I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%

Gunner

--
"If I say two plus two is four and a Democrat says two plus two is eight,
it's not a partial victory for me when we agree that two plus two is
six. " Jonah Goldberg (modified)

On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%


So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%


So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i

I think you could bracket the crane to the frame along with providing
for a swing down trailer jack mounting in that bracket for less added
weight than the big plate and faster / easier jacking. It would of
course require some design time, cutting parts and welding to make the
bracket. A 5k rated trailer jack shouldn't be too expensive.

Gunner Asch wrote:

On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%

Wow, that's a rarity

BTW, what are your thoughts on not too expensive optics to use on a
flat-top AR (Colt LE6920)?

"Ignoramus31865" wrote in message
...
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

The bed is probably not more than 18 gauge, right? Plus as soon as you put
that plate on top it will rust out fast. Pete is right, also don't weld the
bracket to your frame, bolt it.

On 2011-05-18, ATP wrote:

"Ignoramus31865" wrote in message
...
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

The bed is probably not more than 18 gauge, right? Plus as soon as you put
that plate on top it will rust out fast. Pete is right, also don't weld the
bracket to your frame, bolt it.

The bed is probably 18 gauge, however, it is covered with bedliner.

I will not weld anything to the bed, for sure. Nor will I weld to the
frame. This is why I want to use this big steel plate.

i

i

On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%


So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i

I think you could bracket the crane to the frame along with providing
for a swing down trailer jack mounting in that bracket for less added
weight than the big plate and faster / easier jacking. It would of
course require some design time, cutting parts and welding to make the
bracket. A 5k rated trailer jack shouldn't be too expensive.

Bracketing the crane to the bed is a gargantuan task. I cannot weld to
the frame and the area is full of various things.

i

Ignoramus31865 wrote:
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:
Ignoramus31865 wrote:
On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:
I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i
A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.
I agree with Pete 100%

So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i
I think you could bracket the crane to the frame along with providing
for a swing down trailer jack mounting in that bracket for less added
weight than the big plate and faster / easier jacking. It would of
course require some design time, cutting parts and welding to make the
bracket. A 5k rated trailer jack shouldn't be too expensive.

Bracketing the crane to the bed is a gargantuan task. I cannot weld to
the frame and the area is full of various things.

i


The rest of the truck is just sheet metal, Ig...

--

Richard Lamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cavelamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~sv_temptress

On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:37:15 -0500, Ignoramus31865
wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

That plate HAS to be bolted to the frame. Period

No matter how thick it is.

Gunner

--
"If I say two plus two is four and a Democrat says two plus two is eight,
it's not a partial victory for me when we agree that two plus two is
six. " Jonah Goldberg (modified)

On Tue, 17 May 2011 21:10:53 -0500, Ignoramus31865
wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%


So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i

Not if its not bolted to the frame.

All you are going to do is simply pull the screws/bolts out of the bed,
or bend the **** out of it.

Seriously.

Gunner

--
"If I say two plus two is four and a Democrat says two plus two is eight,
it's not a partial victory for me when we agree that two plus two is
six. " Jonah Goldberg (modified)

On Tue, 17 May 2011 21:20:11 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Gunner Asch wrote:

On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%

Wow, that's a rarity

BTW, what are your thoughts on not too expensive optics to use on a
flat-top AR (Colt LE6920)?

6x at most. Any more magnification will be a waste unless it will shoot
sub 1". Most are not capable of utilizing a high power scope and they
tend to get in the way optically. And often...physically.


For such weapons..if you are punching paper..optics..If you are using
it for combat...

