Old fire truck ,My new service truck

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Found this on ebay I was only bidder $3000 1988 gmc with 50k miles came with four new tires and a 3000lb auto crane laying in the bedThe plan is this I am renting commercial space for a shop that my day job as fabricator doesnt allow any free time to get anything done so going to down size and set this truck up as a mobile shop note to all of you who have or had a moble shopany ideas or thoughts on setting up the truck would be greatly appreciated Attached Images250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:Awesome score dedmetal!  Doesn't look as though that Auto Crane was mounted to this unit.  Do you plan to?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:thanks duane yes the crane will be mounted on it. It was a freebee the previous owner used on another truck and had planned to put on this one but never got to it250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:Guys around here have the autocrane mounted on one of the sideboxes.  I don't know how the bracing inside the toolbox is done, but it's common.  I see it at Happy Foods every day when I go in to buy suds or donuts.  I'll see what they do.The base on the crane is something not meant for the truck.  Definitely.  But it doesn't mean you can't modify it for a narrower base.  Or widen the footprint of where it's going to be mountedWelders are usually mounted on top of one of the side boxes up near the cab.  Maybe not the best idea, but everybody does it.  The highways aren't littered with dead weldors, or mangled weldersLot of potential in that truck.Last edited by farmersamm; 01-09-2009 at 11:19 PM."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Samm the base is close but will fit on the top of the boxes if you get a chance please see how they are supported to the frame I never mounted one but planned on making an inner plate under the box top supported by 3"-4" angle in the corners of the compartment to a floor plate mounted to the frame but there maybe a better waythought about the welder on the other box but desided to stretch the frame and mount the welder behind the cab before the service bed250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:That's what I've always wondered.  How in the hell do they mount those things without tearin' everything to bits.  Usually mounts with the turret at the back of the bed with the crane facing forward.And you've probably seen the welder mounted on top of the toolbox too.  I've always thought it was a space problem.  Frees up space on the floor of the bed for other stuff."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Very unique design and arrangement. For your needs I think it will be pretty darn neat. It's not a layout you might ordinarily think of yourself. When you see it it looks pretty practicle.
Reply:allways wondered that myself the bed is strong but not for that kind of load figure angle would give the support i need and not occupy alot of bin space dont want the welder to mount in the bed so i can still make use of the floor space for other stuff i may haul that why i decided to lengthen the frame250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:I carry the camera now.  I'll get some pics of stuff around here.Only thing that really pisses me off is that sometimes I promise that, and don't see a damn thing for days that's related to what I was lookin' for pictures for.But, I swear to God, I do see the cranes, and welders mounted like we've discussed"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Samm when ever you see one will be great this is not going to be a short project for me lots of things to do to it thanks again250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:I can see it now.  I'll be pullin' next to some dude on the highway, flaggin' him down, and gettin' my azz kicked when I ask him to open the side box to show me the braces.Seriously though, I gotta feeling that most guys will be allright with it.  Most folks are pretty cool when it comes to answering a question that isn't absolute BS."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:ok lets not pull over any trucks lets wait till there allready stopped getting fuel , doughnuts, coffee 250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:the inside of the box is usually reinforced HEAVILY  taking up a fair amount of room inside the box.   almost EVERY auto crane setup I have seen used outriggers mounted at the rear of the truck to stabilize and level it for rotating the boom.    since this is only a 3500 I wouldn't imagine trying to use that crane without having stabilizers down.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Eight, nine, seven- seven, two, seven, two..."Hello, Love at First Bite? I need a foot long sub with the works on wheat bread......."City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I have seen this ....the box where the crane mounts is heavy ga steel like twice as thick as the rest.Might see if that one is built the same way.
Reply:Before you do anything, take it down to a truck scale and weigh it.  Easiest thing in the world to overload those little utility trucks, weigh it first so you know how much you have to work with.
