[Guest (MBNZ)]

Any suggestions on who makes a good sturdy hardtop hoist?

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

Re: hardtop hoist

I have mine I wwould be willing to sell...Becky

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

Re: hardtop hoist

We've been very happy with ours from E-Z Top. Check out their website at http://www.eztop.com.<br> <br> In addition to a very good product, their support both before and, more importantly, after the sale was outstanding! Very helpful and knowledgable folks that want you satisfied with their product.

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

Re: hardtop hoist

Bruce, Saw your note to Gene. I am also looking for a hoist. Several questions, How long have you had it? Do you leave your top hanging, or do you put it into a cart after you have pulled it off?<br> If so , is it easy to maneuver into the cart from hoist? thanks Al

 

[Richard Clark]

R129 SL Hardtop Hoist Options

SL Friends:

I want to buy a Hardtop hoist for my 95 SL500, I see there
are many different ones on the market, Does any one
have an opinion as to which one(s) are best and easy
to use?

Thanks
Richard Clark
New Albany IN[]

 

[black95sl]

I have the electric lift one, with the umbilical cord control. Was very, very steep price wise ($700 +/-)but it came with a custom lift cradle that scratches nothing or pinches nothing, and a roof cover that you can put on AFTER it's in the sling and up off the car.

I painted two strips on the garage floor and have a string hanging from the ceiling over the center of the mirror. Back the car in to the lines, give the top a 'pop' up out of the anchors, lace it up in the harness, and lift it with the push button on the cord while steadying the roof. A true one person operation. The gear reduction they used has almost no drift/overshoot once you release the button.

The sling/bar lift supplied can only go on one way, and the 'lid' hangs perfectly balanced and horizontal with the slightest of tension on the cable.

A nice engineering job. Took maybe an hour and a half to put up, I needed to add an extra 2x10 to my ceiling, but they supplied everything else, the lag bolts to mount the motor, just the right J-hook.

I did the extra joist so that if the car is in the garage, the ceiling hook is directly over the sling carabiner. You don't have to do it that way, but if I walk out that early spring day and say 'Why not!', I can get it right off without opening the garage door and jockeying the car to line up under an existing joist.

 

[Richard Clark]

black95sl:

Thanks for the reply to my message asking about
hardtop hoist for my SL.

Will you please tell me what hoist you bought form whom
as there are many on the market?

BTW: I too have a 95 Black SL500 here in southern IN

Thanks
Richard Clark[]

 

[black95sl]

Richard,

I got it from a company called IMC

They are in Santa Maria, California
Tel: 805-739-0403
Fax: 805-739-0903

If you promise to not comment on the neatness of my gargage...[][] I've attached a picture. Shows the lid in the storage position with the cover on. That black box on the left is the electric winch system

 

[black95sl]

No...smart guys...[:I][:I]

That 'thing' that looks like a spot light under the 'lid' is not part of the kit.

It's a 3 bay garage, and there are 3 black beauty's in it. The 95 SL, A 1915 Brass Model T, and a 1925 Model T Fordor. The Model T's have a bad habit of collecting lots of spares and I have them hanging from the walls all over the place.

That 'thing' is a spare headlight for the 1925 Ford.

 

[sl320man]

I created my hoist for around $10 - $15. All you need are 3 pulleys 3 J-hook screws and nylon rope. The hardware store helped me. The only work is pulling the rope but the pulley ratio makes it easy. I did buy the hoist strap($60) and attached to the pulley system.

 

[SLnut]

sl320man - 4/24/2005 7:44 PM

I created my hoist for around $10 - $15. All you need are 3 pulleys 3 J-hook screws and nylon rope. The hardware store helped me. The only work is pulling the rope but the pulley ratio makes it easy. I did buy the hoist strap($60) and attached to the pulley system.

The problem with this outfit is that it could damage the seal around and eventually deform the top, a sure way of getting an annoying air leaks when driving on the freeway. The repair cost could be more than $700. If you value your SL buy or build a hoist that cradle the shell from the inside similar to Black95sl's.

 

[LynnSL500]

Hi to SL95 --thanks for including the photo! The hoist is a great idea! Cheers, Lynn

 

[Carlo$]

here is another option. buy the electric winch from

harborfreighttools.com for about $80.00 & then buy the straps for the roof from performanceproducts.com for about $40.00.


click here:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2034953/2

 

[black95sl]

Further comment to help with understanding.

with the IMC kit, the yoke part that goes under and is called the cradle, is covered with about 1" thick soft cell foam. It is softer than the MB rubber seal and after three summers in storage, no marks of the MB roof seals.

At that back, they have a clip woven into the strap that snaps over the bottom weatherstrip to keep it from pinching the rubber seal

 

[CHINCHE]

Anyone knows anything about this type?
Price?
Original or not?
Any supplier?

 

[Carlo$]

it looks like a home made device, engine lift plus rack.

 

[Splash]

I bought this electric hoist about a year ago and I believe its the best out there. No part of it touches the seals and it makes on/off an easy one person task. Wasn't cheep, but the best usually isn't.

http://www.eztop.com/129.htm

 

[brianmp]

could you possibly post some photos of your attachment sling, or send them to me directly at [email protected]

thanks

brian

 

[Carlo$]

buy this

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44006

and get the straps from performance products.

 

[jjrodger]

Anyone knows anything about this type?
Price?
Original or not?
Any supplier?

I have that. It is the Mercedes-Benz hardtop shuttle. It is EXCELLENT. It works like an engine crane only for the hardtop. You wheel the shuttle up to the back of the car then use it to remove the top. The cups which hold the top in place are beautifully made and do not damage any seals. In fact the whole thing is beautifully made. It is also truly a one man operation. It is much easier to line up the shuttle to the car than it is to line up the car to a fixed winch system. I use mine to remove and refit the hardtop whenever I please, almost weekly. For instance, if it is raining, I simply refit the top; if I'm going on a long fast journey, I refit the top; if there is a surprise sunny day in early spring, I just whip the top off. I really recommend this product.

It is expensive, though. I paid GBP270 on Ebay for mine; they come up about once a year. I understand they are GBP700 at the dealer; that is $1,200. Well worth it, if you can afford it.

Please excuse the mess in my garage.