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=255653

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/SCP7512-34.html

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemD...aspx?sku=39165

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemD...px?sku=SCP-009

Even on 30 calibers..I dont go over 10x..except on 300 WIn Mag..and then
I have a couple with 12x..but seldom ever shoot em over 10x

Gunner



--
"If I say two plus two is four and a Democrat says two plus two is eight,
it's not a partial victory for me when we agree that two plus two is
six. " Jonah Goldberg (modified)

On May 17, 8:37*pm, Ignoramus31865 ignoramus31...@NOSPAM.
31865.invalid wrote:
I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.
...
What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

* *http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

IIRC my Ranger is rated for half a ton in the bed, at which point the
rear springs clear the rubber stops by about the height of a clenched
fist (field-expedient measurement). 700 Lbs on the crane, boom
retracted and swung to the rear, deflects the spring on its side the
same amount due to the increased leverage. Once I had that oak log in
the bed the springs deflected a lot less.

I now consider 700 lbs the max to load with the bed-mounted crane. I
could position a heavier load close to the bumper but when the weight
pulls the bed down the mast tilts back and the boom wants -very- badly
to swing out, more than I want to get hurt trying to stop it. I've
broken and replaced those rubber stops after pushing the load capacity
a little, perhaps due to one-sided spring overcompression from large
rocks in the trail.

I made the crane base out of square tubing that bolts through to the
frame and then raised the bed level nearly flush with its top with
plywood. Unlike a Chevy the Ford's bed bolts down from above:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/r...s/HPIM0470.jpg
http://www.collectorcarsforsale.com/...0718522101.jpg

If you pull the bed off you may be able to install stronger crossbeams
under it or on the frame to support the crane, without cutting your
net load capacity down to my Ranger's by adding 1/4 ton of steel. I
peeked under my friends' Chevy and Dodge trucks and a crane mount
looked possible, though not as simple as mine. You could make wooden
mockups to get the fit right while the bed is still on and the truck
not disabled. I've removed the bed perhaps half a dozen times to fix
rust or the fuel pump + level sensor assembly.

jsw

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

On 2011-05-18, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2011 20:17:13 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

I agree with Pete 100%


So, what I think I will do is

1) Use that big 3x4 foot plate
2) For heavy lifts, I would jack the right rear side of the truck.

I will make sure to jack the plate area, to relieve the bed of too
much stress.

Make sense?

i

I think you could bracket the crane to the frame along with providing
for a swing down trailer jack mounting in that bracket for less added
weight than the big plate and faster / easier jacking. It would of
course require some design time, cutting parts and welding to make the
bracket. A 5k rated trailer jack shouldn't be too expensive.

Bracketing the crane to the bed is a gargantuan task. I cannot weld to
the frame and the area is full of various things.

i

It can't be that bad, I fabricated camper mounts for my truck in a
couple days that bolt to the frame using existing holes, fit around
obstacles and are pretty dang beefy. The main plates that attach to the
frame are 3/8" steel plate and the rest is 3/16" wall tube and angle.

I should note that with heavy loads, having things tilt out of level
during the lift means difficulty in controlling boom rotation,
potentially knocking someone over or pinning them against the truck.

On May 18, 9:09*am, "Pete C." wrote:
Ignoramus31865 wrote:
...
Bracketing the crane to the bed is a gargantuan task. I cannot weld to
the frame and the area is full of various things.

i

It can't be that bad, I fabricated camper mounts for my truck in a
couple days that bolt to the frame using existing holes, fit around
obstacles and are pretty dang beefy. The main plates that attach to the
frame are 3/8" steel plate and the rest is 3/16" wall tube and angle.
...

Instead of dodging sheet metal obstacles perhaps you can replace them
with the crane support structure, and bolt it all down to clip nuts on
the frame from above like the Ford.

jsw

On Tue, 17 May 2011 19:37:43 -0500, Ignoramus31865
wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

That would help you to pop wheelies, Ig.


My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that

Just pay closer attention to the same things you already do: centers
of gravity, velocity, trajectory, and such. With a jack and heavy
object in the back of the bed, your rear axle becomes a pivot at the
right weight.


for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

No, maybe brace the frame (or underneath the 3/4" plate) instead?


Any practical opinions?

Wouldn't most heavy things be large and tend to be put onto the
trailer via a winch and ramp? What you really need is to sell that
crappy old mil trailer you have and get a dropbed dump trailer.

Or for the truck, an extendable bed-mounted ramp with winch at the cab
side. Why lift when you can slide?

