Garage door opener as a lift for a camper shell

Butch50 wrote:

DiskDoctr wrote:

Butch50 wrote:


He's not lifting a TC just a topper shell. Cab high or so.

Ok, help me out on this one - What's a topper shell?

Here is an example of a truck cap

Got it, thanks. We call those truck caps. When I read "camper shell" I thought TC. Completely missed the "100lbs" part. Sorry for the confusion ;)

In that case, a couple of straps hanging from the ceiling withnloops on end at the correct heights and youncan lift topper and slide boards through the loops, to support bottom of cap.

I've seen people use boat winches, both crank and electric for these.

It's a canopy to fit over the bed of a pickup truck. I use it for enclosed storage mostly for river running equipment such as rafting and camping equipment when doing distant river trips.
Your safety message is well taken. I think I'll do something about that. Thank you, -Mark.

Butch50 wrote:


He's not lifting a TC just a topper shell. Cab high or so.

Ok, help me out on this one - What's a topper shell?

DiskDoctr wrote:
A point here...

Winches and hoists are not designed for permanent or long term static loads. (Well, there are some, but not in the price most would pay for home use)

It would be wise to have a strap, chain, hook, brace, whatever to attach to TC after it is lifted into the stowed position.

TC has enough weight and size to seriously injure or kill of it fell on someone, not to mention the damage to the TC or whatever else around if it fell.

Ounce of prevention, you know ;)

He's not lifting a TC just a topper shell. Cab high or so.

I used to take my shell off with just ropes and pulleys. I had 2 2X4" cut to just a little over the width of the shell. Then on the ends of each 2X4 I put some closed loops on that bolted through the 2X4. Ropes ran to the ceiling through a pulley on each side then they ran to the back wall of the garage to another set of pulleys. Then I used a cleat to wrap the rope around to hold it there. Now before anyone gets after me saying the rope can come undone let me finish. :B I then had chains that hung off the rafters and once I had the shell lifted to the ceiling I would use the chain and hooks and fasten the chain to the 2X4. So now the weight was supported by the chains and not the rope.

When I first started out I would lift the camper at one end so I could get the 2X4 started under it and then would work it to the front of the bed and then put the other one in the on the rear end and then I was ready to go.

A point here...

Winches and hoists are not designed for permanent or long term static loads. (Well, there are some, but not in the price most would pay for home use)

It would be wise to have a strap, chain, hook, brace, whatever to attach to TC after it is lifted into the stowed position.

TC has enough weight and size to seriously injure or kill of it fell on someone, not to mention the damage to the TC or whatever else around if it fell.

Ounce of prevention, you know ;)

I'm fortunate to have a very tall garage so I installed a Harbor Freight 110v electric hoist to remove and install my 200 lb+ fiberglass truck canopy. I've been using this to remove and install the canopy for several years now with no problems and I can do the job single handed. When the canopy is off, while truck camping, it just hangs there in the garage with room to walk under it. -Mark.

Try Harbor freight for a electric small electric hoist.

My 1/2 HP garage door opener has plastic gears to move the chain. Don't think it would take much to strip them out.

Some of the garage door openers have autoreverse, meaning if it is on the way down and you hit the button, it will reverse and can't be stopped for a second or three.

You could use the motor for sure, but I wouldn't use the controllers.