Reply:http://www.autocrane.com/intro.html
Reply:Nice truck, I have used the back tailgate as a work bench before. Extend it up towards the top and put fold out legs on it when you let it dowm. When i worked mobile I always needed a work bench.TW9Y GeorgiaAnnamel TW9Y Georgia
Reply:dedmetal:Nice.....I'm very envious. I could sure use this around here.I too see these all the time over here in East TX. Heck you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. Anyway almost all of them don't have outriggers. I don't think they lift all that much weight with the crane. See a lot of 5 ton trucks around set up similar but they do have outriggers.Most of the auto cranes seem to be mounted on passenger side rear...don't know why other than working off the shoulder side of the road. They also have gas welders mounted to the front drivers side of the tool boxes. I haven't found any laying dead on the side of the road (altough I could really use one...hee hee).If it's an old fire truck, does it have either a 250 gal or 400 gal water tank? Never hurts to have an available source of water.Anyway good luck with your project and look forward to lots of progress pictures.Sign on East Texas payphone: Calls to God 40 cents......it's a local call...
Reply:Originally Posted by IamVinceI have seen this ....the box where the crane mounts is heavy ga steel like twice as thick as the rest.Might see if that one is built the same way.
Reply:Both of our f550 mechanics trucks have quite a bit of bracing in the rear right corner of the box.  Our crane bodies and cranes are IMT and are 6000 and 8000 pound cranes.  The truck bodies themselves are quite a bit heavier than any of those on our 350 and 450 crew trucks.  On the service truck it has about a half in plate under the body to help brace the crane.  You will also need some sort of out riggers to stabalize the truck especcially considering the various angles you will be required to hoist from. Good luck.
Reply:GOT SOME PICS!!!After tackling the guy as he got to his truck, and forcing him to open the toolbox door by threatening to replace the Lincoln with a Miller, I was able to get some decent picsNo reinforcement inside the tool bay, but the guy said that they had to reline the box under the crane.  I assume he meant that they skinned in another layer of plate on the inside of the box.  The service body appeared to be made out of minimum 10ga, and possibly 3/16 plate.  There's an additional piece of 1/2 plate under the actual crane mount on top of the box.  Capacity on the crane is 5700 at near vertical.  As you can see, there are slide out outriggers.  They're really pretty simple.  The crank lifts is just an agricultural tongue jack.Poor dude was still cryin' at the thought of a Miller bein' on the back of the truck, so I had to pacify him with an unopened can of Excaliburs.  It seemed to calm him down Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:LOOK OUT Samm is tackling poor unsuspecting people in parking lots glad no farmers were harmed during this photo shootI owe you one , it seems that beds that have cranes are made heavier than mine so will have to come up with plan B mark8310 Before you do anything, take it down to a truck scale and weigh it     good idea I have been know to overload thingsAnnamel    thanks great idea for the tailgatetresi Crane or not you going to repaint it aren't you?       yes will be painted when done.  right now everyone thinks it is official and gets out of the way lolDualie   i will be putting outriggers on it250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:Another option to mount the crane would be to cut the box out on the back right side and stiffen that section of the body up by welding some supports to the frame.  This way there would be no weak points in your service body.  Put the crane up on a pedastal and patch the rest with sheet metal.  After you reinforce cabinet there will not be much room left in the box any how.  just some fuel for thought.  That crane on your truck is also about half the size of the cranes on my trucks or the one in the pictures.
Reply:Originally Posted by allengradingAnother option to mount the crane would be to cut the box out on the back right side and stiffen that section of the body up by welding some supports to the frame.  This way there would be no weak points in your service body.  Put the crane up on a pedastal and patch the rest with sheet metal.  After you reinforce cabinet there will not be much room left in the box any how.  just some fuel for thought.  That crane on your truck is also about half the size of the cranes on my trucks or the one in the pictures.That would work well the out riggers on our truck our agriculture jacks that slide out to the side on both sides of the truck.  They are tucked into a 16 inch work bumper and tie into the frame.  Can even take the lazy way out and weld a nut on in place of the handle to lower the jack up and down.
