Crane design

[ineedanother 1,369]

This has been something that I've wanted to do, and it's getting more urgent as I need to move a generator and some other stuff, so here it is...

 

The way I see it is that I have two or more options. What I have is a pick-up crane from HF that I got for about $100. It's a 1/2 ton and will do everything I need it to but my concern is how it should be mounted. The image of that is large and I don't have the patience right now to resize it on this computer so it's this: https://go.harborfreight.com/sku/60732/

 

Option 1 for mounting is similar to what some others have done and I have a tow bracket that might work. Some issues are that it's 1/4" and I only have a flux core welder and no stick, and this only mounts to the gearbox and hitch without extending to an attaching point farther up the frame. That concerns me. It's not wide enough to extend forward outside of the drive pulley and brake drum to reach another attaching point so it could leverage the differential significantly when lifting.

 

 

Option 2 would be to fashion something on a dozer blade frame (which I have and could sacrifice if necessary) which would put the crane on front. I might actually prefer that and something to utilize the front attaching bracket where the mule drive would be which would give me the length of the tractor for stability. Thoughts? Other ideas?

 

[JAinVA 4,619]

This is my solution.

[oliver2-44 9,743]

Your flux core will work fine with a little prep work. Grind a bevel on your joints about +1/8” deep and space the joints open about a dimes thickness. Weld a root pass which should get you full penetration on the 1/8” base of the bevel. Then stack 2 more passes to fill past the bevel. 

[kpinnc 12,013]

Just put a hitch adapter on both ends, and move the crane as needed...

 

Build a mount plate for the crane onto a receiver, and move as needed. Thank Don (Lee1977) for the idea!

 

And mine was made 100% by a flux core welder BTW. 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,455]

As stated above a flux core welder is perfectly fine. 

There is, in fact, nothing wrong with using a flux core in most situations given that the wire and welded metal are sized correctly.  

 

The wire MUST be able to do multi passes. Check the specs carefully. 

 

There are some neat ideas in this thread too:

 

 

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,547]

Just another thought... I just finished this.

 

 

[ranger 1,750]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

The wire MUST be able to do multi passes. Check the specs carefully

If the wire specs say, “GS”, this denotes “Single Pass” weld. Over this side of the pond, GS seems to be the type that is most easily available?

E71T-11 is a single or multi-pass wire easily available in the USA, I believe?

 

[ebinmaine 67,455]

2 minutes ago, ranger said:

If the wire specs say, “GS”, this denotes “Single Pass” weld. Over this side of the pond, GS seems to be the TYPE THAT IS MOST EASILY AVAILABLE?

 

 

That's true over here as well. 

 

 

2 minutes ago, ranger said:

 

E71T-11 is a single or multi-pass wire easily available in the USA, I believe?

 

 

Also true. 

-11.... it's what I was trying to think of. Thank you.

[ri702bill 8,316]

I like this setup because it is  multifunctional and easily removed. Spreads the load out over a longer length than using just the front Tach-a-matic mount.

 

 

The limiting factor for max lifting weight looks to be the front spindles / bearings / tires.

How much is too much - time will tell. Just doing a lift while stationary is easier on everything than lifting and moving....

Bill

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by ri702bill

[peter lena 8,620]

@ri702bill  like your "  HOW MUCH  IS TOO MUCH ?  thought , those very basic spindles , are  regularly neglected for any lubrication , let alone exreme  grease and removal of loose wheel spindle play . think it would be a great spot to experiment  with a  small car spindle conversion , maybe , ball joints  taking the load / stress  on a axel insert to original set up ? have to go look at posibilites  . pete

[ri702bill 8,316]

12 hours ago, ineedanother said:

to reach another attaching point so it could leverage the differential significantly when lifting.

I see you have the later style welded hitch  - what I call "the Spanker style". It pivots on the hitch pin and puts a lot of upward force on a small patch of the Unidrive casting. There was a thread a while back regarding over loading it and actually breaking the casting. 

I add a wider plastic pad to the top of the hitch in that area to help spread the load and "level" the tongue of the hitch...

[SylvanLakeWH 25,547]

2 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

I add a wider plastic pad to the top of the hitch in that area to help spread the load and "level" the tongue of the hitch...

 

I do the same, only mine is metal...

[ebinmaine 67,455]

49 minutes ago, peter lena said:

small car spindle conversion

Trailer spindles & hubs on beefed up steering spindles works well too.  

[peter lena 8,620]

@ebinmaine   obviousely  that lift area is right on the very end of any strength ,https://www.google.com/search?q=small+axel+swivel+spindle&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS866US866&oq=small+axel+swivel+spindle&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUY , it would take a make up conversion to replace that , was also thinking about automotive ball joints on those swivel points , just a brain fart , but as you get into it , a more solid base is the issue . or a bigger tractor . pete

[ranger 1,750]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Trailer spindles & hubs on beefed up steering spindles works well too.  

Do small VW’s have bolt on rear stub axles? If you used the spindle bore on the axle to hold a ‘Kingpin’, (fixed, not rotating), and made a ‘Clevis’ type stub axle carrier, the stub axle is then bolted to the face of the clevis. Bushes then fitted into ‘bosses’ welded top and bottom of the clevis, this moves the pivot points further apart which reduces the pressure on the bushes. Also allowing bigger front wheels to be fitted by positioning stub axles to suit, (on clevis face). I have done this, (Bush re-location) in the past on equipment that suffered from excessive premature wear due to bushings too close together

Edited June 28, 2023 by ranger

[peter lena 8,620]

@ranger  thank you for the feed back , your personal experience qas what I  was hoping for , ideas / trials is what its all about . has to be a horse user out there that has taken it to the next step . that would let those interested in a similar change / upgrade add to a possible front axel change / swap , idea . pete

[ineedanother 1,369]

12 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Just another thought... I just finished this.

 

 

I saw that the other day. Great work. I don't think it will serve the purpose for me right now but I may very well install a plate with reinforcement in my cart so I could bolt it in any time 

[ineedanother 1,369]

11 hours ago, ranger said:

If the wire specs say, “GS”, this denotes “Single Pass” weld. Over this side of the pond, GS seems to be the type that is most easily available?

E71T-11 is a single or multi-pass wire easily available in the USA, I believe?

 

Good to know. The wire I'm running now is E71T-GS so I'll have to address that.

[ineedanother 1,369]

17 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Build a mount plate for the crane onto a receiver, and move as needed. Thank Don (Lee1977) for the idea!

 

 

I really think this is what I want to do. I might look at doing something with the spindles too but I'm needing to move stuff well under 500 or so lbs. and no long distances so that might not be necessary. The way work is going this week it might be a month or so before I can even consider this but I really appreciate all of the input. I think this will be a great attachment since stuff seems to get a lot heavier as I get older 

[ineedanother 1,369]

7 hours ago, ri702bill said:

I see you have the later style welded hitch  - what I call "the Spanker style". It pivots on the hitch pin and puts a lot of upward force on a small patch of the Unidrive casting. There was a thread a while back regarding over loading it and actually breaking the casting. 

I add a wider plastic pad to the top of the hitch in that area to help spread the load and "level" the tongue of the hitch...

Agreed. I just don't like the looks of it when I picture something heavy on the end of a lever the length of a crane.

[kpinnc 12,013]

25 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

since stuff seems to get a lot heavier as I get older

 

Exactly why I made one!

[peter lena 8,620]

@ineedanother  another very obvious problem only gets worse , is the side play in the front wheels , that side to side shucking , slamming , is easily helped with added washers , and better grease . thats what also causes those wheel hubs to get blown out with oversize bearing mount . very easy to washer up that wheel / bearing , sloppy area . use a regular wide washer , for inital gap fill in , hard ware store has much thinner washers , for final fill in fit . also like a vinyl bearing cap on that , they stay on , look just right . experiment , pete

[ri702bill 8,316]

14 hours ago, kpinnc said:

since stuff seems to get a lot heavier as I get older

We all eventually get to the point where we need a crane to lift the tractor crane into place...