--
It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no
distinctively native American criminal class except Congress.
-- Mark Twain

On Tue, 17 May 2011 21:42:11 -0500, Ignoramus31865
wrote:

On 2011-05-18, ATP wrote:

"Ignoramus31865" wrote in message
...
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

The bed is probably not more than 18 gauge, right? Plus as soon as you put
that plate on top it will rust out fast. Pete is right, also don't weld the
bracket to your frame, bolt it.

The bed is probably 18 gauge, however, it is covered with bedliner.

I will not weld anything to the bed, for sure. Nor will I weld to the
frame. This is why I want to use this big steel plate.

Cut a foot wide strip of the plate and bolt it to the frame on both
ends. Weld or bolt the crane to it.

--
It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no
distinctively native American criminal class except Congress.
-- Mark Twain

On May 17, 8:37*pm, Ignoramus31865
* *http://goo.gl/KAN0Y


Any practical opinions?

i

You could put the new crane on a trailer. The trailer could have out
rigger supports so the new crane could be used to lift very heavy
things with no problems with stability.

Dan

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i

Ignoramus15557 wrote:
Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

(...)

No fabrication you say?

Ooooo. I *like*:
http://www.westernmule.com/spec_shee...per_Crane.html

--Winston

On May 18, 8:09*pm, Ignoramus15557 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15557.invalid wrote:
Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.


i

One reason I thought about mounting the new crane on a trailer
designed for it, was that it would give you a way to lift things
weighing up to 5000 lbs. Mounted on your truck, it will be limited.
Plus you would not be hauling around 300 plus lbs all the time.

Dan

On 2011-05-19, wrote:
On May 18, 8:09?pm, Ignoramus15557 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15557.invalid wrote:
Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

One reason I thought about mounting the new crane on a trailer
designed for it, was that it would give you a way to lift things
weighing up to 5000 lbs. Mounted on your truck, it will be limited.
Plus you would not be hauling around 300 plus lbs all the time.



I do not particularly need a crane on a trailer, but a crane on a
truck would be very helpful. If I need to take a trailer someplace,
a forklift would probably be there. The trailer sits lower, and I made
some steel ramps that fit it, so I can use ramps with the trailer.

I do not have truck ramps and it is so high that I am somewhat afraid
to use ramps with my truck.

With a crane, I can pick up a lot of things whenever I want, I do not
need to set myself up for a trailer trip.

i

On May 18, 9:36*pm, Ignoramus15557 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15557.invalid wrote:
On 2011-05-19, wrote:

On May 18, 8:09?pm, Ignoramus15557 ignoramus15...@NOSPAM.
15557.invalid wrote:
Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

One reason I thought about mounting the new crane on a trailer
designed for it, was that it would give you a way to lift *things
weighing up to 5000 lbs. *Mounted on your truck, it will be limited.
Plus you would not be hauling around 300 plus lbs all the time.

I do not particularly need a crane on a trailer, but a crane on a
truck would be very helpful. If I need to take a trailer someplace,
a forklift would probably be there. The trailer sits lower, and I made
some steel ramps that fit it, so I can use ramps with the trailer.

I do not have truck ramps and it is so high that I am somewhat afraid
to use ramps with my truck.

With a crane, I can pick up a lot of things whenever I want, I do not
need to set myself up for a trailer trip.

i

I've sometimes wished I had a second mounting location in the center
near the front so I could winch bulky rolling loads such as my tractor
or log splitter up ramps. My crane base doesn't allow that but yours
might.

My small crane can be locked in the cab to hinder theft when I'm
predictably occupied elsewhere, like at an auction.

jsw

On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

"john B." wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.

--
Ed Huntress

Jim Wilkins wrote:

(...)

I've sometimes wished I had a second mounting location in the center
near the front so I could winch bulky rolling loads such as my tractor
or log splitter up ramps. My crane base doesn't allow that but yours
might.

My small crane can be locked in the cab to hinder theft when I'm
predictably occupied elsewhere, like at an auction.

