HF shop crane - Anyone experience this?

[Kyle86]

Please try this and let us know, I am skeptical since it is SO far off but if it works for you, I may grind my welds and do the same since it appears to be engineered that way.

Honestly, I think I tried loosening mine up and it still would not work, but that was a little while ago so I can't remember too well.

 

[Kenwc]

Please try this and let us know, I am skeptical since it is SO far off but if it works for you, I may grind my welds and do the same since it appears to be engineered that way.

Honestly, I think I tried loosening mine up and it still would not work, but that was a little while ago so I can't remember too well.

Funny you mention being skeptical because I am too. It really makes me wonder what brought about this change. Were there failures? Are the other ones "ok"?

Funny..but I'm not even sure I trust the welds that will enjoy this added stress. My first HF crane had much better welds than this on does.

 

[oldtools]

This is just a wild guess. I think the change is an improvement. Just imagine for the moment the crane has no side straps. If the crane try to lift a heavy weight, there is a large twisting moment at the center column base which will snap off the two bolts holding the center column at the base (resulting in major failure).

Now imagine the two straps are there, but there are quite a bit of slop in the strap bolts. When the crane lift heavy weight, again there is a large twisting moment at the center column base. The center column will rotated but is limited by the slop in the side strap bolts. This small amount of rotation still put bending load on the center column base bolts which may fail if the bending load is high enough.

By tensioning the side straps (or eliminating the bolt clearance slop in the loaded direction), bending load will be eliminated or minimized to the center column base bolts (because the center column can no longer rotate under load).

 

[RossABQ]

I have the exact same model HF crane, but about 9 years old. Believe it or not, compared to the ones they sell now, mine probably weighs 30 lbs more -- they've taken a lot of metal out of them! (Still same rating)

Oldtools has hit it on the head, I'd say. Mine were indeed easily aligned and were sloppy. I had a relatively light engine (Ford 200 ci Six, 450 lbs max) up in the air enough to clear the fenders, and the whole mast structure started to twist, enough that the whole shebang was going to go over on me. I was able to keep it upright (adrenalin is marvelous stuff) and get it down safely. Immediately after that incident, I went thru and welded all the sloppy connections, and reinforced connections between the mast and base. Since then I have lifted a Ford flathead V8 (700 lbs +) without any similar drama.

Anytime you get a foldable tool like this, you're trading rigidity for convenience.

 

[Kenwc]

So far so good. Tonight I followed the HF Techs instructions on installing the support straps. I had to apply so much force on the bolts to pull everything in it was starting to worry me. And it needs more but I didn't bother getting the impact out tonight.

The flange at the bottom of the center mast is slightly higher in front than back because that's the way the straps pull...the slightly elevated weld seam down the center of the tubing is right under it as well which contributes to that.

I think it will be ok as I'll never lift over 800# tops with this thing as I only use it for machines that I restore. I am going to change out some key bolts with some I have more faith in.

We'll see how it goes...thanks for the suggestions and encouragement.

 

[Kyle86]

Glad it is working. Post another picture if you get the chance. Thanks for keeping us updated!

 

[Kenwc]

Pumping these things is for the birds. When I bought the lift I asked HF if they would deal with me and provide an air over hydraulic ram and I'd pay whatever difference needed. Of course that was a little to radical for them and they said no.

The a/h rams are on sale and I can use a 20 % coupon on top of that so I'm going to get one. Anyone else have one that can comment on them?

Thanks

 

[pipsters]

Pumping these things is for the birds. When I bought the lift I asked HF if they would deal with me and provide an air over hydraulic ram and I'd pay whatever difference needed. Of course that was a little to radical for them and they said no.

The a/h rams are on sale and I can use a 20 % coupon on top of that so I'm going to get one. Anyone else have one that can comment on them?

Thanks

I've thought the same thing. Never used one though.

 

[Larwyn]

I installed HF's 8 ton air over hydraulic ram when I assembled my HF two ton shop crane. It makes one man operation much less awkward and in many cases safer. It is second only to my one ton hydraulic scissor lift table in the running for my favorite HF tool.

And, as a bonus, I still have that original 8 ton (hand pump) ram laying around waiting for some yet to be determined project.

 

[Kenwc]

I installed HF's 8 ton air over hydraulic ram when I assembled my HF two ton shop crane. It makes one man operation much less awkward and in many cases safer. It is second only to my one ton hydraulic scissor lift table in the running for my favorite HF tool.

And, as a bonus, I still have that original 8 ton (hand pump) ram laying around waiting for some yet to be determined project.

Thanks...it's good to know that the ram works well for you.

I recenltly purchased the 1,000 lb lift cart and I love it. I wish I could add a/h to it even. It proved to be indispensable in helping to assemble that shop crane while sitting in a whelchair.

