# building a truck crane



## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

i am going to build t truck crane on my flatbed out of an old 6000 lbs motor lift and i need some ideas on how to make it swivel? thanks for any help


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

Is it gonna be electric swivel or manual


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

manual swivel


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Big pipe, little pipe


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

inside one another i thought of that


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## alldayrj (Feb 28, 2010)

maybe snag something off of a bucket truck, burned up mini ex, something pre existing will definitely save you some trial and error


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

i would like to find a heavy duty swivel pate off something


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

I woo take a pic of what might work for you. Possibly tonite


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Sorry. Will not woo. Damn DROID and thumbs don't mix.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

thank u that would be apprecitated


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Morrissey snow removal;1530954 said:


> thank u that would be apprecitated


Got home too late. Too dark down in the barn. I will get you one though.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

no problem thank u


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## vinnys (Mar 9, 2007)

Harbor Freight. $169.00 Bolt on and go.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

i looked at them i need something to pick up 1500 lbs with ease


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

Cut a trailer axle to length, mount it vertically with the "wheel side" down, bolted to the bed. ???


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

i dont think that would handle it i would like to use what i have and modify it ill get a pic of it


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## A.M.Canfora (Nov 2, 2011)

I'm currently building one for my pick up truck, I used two winch bearings that i built a base around and machined a steal shaft that slides into a piece of 2x2x 1/4" that I am building the crane out of this way it will turn with ease.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

do u have a pic of it


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## A.M.Canfora (Nov 2, 2011)

Morrissey snow removal;1531498 said:


> do u have a pic of it


 I will post pics tonight.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

thank you


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

here is what i am using


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## A.M.Canfora (Nov 2, 2011)

Sorry for the delay, mind you its not done yet but you can get the basics of it from these pics. I have yet to build the base but the piece of round bar is a shaft I made on my lathe for a drum chipper. the base will house the bearings so it turns nice and easy.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

This is the male end. My old man built this at least 35 years ago. He would pull transmissions and engines out of tractor trailers from his 48 Chevy flatbed work truck. There is the thrust washer as well. It is an air over hyd. set up. I think I am going to refurbish it someday.










This is the female end that was welded to the bed and frame as well.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

thanks for the pics guys


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## vinnys (Mar 9, 2007)

I use the Harbor Freight crane to lift oak logs that are six to eight foot long and one foot + thich all day long and the only trouble I had was the swedge that holds the hook on let go. I replaced the winch with a 2000 lb. electric and it works fine. Mounted it on a plate off my class three hitch. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html


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## dave_dj1 (Nov 2, 2010)

I went with the pipe within a pipe method, I do have a bearing on top inside.
I'm not sure if I could lift 1500 lbs though without bending my truck frame. I have my base bolted through the frame.


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## A.M.Canfora (Nov 2, 2011)

nice this is pretty much what mine is going to look like when its done. I'm curious to know if you bought the bottle jack like that or you had to weld the clevis on the bottom of it.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

now all i need is some ambition


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## scholzee (Nov 9, 2001)

dave_dj1;1534849 said:


> I went with the pipe within a pipe method, I do have a bearing on top inside.
> I'm not sure if I could lift 1500 lbs though without bending my truck frame. I have my base bolted through the frame.


That type of bottle jack is really designed to be in a verticle position for lifting. The cast base and pistion cylinder are not designed to be side loaded like your lift is doing to it. I know it has probably lifted and been used many times with out a problem but damage can build over time and cause a serious failure.


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## woodchuck2 (Dec 4, 2010)

IMAGE;1531252 said:


> Cut a trailer axle to length, mount it vertically with the "wheel side" down, bolted to the bed. ???


I have thought of this and it should work, think about how much stress and weight is on an axle. I figured bolting a spindle to a plate mounted through the bed to the frame and the lift could be bolted to the hub. This way you pull a couple nuts and you can remove the lift. One could even leave one stud out of the hub and drill holes into the plate below, then drop a pin down through to keep the lift from moving around.


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## woodchuck2 (Dec 4, 2010)

scholzee;1535831 said:


> That type of bottle jack is really designed to be in a verticle position for lifting. The cast base and pistion cylinder are not designed to be side loaded like your lift is doing to it. I know it has probably lifted and been used many times with out a problem but damage can build over time and cause a serious failure.


Actually if he turned the jack around 180deg and kept the pump mechanism submerged it would last just fine.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

scholzee;1535831 said:


> That type of bottle jack is really designed to be in a verticle position for lifting. The cast base and pistion cylinder are not designed to be side loaded like your lift is doing to it. I know it has probably lifted and been used many times with out a problem but damage can build over time and cause a serious failure.


How can something that is mounted via pins be side loaded?

The only possible problem with the orientation is you won't necessarily be able to make full use of the hydraulic reservoir........


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