Thank you so much for posting this. I was just under my Ford trying to figure out how to make this work and your video was spot on. I will only be lifting 125-300 pounds so this set up should work for me as well.
Thank you for the inspiration and sharing, your ingenuity of custom fabrication was appreciated. The location possibilities are endless, agreed you need to bolt it better/modify it. I found lift height can be improved. The failure points on my harbor freight crane was the hand crank winch and at the posts on the taller, gray model. My solution was to sleeve the tall post with an outer pipe of stronger gauge metal. It was my fault, i release the bottle jack way too quick. The weakest part of this lift system is the hand-crank- user beware, I am now Installing a power winch. Should help both failures. $160, taller gray model mounted to 2 of the bed frame rails by the drivers side cab. 13 gmc 2500Then added $120 in an 18" pipe extension and aluminum plate that has a hole cut out to support the post higher up..
Your bed liner introduces instability into the mix. The taller crane version would extend above the bed walls. One might fab an anchor from the bed stake pockets to a collar around the crane post (below the rotating top tube) to fix the crane horizontally at the height of the bed wall. That eliminates much of the rotation moment on the original bolts through the bed.
I did the same thing, but used a piece of 6 in. steel channel (because I had it already). Makes it really solid, no give when I picked up a 700 lb. saw.
Hey Sam, I landed on your video by accident. Just one thing, don't be ashamed or feel the need to hide your leg issue from the world, it makes you no less of a man. Perhaps you would inspire an even larger group of people who think that because they have a disability they can't still do stuff! Cheers Tom
I can tell you for sure I do all my work from my waist up my legs are no use for working have to use a wheelchair or walker but I can still pull engine or transmission in or out might take awhile put if can do my last one when I turn 70 I'll hang up my wrenches
Appreciate the video from 9 years ago lol but same issue, everything I buy for my dodge never fits the way it should. Wanted this to get boulders I can’t lift. Or get them out of my truck after buying them.
Great video, good job finding solutions to everyday issues. I too am in a wheelchair. I'm fully confined though. I have a wheelchair crane in the back of my truck and can't live without the independence that it brings. I noticed the issue that you had with the jack... Have you ever considered a Linear Actuator for the lifting and lowering? It would need to be hard wired into your trucks electrical system, but it would make your life a lot easier..
Looking forward to install , 150-175 # generator , at 70 , I need all the help I can get . Turn loading , into a one man operation . Thanks for the info 👍 ...
You didn't show us how/where to screw the metal plates. but that'll work for many uses. also, a taller one would be even better. Thanks for sharing my brother 🙏
these things work great once they are securely mounted like you did, i had the same issues, I can swivel my jack, don't know if yours will or not since I have the older orange model..
ya mine workers great now. its one of those things that if i new how much i would have used it i would have bought it a long time ago .my dad went and got one too and he loves it. it swivels too thanks for waching
Hey Sam, I noticed you dont have a tailgate anti-thief protection device. Put a hose clamp around the right side hinge to prevent some take it away....
The metal you used is more that thick enough! I use a Invacare chair that is heavier than yours and I have a Bruno lift in the bed that lifts and swings the chair around to my door and nothing about it Is close to as heavy as the HF hoist plus it is electric. Mine is rated at 500lbs you're good!
Shows you that the designer of the crane cut corners, appealing to unaware customers imaginations and not adding an extra plate to the “tiny” base that is guaranteed to not work unless mounted in concrete..
H-Freight useta have a Reese receiver lift gate thingy. It was something I thought about getting but seriously when they sold that product I was a true Hoss. I could lift most engines or transmissions into a truck and didn't think I needed a lift gate. Several back surgeries later and a dead mans knee joint from my last motorcycle wreck and I'm using any mechanical help I can get. Do you or anyone else reading have any knowledge of that lift they use to sell? Like you I still build things but my mobility , strength has left me.
make a small t-handle out of pipe to release the pressure, two small notches to slide over the two pins at the end of the pipe tool,tie it to the hydraulic cylinder ,so its always there.
Just a thought, but if you mounted it on the left side of the truck, the handle would have been accessible. Or, reverse the cylinder, if possible, in the current arrangement.
ya i have since figured out that i need to turn it toward me before it has weight and i cut down the handle which helps too. thanks for the comment and for watching
@@JunkworksGarage Mine too, but it's worn out and I have to replace it and it doesn't have plugs. Amazon has it but they look a little weird Hahaha. Thank you
as long you are putting that piece of plate between the mount and the bed floor you should be fine. if done correctly you'll distribute the weight evenly and the sob will be fine. I'd upgrade all your nuts and bolts to at least a Grade 5. I wouldn't trust those china bolts. just my 2 cents. good job Sam.
I am from Hawaii... so there is no H.F. Here.... some guy stopped me and offered me a ridiculous amount to buy it off my truck,,, right there..... I figured I could build my own, knowing what I needed... but the top vertical piece would be something I might find. From a former H.F. Crane owner might have. Cause I know if you put enough weight on it, the boom fails. Thx for the reply.
thanks for the call out it's been so long i didn't even remember that. and i don't think i've had a problem with that since i will have to an update on that
Ain't nothing wrong with most harbor freight tools I've using them for about 15yrs with very little complains you can't find any U.S. made tools anyway everything we use is made in China got no choice
i was still new at editing and probably cut it on accident. i do show it pivoting in the end but i plan on rebuilding this set up and making it better but its still working good