That's why I'm jazzed about the crane that folds into the
truck bumper when not in use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGR-ka__4WU

Cool!

--Winston

Ed Huntress wrote:

"john B." wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.

--
Ed Huntress

I'm sure if he searches truck / service crane manufacturer's sites, he
will find plenty of installation guidance that does not include a big
plate of steel in the pickup bed.

Jim Wilkins wrote:

I've sometimes wished I had a second mounting location in the center
near the front so I could winch bulky rolling loads such as my tractor
or log splitter up ramps. My crane base doesn't allow that but yours
might.

My small crane can be locked in the cab to hinder theft when I'm
predictably occupied elsewhere, like at an auction.


I made a frame that uses a pair of J bolts to hold my 12V winch to
pull the riding mower into my truck. The 1997 Dakota has a pair of tie
downs under plastic plugs near the cab. The frame sits over them, and
is bolted in place, then I slide the winch on the mounting studs when I
need to use it. I can remove the frame in a couple minutes when i need
the full bed area.


--
It's easy to think outside the box, when you have a cutting torch.

I think, better still, is put the plate beneath the frame as bolts
could pull out if bolted on top.

Joe

On Tue, 17 May 2011 22:22:52 -0400, "ATP"
wrote:


"Ignoramus31865" wrote in message
m...
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

The bed is probably not more than 18 gauge, right? Plus as soon as you put
that plate on top it will rust out fast. Pete is right, also don't weld the
bracket to your frame, bolt it.

On Thu, 19 May 2011 09:08:16 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.


There were all kinds of arguments going on. Mash the sheetmetal, etc.

But you are correct, the limits to crane operation are usually tipping
moments, not actual maximum lifting capacity as that is usually
specified with the boom at 89 degrees.

"john B." wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 May 2011 09:08:16 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would
think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate
can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.


There were all kinds of arguments going on. Mash the sheetmetal, etc.

But you are correct, the limits to crane operation are usually tipping
moments, not actual maximum lifting capacity as that is usually
specified with the boom at 89 degrees.

Yeah, I just saw the photo of it. The load on bolts holding a supporting
plate under the bed itself will be reduced considerably by using a larger
plate.

--
Ed Huntress

On 2011-05-20, Ed Huntress wrote:

"john B." wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 May 2011 09:08:16 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would
think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate
can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.


There were all kinds of arguments going on. Mash the sheetmetal, etc.

But you are correct, the limits to crane operation are usually tipping
moments, not actual maximum lifting capacity as that is usually
specified with the boom at 89 degrees.

Yeah, I just saw the photo of it. The load on bolts holding a supporting
plate under the bed itself will be reduced considerably by using a larger
plate.


So, Ed, what is the implication for what I am trying to do?

i

On 2011-05-20, justme wrote:
I think, better still, is put the plate beneath the frame as bolts
could pull out if bolted on top.

Not if I use backing plates.

i

Joe

On Tue, 17 May 2011 22:22:52 -0400, "ATP"
wrote:


"Ignoramus31865" wrote in message
om...
On 2011-05-18, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus31865 wrote:

I have a GM 3/4 ton pickup.

I won, in an auction, a "Ramco RM5000" crane. This crane is similar to
the Harbor Freight truck crane, but is a lot beefier.

It is pictured he

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/Ramco-RM5000-Truck-Crane.jpg

(not mine, but an identical model).

This is rated for 5k pounds, I am sure for the boom fully retracted.

It has a 8,000 lbs jack. I will put in a longer boom too, and a
winch. I am aware that extending the boom will decrease capacity
proportionally, so a boom that is 4 foot would decrease capacity of
the crane to, say, 1,500 lbs or whatever. I have to call the mfr to
find out. This is stillw ay better than my HF crane.

I have a very large 3/4 inch steel plate, I would say 3x4 feet, that
is rusting in my backyard.

