1 ton truck crane, How can i make the turning mechanical?

[Moremph]

I have a truck crane similar to the picture below, It is very handy when by your self, However if you are not on perfectly level ground and pick up a load it will swing around to the low side and hit the truck. (my driveway is a hill so it makes it next to impossible to load by your self.

A you can see in the picture the top of the crane slides over the tube of the bottom (just add some grease), I was trying to think up of a way that i could tie these two pieces together and make the swivel action be mechnical with a hand crank or something? any ideas? I m drawing a blank on this one

Thanks Travis

 

[nissan_crawler]

worm gear...

 

[srmofo]

Quick and dirty method would be to attach a come-along to the end of the boom then to the bed up near the cab somewhere. then just ratchet it up

 

[skipskip]

How did you attach it to the bed?

I have the same one. works great on the level.

I am interested in how you solve this too.

Skip

 

[z28snksknr]

Why not just drill a hole in the post and add a t-handle so you can add some resistance? Just tighten down the bolt and it won't swing. You could even drill some holes in the crane for pre-set positions if you want to lock it in place.

 

[Moremph]

It does have holes to lock it in 4 positions 90 degrees of each other. But when you are trying to pick something up straight off the side of the truck, Then swing it around onto the bed (up hill) it is tough.

I thought about making a spot to stick a long bar in it from the backside for some leverage so i can spin it, But then you would only be able to sping, or winch and you would have to stop and try to lock it into the small holes

I was trying to come up with some kind of gear desighn so when you crank it you would have an bunch of area to stop. so you could spin a little, raise a little etc etc

I have it mounted on this flatbed right now, I Started by making a adapter that will slide into the stake pockets so i can move the thing to diffrent spots on the bed, However the Stake pockets are not strong enought, My plan is to mount 2" reciever tubes like on a trailer hitch in each corner of the bed, I think that it will be alot stronger!

Travis

 

[nissan_crawler]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2232010316553580&item=3-927&catname=winches

cut the center out of the gear, weld it to the stationary post, weld the crank to the side of the boom so it contacts the gear.

 

[Moremph]

Good idea, i actually have a brand new one of those around here somewhere,ill have to go dig it up. My only concern is the crane is prolly 4" tube and i am thinking that those winche are like a 3" gear

Gotta find a beefed up version somewhere!

Travis

 

[Jared]

you could use a chain and sprocket so you could turn it with a boat trailer winch.

 

[rsanter]

go to HF
they have a number of different hand winches
select one that uses a work gear
steal the worm and handle, then steal the ring gear off the hub of the winch.
cut out and weld the ring gear to the upper part of you winch
weld part of the body of the winch that holds the worm and handle to the lower part

bob

 

[Kevin54]

I'd weld a small receiver to put a handle in it to turn it. Then for a locking mechanism, look at a small flywhell off of a riding mower and then fabricate a latch. Basically about like a cheap Come-a-long locking mechanism. Or a round disc that has a series of holes every so many degrees apart. Turn the hoist with a handle, then drop a pin into the corresponding hole where you want it to lock.

 

[jonny o]

Ring and pinion?

 

[Racecarl]

I was looking on Burden Surplus's web site and thought that their p/n 13-1399-R would work pretty good. I would bore a 1 1/4" hole in the top of the existing winch boom, allowing clearance for the 1 1/8" gearbox output shaft to go through. The output shaft would mate with a hub of some sort that is welded to the inside of the inner stationary pipe. A fabricated bracket would secure the base of the gearbox to the top half (the turning part) of the boom.

When you turn the crank on the gearbox, the output shaft is held stationary by the base pipe. The gearbox's output torque is then transmitted to the case, which then turns the top half of the winch.

I built a similar truck winch but I used a wheel gearbox for an irrigation center pivot as a base. These are large, heavy, and TOUGH gearboxes. I welded a 4" pipe to the wheel hub and designed the rest of the winch similar to the one in the pictures above. It worked very well and would actually pick up stuff that was too heavy. I once picked up a 4" Berkley centrifugal pump with a 10hp electric motor. I had to put blocks under the bumper to keep from springing the pickup frame.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[nissan_crawler]

go to HF
they have a number of different hand winches
select one that uses a work gear
steal the worm and handle, then steal the ring gear off the hub of the winch.
cut out and weld the ring gear to the upper part of you winch
weld part of the body of the winch that holds the worm and handle to the lower part

bob

I already said that. The problem with your setup however, is that the handle will hit the boom support if it's rotated the right direction. Welding the ring gear to the lower part and putting the handle/worm gear on the boom, eliminates that problem.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I'd weld a small receiver to put a handle in it to turn it. Then for a locking mechanism, look at a small flywhell off of a riding mower and then fabricate a latch. Basically about like a cheap Come-a-long locking mechanism. Or a round disc that has a series of holes every so many degrees apart. Turn the hoist with a handle, then drop a pin into the corresponding hole where you want it to lock.

Several issues with this.

One, that handle isn't going to be easy to use to swing around, or as steady.

Two, a ratcheting mechanism will only go one direction, if he has to turn the load to a point where it switches angle and heads back the other way, it will freewheel.

Three, if it's pinned, that means A. It has to line up with a hole, B., he has to hold the load with one hand on the handle, and try to get a pin in with the other hand.

Four, he has to do all of this while trying to be sure said handle doesn't A. Flip him out of the truck, or B. Smash him into the truck.

The mechanism should take the force, not the user.

Ring and pinion?

and how would that change anything?

 

[jonny o]

and how would that change anything?

Was a pretty basic thought. Common discarded auto parts that transfer rotation from one axis to another. Or did you mean how could it be adapted to be used?

Or... did you think I was asking about the drivetrain in the truck?

 

[nissan_crawler]

No, I meant it won't change his situation in the slightest, except for the fact that he would now have a handle whizzing around like mad while the crane also swung uncontrollably.

 

[jonny o]

I'm with you now. In my opinion it would be easier to stop a handle with a huge amount of gear reduction from whipping the bed of the truck off with some sort of mechanical stop.
The hope was to use some mechanical advantage to overcome the weight and leverage of an off-kilter arm, but I guess since there is no way to stop or lock the motion he should tear out his driveway and repave it flat. Or maybe deflate the tires on the high side of the truck.

 

[nissan_crawler]

or...install a worm gear mechanism that needs no extra lock that you have to try and engage with one hand?

My point is, if he's doing this for safety, which he is, the system should not be dependent on him having to do something to make it safe. What if his hand slips off the crank? It would go flying. What if he drops the pin? If it's a ratcheting mechanism, what if he goes past where it angles one way, and it starts heading the other way?

With all those designs, he's holding all the weight with one hand, and trying to secure it with the other.

With a worm gear, he's holding no weight, ever, and has a free hand.

 

[t. jones]

These types of cranes were originaly shop built from old truck rear axles. Handle was attached to driveshaft yoke to rotate load, drum brake was often used with cable. I realize this doesn't help with Moremph dilema now but maybe next time.
Thanx Trevor