Anyone have the TOP/CAP EZ LIFT Hard top hoist?
08-23-2010 | 04:34 PM
#12
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: SE Michigan
Well, I received the Lange Originals Hoist-a-Top with the hand crank. I finished mounting and assembling it yesterday. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, since my Jeep is currently in the shop.
I have to say....for $280. I'm highly disappointed. Looking at this thing, I would value it at $100 max.
The thing looks/feels like a cheap Chinese product. It's held together with the cheapest screws I have seen, which does not leave me with a lot of confidence that this thing won't come crashing down while suspending my hard top. Basically, don't tighten anything too tight or you're bound to strip/break a screw. I actually stripped one out, by assembling and then noticed I assembled it wrong and had to take apart and reassemble.....so make sure you get everything right the 1st time, because it's not really built for disassemble/reassemble.
Now here was the thing that really set me off on the wrong foot with this hoist. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING THIS DAMN THING REALLY SUCKS!!!! I mean, my original intention of buying a hoist instead of building one myself, was that I didn't want to be bothered with all the work of having to figure out a lot on my own. I just wanted a Step1, Step2, Step3 assembly guide..etc. done.
The assembly instructions seemed like they where originally written in Chinese, and then someone used a Chinese to English translation program and did a copy and paste without even proof reading it. Hardly anything was written in a complete or coherent sentence. It referred to use part "J" to connect cross members "B" to "C"....but showed No picture reference key of what parts J,B, or C was. Then to top that off, with the pictures they did show in a picture diagram, the parts where different from the actual kit parts, like they were old assembly instructions, but the parts had been updated, but not the instructions. So the instruction pictures did not match the actual parts provided!!! So I ended up just looking at the one picture that was provided of the assembled product and had to figure out how to assemble it myself and figure out which parts where the ones that went in place of the ones not shown in the picture.
As far as mounting the crank to the wall, they showed one mounting location on a back wall with no other alternative mounting suggestions or diagrams for alternative mounting locations, although it stated other mounting areas could be used if a back wall was not available....nothing shown as examples to demonstrate what they where talking about. So what should have been an easy assembly process, turned into a major headache.
Once, I finally figured everything out and looked at it....sure, it should have been an easy assembly process. If I would have assembled one or 2 on my own before, this would have been an easy assembly....but since this was my 1st time, it took a lot of effort to figure out what the hell they where talking about, since I wanted to make sure it was done right.
Now, I'm just waiting to get my Jeep back so I can finally try this thing out to see if it does the job. I decided to drill some holes and rivet most of the pieces together since the cheap tiny screws holding everything together looked like alls it would take is one loose screw for the thing to fall to pieces along with sending my top crashing to the ground.
$280!!!! For this piece of sh*t!!! I wish I had built my own. I would have probably paid much less, and gotten something which was much more sturdy and secure.
Before I purchased this thing, I had called a local retailer (Jeeperz Creeperz) in my area and asked if they had sold any hard top hoists, so that I could see what I was purchasing in person. They said, "We used to sell them, but we found most of the offerings out there where very cheaply made and we were constantly getting returns, so we decided to discontinue carrying hard top hoists....you're probably better off building your own". WOW!!! Where they ever right!!! $280 for something equivalent to bamboo sticks and rubber bands!!!!
I have to say....for $280. I'm highly disappointed. Looking at this thing, I would value it at $100 max.
The thing looks/feels like a cheap Chinese product. It's held together with the cheapest screws I have seen, which does not leave me with a lot of confidence that this thing won't come crashing down while suspending my hard top. Basically, don't tighten anything too tight or you're bound to strip/break a screw. I actually stripped one out, by assembling and then noticed I assembled it wrong and had to take apart and reassemble.....so make sure you get everything right the 1st time, because it's not really built for disassemble/reassemble.
Now here was the thing that really set me off on the wrong foot with this hoist. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING THIS DAMN THING REALLY SUCKS!!!! I mean, my original intention of buying a hoist instead of building one myself, was that I didn't want to be bothered with all the work of having to figure out a lot on my own. I just wanted a Step1, Step2, Step3 assembly guide..etc. done.
The assembly instructions seemed like they where originally written in Chinese, and then someone used a Chinese to English translation program and did a copy and paste without even proof reading it. Hardly anything was written in a complete or coherent sentence. It referred to use part "J" to connect cross members "B" to "C"....but showed No picture reference key of what parts J,B, or C was. Then to top that off, with the pictures they did show in a picture diagram, the parts where different from the actual kit parts, like they were old assembly instructions, but the parts had been updated, but not the instructions. So the instruction pictures did not match the actual parts provided!!! So I ended up just looking at the one picture that was provided of the assembled product and had to figure out how to assemble it myself and figure out which parts where the ones that went in place of the ones not shown in the picture.
As far as mounting the crank to the wall, they showed one mounting location on a back wall with no other alternative mounting suggestions or diagrams for alternative mounting locations, although it stated other mounting areas could be used if a back wall was not available....nothing shown as examples to demonstrate what they where talking about. So what should have been an easy assembly process, turned into a major headache.
Once, I finally figured everything out and looked at it....sure, it should have been an easy assembly process. If I would have assembled one or 2 on my own before, this would have been an easy assembly....but since this was my 1st time, it took a lot of effort to figure out what the hell they where talking about, since I wanted to make sure it was done right.
Now, I'm just waiting to get my Jeep back so I can finally try this thing out to see if it does the job. I decided to drill some holes and rivet most of the pieces together since the cheap tiny screws holding everything together looked like alls it would take is one loose screw for the thing to fall to pieces along with sending my top crashing to the ground.
$280!!!! For this piece of sh*t!!! I wish I had built my own. I would have probably paid much less, and gotten something which was much more sturdy and secure.
Before I purchased this thing, I had called a local retailer (Jeeperz Creeperz) in my area and asked if they had sold any hard top hoists, so that I could see what I was purchasing in person. They said, "We used to sell them, but we found most of the offerings out there where very cheaply made and we were constantly getting returns, so we decided to discontinue carrying hard top hoists....you're probably better off building your own". WOW!!! Where they ever right!!! $280 for something equivalent to bamboo sticks and rubber bands!!!!