Planning Guide & Tips
What is the Difference Between the Essential and the Elite?
- Although the Essential and Elite hoists share similar basic features, the Elite includes a third ceiling mount: the separate Brake Pulley. This feature makes it easier to operate and control the Elite hoist, especially for hoisting wide items such as cargo boxes.
Note: Parts between the systems are not interchangeable, and the Essential cannot be upgraded to the Elite at a later time.
How Close Can I Get My Item to the Ceiling?
For both our Elite Hoist and the Essential Hoist:
- Distance from Ceiling: When either hoist is raised to the highest point, the top of the hoisted item will be approximately 4" below your ceiling.
- If the hoisted item is especially wide or heavy, you may not be able to lift it to the maximum height.
- Clearing Garage Doors: Measure the distance between the top of your raised garage door and the ceiling. Then, determine how much space you need by adding 4" to the height of the item. Items that are especially wide may require an extra inch or two.
- For example: You want to store a kayak with a height of 14". This item would require at least 18" of space.
How Much Weight Does the Hoist Support? Is it Easy to Hoist that Weight?
For both our Elite Hoist and the Essential Hoist:
- Maximum Weight Supported: 150 pounds.
- Mechanical Advantage: These hoists have a 2:1 mechanical advantage. For example, lifting 20 lbs will feel like lifting 10 lbs. If you are lifting 150 lbs, it will feel like you are lifting 75 lbs, which may be challenging for some users.
- The amount of weight you can comfortably lift or lower may be much less than the weight maximum of the hoist. For most customers, the ideal object weight is 70 lbs or lower.
What to Know About Your Ceiling and Space for Installation & Use
- Indoor Use Only: These products are manufactured for use indoors, in locations such as garages or basements.
- Mounted to Ceiling Joists: Both the Essential and the Elite hoists must be installed to wood ceiling joists, also known as rafters. These are the same as wood wall studs, but on your ceiling. If your ceiling joists are exposed, you can easily identify where to mount your hoist. If the joists are covered with drywall and not visible, you will need to locate them using a stud finder.
- Direction of Your Joists: Joists can run in two different directions: parallel and perpendicular. Both the Essential and the Elite hoists work with either configuration.
For the Essential Hoist:
NOTE – as shown above for the Essential Hoist:
If parallel is preferred, you will mount the Essential’s two ceiling plates on one joist.
If perpendicular is preferred, you will mount the Essential’s two ceiling plates on two different joists.
For the Elite Hoist:
NOTE – as shown above for the Elite Hoist:
If parallel is preferred, you will mount the Elite's three ceiling plates on one joist.
If perpendicular is preferred, you will mount the Elite's three ceiling plates on three different joists.
- Choose an install location where the hoist and item do not obstruct your garage door, car, attic access, etc. Also be careful of anything that could get in the way of the rope and its raising or lowering.
- Important difference for the Elite: The Elite’s rope connects in a straight line between all three ceiling plates, so there must be a clear path between them.
- Both hoists raise and lower an object in a straight line. Ensure there is a clear area on the ground, directly below where you want to mount the hoist.
- If you are planning to lower the hoisted item onto the top of your vehicle, make certain there is a clear path from the ceiling to your car’s rooftop
For the Elite: The Elite’s separate Brake Pulley plate makes controlling and operating the hoist simple. For the best use of this key feature, prior to mounting the Elite, think about where the rope comes out of the system. That position is where you will stand to lift and lower the item. You will also need to set up the wall cleat near this location.
For the Essential: Consider where the rope comes out of the system. Prior to mounting the hoist, look at where you would stand to lift and lower an item using the Essential Hoist. You will also need to set up the wall cleat near this location.
- Expert Tips:
- The wall cleat is used to organize excess rope. It should be mounted on the wall near where the rope comes out of the Brake Pulley Plate. Choose this location prior to installation, as it determines the direction you will mount the ceiling plates.
Other Considerations
Rope Length:Essential Hoist: You can choose a rope that is 50 feet long or 75 feet long.
- Choose the 75 feet long for:
- ceilings that are over 10 feet tall; and/or
- objects that are over 15 feet long
- Choose the 50 feet rope for shorter ceilings and objects, so you won’t have excess rope.
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Other Types of Spaces:
- It is possible to install the Essential or Elite hoist on some slanted or sloped ceiling joists.
- Both the Elite and Essential hoists are made for installation on wood ceiling joists and ship with hardware for such installation.
More Pro Install Tips
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Setting Up the Rope: In our install videos, we show how to set up the rope with the starting rope knot on the left side. If you are starting your rope from the right side, this is what it looks it for each system:
Essential:
Elite:
Support
- Support If you still have questions about setting up your hoist or need support after installing either the Essential or Elite ceiling hoist, we are happy to help. Please contact us at: info@storeyourboard.com.