What I thought of doing, is making a cutout on the plate to fit around
a wheel well, and mount it in the back of the truck's bed, and put the
crane on top of it. The Ramco crane would sit in the rear right corner
of the bed, just like this Harbor Freight crane does now:

http://goo.gl/KAN0Y

It has to be a large plate, to spread the weight of the crane and the
levering action that its base would apply to the bed. This particular
plate weighs around 300 lbs and is large enough.

My question is, what sort of constraints do I still have. I would hate
to overturn my truck, break suspension, etc. I would also think that
for heavy lifting, I would need to jack up the right rear wheel too.

Any practical opinions?

i

A crane with that weight capacity really needs to be mounted to the
frame, not to pickup bed sheetmetal. I think typically it would be
mounted with a beefy bracket under the bed to the frame. A support leg
(trailer jack) for the corner of the truck with the crane is common for
the heavier cranes so you don't apply a concentrated load to the
suspension on one side of the truck and also to stabilize it so it stays
level during the lift instead of tilting to that side.

What I was going to do is put a steel plate, 3x4 feet or so, on the
bed and bolt it to the bed. Would that not be enough support for the
crane? I already have this plate and it is huge.

i

The bed is probably not more than 18 gauge, right? Plus as soon as you put
that plate on top it will rust out fast. Pete is right, also don't weld the
bracket to your frame, bolt it.

"Ignoramus27965" wrote in message
news
On 2011-05-20, Ed Huntress wrote:

"john B." wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 May 2011 09:08:16 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"john B." wrote in message
m...
On Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:01 -0500, Ignoramus15557
wrote:

Guys... I am not talking to anyone specifically right now... I sense a
little bit of B/S on this topic.

Right now, I have a crane that lifts 500 lbs, mounted on a 1x1 foot
plate, with angle iron underneath the bed holding it in [place with
thru bolts. While it is slightly shaky, it works just fine.

With this Ramco crane, I am going to have a crane that would lift
about twice more weight -- 1k lbs -- supported by a 3x4 foot
plate. That is 12 times more area than the 1x1 foot plate! Even if it
is not evenly distributed across the plate, it is still a hell of a
lot more support and weight distribution than a 1x1 foot plate.

I think that I will be just fine with it without fabricating any funky
adapters and bolting them to the frame.

i
I don't know the weight of your 5,000 lb. capacity crane or your
plate, but assuming that your plate is 3/4" and the crane weighs 500
lbs then you have a maximum weight of components plus load of 5,868
lbs. divided by 1728"2 = ~3.4 psi.

I just measured the area of one foot and weighed myself. If I stand on
one foot in the back of your pickup I will exert a force of ~5.36 psi.

I haven't followed this and I may have missed this point, but I would
think
that the issue here is not transferring the load evenly to the area of
the
plate, but rather the effect of the lever arm, with the weight loaded
some
distance from the center of the vertical column. That's what I'm
picturing
as the "crane," anyway.

And if that's the case, then the specific load on the edges of the plate
can
be many, many times the force of lifting the load.


There were all kinds of arguments going on. Mash the sheetmetal, etc.

But you are correct, the limits to crane operation are usually tipping
moments, not actual maximum lifting capacity as that is usually
specified with the boom at 89 degrees.

Yeah, I just saw the photo of it. The load on bolts holding a supporting
plate under the bed itself will be reduced considerably by using a larger
plate.


So, Ed, what is the implication for what I am trying to do?

i

I've skipped many messages in this thread so I can still be missing
something. Figure out the actual loads at the bolts, Iggy. If you don't do
statics, it's worth looking it up online. For the things you do, it will
eventually be invaluable. It's essential for all kinds of custom rigging
jobs.

From that, figure out how much load you'll be putting on the bolts that pass
through the sheet metal of the bed. Unless there is some more metal there, a
plate *underneath* the bed won't help a bit in dealing with the forces
trying to pull the bolts down through the sheetmetal when you load the
crane. What you need to be concerned about is how much to distribute the
load on *top* of the bed, on the bolts that are trying to pull down through
it.

A larger plate will help, not because it distribute the load, but because
the lever arm from the base of the column to the farthest bolts in the plate
will be longer and the forces will be proportionally lower.

