trailer-made-scratch becomes boneified tool

[Frank S]

http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/t...-scratch-42839

I can now consider this trailer an actual tool actually almost a multi-tool
with the addition of 2 small cranes it is a self loader
It also doubles as an engine hoist on steroids
can use 1 or both for removing or installing very handy
the drop down legs when needed will keep things stable


A 2" ball hitch is fine but when it is part of a pintle hitch this is like having a belt and suspenders you just got to know your pants are not going to fall off


Also perfectly happy to be towed behind a big truck

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Trailer with Cranes to our Trailers and Towing category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Trailer with Cranes by Frank S

tags: trailer, crane

[Jon]

Congratulations Frank S - your Scratch-Built Trailer is the Tool of the Week!

Great week for homemade tools, and a difficult one to win. Nice Toolpost Live Spindle from olderdan, Lathe Tap and Die Holders from jjr2001 and Autobalancing Grinder Arbors from mattthemuppet.

This build takes place in two forum threads over the past three months; this one and Trailer made from scratch .

More importantly, that makes...

3 Tool of the Week wins for Frank S!

He becomes our 10th 3-Time Tool of the Week winner (all winners are viewable here: Homemade Tools Forum - Awards). All 3 Frank S wins:

Bolt On Receiver Hitch by Frank S

tags: portable, towing, adjustable

D10 Bulldozer Blade Conversion by Frank S

tags: blade, modification

Trailer with Cranes by Frank S

tags: trailer, crane

You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, Giftrocket, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

And, we've added the bronze wrench-on-pedestal award to the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:


Congrats again and great job!

[Frank S]

Wow thanks guys.
The cranes work great I filled both of the 225 gal totes with water then hauled them 14 miles and unloaded them with the cranes with the drop legs supporting, this made what could have been a difficult task much easier.
Actually I have been thinking about duplicating the little cranes and adding 2 more to the front of the trailer

[Tooler2]

What is the reason for 2 cranes rather than one? I am thinking of mounting a crane on my F150, probably on the passenger side bumper. Anybody done this?
Rob

[Frank S]

What is the reason for 2 cranes rather than one? I am thinking of mounting a crane on my F150, probably on the passenger side bumper. Anybody done this?
Rob

Unless you build your own bumper it is a bad idea. A great idea if you construct a substantial bumper and add a drop down support leg. A lot of people mount them in the beds at the rear corner again this only works out well if real steel is used as a base plate on the floor and it tied underneath to the frame with additional support brackets.
I made my trailer strong enough to accept these cranes with them in mind while I was building it.
To answer your question as to why 2 of them. this gives me the option to load from either side of the trailer without having to move it also 2 cranes together can lift 3000 lbs I have used them to lift those totes full of water as well as to load lathes and mills by working them in tandem and using a 2 part line and connecting them to the center ring of a 2 or 4 hook sling it gives me a safety factor that I wouldn't have if having to do the lift with only 1 crane.
When I say substantial bumper I am talking about something along the lines of 6x6 x3/16" square tubing welded directly to the frame with gussets. even then the bumper can be torn free of the frame.

[Tooler2]

It is only a half ton truck so it will need a drop leg for sure. I would prefer not to use a receiver hitch as I often have a trailer on as well. I have an 8' box but I really don't want to waste any on a crane. I bought a couple of small cable cranes, a 3 and a 5k lbs a couple of years ago but have not done anything yet. I was thinking I could use the passenger side of the frame with the receiver hitch bolts to get a sturdy attachment platform. I need the tail gate to be fully functional.

[Frank S]

It is only a half ton truck so it will need a drop leg for sure. I would prefer not to use a receiver hitch as I often have a trailer on as well. I have an 8' box but I really don't want to waste any on a crane. I bought a couple of small cable cranes, a 3 and a 5k lbs a couple of years ago but have not done anything yet. I was thinking I could use the passenger side of the frame with the receiver hitch bolts to get a sturdy attachment platform. I need the tail gate to be fully functional.

Ok here is one thing you can do that would not require loosing the factory bumper.
you would only have the crane on your truck when you needed it
The picture shows an attachment which connects into the receiver hitch sold by Jegs high performance centers. But you wouldn't necessarily want to use the receiver itself you would only want to use the principal of the design.IE the 2 drop legs at an angle to offset the forces created by lifting a load.
you could permanently mount a tube the size of the receiver socket to the rt hand or I would mount one on both sides of the receiver mount under the bumper. and if you by chance had a class III or IV receiver hitch your hitch may already be made with a heavy square tube as the torque tube under your bumper. In which case you could possibly create a receiver socket out of that if not just weld a socket to the end of the tube you can buy receiver sockets by them selves in 6, 12, 18and possibly 24" lengths. Once you have that you would need to fabricate the 2 legged drop leg fixture that would also have a receiver stem to plug into the socket. and mount your crane on.
This way the only actual loading you are putting on the truck frame while using the crane would be vertical forces which it is designed for
No mods to the bed the bumper or the frame and any mods done to the receiver would be outboard of its mounting.
For other designed receivers you would merely bolt on a flat plate using the mounting bolts up grading to grade 8 bolts hopefully though. then weld the socket tube to that

ONE note of caution do not under any circumstances drill any holes in the cross tube the receiver is mounted to between the frame mounts. and never cut or weld on the tube anywhere between the side mounts this will void all warrantees and create a safety concern.

[Tooler2]

Thank you for your thoughts. The hydraulic crane you show with it's slanted post will require some thinking about as to the vectors of the forces involved. I was envisioning a little platform with a leg that would fold down when the crane is installed that will take the weight after the trucks springs take a bit of load. I have not yet determined where the crane will have to mount to clear the tail gate and possibly not obstruct the tail light. I am not sure as to the legality of a permanent mounting plate that is 8'' wider than the truck body? The mirrors fold, this would not.
Rob

[Frank S]

Thank you for your thoughts. The hydraulic crane you show with it's slanted post will require some thinking about as to the vectors of the forces involved. I was envisioning a little platform with a leg that would fold down when the crane is installed that will take the weight after the trucks springs take a bit of load. I have not yet determined where the crane will have to mount to clear the tail gate and possibly not obstruct the tail light. I am not sure as to the legality of a permanent mounting plate that is 8'' wider than the truck body? The mirrors fold, this would not.
Rob

The reason for the slanted post on the crane in the picture I would guess is because what they had done was because the crane was most likely nothing more than the post boom and cylinder off of a standard engine hoist. Giving it a recognizable geometry. having 2 angled drop legs negates the twisting forces which would otherwise be transferred to the horizontal stem of the mount meaning they did not require a much heavier mounting.
the legality of having a permanent mounting extending 8" beyond the body should not cause an issue as long as you did not exceed maximum width. In the old US DOT laws before it was even called the DOT stated loads could extend 9" beyond the vehicle on the right side and 6" to the left. These dated back to the 1940s.
If you look around and see pickups with glass delivery frames mounted on them you will see most extend about a foot to both the left and the right. with the framework extending down to just below the centerline of the wheels. Also plumbers trucks often have racks on the right side to carry long pipes down below the bottom of the passenger door.