MLD Hullheaver

installation and operating manual

Thanks for purchasing the Hullheaver – a manual loading device. The Hullheaver is an innovative, but sim-
ple device that allows heavy objects, primarily boats, weighting up to 110 kg to be loaded onto the car roof.
 Safety first

1. Make sure that weight of the object you plan
to transport does not exceed the maximum
load capacity of the car roof.
2. Hullheaver is equipped with powerful gas
springs. Dismantle only if you are absolutely
confident of your technical skills.
3. Be aware of moving parts – keep fingers and
other parts of your body outside the mecha-
nism, especially when bars are closing.
4. When bars are open, they could be acciden-
tally released and returned to their base po-
sition by spring action. Do not leave an open
unit unattended and never drive with bars
open or unlocked.
5. Before every use check the unit for signs of
damage, loose bolts, etc. Before driving, make
sure that bars are securely locked and the
transported object is firmly attached to them.
6. Be careful not to damage your boat or car by
trying to open the trunk door when carrying
the boat (or worse, trying to load the boat
with the trunk door open).

The Hullheaver set consist with:

1. main bars (2 pcs)
2. lengthwise beams (2 pcs)
3. short u-bolts (8 pcs)
4. long u-bolts (8 pcs)
5. aluminium backing plates (8 pcs)
6. stainless steel backing plates (8 pcs) 11. M6x90 hex Allen bolts (16 pcs)
7. rubber pads (8 pcs) 12. M6 nuts (32 pcs)
8. M6 small washers (24 pcs) 13. M5 plastic plugs (8 pcs)
9. M6 big washers (16 pcs) 14. 10 mm spanner
10. M6x50 hex Allen bolts (8 pcs) 15. 5 mm hex Allen key

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13

Additionally, a 2 m measuring tape is needed during the assembly on the car roof and a 4 mm hex Allen key to readjust
hooks (these tools are not attached).

Specification Maintenance and care

1. maximum load – 75 kg, up to 110 kg on request The Hullheaver is basically maintenance-free. All materials
2. maximum end hook distance – 155 cm* are non- corroding, and bearings and slides do not require
3. minimum end hook distance – 94 cm* periodic lubrication.
4. maximum lengthwise car roof railing dimensions: If the unit has been used in severe conditions (salt, mud,
height – 30 mm, width – 45 mm* heavy dust) for a prolonged period and became dirty,
5. lengthwise car railing distance: it should be washed with water and a mild (preferably
min – 60 cm, max – 140 cm*
automotive grade) detergent. If there is a dust deposit inside
6. maximum distance between crosswise
after prolonged use, it should be washed or wiped away and
car roof railings: – 130 cm
7. maximum crosswise car roof railing dimensions: a light oil spray (like WD40) applied on the inside.
height – 40 mm (25 mm for u-bolt use), width – 58 mm* Avoid mineral oil or grease coming in contact with external
8. weight of assembly – 14 kg rubber parts.
9. package dimensions: 155x26x17 cm
*) can be customized upon request
Mounting instructions

A. Cars equipped with crosswise railings

(factory or user installed).

1. Attach 4 long u-bolts to each lengthwise beam, adjust according

to car railing spacing.
2. Install beams on car railings, as close as possible to railing
supports, preferably on the outer side.. Make sure that no part is
closer than 5 mm to the car roof. Place aluminium or steel back-
ing plates (rubber side towards the bar), then big M6 washers,
then M6 nuts. If necessary, put rubber pads between railings
and beams. Do not tighten yet!
If car railings are thicker than 25 mm use M6x90 hex Allen bolts
with small washers and steel backing plates instead of u-bolts.
3. Adjust beams so that their distance at the front and rear is
approximately the same .
4. Put main bars on the beams (bar locking devices on the right
side of the car), no further than 20 cm from car railings.

5. Open the bar lock and slide out the upper part of each bar
approx. 40 cm.

6. Using 2 short u-bolts, 4 small M6 washers and 4 M6 nuts, at-

tach the left side of each main bar to the beam. Make sure the
bars are aligned (count holes from the edge to the installation
point – should be the same for both bars on each side). Do not
tighten yet.

7. Fully extend and open each bar until it locks in its bottom
position.
8. Attach the other side of each bar to the beam as described in
point 6 above.

9. Close both bars, measure the distance between bars on each

side and adjust bars along the beams to make it equal.

10. Tighten nuts on short u-bolts (attaching main bars to beams)

only. The bolt end should be level with the nut or protrude
0.7- 1.5 mm (1- 2 threads) out of the nut.
 11. Measure diagonals between bar ends, make them equal by
sliding beams with bars along the car.

12. Tighten nuts on long u-bolts (or 90 mm M6 hex Allen bolts)

attaching beams to the car railing.

13. Open the bars and make sure everything moves smoothly
without obstacles.
14. Disassemble in the reverse order or just remove the entire
assembly with car railings from the roof as a single unit, and
store it ready for attaching again.

