The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > 47 - Current classic GM Trucks > The 1973 - 1987 Chevrolet & GMC Squarebody Pickups Message Board > The 1973 - 1991 Blazers, Jimmys, and Suburbans Message Board

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-04-2021, 06:46 AM   #1
bigschuss
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Savoy, MA
Posts: 70
Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

Been wanting to do this for a while. I used to use my Rotary lift, and that worked good, but I wanted something that would store the top all summer up and out of the way.



Bought some 8x8" L-brackets from Home Depot and bent them to shape and covered them with foam. I also had to buy en electric hoist from HF and some pulleys. Everything else I had laying around.

Works pretty good. Gets the top up high and out of the way without tying up my lift all summer. Think I need to add some kind of a catch or hook or something bolted to the wall so I can take the weight off the hoist once the top is lifted to the ceiling.















bigschuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2021, 06:43 PM   #2
68Timber
I know the pieces fit
 
68Timber's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MONTGOMERY, AL
Posts: 5,523
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

That's a great set up! Getting the top on/off and storing it is the only PITA about a Blazer, you've eliminated that. I made a storage rack for mine so it hangs in the carport but we still have to do the heavy lifting. You need to tie the right and left sides together, left like that the top will "spread" over time and will be difficult to get on the truck. Mine did, anyway. Again, well done.
__________________
John

79 2wd Blazer (Bruiser)
85 M1009 Blazer (Sarge) build
74 Honda Z50 build
68Timber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 07:29 AM   #3
bigschuss
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Savoy, MA
Posts: 70
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

Quote:
Originally Posted by 68Timber View Post
That's a great set up! Getting the top on/off and storing it is the only PITA about a Blazer, you've eliminated that. I made a storage rack for mine so it hangs in the carport but we still have to do the heavy lifting. You need to tie the right and left sides together, left like that the top will "spread" over time and will be difficult to get on the truck. Mine did, anyway. Again, well done.
Thanks John. And thanks for the tip about tying both sides together. Did not know that!
bigschuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 08:40 AM   #4
68Timber
I know the pieces fit
 
68Timber's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MONTGOMERY, AL
Posts: 5,523
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

I didn't know either until I couldn't get my top back on! I think you could use a board drilled on each end to the width of the bedrail mounting holes, then lay it across the middle on the mounting lip of the top, secured with a couple of bolts and maybe wingnuts? Cheap, easy, effective, and you won't have to worry about modifying that excellent lift you made.
__________________
John

79 2wd Blazer (Bruiser)
85 M1009 Blazer (Sarge) build
74 Honda Z50 build
68Timber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2021, 07:07 AM   #5
bigschuss
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Savoy, MA
Posts: 70
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

Quote:
Originally Posted by 68Timber View Post
I didn't know either until I couldn't get my top back on! I think you could use a board drilled on each end to the width of the bedrail mounting holes, then lay it across the middle on the mounting lip of the top, secured with a couple of bolts and maybe wingnuts? Cheap, easy, effective, and you won't have to worry about modifying that excellent lift you made.
Thanks John. That's a great idea. I'm on it today!
bigschuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2021, 02:36 PM   #6
LT7A
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PNW
Posts: 3,472
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

I was thinking the same thing about that top not spreading out. Was envisioning cables going from the holes in the hooks from one side to the other. Piece of wood is probably quicker and easier though, ha.
LT7A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2021, 12:46 PM   #7
kwmech
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Colfax-California
Posts: 8,355
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

I had an idea similar to that years ago for my land cruiser top, but that looks a lot nicer.
kwmech is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2021, 08:07 AM   #8
bigschuss
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Savoy, MA
Posts: 70
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

Quote:
Originally Posted by LT7A View Post
I was thinking the same thing about that top not spreading out. Was envisioning cables going from the holes in the hooks from one side to the other. Piece of wood is probably quicker and easier though, ha.
I ended up using 2 cinch straps...one on each end of the cap, from hole to hole. Just tightened them enough to prevent spreading.
bigschuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2021, 08:08 AM   #9
bigschuss
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Savoy, MA
Posts: 70
Re: Rigged up a Hoist for my K5 Top

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwmech View Post
I had an idea similar to that years ago for my land cruiser top, but that looks a lot nicer.
Thanks. It took me a few tries. Last summer I had a system with 2x4's that I ran under the cap and winched up to the ceiling. That one didn't go up high enough and the cap would kind of spin freely in the wind. Wanted to do it right this time.
bigschuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:34 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com