TJ Flat Hardtop Hook

[grabeb]

Has anyone found a flat threaded hook that works for the TJ hoist a tops? Or has anyone fabricated one they could share a picture of?

I posted in another thread that I bought the Lange Kit, thinking it had a flat hook for the TJ and I could close the rear glass, but apparently that's for the JL models. I just got off the phone with Lange and they said those wouldn't work due to shape of the top and they just never went back to fab a flat hook for the TJ.

I thought someone used that JL style hook, but maybe I mis-read and have had trouble finding that thread. I'll look some more though.....

 

[E-Ticket]

I don’t have a Lange hoist but I’ve got these on my LJ and JL and they give great flexibility on hoist connection methods as well as accommodating a lot of location mismatch during the process.

 

[grabeb]

I don’t have a Lange hoist but I’ve got these on my LJ and JL and they give great flexibility on hoist connection methods as well as accommodating a lot of location mismatch during the process.

View attachment 533601

I've actually looked at those and might be an option, but I would have to figure out how to incorporate with the T frame, which uses a singular threaded rod.

 

[grabeb]

Just saw this warning, so maybe not a good idea for a T style frame hoist. Unless a piece of all thread rod went through the eyes to provide an vertical lifting point at each hook. Probably getting overtly complex, which is why I bought a kit.

 

[E-Ticket]

Good info there. My hoist has an “H” structure made of 2x4s and picked up four corners of the top. In the front a ratchet strap under the overhang works great for TJ/LJ.

 

[nk24]

I'm not sure which Lange kit you have, but in the Lange kit I have the red hook works with the TJ and the window is able to be closed.

Example: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/lange-hoist-a-top.77893/post-1535058

 

[grabeb]

I'm not sure which Lange kit you have, but in the Lange kit I have the red hook works with the TJ and the window is able to be closed.

Example: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/lange-hoist-a-top.77893/post-1535058

Actually that might help a bunch. Thanks. Mine uses a threaded hook, BUT I don't see why I couldn't modify that hook to add threaded end to it. Either via welding a piece of all thread or bolting something to it.

Here is the hook that came with mine.

 

[grabeb]

Actually this hook looks like a mesh between my hook and the red hook with the exception of the bend at end being more and the long piece

 

[grabeb]

I don’t have a Lange hoist but I’ve got these on my LJ and JL and they give great flexibility on hoist connection methods as well as accommodating a lot of location mismatch during the process.

View attachment 533601

Well, look what I now find! Topsy apparently made a bar to allow use of their hinge hooks. Now I'm trying to debate what to do. Part of my hesitation is our hardtop is aftermarket so curious if the hinge is different than factory.

 

[deadbeat son]

Actually this hook looks like a mesh between my hook and the red hook with the exception of the bend at end being more and the long pieceView attachment 533612

That's their JK hook, the TJ hook is the red one as @nk24 previously mentioned and they are bent differently; I have both. I use an eye bolt that I have opened up a bit with an angle grinder and attach the red flat hook to it. This is for an OEM top though, I have no idea about the fit with an aftermarket.

 

[hear]

I had the Topsy JK hooks on my JK (strangely enough), and now that sucker is in a new home, I need to look into using my hard top hoist on my TJ.

 

[Snukulu]

That's their JK hook, the TJ hook is the red one as @nk24 previously mentioned and they are bent differently; I have both. I use an eye bolt that I have opened up a bit with an angle grinder and attach the red flat hook to it. This is for an OEM top though, I have no idea about the fit with an aftermarket.

View attachment 533676

Question about this setup; I have the red hook and the eye bolt. This may seem like a stupid question but do you have a particular sequence of steps you use to get this set up?
When using the 3 J hooks I got the front two in place, slid the entire bar back, turned the J hook to the side, dropped it under the glass, then turned it back 90 degrees and snugged everything up. If I try that with the eye bolt already "installed", i can't bend it to get onto the eye bolt opening. Nor can I suspend the entire bar in the air with one hand and hold it at an angle where the red hook will slip in. That part could be a me problem because i'm so $%#! short but i'm just thinking that's not the solution because it would be SO easy to tap the glass when doing that. I'm not really seeing a solution that doesn't involve taking the bar apart which kind of defeats the purpose of making this nice and easy. And even then, I'm too short to reach halfway across the top and drill the screws back in.
Also...how much clearance between glass and hook? My liftgate seal is brand new and it looks and feels like the glass is going to touch it when I close it and I don't want that explosion
I could be missing something really obvious but it's been a long week, and I have to work with the few brain cells I have left.