I have this and can very much recommend it. Good quality and easy to use:

https://www.motorform-shop.de/Carpa...ardtop-Management/Hardtop-Lift::13.html?XTCsid=b297bc9816e327f91c651f0765907174

 

Oh nice. Did you order from there/overseas? Also does it come with pulleys/rope system complete?

 

I ordered from motorform several times and never had a problem. Stuff usually shows up in 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Your significant other or a friend or neighbor, then put your hard top in one of those dollies. The top is not that heavy, the two of you can easily keep the center pin from digging into the back deck, and you don't have to worry about deforming the top keeping it suspended.

There are some great hoist examples posted here and lots of back and forth on this topic. I was definitely down for getting one, but the more I thought about it the less I liked the idea of doing this as a one-person operation. JMHO.

 

I, too, just purchased the motorform lift for my hard top. Made the mistake of ordering it through my Mercedes dealer who purchased/ordered it off ebay. End result was I paid two additional mark ups - one on ebay and one to my Mercedes dealer. No particular problem but ended up paying considerably more than I would have had I ordered directly from the factory. As for the lift, seems fine. I did have some work done on my rafters to reinforce and ensure I would not have a weight issue. My research revealed the top weighs 85 pounds and I just wanted to be sure I'd have no problems.

 

If you want it is fairly easy to make one

 

If you want it is fairly easy to make one
https://youtu.be/xFI6mXetplQ

Damn you Ken, I've been wanting to build one from your specs for some time and still haven't scarfed up the materials. Priority #1 now even if I have to make it out of wood. Great video, very ingenious.

 

https://allentown.craigslist.org/for/d/z-top-hard-top-hoist/6438626520.html

 

CRAIGSLIST FIND!!!
Anyone ever see a strap like this made by Fritzi? I have not used it yet came with a hand crank winch all of the instructions.
I will most likely replace that with a harbor freight winch.Any recommendations?

 

Ah! Looking at your pictures I now understand why the chrome trim on my hardtop is bent outwards at exactly the point where the strap is located. Be careful using that method.

Andy

 

Straps ??.....may be fine but I prefer something a little more positive.

Here is the rig I built with a Harbor Freight hand hoist and a reinforced old style roof rack bar with gutter clamps. Cargo strap used for safety backup. I originally built this for my 1969 280SL hardtop but I also use it on the slightly wider 560 SL hard top. The gutter clamps can be adjusted outward on the bar for the extra width. Weight of the two roofs is about the same - around 100 pounds. Total cost about $100.

 

Coincidentally I hoisted my top today. I could not find the sheet that serves as a dust cover for the hanging hard top. I had a spare motorcycle cover (large) that fits nicely on the top, that is more durable and fits as if it were designed for this application with an elastic edge.

 

The idea of letting the hard top just hang scares me. Especially if I lived in CA:eek
So I built a shelf to fold up under it. But that may be just me.https://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/2831322-uro-hard-top-hoist-first-look.html

I don't like to leave the hard top hanging either. The shelf is a good idea if you have suitable space, which I don't. I usually go directly to the rolling storage rack.

 

Crap......I thought this was really cool. The straps are 2 inches wide, 2 consistent pieces and there is carpet in all of the suspect spots for potential scratches occurring.

But this will ruin the trim.....uggghhhh......

 

PanzerPuff ; What hoist did you use? Would you recommend a different model after your use of the current one or this one is perfect?

The cheapest hoist with remote control that HF has. With coupon it was about $80. The rated lift capacity is 440lbs, but I doubled the cable back to the rafters so the safe limit is 880 pounds. It is more than adequate to just leave the hardtop hanging, as I have this dead load suspended from three engineered trusses on 2 foot spacing that are nailed to the neighboring trusses with 2x4 perpendicular beams. So it is roughly equivalent in weight to hanging a drywall ceiling in the garage.

 

I favored the one that clips to the rain gutter, and suspended the top from the rafters. I added 4 safety lines in addition. Worked a treat, and nary a damage. Ill see if I can find the info "somewhere". Lift bar and hand block and tackle was around $150US, if I recall correctly.

Found it...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...d-top-hoist/mercedes-benz~560sl.html?3594=2266&usg=AOvVaw3htPaGU0CC39D6YG6Qmwkl

I have the motorform for my R129, which looks very similar to the same for the 107...
https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...cCBMHumNXqu2Gv5A&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwjZ6e-NlojiAhUymuAKHa96AQcQ9aACCFM&adurl= for R107 on Ebay.

 

I have been very happy with the URO system and Harbor freight winch.

We offer that hoist, remember to apply our Supporting Vendor special pricing at checkout: https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/UR-TH107

 

I just completed a hard top lift made from 2" tow strap and a four to one pulley mounted into the rafter with 5/16" lag bolts. I haven't lifted it all the way up yet, just had it swinging free. I covered it just to keep dust out.

 

If your looking to purchase, I recommend the URO lifting bar with a Harbor Freight electric hoist. I have 2 of each with foldup shelves that I made.

URO Hard Top Hoist First Look

Got the URO hard Top hoist. So far it seem OK but e few thing need to ba addressed. #1) The side clips go on nicely and don't appear that they will scratch the roof. #2) The unit grabs the roof forward of the roofs CG. Not a problem for most people but may be for me. The roof should lift nose...

www.benzworld.org

 

I use a Harbor Freight electric hoist with a custom lifting bar as close as I could get to @PanzerPuff 's design. Andy

 

We have the brand EZ top that used to be available from the company in Texas. It took me a while to find the same product, now being manufactured in the UK, but has a distributor in the US. We also bought their hand crank hoist version, and it is rarely used but functional, the top is always off...

Made on request... not sure on the prices now, for pictures:

https://www.easyhoists.com/car-types-easyhoists.php