Reply:Always amazed at how they use off the shelf stuff, like the jacks, to make a system.  I don't think anybody in the world can come up with stuff like we can in this country"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:My advice, I would say that when you get a chance...Paint it a different color!
Reply:OK, you got time to consider real options, so I'll try and run up a better response than before.That crane is rated at 3,000 lbs....the question is, "What is the GVWC of the truck?"Since I don't know, I will call that X. Once you know what X is, you will also need to know the overall unladen weight of the truck. Then subtract the unladen weight from X. Now you have the remainder which is your total payload. Since I don't have that figure either, I'll call that Y. As you start to total up the stuff that you stuff into the bed, meaning EVERYTHING, then once you reach an equivalent number to Y, it's time to stop loading the truck.So, as far as the crane goes, include the weight of the crane, the weight of the structure to support the crane, as well as any outrigger jacklegs. The 3,000 pound thing that you lift with that jack is another story altogether!  If you in fact plan to LOAD the 3000 pound thing into the truck and drive around with it....add that too! Tools,  what tools?? Edit:- I imagine an option might be to reserve the crane for a flatbed trailer, but...it ain't my option.Last edited by tanglediver; 01-12-2009 at 01:59 AM.Reason: Just remembered...City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Funny you should say that about the flatbed trailer.The guy in town than sells tombstones, and crypts has his crane mounted on his trailer, not his 1 ton."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by Stampederdedmetal:Nice.....I'm very envious. I could sure use this around here.I too see these all the time over here in East TX. Heck you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. Anyway almost all of them don't have outriggers. I don't think they lift all that much weight with the crane. See a lot of 5 ton trucks around set up similar but they do have outriggers.Most of the auto cranes seem to be mounted on passenger side rear...don't know why other than working off the shoulder side of the road. They also have gas welders mounted to the front drivers side of the tool boxes. I haven't found any laying dead on the side of the road (altough I could really use one...hee hee).If it's an old fire truck, does it have either a 250 gal or 400 gal water tank? Never hurts to have an available source of water.Anyway good luck with your project and look forward to lots of progress pictures.
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverOK,  If you in fact plan to LOAD the 3000 pound thing into the truck and drive around with it....add that too! Tools,  what tools?? Edit:- I imagine an option might be to reserve the crane for a flatbed trailer, but...it ain't my option.
Reply:Originally Posted by captdave2612The best part is it’s ready for your O/A.
Reply:That’s what we call a cascade system it was with rehab so they can refill your air wile you cooled down and hydrated your self.I carry guns because cops are too heavy. .. ..-.   -.-- --- ..-   - .... .. -. -.-   .... .- .-. -..   . -. --- ..- --. ....   -.-- --- ..-   -.-. .- -.   ..-. .. --. ..- .-. .   .- -. -.-- - .... .. -. --.   --- ..- -
Reply:update : plan changed no longer going to stretch the truck welder moiunted ditched crane as ran out of room for it got most of my gear loaded including air comp. mounted just sold my 50 amp beast of a plasma and picked up a 375 extreme for the truck 18 lbs wow still need to mount vise and get a hose reel for torch and right now weighs 8200 lbs Attached Images250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:Looks like it will work great for you...are you going to paint it?
Reply:yeh as soon as i quit boring holes in it and scaring it up havent pick a color thou250DXMM251MM175225G plus 251D-1
Reply:In your neck of the woods (no snow country) White would be a good choice.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Originally Posted by MarkBall2In your neck of the woods (no snow country) White would be a good choice.
Reply:Dedmetal, You can really be proud of the nice truck you put together.That paint scheme is perfect too. I'd leave it alone.The color subliminally yells, "Fellow municipal employee. Do not stop." and the whole truck magically becomes  invisible to 99% of the cops.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 02-02-2009 at 12:33 AM.
Reply:8200#'s, heck you should have Plenty of room to spare.
Reply:Originally Posted by rat4spd8200#'s, heck you should have Plenty of room to spare.