Garage ceiling support for hanging?

[311Hemi]

I am looking to hang 300 lbs from one single point on the ceiling of my garage (the item I need to hang is only 200 lbs). The ceiling is currently sheet rocked and the joices are 24" OC. Do I need to get a 4x4 up in the attic space laying across the joices to hang an I-bolt from so it will support this, or could I run a 2x6 perpendicular to the joices (without accessing the attik) and just screw it in to multiple joices......and then hang whatever from that.

I plan to mount a boat winch to the wall and over a couple pulley wheels to then lift my topper off the truck and hang it from the ceiling. That way I can remove and install it easily by myself.....and store it out of the way. I will probably install some extra supports to use once it has been lifted so it's not all relying on that one point in case of failure.

[sparcebag]

At 24OC you must have trusses,Do you know if there standard or Storage? I dont think there attic.I'm also pretty sure no specs. available.Whats their total span? how many webs? 45 degree supports from bottom cord to top cord?

[Roofer]

I would go in the attic with a couple 8 foot 2x6's and nail them in a "T" together. Have the flat 2x6 down spanning a few rafters with the 'on edge' 2x6 up toward the roof. Then anchor what you want to it near the center. This will hold a great amount of weight without hurting anything. Overkill...ya, but it will work and only cost you about $15 and about a half an hour. Just don't try to winch an engine out with it.

If you've done any framing lately, roof trusses require quite a bit of bracing nowadays. If you asked a truss designer, they would tell you what I did and maybe add a few more braces up and down to the roof boards.

The closer you are to the soffit on the eaves, the better it will be.

[311Hemi]

Well...I may have spoken too early. I don't have a way to get any 8' boards up there do to the placement of the little access door and how it's built.

Is there something I can mount to the ceiling to provide this support instead of placing something over the joices?

Forgive my terminology....I am a computer guy so I don't know exact terms for everything I talk about!

Here is what I looking at, but again currently no access:

I plan to remove the center light closest to me in the picture, and mount ceiling hanger there. BTW, the sheet rock was like this when I bought the place. You can see a small part of the access in the upper left corner of the pic.

[chasineyes]

Could you cut/use a piece of angle iron long enough to lag into 3 or 4 rafters?

[Surface Tension]

If your only using two pulleys attached at two points on the topper, those points will need to be on top the topper or else the topper will flip unless its perfectly balanced.

If you go with 4 pulleys(like the otter sled is hanging) not only will will it be very stable and you'll have spread the load out in four places and away from the center.

[311Hemi]

I was actually going to use only one pulley/winch and connect 4 equal length heavy duty straps that would then be attached to two 2x4's that would be spaced appropriately under the topper (towards the corners). They would all connect at a single point above the topper which I could then crank up.

Due to not being able access the area above the ceiling easily I may need 4 points of contact with the ceiling....but that will be tougher to lift up to the ceiling vs one single winch.

More thinking to do on this one...

[sparcebag]

Two 2x6s one vertical & one horiz. is called a stiff back,its normally for keeping the ceiling joists all lined up for a flat ceiling,takes crowns & sags out.

Your sturdiest placement of weight is closest to the angled uprights in your pic,closest to where they meet the bottom cord or joist,thats where all top & bottom weight is transfered.

Now if like surface said 4 points each at the points of bottom cord meeting 45 degree web,lag screwed in the bottom 2x4 cord/joists at least 3 inches, you'd if weight evenly distributed have 50 lbs at each point.Just keep the lag screws within 8-10 inches of web & bottom cord.your trusses are storage trusses the space between the angled 2x4 is made for extra weight stored up there.

[rtwills]

Take an 8' 2x6 and screw it with lags or ledger lock screws through the sheetrock into the trusses then attach your pulley to that. A topper is only 100 pounds or so, so it shouldn't be an issue. If you want to overkill it, take a few 2x4's , go into the attic and run them from the bottom cord of the truss above the 2x6, straight up to the top cord where it meets the plywood and attach. I hang my deer from the rafters in mine last year I had 3 hanging from 1 truss no problem, 180# each.

[TRITC]

wills,

Pretty sure a glass topper with some extras is a bit heavier than 100 pounds; if that's what you have 311.

311,

Keep us posted; I've been thinking about doing the same thing.

[Scott M]

ditto. I'm also looking to do something similar.

[311Hemi]

Haven't gotten around to this project yet....but I will let you know when I do. Not as big of priority now as hunting season and winter is upon us!

[walleyeseeker]

Call a truss company and ask them how much weight you can support from the bottom cords of a roof truss. I'll bet they will tell you they are not designed to have any more than a 5 pound dead load from the bottom. I used to build trusses and now build homes and not recommend this at all. Attic trusses are the only type designed to support a load like you are talking about. Be careful and good luck.

[Dozer]

Just to give you a little perspective on what a roof truss can hold I pulled a 351 out of a 84 ford pickup on a 4"X4" with a eye bolt through it across 3 rafters. Im sure it was way too much weight for the rafters but it worked like a champ. I dont know what a 351 V8 weighs but it is alot more than a pickup topper!

[reddog]

Upon looking at the condition of the drywall (incorrect installation) I would be very leary of doing any work in the attic. The way the drywall is bowed inbetween the truss members is a red flag to me. The slightest movement on those trusses could cause the nails/screws to let go, and the whole ceiling will come crashing down, insulation and all.

Drywalls strength, is perpendicular to the supporting members, particularly of you are going to load it with cellulose insulation.

I would mount a 2X4 or 6 to the drywall surface at the perimeter of the topper. rig up a series of 4 pulleys and a rope system that ties together to a single cable to the winch. That would spread out the load to the 4 corners and have little effect to the truss system. 200 lb topper suspended from 4 points, is only 50 lbs per point, contrary to a single point load.

[Tom7227]

If the entire rig is suspended from one cable isn't it going to be awfully unstable? I would think you'd need at least one for front and another for back. Of course that means that the thing is down further than a 6' 3" guy probably wants.

By the way, what is that insulation up there? Looks like the wash machine overflowed into the space or something?

[Pooh]

if you used an 8 foot 2by6 it would hit 5 trusses and a couple hundred pounds on 5 trusses i think wouild be ok. the truss company is probly gonna tell you that trusses arent designed for that and you could void the warrenty(if there were one).

like someone else said, if you were to put the lumber on to the left of the access hole where the web comes down to the bottom chord would be best.

the insulation looks like vermiculite and only 1/2 inch rock on the ceiling thats why it sags so bad.