Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

I'm in year 3 of my 25x35 barn/garage build and am about 98% done with the interior. I am looking for some advice/input about hanging some kind of a hoist system inside one of the bays for the top to my K5.

The bottom chord of the attic trusses I used are designed to carry a 40 psf live load, with an additional 10 psf dead load, and are spaced 2' OC. My K5 top weighs somewhere around 275 lbs. and would only be hung in the summer when there is no snow load.

Was thinking about using 2 pieces of Unistrut about 8' apart, run perpendicular across at least 3 trusses and then suspending some kind of a 4 point hoist system from the Strut.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Just wondering if you think that would work.

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https://i.postimg.cc/kGjzcVwb/barn_6.jpg

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Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Unistrut comes in 10' lengths. I would use 2 ten foot pieces to spread the weight out even more?

I am no structural engineer but worked commercial construction (electrician) for 40 years.

Without seeing the garage or trusses I am just guessing here. Could you also run some threaded rod up from the Unistrut to another part of the truss/rafter?

I have been told my stuff doesn't fall down but sinks into the ground from being over built?

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Thanks for the feedback Thealien. Appreciate it.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

I am no engineer, but I assume you will have it hung to one side closer to the chords as opposed to the middle. I don't think you would have a problem. You did a beautiful job on your pole barn/garage. Very good looking building. 6/12 pitch?

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

This is a good question. Who is out there that has a hoist system they are using? I had a wood framed stand I made to keep my top on while I worked on my Blazer. It was very strong and rolled around in case I needed to turn the truck around. My top is most likely heavier than 275lbs as it is a single wall 1972. I moved and had to ditch the stand so I don't have pics. Sorry.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Be careful on the unstunistrut. Not all unistrut is equal. Some unistrut bends very easily. I belive the tall unistrut in silver zinc is the best, and painted typically is not the best.

Honestly if your structure is fine, and this is a good upgrade. Run box tubing across the rafters, and hang a small harbor freight winch on top. I would even suggest going as fas as to completely reinforce the rafters you choose to span.

This way you can support the load for a long period of time.
The winch does all the work.
You can use it to pull bodies off of frames.
Do motor swaps if you leave the chassis a roller

Just a though as for a bit more you can do a lot more.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

be weary of threaded rod. It bends really easily and you can strip the threads right off of it.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Good point. The commonly available unistrut rod, and cam nuts. Are just basic grade 5 hardware.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Thanks rsavage. Appreciate the kind words and the feedback. That's a good idea about hanging it closer to one side. That's actually a 12/12 pitch. Crazy steep. I had to rent a lift to get the ridge cap on because I couldn't figure any other way to do it safely.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Thanks jjzepplin. On those pre-73 Blazers the cab roof came off with the rest of the top is that correct?

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Appreciate it. Great ideas. The one issue I have is that the space above the garage is attic space, with a floor, walls, etc. I can not access the bottom chords anymore...from the top or bottom. The only way I can tie in several joists is by lagging something to the bottom of them.

I do like your idea of using a Harbor Freight winch to do all the work.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

They make hoist systems Jeep tops. The JK and JL's come in four doors and their tops must weigh similar to your Blazer. Might check them out.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Thanks LS....will do.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

Yes that is correct. If I am also correct the 1973 had the same feature. All I know is my top is heavy. I was also thinking of camper jacks as a possibility. I would be devastated if I came home from a nice "Top off" ride and found my top on the floor of my garage in pieces... Sorry I am so slow to respond.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

As a side note. I never took any of my blazers tops off but my dad always said to put 2x4 spacers inside before unbolting. He took the top off of his and fought it to get it back on since the sides bowed in on his 77. It was only a couple of years old at the time.

Re: Advice for Hoist for K5 Top from Attic Trusses
 

The real question here is how much does the top weigh? Quick search and its somewhere from 180 to 300 lbs. I presume the plan would be to back the blazer into a bay, hook it up and lift it off. I say put the blazer where you want it, find the studs, screw in some eye bolts and use some ratchet straps to lift off. I would imagine that it does not need to lift more than a few inches. Even if worse case the top weighed 500 lbs, that is only 125 lbs per eyebolt, which really is no a lot of weight. If you only want to pull down on 1 cable to lift, look at some of the bicycle lifts. Pretty sure they could easily be modified to accomplish the task. For reference, I basically did this to lift the bed off my truck and left it there for some time while i worked on the frame.