Rotating trailer mounted hoist idea

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This is an idea I`ve been kicking around for a while.Loosely based on this tire carrier found in this thread[http://bc4x4.com/chrisw/projects/tir...er/carrier.asp  The rotating assembly will consist of parts from a 14bolt axle.The hoist frame may be a modified store bought,or a home fabbed set-up(undecided yet).It will be used in conjunction with a winch already mounted on the trailer.I`m hoping for a capacity of around 1,000lbOpinions pleaseyeah/naystrengths/weaknessplease excuse the crude drawing,I suck at computer drawings.This is the trailer it will be going on.Thanks for any/all help.Darwinian evolution used to fix stupid. Now that humans have mostly removed themselves from the process of natural selection the survival rate of idiots has skyrocketed.
Reply:i would do it if i where you it could easily be done, if you use the right size steel to support the weight it will be super strong if built right, this should be an easy project and will hold with good welds, think twice build once.
Reply:If you have a Northern Tool or Harbor Freight nearby, they both sell this type of crane.  You could stop in, get some measurements, and reverse-engineer yours.  They also carry the hydraulic rams and winches if you need those parts.TeddCoHTP Microcut 400 & Invertig 160DC  Smith Dual Guard MD-510 OA Rig  Lincoln SP135+  Hobart Stickmate LX 235/160
Reply:I have a Harbor Freight 360 "crane"..Not bad actually..I made a reciver hitch mount for it to pick up heavy logs and put'em in my pick upNo more Pick-Up  So now its being used for engine blocks at Louies.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I was going to say, if you don't have the time, pick one up at Northern...or at least look at one and get dimensions and ideas for bracing, etc. Zapper - you have your logs delivered? Dang!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:here's what I built, about 12 years ago, the first project I ever welded.I have lifted a max of about 900 lbs with this.  It is nothing to lift a load a SB or BB chevy motor with accessories.  IIRC, it's about 42" from the hook to the trailer bed, so enough to lift most everything i've needed to load with it.Basic design is 3" x 1/4 wall square tube horizontal member and down brace.  A bracket comes off the frame (and is extended to opposite side of frame) and supports an upright piece of appx 3-1/2" O.D. tube that is about 3' tall.  Over that is the tube, 4" OD, that forms the moveable part of the pivot.  I'm not sure of the exact tube sizes, but both are appx 1/4" wall, and they sleeve together with just enough room to swing free.   The main tube rides at the bottom on a 2" collar of the same tube welded to the inner piece.I used an old manual 2 speed boat trailer winch, one day hope to get a deal on a small 12v winch.   Some things i've lifted I would have liked to been a little farther away from... an electric winch with remote would be cheaper than emergency room visit and downtime, i would think.in the first pic, you can see a lifting eye on the top of the main beam.  About twice in the last 12 years, I've lifted it up almost to the top of the main tube, and put a *little* grease on it, but not enough so it runs out at the bottom.(in the pic, that's an '05 Duramax with auto trans in the crate)     (gimpyrobb, you know that story)  the jack leg is to keep the trailer form squatting and moving unexpectedly.  here's a rear view, which doesn't show anything except the pipe stub sticking out the right side about 6".  I have a 4' piece of 3/4 pipe that goes in there with a retaining pin, to use as leverage to pivot the hoist, so you aren't standing right under what you are lifting in case it should turn loose (had the eyebolt break on my 300# generator once, dropped about 3')you see two blue handled hitch pins in the picture.  One is thru the pulley bracket and retains the pulley at the end of the boom.  The other keeps the hoist from pivoting when traveling down the road.  I can pin it either in the position you see here, or 90* to it, extending across the bed of the trailer.Last edited by kaiser715; 02-09-2007 at 12:40 AM.
Reply:that said, I recently bought a flatbed trailer, and am working on specs for a bed-mount knuckleboom crane for it.  It too will be manual pivot, and made out of trussed 3" square tube, kind of like an engine hoist, but with a second articulating arm on the end of it, so I can pick up and set items anywhere within 0' to 8' of the base.  Again, the weight design goal being the ability to safely lift and load a fully dressed BB chevy motor. Kind of like one of these, but w/o the auger...and 1000# cap, not 11,000:like on this truck, but much, much smaller:Use a couple or three of these to lift and control, with a couple of remote air valves:  (cheaper and easier than full-on hydraulics, but I have to find a way to remote the let-down release screw).http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94562Last edited by kaiser715; 02-09-2007 at 12:37 AM.
Reply:kaiser - I saw one like that recently on a Fabral truck that was delivering pole barn metal. I was in awe when he was unloading it with a wire-less remote control, very high tech! I wanted one! John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Dad's got a harbor freight one on his Dodge, works great and is a real back saver;
Reply:Thank you all very much for the replies and ideas,I appreciate the input.I still have to decide what I am going to do IE:buy or build.Just throwing an idea out there since I already have most of the material on hand for the one that I posted.    Thanks again,RobDarwinian evolution used to fix stupid. Now that humans have mostly removed themselves from the process of natural selection the survival rate of idiots has skyrocketed.
Reply:Rob,  If I am understanding your drawing:  How will you install the spindle nut and cotter pin after you do all the welding?
Reply:Originally Posted by chief mcgeeRob,  If I am understanding your drawing:  How will you install the spindle nut and cotter pin after you do all the welding?
Reply:I have built something similar to load handicap persons in and out of boats.We used 2 400 pound actuators and had a 60 inch arm. I designed it. It worked great but put alot of stress into the vertical. For my new design, the top horizontal (arm) is a "T" with 60 inches on one side and 24 on the other. There is now an actuator on either side of the vertical and a 200 pound spring assist on the back side. It hasn't been tested yet. Any opinions on this?Bill
Reply:I have a Liftmoore 2700 that I'm mounting to the front of my gooseneck trailer. I have a friend that's running the stress numbers right now for me to determine what size horizonal members I need to weld on the trailer to support the crane. It's conservatively rated to lift 2700 lbs. Attached ImagesNot a beginner, not a pro !