I should have the a/h ram installed on the crane by this weekend. I don't think I'll keep the original around though...it's brand new and I'm sure someone can use it.

 

[fflintstone]

hm... mine doesn't like up worth a dang if I bolt the upright down to the base first. I have to put everything together loose then put the supports on you are having problems with. Once they are on (not cranked down but hand tight) I then tighten the upright. Then go back and tighten everything else... Fits like a glove and pulls tension on the supports you are having problems with. Give that a shot before you go through to much trouble. It might work on yours or it might not, mine isn't a HF unit but design is the same.

I had to do the excact same thing when I built my non HF china hoist. flipping them did help too.

 

[pipsters]

Will the air jack lift as high as the hand operated pump (ie stroke)?

 

[Kenwc]

I had to do the excact same thing when I built my non HF china hoist. flipping them did help too.

Flipping them is something I cant get my brain around. The distance between the holes doesn't change regardless of the orientation.

 

[Kenwc]

Will the air jack lift as high as the hand operated pump (ie stroke)?

I hope so...and I speculate that it does since it's the same jack that just has the air adapted to it.

 

[RCStocker]

10 years ago I picke up one or HF orange 2 tone models. It went together just fine and I picked up a 800 pound bench lathe with it. I have used it to pull stumps on small bushes and trees and never had a problme. it is tight and there is no twist or bending o it. I paid $159 pluss tax at the time. I hate cheap but so far this has been very good. I alos have a 12 tone HF press. I have had it for 25 years and it has done every job without any problems. Even if I owned a garage I would buy the HF crain. Why pay all that extra money. If you have a problem. just weld on a couple of cross braces.

My guess is that you all put it together wrong. They assemble these before the put them on the market. I can't believe they would not bolt together. I know that jigs get off and hep can do some very stupid things but I find it hard that all of you have the same problems. The instuctions might be wrong. Most Chinese instuctions make no sense. You shoud see some of the drawing and instructions I have had form China. They really are clueless when it comes to instructions. I will look at them this week when I get over to the HF store after Sunday's swap meet.

Check how you are putting it together. I bet you will find it all fits.

 

[Kenwc]

10 years ago I picke up one or HF orange 2 tone models. It went together just fine and I picked up a 800 pound bench lathe with it. I have used it to pull stumps on small bushes and trees and never had a problme. it is tight and there is no twist or bending o it. I paid $159 pluss tax at the time. I hate cheap but so far this has been very good. I alos have a 12 tone HF press. I have had it for 25 years and it has done every job without any problems. Even if I owned a garage I would buy the HF crain. Why pay all that extra money. If you have a problem. just weld on a couple of cross braces.

My guess is that you all put it together wrong. They assemble these before the put them on the market. I can't believe they would not bolt together. I know that jigs get off and hep can do some very stupid things but I find it hard that all of you have the same problems. The instuctions might be wrong. Most Chinese instuctions make no sense. You shoud see some of the drawing and instructions I have had form China. They really are clueless when it comes to instructions. I will look at them this week when I get over to the HF store after Sunday's swap meet.

Check how you are putting it together. I bet you will find it all fits.

Also, as i stated earlier....the HF tech himself said this was a design change and that you had to perform this illogical assembly process which I did...and it worked.

I have some decent mechanical skills and I can say with all certainty...these parts had to be installed the way the HF tech said....there was no other possible way.

I don't really feel that this was a needed change to this lift as the one I had prior bolted up right out of the box and performed like a champ until I sold it.

As I also said, I owned one in the past and like yours....it bolted up without having to do any mechanical gymnastics.

I have no idea ... But would like to know...when this change was made....and...if there is any difference in this aspect between the orange central pneumatics version and the brown Pittsburg version that I have.

 

[pipsters]

I really despise the orange color. I saw the new ones in HF yesterday, they look a lot nicer.

 

[geologist]

Sorry it happened to you too but it's sort of good to know I'm not the only one. No welder here and I don't think and of my buds have a portable. That would be a good fix though.

Thanks

Sounds like a valid excuse to buy more tools.

 

[Larwyn]

I was told I would destroy my shop crane by attempting to pull up several old shrubs around my house with it. I have one of the older (6 years old) orange, folding, 2 ton shop cranes from HF with the air over hydraulic ram. I'll admit that pulling those shrubs was probably the biggest strain that I have had on the crane but it handled the job without complaint and nothing got bent out of shape in the process. I did take the time to block up the legs to a relatively level position on the uneven ground before pulling each shrub to keep the load more or less evenly distributed.

As far as I know the air over hydraulic ram is the same length and has the same travel as the original hand pump ram that came with the crane. I'm not too crazy about the orange color either but from what I understand the older ones are made of heavier material and are overbuilt as opposed to being over engineered (pre-stressed).

 

[Kenwc]

Got the A/H ram added yesterday. Makes a world of difference.