[Scargo]

Hello folks. This is my first post. I just bought my first Bimmer-a 2002 M3 convertible.

The wife can't help me remove the hardtop so I am rigging a hoist in the garage. There are the four mounting points for attaching a roof rack. I want to use brackets bolted to these points to lift the top. I've actually made the metal brackets and they have holes for rope to go through. I will pull straight up by using bars that span the width of the mounting points.
Has anyone hoisted their removable hardtop this way? Has anyone mounted a roof rack instead and used to it for hoisting the top?

I guess I have a minor concern about tweaking these threaded mounting pads since the roof is aluminum. However, the roof is not that heavy and the mounts are designed to hold roof racks which could have loads/objects mounted on them that would be stressed from wind force, if nothing else.
Thanks
PS: bought the wife a 2010 525xi, with M sports package, too.

[JCtx]

Ask mods to move your thread to the E46 M3 section man. Most of us know nothing about E46s. Good luck.

[Scargo]

I don't see an appropriate forum for e46 convertibles. Certainly coupe owners are not going to be lifting their cars by the roof mounts!
How do you get a moderator to move something, anyway?

[foosh]

What he is saying is that there is no need for detachable hardtop for the latest generation 3-series, and you are in the latest-gen M3 section. The current convertible (E93) has a hinged hardtop which folds into the trunk. Your odds of finding someone here who had a hardtop for the E46 convertible are slim.

You might try here:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=75

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Scargo

I don't see an appropriate forum for e46 convertibles. Certainly coupe owners are not going to be lifting their cars by the roof mounts!
How do you get a moderator to move something, anyway?

Welcome to m3post! I moved your thread to the E46 M3 forum which is meant to be for both the Coupe and the Convertible.


Best regards,
south

[Scargo]

Thanks for moving it.
Shouldn't the forum group title be "E46 M3 Coupe and Convertible"? Or, E46 M3-ALL...

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Scargo

Thanks for moving it.
Shouldn't the forum group title be "E46 M3 Coupe and Convertible"? Or, E46 M3-ALL...

You're right, I'll ask the admins to change that.


Best regards,
south

[Scargo]

I still want to know if anyone hoists their removable hardtops this way.

I just ordered the Thule rack brackets. I want to use it to lift the hardtop off my convertible. Using them. I will connect them with hard maple.
The top is 80 pounds. That's only 20 pounds per bolt or mounting point. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

[FFWD]

Hey Scargo, did you get anywhere with this? I was thinking of doing the same, just wondering if the threads will hold safely.

Originally Posted by Scargo

I still want to know if anyone hoists their removable hardtops this way.

I just ordered the Thule rack brackets. I want to use it to lift the hardtop off my convertible. Using them. I will connect them with hard maple.
The top is 80 pounds. That's only 20 pounds per bolt or mounting point. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

[ac427]

Originally Posted by Scargo

I still want to know if anyone hoists their removable hardtops this way.

I just ordered the Thule rack brackets. I want to use it to lift the hardtop off my convertible. Using them. I will connect them with hard maple.
The top is 80 pounds. That's only 20 pounds per bolt or mounting point. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

Hi Scargo, You can buy the official hoist and frame from BMW for quite a lot of money. I have one and it is great except when you bang you head on the bottom of the suspended hardtop!

There are 4 eyelet bolts which you screw into the threaded nuts concealed on the hardtop roof then a frame clips on the eyelets and the frame is winched by hand with the hoist using nylon rope.