Attaching an eye bolt to ceiling for hoist

[vforge]

Hello, i wanted to attach an eye bolt to the ceiling of my shop so I can lift things (Nothing more than 300lbs). The garage is 30x30 with block walls. The ceiling is sheathed in bc plywood and the roof is made up of 2’ OC trusses. I’ve read previous threads about how some argue its not safe at all but this garage has an attic for storage (thats also empty). While the load from a hoist is different I can’t imagine it affecting the structure that much.

My plan was to attach a 2’ piece of strut with lags to the ceiling (making sure it’s going into the trusses). Then just attach the eyebolt the center of the strut. This would be located closer to the wall that supports the trusses.

Do you think that would be sufficient?

 

[cgrutt]

Not an engineer so take this for what it's worth free advise over the Internet lol. If you have actual trusses I'd be leary of hanging any significant weight from bottom chords do you have drawings for building? That will give you both live and dead load specs for bottom chord (i.e., ceiling) some trusses aren't even designed to support weight of ceiling. Of course others are really depends what you have. Personally I'd be more comfortable with a beam supported by posts on both sides coming down to ground for a lifting hoist. While 300 lbs may not be much overall it's an enormous point load (not sure if that's the right term) for a truss that may only be designed to support a fraction of that weight on a pounds per square foot basis. If anything I'd use a longer "strut" and spread the weight over as many trusses as you can get. Also be sure to use appropriate size eye bolts I think 3/8 or larger would be fine for 300#. Also eyebolts are rated for weight coming straight down they quickly lose capacity if slings are used with side loads or if eye bolt is mounted horizontally etc. In the latter case capacity may only be as little as 25% of rated capacity. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[pattenp]

Is it possible to put a metal saddle over the bottom chord to bolt the strut to so you're not compromising the bottom chord by using large lag screws? What is the bottom chord size?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

What size and type of eyebolt? Same questions for the channel, bolts and trusses.
Just lifting? How high? Will the things be left hanging? Are you going to want to spin or swing and position things?
What is the actual lifting device?

 

[WisJim]

What live load (pounds per square foot) was the attic room designed for? Are the trusses real attic room trusses or is it just available space? If it is a real attic space designed for the typical 40 psf live load, your idea may be okay, but I would use a longer strut to distribute the load over more than 2 trusses. If I were doing this, and decided that the trusses were adequate for the load, I would also put a plank on the floor above the strut which is on the ceiling below, to distribute the weight better on the top of the lower chord of the truss. The strut would be connected to the plank on the floor above, rather than directly to the lower chord of the truss.

 

[LOW1]

Keep in mind that even though you will limit your use to 300 pounds the next owner of the place may not.

 

[John in OH]

I won't offer this as advice, but I'll share with you what I did in a 22' x 30' shop a few years ago.

The trusses were on 2' centers, so I slipped three, 12', 2x4s up into the attic (not easy to accomplish!) and laid them crosswise of the truss chords. Offset the center 2x4 by 3" to allow the 2x4 bundle to span 7 truss chords. I then sandwiched them together on edge and bolted them together with 5/16" bolts on 2' centers (essentially creating a laminated 2x6 beam). At the midpoint of this "beam" I drilled a 3/4" hole through the center 2x4 and installed a 3/4" threaded rod with a large washer and double nut on top, allowing the lower end to extend below the ceiling. On the end of this rod installed a threaded rod eye nut.

I try not to overload this beam (whatever would constitute "overloading"), but it's worked out ok so far!

 

[PCustoms]

Keep in mind that even though you will limit your use to 300 pounds the next owner of the place may not.

Why does everyone care so much about the next owner?

 

[y'sguy]

I won't offer this as advice, but I'll share with you what I did in a 22' x 30' shop a few years ago.

The trusses were on 2' centers, so I slipped three, 12', 2x4s up into the attic (not easy to accomplish!) and laid them crosswise of the truss chords. Offset the center 2x4 by 3" to allow the 2x4 bundle to span 7 truss chords. I then sandwiched them together on edge and bolted them together with 5/16" bolts on 2' centers (essentially creating a laminated 2x6 beam). At the midpoint of this "beam" I drilled a 3/4" hole through the center 2x4 and installed a 3/4" threaded rod with a large washer and double nut on top, allowing the lower end to extend below the ceiling. On the end of this rod installed a threaded rod eye nut.

I try not to overload this beam (whatever would constitute "overloading"), but it's worked out ok so far!

I've done something similar only I used a piece of steel angle ( better yet, channel ) about 3" wide to straddle the joists OR in your case the truses. It makes it very simple. "for the next guy" just take it with you when you move, or delete it. And you do this so "the next guy doesn't abuse it's purpose and end up trying to sue you. At least this way you don't compromise the joist or truss by screwing into it. The steel spread the load out better. IMHO!, But still, be super cautions when lifting heavy loads.

 

[chinboys]

Why does everyone care so much about the next owner?