You're a math guy so this isn't really a concern, but for most people, a
book on statics and dynamics written for technicians (like two-year college
program students) is a lot easier to deal with than one written for
engineers. The math is all pre-calculus that way. I have such a book and I
still refer to it from time to time.

--
Ed Huntress

On May 19, 11:01*pm, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
...
A larger plate will help, not because it distribute the load, but because
the lever arm from the base of the column to the farthest bolts in the plate
will be longer and the forces will be proportionally lower.

You're a math guy so this isn't really a concern, but for most people, a
book on statics and dynamics written for technicians (like two-year college
program students) is a lot easier to deal with than one written for
engineers. The math is all pre-calculus that way. I have such a book and I
still refer to it from time to time.
Ed Huntress-

Harry Parker's "Simplified Design of..." books for structural steel
and timber:
http://www.amazon.com/Simplified-Des.../dp/0471664324

My problem with engineering textbooks is the lack of instructor
feedback if I misunderstand something.

jsw

On May 19, 11:01*pm, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
...
A larger plate will help, not because it distribute the load, but because
the lever arm from the base of the column to the farthest bolts in the plate
will be longer and the forces will be proportionally lower.
--
Ed Huntress-

I drilled a hole in the top of the crane's vertical post, to store the
pump handle, which provides a guy line attachment for a cable to the
bed tie-downs or a nearby tree when I winch logs out of tangled piles.
I ruined a 1200 Lb boat trailer winch doing that, though better the
winch than the truck if I'd used an electric winch with no feel.

The rear bed bolts aren't far enough apart fore-aft to attach a large
base frame. When I lift a max load behind the truck the front crossbar
bends up from the leverage. I could reinforce it but it's a good
visible indicator of overload.

jsw

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
On May 19, 11:01 pm, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
...
A larger plate will help, not because it distribute the load, but because
the lever arm from the base of the column to the farthest bolts in the
plate
will be longer and the forces will be proportionally lower.
--
Ed Huntress-

I drilled a hole in the top of the crane's vertical post, to store the
pump handle, which provides a guy line attachment for a cable to the
bed tie-downs or a nearby tree when I winch logs out of tangled piles.
I ruined a 1200 Lb boat trailer winch doing that, though better the
winch than the truck if I'd used an electric winch with no feel.

Aha. So you made a gin pole out of it. Good idea.


The rear bed bolts aren't far enough apart fore-aft to attach a large
base frame. When I lift a max load behind the truck the front crossbar
bends up from the leverage. I could reinforce it but it's a good
visible indicator of overload.

.jsw

This is what has been in my mind as I think about Iggy's application.

--
Ed Huntress

On May 20, 8:13*am, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
Yes! From decades of self-teaching, I can suggest my own solution: two or
three books, written by different authors, that explain the same thing in
different ways. ...

Ed Huntress

I've found that I need an intuitive explanation first to provide a
framework to file away the subsequent formulaic ones, which killed me
when I got to Laplace Transforms.

Unfortunately some good mathematicians have a limited ability to think
visually. My first physics teacher couldn't look at a sign support on
the front of a building and tell whether the diagonal brace was in
tension or compression. He had to solve the algebra and see the sign
of the result. A girlfriend's father who taught physics had quit
chemistry because he couldn't imagine the 3 dimensional molecular
structures.

She was a lovely, classy lady who didn't help me concentrate on math
and molecules either.

jsw

On May 20, 8:15*am, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
... I drilled a hole in the top of the crane's vertical post, to store the
pump handle, which provides a guy line attachment for a cable to the
bed tie-downs or a nearby tree ...

Aha. So you made a gin pole out of it. Good idea.

This is what has been in my mind as I think about Iggy's application.

Ed Huntress

The extra support doesn't add much total lifting capacity as the stake
pockets are just sheet metal and would be difficult to hammer back to
shape if damaged. The one-sided load on the leaf spring doesn't
change. I made an extension post for tall bulky loads like appliances
which stress the crane base from longer leverage rather than weight,
and benefit from the guy lines.

jsw