Troubleshooting:
1. My bars are wider than the backing plates are long/ thicker than the reach of long u-bolts/90mm hex Allen bolts.
Please contact us after measuring your bar width and thickness – we will provide you with custom-made plates /bolts.
2. I cannot position beams under railings – they touch the roof or the distance to it is less than 5 mm.
That may happen in some cars with extremely low railings or very convex roofs. You can position the beams over your
car railings instead of under them. If there is no space below for backing plates, or you cannot install the washer and nut
please contact us – we will provide a special solution for your car.
3. My car crosswise railings are curved and beams do not lie in one plane.
Don’t worry – when beams are fixed to bars, they will align to one plane. It will cause beams to touch railings at along only
one edge, but that is acceptable. Make sure to tighten nuts evenly to keep the backing plate parallel to the beam and use
rubber pad to protect contact area.

B. Cars equipped with lengthwise railings only.

1. Put main bars on railings (bar locking devices on the right

side of the car). Provisionally align with the centreline of the
car (count holes on both sides). The misalignment should not
exceed one hole difference from the aligned position.
2. Open the bar lock and slide out the upper part of the each bar
approx 40 cm.

3. Put a rubber pad under the each bar on the higher side of
the car railing (the side closer to the middle of the roof), and
attach each bar to the railing using two M6x50 hex Allen bolts
with small M6 washers, a stainless steel backing plate, big M6
washers and M6 nuts. Do not tighten yet.
 4. Put rubber pads under the bars on the opposite side of the
car. Fully extend and open each bar until it locks in its bottom
position.
5. Attach the opposite side of each bar to the railing as described
in point 3 above. Do not tighten yet!

6. Using two short u-bolts, four M6 small washers and four M6

nuts at each point, attach lengthwise beams to the bars, close
to the car railing. Make sure no part is closer than 5 mm to the
car roof. Do not tighten yet.

7. Close bars and measure distances between bars on each side

and make them equal by adjusting bars along the beams.

8. Tighten nuts on short u-bolts (attaching main bars to beams).

The bolt end should be level with the nut or protrude 0.7- 1.5
mm (1- 2 threads) out of it.

9. Measure diagonals between bar ends, make them equal by

sliding the bars with beams attached along the car railing
10. Open the bars and tighten the M6 hex Allen bolts (attaching
main bars to car railings) on each bar.

11. Close the bars and make sure everything moves freely
without obstacles.

To disassemble repeat the above sequence in the reverse order.

Troubleshooting:
1. The car railings are wider than the backing plates are long / thicker than hex Allen bolts reach.
Please contact us after measuring your bar width, thickness and the position over the car roof – we will provide you
with custom-made plates/bolts.
2. The car roof railing has no openings underneath.
As of now the only solution is to install a commercially available crosswise railing and follow scenario “A” above.
We can help you obtain a railing that fits your car.
Operating

A. Loading

1. Park the car on a level surface, pull the parking brake, close the
right mirror.
2. Unlock bars, extend bars pulling horizontally and open them by
pushing vertically down, until they lock in the bottom position.

3. Align the boat with the car, if you plan to transport the boat
with the dolly, fix the dolly to the hull.

4. Hook the boat rubbing strake on the bars starting from the front
(bow) side.
5. Raise the boat by rotating it along the rubbing strake until it
rests on the bars.

6. Tie the boat to the bars. Do not tighten straps too much, to
allow minor boat alignment.
7. Raise the boat with bars and then push it horizontally to the
home position.

8. Lock the bars, making sure that they have moved to their stops.
9. If necessary, tighten the tying straps (if you have trouble rea-
ching them, just move the boat down, tighten the straps and
raise it again).

B. Unloading
1. Park the car on a level surface, pull the parking brake, close the
right mirror. Make sure you have enough space for the unloading.
2. Unlock the bars, pull the boat to the side and lower it.
3. If the dolly has been transported separately, align it with the car.
4. Untie the boat.
5. Take the boat out by rotating it around the bottom rubbing
strake and unhook starting from the rear (transom) end.
6. Unlock the bars by pulling them horizontally, raise the bars,
push them to their home position and lock them.
 Fitting the unit for a different boats shape and size

The Hullheaver is delivered fitted to the boat specified in

the order. If it is necessary to adjust it to a different boat or
another object, this can be done by moving end hooks in the
shelves, changing the shelf height or moving the entire shelf
with the hook into a new position:

1. To adjust the position of end hooks, loosen nuts fixing hooks

to shelves, move hooks as desired and retighten the nuts.

2. To adjust the height of shelves (for a boat with a cambered

hull), loosen four M5 hex Allen bolts, adjust the shelf and
retighten the bolts.

3. To move the shelf with the hook to a new position, unscrew

four M5 hex Allen bolts, unplug new holes, and fix the shelf in
the new position. Plug the old holes with the spare M5 plugs
provided. Do not leave holes unplugged as it will allow dirt to
penetrate into the unit. For more detailed instructions please
do not hesitate to contact us.

Entire sequence of loading

and unloading could be viewed
at YouTube (search for hullheaver
or scan one of QR codes below).

Did you know that the Hullheaver allows easy access to the car trunk?
Your Hullheaver team: www.hullheaver.com Ars Projekt
info@hullheaver.com Rynek Podgórski 12/1
Ph. +48502174186 30-518 Kraków, Poland

The Hullheaver is registered trademark of company Ars Projekt.