Truck mounted crane

isaaccarlson · April 04, 2016, 03:28:26 PM

I am planning a crane build for my truck so I can load big pieces of wood and other heavy stuff around the farm. I move a lot of big, heavy stuff and a crane would come in handy.

I want it to lift 2,000 lbs at 6 feet and 1,000 lbs at 10 feet of reach. It will be all hydraulic and will fold up to fit behind the cab.
This is the only drawing I have at the moment and it is not done yet. I am still working on pivot points and fine tuning a few things.

I am looking for ideas for a rotating mechanism since manual rotation is not an option. Someone suggested a full floating hub with a chain and low speed hydraulic motor. I found a rotating base that is rated for the load of the crane, but it weighs ~300 lbs. I like the hub idea and I would like to get some sort of ring gear inside the brake drum so the hydraulic motor can turn it. That would keep things clean and it would allow easy servicing of the unit. I don't really like the idea of a chain drive, but could use it if I had to.

A sub frame will be mounted at 90* to the frame rails with outriggers.

I have done some lurking on here and it seems to be a good bunch of guys who love to figure stuff out. If you guys have ideas, throw them at me, especially regarding the rotator.

DDW_OR · April 05, 2016, 01:33:16 AM

first i am NOT a metal fabricator. just good at thinking "out-of-the-box" but how about a pipe in a pipe with ball bearings on both ends?
8 inch in a 10 inch? with a third bearing to support the load of the 10 inch. overall length about 4 or 5 feet?

or do a search on Craigslist for Crane, then add excluders like -toy -game -kid -kids -tonka -lego
so the search would look like
crane -toy -game -kid -kids -tonka -lego

add up the cost of a custom crane, then search for a used one, then compare price and wear.

http://www.machinerytrader.com/
https://www.surpluscenter.com/

BUGGUTZ · April 05, 2016, 11:22:38 PM

My buddy does headstones and pre cast foundations. He has a manual type crane that uses a one ton truck hub. I bet you could get a semi hub set up from salvage pretty cheap. Then use a chain fixed to the rotator with a stator and sprocket.

Bill Saf · April 10, 2016, 04:56:23 PM

look for a old drive axel from a combine for your swing has every thing your looking for.

isaaccarlson · April 10, 2016, 06:45:38 PM

Thanks bill, I will check out the tractor parts depot down the road. They have all sorts of equipment parts.

isaaccarlson · April 10, 2016, 06:53:44 PM

Hey, Bill... do you have a make or model number that would be best? They list over 1,000 options!

Bill Saf · April 10, 2016, 10:31:05 PM

Not realy I have a old massey 300 that Im thinking about doing the same with. The drive shafts tie in a spline collar. you will have a brake and all. I dont know what gear ratio I have been looking for info on the 300 but no luck so far. :P

isaaccarlson · April 11, 2016, 01:38:22 AM

You planning on using both ends of the axle? I might be interested in half of it if it will take the leverage of the arm.

Bill Saf · April 11, 2016, 11:32:28 AM

I have not made up my mind which way I want to go yet with this drive. If I did use the drive I could also use the other side for a grapple. I think the drives will work and carry the weight of a 1000# log at 10' I just have not sat down and put the numbers to it. A 300 weighs around 12,000# mt with header. I do know another member on the forum has put his truck together using a knuckle boom and I like it a lot and for the money I might go that way. I can fab any thing I need to but time, money, safety are my main concerns. here is the the post on it https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,51008.0.html