It ought to be the existing owner and potential next owner as if you have a mortgage company or not and your home insurance will not cover structural damages or claims resulting from any "improvements" that the existing structure's engineering design doesn't approve for use.
It may be best to install an A-frame gantry hoist with wheels @ under $1000 imho.

 

[bluedog225]

Or put some heavy angle bolted to the block wall, a couple of bolted together 2x8’s, and some legs. Use some angle to bolt the legs to the floor. Make a little gantry crane for temp stuff. Put it away when not in use.

 

[Burt Shaver]

No engineer either and I have t read the other replies, but don’t have all your weight on one bottom chord, run a small beam over top of 4 or so if the bottom chords and then use an eye bolt that goes through the material your attaching it to with large washers on the other side

 

[LOW1]

Why does everyone care so much about the next owner?

Is it negligent to build something which your structure was not intended to support?

 

[PCustoms]

Is it negligent to build something which your structure was not intended to support?

Not if you're operating in a non professional capacity in your own home.

What about all the amateur plumbing, wiring, decks, windows, roofs etc?

 

[ybnormal]

Why does everyone care so much about the next owner?

because you don't want a lawsuit coming back after sale of the house because you didn't "reveal" the dangerousness of said eyebolt, regardless if said lawsuit is BS or not

 

[LOW1]

Not if you're operating in a non professional capacity in your own home.

What about all the amateur plumbing, wiring, decks, windows, roofs etc?

If you wire your home yourself , sell it, and it burns down from an electrical fire you have a problem.

Perhaps doing things as an amateur is not always wise.

 

[PCustoms]

If you wire your home yourself , sell it, and it burns down from an electrical fire you have a problem.

Perhaps doing things as an amateur is not always wise.

Guess I'm fucked then and can't ever sell this house.


What if I change brakes on a car and then sell that car? Guess I better keep every vehicle until it is ready for the crusher from now on

 

[LOW1]

Guess I'm fucked then and can't ever sell this house.


What if I change brakes on a car and then sell that car? Guess I better keep every vehicle until it is ready for the crusher from now on

Or fix it right. And build to engineered specs.

It would help if you took down the hoist gizmo before you show the house to any potential buyer.

As explained by a very famous legal scholar “a man needs to know his limitations.” Prof. C. Eastwood.

 

[sparky 1971]

I'm certainly not telling anyone what is and isn't safe but... I've lagged a piece of 1-5/8" unitstrut on to two trusses on 4' centers, hung a pulley with a 1/2" rope from it, and using a skid loader, pulled four 3/0 and one #4 copper wire through it for about 250'. I have no clue what kind of weight was on that strut, but it was a whole bunch more than 300 pounds.

I've bolted strut to a concrete floor using 3/8" drop in anchors, mounted a piece of 3" EMT to it and chained a wire tugger to the EMT and pulled hundreds of feet of wire of all sizes up to 500 MCM.

I would think that a 1/2" eyebolt, complete with a square strut washer and jam nut threaded into a 1/2" strut nut would easily carry 300 lbs.

 

[vforge]

I don’t have time to reply to every specific question but heres more details.

Any load that would be suspended, would be temporary. The whole purpose is to allow me to hoist an anvil up to either weigh it or move it from a dolly to my lift cart. Nothing would stay hanging more than a half hour at most. Most loads would be 150lb. Very very rarely would they be anything past that.

I will check the drawings. These were not manufactured trusses. They were built on site. I still have plans as my grandfather had the building built a little over 25 years ago. The bottom cord of the truss is a 2x6.

 

[PCustoms]

I will check the drawings. These were not manufactured trusses. They were built on site. I still have plans as my grandfather had the building built a little over 25 years ago. The bottom cord of the truss is a 2x6.

Do you have rafters, or trusses?

Post a pic...

 

[theoldwizard1]

The trusses were on 2' centers, so I slipped three, 12', 2x4s up into the attic (not easy to accomplish!) and laid them crosswise of the truss chords. Offset the center 2x4 by 3" to allow the 2x4 bundle to span 7 truss chords. I then sandwiched them together on edge and bolted them together with 5/16" bolts on 2' centers (essentially creating a laminated 2x6 beam). At the midpoint of this "beam" I drilled a 3/4" hole through the center 2x4 and installed a 3/4" threaded rod with a large washer and double nut on top, allowing the lower end to extend below the ceiling. On the end of this rod installed a threaded rod eye nut.

This is BY FAR, the best suggestion !

Be careful about the drop. Some are only grade 2. The eye should be a forged lifting eye.

 

[OccupantRJ]

The standard country boy method of pulling a small block engine and transmission when I was a younger man was with an old drive shaft laying across several rafters, so there’s that.

 

[mike93lx]

because you don't want a lawsuit coming back after sale of the house because you didn't "reveal" the dangerousness of said eyebolt, regardless if said lawsuit is BS or not

Shenanigans. That isn't happening.

