Electric Game Hoist

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Had a big discussion about this project so this is what I came up with.Blew up the other thread with enough questions so i finally broke down and built this monster and almost have it ready to roll.necessary parts.20' of 2"x3/16" Square Tube $4510' of 1.5" Hot Rolled Steel $4020' of 3/8" Hot rolled Steel $5Dropped Piece of 1.5"x1/4 Square Tube $102000# Electric Winch $50 black Friday DealRandom pieces and parts $30Did all of my welding at night so didn't get any pictures during the build but i'll explain what I did and can answer any questions if needed.here is the completed lacking paint three pieces.I mocked up the build with wood that made the metal work much easier.Started with a 20" pieces of steel in the receiver and cut it off at a 22.5 degree angle.Ran a second piece 15" long cut 22.5 on both sides.  Cut the last piece off square essentially making 2 45 degree angles coming out 90 degrees from the truck.Braced with a piece cut to clear the tailgate and 4" from the main piece.  The brace is also 3/16 so its nice and heavy.Ran 30" of hot rolled steel into the assembly cut the base at 45 so it met the steel well.  The 1.5" was too thick for the set screw collars so I had to grind down the rod.  I slipped the collar over and welded it up tight.The top portion consists of a 36" of steel cut at 22.5 degrees and a 30" piece to form the right angle to get extra strength and clearance.  This piece was braced with enough room to clear the winch.  That angle was a pain to cut as I couldn't fit it in my chop saw.I don't care for my attach point at the top, I just used the 3/8" piece of steel looped.  If it doesn't work I'll find a cleat or something more sturdy, but I'll see if it bends first.Then finally I welded a receiver for the winch so i can remove it to keep it out of the weather.  This was 7" of steel as low as I could get it on the upper piece.Last, I took 12" of 1.5" steel and welded it to the mounting plate of the winch.  Luckily the winch came with the mounting plate, roller fairlead and remote so no extra pieces were needed for the winch.Then when you put it all together.The winch came with a snatch block with hook so I will hook it to the loop and then the winch hook will attach to my gambrel.  If weight gets to be an issue I'll buy an extra snatch block and double up to assist the winch.Tomorrow the who setup will get a coat of paint.We are going to modify a jumper cable set to get power to the rear of the vehicle but also something that is very portable so if we need to switch vehicles we are able.The end of the hoist is about 9' tall so it should be plenty tall for whatever we throw at it.I haven't tested holding capacity but hanging and shaking just shook the truck suspension and didn't give at all in the winch so things are looking good.Enjoy.
Reply:Nice idea but the welds on that winch don't look so solid.I.B.E.W Electrician and Damn Proud of It !!!! .Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/
Reply:I see a few things I might have changed.You could have lowered the pivot down to where the angled braces started if you wanted. The extra height there really didn't add anything if you had lengthened the upper piece to match. 2nd you could have flipped the winch receiver and gone up rather than down or better yet set it up to go across the post. Keep in mind the direction of pull with a winch. In this application the winch would want to pull out of the receiver. That means a long receiver below wouldn't add anything to the design other than to raise the winch. If the idea is to mount the winch lower, keep these things in mind. Looking at the finished unit, I can also see ways to make the whole thing fold if needed. Since the load will always be towards the side with the winch, it would be possible to set it up so it folded back away from the winch on a hinge and the could be swung up into position and locked if needed quickly.If you are thinking about a permanent wiring set up, you might want to look into the power mounts for snow plows. They have a special male/female two prong plug designed for heavy power loads on plow pumps that can quickly be plugged in and unplugged. We have one set of jumper cables set up this way so all you have to do is plug in the cord and you are all hooked up ( hook up is not rigged the same way our plows are). They are cheaper usually than the battery disconnects that are used with electric forklifts..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:The mounting plate for the winch has a nasty coating I should have cleaned off before welding.  But I ran 6011 on it pretty hot and burned through it, just left a real ugly finish in the slag.  I assumed the reciever style setup would put the least amount of stress on the setup and I thought with a hitch pin there would still be plenty of the strength.  The other thing was If I ever needed to use it just as a receiver mounting winch, it would not be able to be used.  As it is I can build a small sleeve and it will fit into any standard receiver.On the power hookups, I have seen some of the nice quick connect power sources, however they don't come cheap and I have to give the truck back to a buddy stationed abroad at the end of the year so I like the option with the modified jumper cables to be able to move from one vehicle to another depending on the location of the down game.  Or if I need to load something in one truck like a generator it can be quickly moved to that truck loaded then back on the hunting truck.
Reply:Cool idea!You may want to hit the edges of the square tube with a grinder to smooth out the sharp/burred edges.
Reply:Looks like it should do the purpose it was designed for. I do have one question. what is keeping the winch from pulling out of the receiver? are you going to add a pin?There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:yes it will be pinned.  Just hadn't drilled it yet in the photos.  Still having issues getting enough power to the rear of the truck for an affordable price that is portable.
Reply:Originally Posted by scotyes it will be pinned.  Just hadn't drilled it yet in the photos.  Still having issues getting enough power to the rear of the truck for an affordable price that is portable.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawbuy a set of heavy duty 4-6 ga jumper cables from Wallymart for about $20 and you will be set with all the wire you need that has really thick insulation
Reply:Thats a great approach I hadn't thought of, however we use these winches to lift feeders so having the extra range of dual wires would be nice so I didn't have to park under the feeder when lifting it.But I will certainly consider it.  Our local welding supply should how that wire pretty affordably.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauAll you will need is one heavy cable of this from the truck battey(positive) to the back to power the winch, the negative can be grounded to the frame of the truck like most every electrical device on the truck. This makes routing the cable easier and also when switching from one to another. All you have to figure is the longest truck you may ever need to use it on(4 door long bed??) and make the cable long enough to span that distance, and one short one to attach to the frame for neg.