what part of georgia?

 

I live in Snellville, about 30 miles NE of Atlanta. I get to come home for good in 2 weeks. Can't wait to get back to the humidity and warmer temps!

 

heres my question....i wanna take it off, but i have no garage, or carport....i have another car to drive if it does rain, but I need to figure out a way to keep it semi dry if it does rain.....i was thinking that i could put a tarp accross it.....and another one down from the top at the back of the front seats and just put somethin heavy to keep them in place....maybe i could velcro the tarps on there or somethin. I would be ok if i was at home, but it would be difficult to do to where i could drive it if i was stuck somewhere.....any ideas or suggestions? i dont want to buy the soft top if i can keep from it. $1K is alot for me....

 

How about a car cover? I picked up a generic smaller SUV cover and it fits just fine. I used to use it while I had the top off before I got the soft top.

 

could you drive it if you needed to with that on there?

 

A Tarp will work fine.

Use bungee cords to secure it. Make sure it's tight, if it does rain, and it's loose, you'll have a heck of a time getting the water out.

 

oh yeah, i joke my blue tarp is my soft top.
been trying to get my top rigged into my garage so that little 100lb me can remove it alone if i want to. following roger's instructions, only catch is that i'm not strong enough and my garage is too tall for the tiedowns [i have to pull up at chest height]. anybody seen this thing? seems spendy? http://store.yahoo.com/truckstuffusa/hoistatop.html



my other idea is to use four pulleys to get it up, then attach the tiedowns to hold it up.
i'd just use a winch but my pre-fab garage doesn't look like it would handle it... i'm rambling but trying to figure it out, any ideas would be great.

 

To lift the top, do it while the 4Runner is still under it. And you don't need to lift the whole thing at once. Just nudge your shoulders up under the top, arch your back up and snug up the strap to hold it in place. This is why you want the friction type straps, just pull down on the trailing end to take up the slack. Do one corner, then the next and repeat until it is sitting level, then start around again and repeat until the top is as high as you need it. I could not lift mine to the rafters w/o the truck parked under it either.

So don't look at the big job of how am I going to lift the top all the way to the rafters all at once. Rather just break it into lift one corner a few inches and snug up the strap to take the load repeated a dozen times or so. Once clear, drive the truck out and nobody will know how you got that big top all the way up there.

 

Thought we covered this topic already

http://www.norcalbigdawgs.net/Gallery/album70

 

roger_ this would totally work, if i was just a bit taller... i can't get it high enough, i got the whole thing done like your page, was so excited, and then couldn't lift it.
cabbage_ i did search our forum and never found these pics...i will reference them for sure. some sort of hybrid of the two may be in store.

 

Even standing in the bed? Must be a very high ceiling in the garage then. Several options:

1. Is it high enough to not hit your head when walking underneath? If so, it is good enough.

2. Use a foot stool to to gain some more height.

3. Get someone taller to help you lift it the last bit.

 

i will noodle with it, but i tried the stool, the garage is real tall.

also - random - i think i read somewhere 2 weeks was about how long you should leave it off before you put the shell back on so the fiberglass doesn't warp. you agree?

 

The top won't warp if you support it well. I've had mine off all summer once w/ no warping or leaking after reinstalling.

 

Easy as pie. Been up there 2 months now or longer and ain't coming back down.

 

so, as usual - roger was right i had to modify his instructions, but with a little guidance from him i got something that works in my pre-fab garage. here's the details in case anyone can learn from my mods.

i had to reinforce the ceiling rafters, then hung the bike hooks.
i had chain cut to "lower" the ceiling so that the tiedown clasps would be within my reach.
i am unable to pull the tiedowns and lift the top, but if i push up on the top and pull the slack i can get it after a few rounds around the back. it's much easier to lift the front and i was stoked that was what needed to go higher to allow the rollbar through. reinstalling was easy, did it before work.

finally enjoyed a long summer with it off. thanks for all your help!

 

The top won't warp, ever. It's VERY strong and heavy. Just be sure it's supported pretty much square (as in not twisted.) You would have to have it all twisted out of shape and leave it in the sun for a summer to make any difference.

 

OMFG that is hillarious!