I can't fathom worrying about imaginary scenarios like this

 

[carlaisle]

The actual weight isn't the problem. Those site-built trusses were not designed to support a point load from the bottom chord. Do not drill holes in the bottom chord for lags. If you ran a solid steel strap over the top and used it for your mounting, that would "probably" be fine for your 300lb WLL, but there are too many unknowns to estimate any confidence level. For your described purpose, would an engine lift/cherry picker work? It would be infinitely safer and more flexible. A wood (or metal) gantry could also be easily constructed to suit your needs.

 

[Moonbeam]

Prior to building this lift, I performed a self structural engineering test by jumping up and grabbing one of the joists and swinging my 230# body imagining weighing another 70#s and eyeballing the deflection in the joist which I saw none. Same thing I lift nothing more than 300#s and use it for my generator, snow blower and such. Without using this my chances of hurting my back lifting the generator into the bed of my pickup truck is 50/50. I'm gonna take a good guess that the chance of my garage collapsing using this is less than 0.01%.

 

[Burt Shaver]

If you wire your home yourself , sell it, and it burns down from an electrical fire you have a problem.

Perhaps doing things as an amateur is not always wise.

In Ontario any home owner can wire his entire house if he likes, just hAve to have a plan, a permit and it will be inspected.,

 

[PCustoms]

In Ontario any home owner can wire his entire house if he likes, just hAve to have a plan, a permit and it will be inspected.,

In VT any homeowner can wire their owner occupied single family residence without a permit or inspection.

 

[Burt Shaver]

In VT any homeowner can wire their owner occupied single family residence without a permit or inspection.

Legally?

 

[vforge]

Do you have rafters, or trusses?

Post a pic...

They are indeed trusses.

 

[ItsNemo]

In Ontario any home owner can wire his entire house if he likes, just hAve to have a plan, a permit and it will be inspected.,

Not even a plan, just permit and inspection...but the ESA are still dicks.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Years ago, in my old house/attached garage, I needed to pull an MGB engine. I reasoned that the space above the garage was accessible by me and was being used for storage of Xmas decorations. I had been up there walking around multiple times. So, I took a 2x4 up to the attic and spanned multiple floor joists to spread the load. I drilled a hole in the center of the 2x4 and through the sheetrock ceiling. I inserted a long eyebolt through the ceiling and 2x4 and topped it with a large fender washer and nut followed by a nyloc nut ant locked the 2 nuts together. I successfully pulled the engine multiple times. I removed the eyebolt when I moved. I personally would be leery of any solution that involves relying on things bolted from the garage space up into the structure above.

 

[mike93lx]

Years ago, in my old house/attached garage, I needed to pull an MGB engine. I reasoned that the space above the garage was accessible by me and was being used for storage of Xmas decorations. I had been up there walking around multiple times. So, I took a 2x4 up to the attic and spanned multiple floor joists to spread the load. I drilled a hole in the center of the 2x4 and through the sheetrock ceiling. I inserted a long eyebolt through the ceiling and 2x4 and topped it with a large fender washer and nut followed by a nyloc nut ant locked the 2 nuts together. I successfully pulled the engine multiple times. I removed the eyebolt when I moved. I personally would be leery of any solution that involves relying on things bolted from the garage space up into the structure above.

Using a through bolt is a lot better than lags

 

[tncatadjuster]

Prior to building this lift, I performed a self structural engineering test by jumping up and grabbing one of the joists and swinging my 230# body imagining weighing another 70#s and eyeballing the deflection in the joist which I saw none. Same thing I lift nothing more than 300#s and use it for my generator, snow blower and such. Without using this my chances of hurting my back lifting the generator into the bed of my pickup truck is 50/50. I'm gonna take a good guess that the chance of my garage collapsing using this is less than 0.01%.

That is a really good approach with compression of wood, excellent solution.

 

[manwithtools]

That is a really good approach with compression of wood, excellent solution.

That also insures that the load is distributed across all the joists that the strut structure is spanning.

 

[kwb]

That also insures that the load is distributed across all the joists that the strut structure is spanning.

Not really. The middle truss will likely see little to no loading from what I can see. It would be better to have threaded rods on each side of each truss making the spans on unistrut much shorter.

 

[ybnormal]

The standard country boy method of pulling a small block engine and transmission when I was a younger man was with an old drive shaft laying across several rafters, so there’s that.

well, I guess you did survive....

 

[ybnormal]

Shenanigans. That isn't happening.

I can't fathom worrying about imaginary scenarios like this

which is why you remove said eyebolt after your project is done. you can stop fathoming.

 

[OccupantRJ]

well, I guess you did survive....

As far as I know. If I didn’t, let me know!

 

[mike93lx]

which is why you remove said eyebolt after your project is done. you can stop fathoming.

To each his own, I guess. I wouldn't worry about removing something like this...it isn't like I am hanging a tag on it saying what it is certified to. It's just an eye bolt and how the next guy uses it is on the next guy, not me