To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

HF Cherry Picker Hacks

MrSurly

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
1,671
Location
East Texas
Just a couple of minor fixes to address annoyances. The HF cherry picker (Foldable Engine Hoist) has been annoying me every time I use/move/store/ bump into/ it.
Problem 1.) the handle is supposed to stow by inserting into a tube welded on the side, but the tube is stupid-short and allows the handle to stray from its intended path. It will miss the lower frame it’s supposed to rest on, slipping past it, and hitting the floor, stopping the hoist from rolling. Really minor, really annoying.
2.) when the legs of the hoist are folded up for storage (this is the key feature of this hoist and one I use a lot) the legs are not retained in any way and they are so near vertical that even the slightest touch will cause one or both to fall. This is more than annoying, it’s downright dangerous.

I made two simple weld-on mods that fix these things.

Adding tube to extend the handle storage and a short bit of tube to the underside of the boom so that after loosening the valve you stick the handle thru the tube and push the boom to the bottom of its stroke. The handle boom and handle now pin the stowed legs so they can’t fall. Even though the cylinder is ‘free’ hydraulically, the weight of the boom and the leverage involved actually pin the legs back so well that I can lean the hoist back two wheels to roll it like a dolly and even lay the whole thing on its back just by holding the stowed legs. I’ve been meaning to do this for *ever* and glad I finally did it. It works better than expected.

Note: yes, I welded on it (gasp!)
I’m OK with the *risk* involved, no need to point it out or rail against it.
ab4567ea9c5bc1cfe383dd92be23ee60.jpg
b098acb20a1f4c41cecb88827bd143da.jpg

Btw: the tubing I used was leftover chain link fence top rail. I didn’t measure it but it’s exactly the same size as the original handle storage tube.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Attachments

  • ab4567ea9c5bc1cfe383dd92be23ee60.jpg
    ab4567ea9c5bc1cfe383dd92be23ee60.jpg
    760.6 KB · Views: 2
  • b098acb20a1f4c41cecb88827bd143da.jpg
    b098acb20a1f4c41cecb88827bd143da.jpg
    810.4 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

ItsNemo

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
4,805
Location
Canada
Uh, see those holes next to the leg pivot point? You're supposed to put the pins that you take out to lift the legs in those holes to hold them vertical.
 
OP
M

MrSurly

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
1,671
Location
East Texas
Uh, see those holes next to the leg pivot point? You're supposed to put the pins that you take out to lift the legs in those holes to hold them vertical.



Yeah.... but it doesn’t really. They don’t fall to the floor that’s true, but flop around a bit; and I have to get down on a knee to pin them up and again before I can let them down... then again to pin them in the working position. I like em this way to hold them in place securely AND to save extra trips to my knees.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

ScottsGT

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Messages
4,883
Location
Lake Wateree, SC
Mines not a HF hoist, but almost the same one. I solved the leg falling issue by wrapping a bungee cord around one leg, behind the upright and around the other leg. Problem solved.
 

Mark_17

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2018
Messages
743
Location
NJ
Mines not a HF hoist, but almost the same one. I solved the leg falling issue by wrapping a bungee cord around one leg, behind the upright and around the other leg. Problem solved.

I did the same thing on my HF hoist. It works just fine.

I do like the welded on solution. Really neat and I wouldn't have thought about it.

Another Hack to add, HF's air pneumatic cylinder fits if you want to ditch the pump cylinder
 

ilovevocs

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2009
Messages
1,966
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Like your solution. The legs are a pain in the ****.

The best mod I did to mine was modifying its location from my garage to my brothers garage.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Nineeightyone

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2018
Messages
393
Location
Pennsylvania
Sort of an accidental hack, but my shop crane instructions appeared to want a pin in the arm's retaining holes, in lieu of the bolt in your picture. I got another pin from a display jack as I thought mine was missing a part, and now that's the part that holds my retainer in place.

I still have the "bonus" bolt in the event that it seems like a better idea, but for the (relative to the stated capacity) light loads that I'm using it for, the pin should work just fine.
 

lujon

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2017
Messages
16

Ign

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
12,769
Location
Butte Peak ND
Weld a grab hook ON TOP of the boom. I used this to yank a van engine once - you want EVERY BIT of Z space you can get
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom