Pallet rack question

[dante2]

I'm planning on going with a set of rack about 23' long and 48" wide. Planning on 2 8' uprights on the ends and a 10' in the middle. Future plans to add some type of lift for loads under 150# working off the middle rack. All that being said would it be good idea to secure the uprights in the back, both front and back, or not at all?

 

[NUTTSGT]

You're wanting to mount a hoist/winch off the vertical upright ?

Calling @LXCam I believe he did something similar last year.

 

[TurnipTruck]

Bolt down at least the center upright, and if you find an upright with the doubled verticals (also known as earthquake rated) even better.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Bolt down at least the center upright, and if you find an upright with the doubled verticals (also known as earthquake rated) even better.

I'd probably drill some holes and bolt the beams to the upright to make sure nothing tries to uplift and disconnect. . . . and use atleast some grade 5 hardware.

 

[The Cobbler]

drill some holes and bolt the beams to the upright to make sure nothing tries to uplift and disconnect

pallet racking has clips that do that as well. good idea to secure it from lifting as it's easily done accidentally

 

[NUTTSGT]

pallet racking has clips that do that as well. good idea to secure it from lifting as it's easily done accidentally

Accidentally, very much so, especially if the OP is winching something up, catches a beam and unhooks it.

 

[LXCam]

You're wanting to mount a hoist/winch off the vertical upright ?

Calling @LXCam I believe he did something similar last year.

Oh ya fine Eric, toss me under the bus will ya

Op, Eric’s correct I did. But my configuration is totally different than your application. For you at a minimum you need to anchor the rear feet if not all of them. Even at 4ft deep a cantilevered load 2ft out with enough weight to counter act the weight of the rack could tip it over on you.

Id also suggest not attaching it to the upright if that’s the plan. Having it mounted in shear will put inwards force at the bottom mount into the upright channel and these things aren’t engineered for it.

I don’t suggest anyone follow my example but this will give you some idea of how I pulled off such stupidity.

Building a totally halfazz’d pallet rack mezzanine

Oh you critics of halfassed engineering are gonna luv this, so grab your popcorn, a good stiff drink and be prepared to be offended or impressed, eh whatever works 😉 When I relocated to Arizona I moved my shop into a building provided by my employer. That’s worked out fine for a few years but...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[dante2]

Good advice everyone and thank you. LXCam if my ceiling were taller I would definitely be using your idea. Maybe the engine hoist forklift is a better option at this point.

 

[FTG-05]

I'd probably drill some holes and bolt the beams to the upright to make sure nothing tries to uplift and disconnect. . . . and use atleast some grade 5 hardware.

Shouldn't need to drill holes; but it may depend on specifically which pallet rack design is being used. When I made my pallet rack workbench years ago, there were 2 holes that I used for each upright/beam joint to make the bench solid as heck. You can see the two 3/8" bolts and nuts here. No drilling involved.

 

[dante2]

I looked into the truck crane some more and I think I can use the compact version that fits under the bed rail. Not lifting anything very heavy and I have a hydraulic lift cart that lifts just over 4' so I have to lift half the distance. Since this is going to see minimal use l'm cheaping out and going to use a hand crank boat winch. I'm thinking that bolting center upright front and back and the backs on the outside uprights will be enough. Any thoughts good or bad? Suggestions on anchors?

 

[TurnipTruck]

The racking that I am familiar with uses 6” long Hilti brand anchors, using four per upright (assuming on concrete). The beams are retained to the uprights with ~6” long carriage bolts in existing square holes parallel to the beams.
If all of your uprights were the same excess height, you could bolt on a sloped roof above your crane.


-this is a poor picture of the junk-filled roofed racking I left at the old shop-

 

[nadogail]

Keep in mind that Earthquakes happen, and when loaded racks begin swinging the added Seismic Supports will save your day.

 

[ATC]

Keep in mind that Earthquakes happen, and when loaded racks begin swinging the added Seismic Supports will save your day.

I think the OP being in Oklahoma probably needs tornado-rated supports before earthquake rated ones

 

[dante2]

We do get them here occasionally but they are mostly under a 3. I lived 20 years in Northern California and never experienced an earthquake until I lived in Oklahoma.

 

[rust in the eye]

I'm planning on going with a set of rack about 23' long and 48" wide. Planning on 2 8' uprights on the ends and a 10' in the middle. Future plans to add some type of lift for loads under 150# working off the middle rack. All that being said would it be good idea to secure the uprights in the back, both front and back, or not at all?

Are you imagining a davit crane? I thought of this myself on my racks but decided not to for a bunch of reasons. First is these all clip together and applying loads in a direction they weren't designed to accept seemed dangerous. Bolting could mitigate this but then faced with a cantilevered load (my racks are 12'h x 42 deep) the possibility of tipping becomes a factor. I suppose if ballasted enough this would be a non issue.
My use would be for heavier items, engines transmissions, etc. I'd find it hard if having such a device to limit it's use to lighter items.
I may reconfigure mine leaving a section out of the middle and attaching a bridge across the span to accept a crane. This would only apply downward loading as these are intended for. Maybe this could work for you.

 

[dante2]

Are you imagining a davit crane? I thought of this myself on my racks but decided not to for a bunch of reasons. First is these all clip together and applying loads in a direction they weren't designed to accept seemed dangerous. Bolting could mitigate this but then faced with a cantilevered load (my racks are 12'h x 42 deep) the possibility of tipping becomes a factor. I suppose if ballasted enough this would be a non issue.
My use would be for heavier items, engines transmissions, etc. I'd find it hard if having such a device to limit it's use to lighter items.
I may reconfigure mine leaving a section out of the middle and attaching a bridge across the span to accept a crane. This would only apply downward loading as these are intended for. Maybe this could work for you.

The crane setup that LXCam has is looking like a winner but I'm looking at the smaller version. My walls are 10' so not a lot of room for a tall crane under the ridge.

 

[dante2]

Got the crane up and working. Excuse the mess underneath.

 

[LXCam]

Got the crane up and working. Excuse the mess underneath.

Well check you out. Good going bud

 

[dante2]

Well check you out. Good going bud

Thank you for the inspiration. It now has a boat winch added to it for reaching the floor.