when the removable column is installed.

If you modify the trusses by screwing the beam to them... now your talking about modifying the existing structure of the home... which means building permits. So you don't care? Well be sure to take that all down when you go to sell your home, because the local jurisdiction will care.

A safety factor of 3 seems like quite a bit. I guess I don't know if that's standard in construction, but in aerospace we use a safety factor of 1.5 and those are pretty critical structures.

If it were me, I would just use some rope and a boat crank (rated to the weight of whatever you're planning to lift). Run the rope through a couple pulleys and mount the boat crank on the wall nearby. I've actually done something similar, sans boat crank (just pulled it by hand), to lift and remove the roof cage off my Subaru in the past. If all you're planning on doing is lifting the topper off the truck every once in awhile, then it doesn't need to be too complicated. As long as you understand what you're doing, the load paths, and the consequences of doing it wrong, then go for it.

 

[HenryMac]

A safety factor of 3 seems like quite a bit. I guess I don't know if that's standard in construction, but in aerospace we use a safety factor of 1.5 and those are pretty critical structures.

If it were me, I would just use some rope and a boat crank (rated to the weight of whatever you're planning to lift). Run the rope through a couple pulleys and mount the boat crank on the wall nearby. I've actually done something similar, sans boat crank (just pulled it by hand), to lift and remove the roof cage off my Subaru in the past. If all you're planning on doing is lifting the topper off the truck every once in awhile, then it doesn't need to be too complicated. As long as you understand what you're doing, the load paths, and the consequences of doing it wrong, then go for it.

You're scaring me.... Aerospace safety factor is for things that fly into space... you can't build them to beefy... they'll never get off the ground.

Back here on Earth, for stuff on the ground, safety factors vary. It's rare to find anything with a safety factor less than 3, especially when injury to life, limb and property are involved. Elevators have a safety factor of 10:1. Pressure vessels have a safety factor of 3.5:1.

The issue with trusses is they are designed for environmental loads (snow, wind loads, etc.) along with the upper chords carrying the weight of the plywood and shingles (sometimes multiple layers of shingles). The lower chord of the truss is some times, not always, designed to support sheet rock and insulation.

So if you let the topper hang from the trusses... and then get a snow storm with high winds... is it still ok?

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