Thread: 6 x 4 trailer crane

Has anyone mounted one of these "ute cranes" to a trailer?(basically an engine crane with a swivel base mount instead of cantilever legs)
I plan on fitting one to my 6x4 trailer and wondering if anyone had been down that path before.
Largest thing I plan on lifting ATM is 60kg although the crane is rated for 900kgs.
https://toolswarehouse.com.au/produc...-lifting-crane

I may be going off a little early as the crane hasn't even been posted yet. Ordered on the 27th of last month, so maybe its not coming lol

Looks good
Where on the trailer are you planning to mount it?

Something I find frustrating with engine cranes of similar style is the horizontal load movement when raising and lowering the load. May not be an issue with what you’re planning to lift, but adding something like a small cable winch or using a lever block on the end of the arm gives you a way of getting purely vertical lift

I’ve often considered putting a small crane on the tray of my ute, but considering my lust for the full hydraulic telescopic arm versions I see often while commuting it’s better I don’t start…

Steve

Hi Stu, I've not actually fitted one, but have seen a few that have been done.
You haven't stated but where are you thinking of mounting it, in the trailer tub, off to one side, or on the drawbar? What is the sub structure made from, can the bracing be attached to it securely,
If it's in the trailer tub, it would need to be well supported with cross bracing underneath. I would probably use 75X50X6mm angle with the 75mm web down, spaced so that the bolts would go into the 50mm from the mounting plate. If mounting on the drawbar, I'd be using the same thing running across it, with possible some form of end angled/rounded plating, to the edge of the drawbar. A pic where it's to be fitted would help with recommendations.
My reasoning for the heavy angle, is who knows what's going to be loaded into it?
A son/neighbour may want to borrow it to load a tractor engine with it!!!
HTH
Kryn

I would also add that as it is rated to lift 900kg, that is 900kg downwards force on the trailer (frame) somewhere. If mounted on the drawbar, it's also on the hitch. I would consider a hydraulic jack or something underneath as a support foot so the downwards force goes through that to the ground rather than the (relatively) thin sheet of the trailer.

Michael

Outrigger beams with adjustable legs are probably needed too, otherwise there'd be a risk of tipping the trailer over.
Maybe some RHS sliding beams mounted just in front of the tub?

Thanks Michael and Jordan, I forgot to mention those points last night.

I mounted one of these to my F150 cab chassis ute many moons ago. The crane was positioned in the the front left corner of the tray with a removable setup that had the base plate welded to a length of 75x75 angle that spanned the width of the 2m tray, plus a piece that ran about 600mm down the length of the tray. Worked well and was very handy. I eventually added a 12V winch with a pulley added where the chain and hook is. Made loading stuff considerably faster.

Personally, I avoid angle iron like the plague for anything structural as it has nowhere near the rigidity of box sections. In a previous life, I fitted many hydraulic cranes ranging from little 500Kg @ 1m models through to models that were rated for 750Kg @ 17M. Typically, the smaller models were fitted to a subframe made of RHS, that had the stabilisers incorporated in many cases and the crane base bolted down to the RHS subframe via welded on and gusseted flat bar mounts. I have attached a PDF of the spec sheet for a 500Kg @ 1M model which gives some reference to how far out from the Centerline of the crane the stabiliser should extend and also the sections used by a "proper" crane manufacturer.
I know that the crane you have purchased has AS 1418 compliance, but for my money, those rated capacities should probably be cut by 40-50% based on the standard of welding I've seen on those Chinese sourced units.
You will definitely want some form of stabilisers when mounted to a trailer or ute.
https://maxilift.com.au/wp-content/u.../M50_2_ERS.pdf

Thank you all.

A lot to think about. Rather than butcher your posts I'll just try and answer all the questions.

I haven't planned to mount it anywhere, I was trying to copy someone elses homework Though I have run a few idea around in me head.
Where the A frame meets the trailer frame would seem like a good start, but I haven't even looked under there as yet.

Some thoughts I have had so far.
I have purchased a 3500lb winch(the smallest I could find that didn't look like it would fall apart). The idea is to derate it with a 50amp circuit breaker*(really rough early testing says 50amp will lift about 60kg on the last wrap, so about 125kgs if I'm ever lifting something up a 10m cliff). Of course that wouldn't stop someone using the ram to lift heavier items(I wonder how adjustable the pressure relief valve is?). I'd also had a thought about replacing the ram with a couple of lengths of sq tube drilled for a pin, as pumping these things up from "parked" is somewhat slow.


I'm not so sure about the prop/outrigger. I like the idea of the trailer starting to lean when you are asking a bit much from it, but don't like the idea of the load moving on the pivot if the crane leans. I guess it comes down to how successful the derating is.


*That's all the truck wiring is rated for anyway. Their rating is a little more optimistic than mine as the wire "looks" to be about the same size and the max current for the winch is 130amp.

You should be able to just manually lift the boom up from “parked. Definitely works that way with my engine crane. The same check valve that allows oil into the pump allows it to pull straight through to the ram if you extend it manually with the release valve closed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by OxxAndBert

You should be able to just manually lift the boom up from “parked.

I did try this once and it didn't work so well, though my hoist was a little strange, I swear it used to lift to full height and never leaked oil but after trying that it wouldn't lift to full height. I checked the oil and from memory it took at least 300ml. Seems I should try it again.

I've built a crane just like that onto my 6x4 trailer a long time ago. I positioned it very close to the left front corner of the trailer to have lots of reach outside the trailer, as well as across most of the trailer surface. I fitted a removable hydraulic stabiliser leg on the same corner pointing outwards at an angle. That turned out to be necessary on the very first try to lift some stumps onto the trailer unsuccessfully. After that was fitted it worked like a charm. I have lifted engines, machinery and timber with it - probably at around 250kg maximum weight.
DON'T try to load anything without the trailer hitched to a car!

Thanks Joe So I'm not completely crazy then lol
I came across a couple of old threads as well but most of the pictures are gone.

Also its been to weeks and its still not posted so who knows when I will get the thing.

Damn steel has got pricey out East of Melb, the place I used to use has been sold and the guy isn't really doing retail. $108 for a length of 25sq 2.5mm with 12 cuts $108.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Damn steel has got pricey out East of Melb, the place I used to use has been sold and the guy isn't really doing retail. $108 for a length of 25sq 2.5mm with 12 cuts $108.

As you can imagine it's almost impossible to quote a job that may be set for starting in 2025.
Where I'm still working, we have work orders at this stage, till June 2023!!
Not sure how much profit the business will make at the end of it, as prices continually rise, but we can't tie any suppliers down to a fixed price. Something like 90% of it comes from O/S.

https://www.google.com/search?q=what...hrome&ie=UTF-8
According to Associated Builders and Contractors, “Steel mill product prices have increased 141.6% since October 2020, while iron and steel prices are up 101.5%.

HTH
Kryn

Originally Posted by Stustoys

I'm not so sure about the prop/outrigger. I like the idea of the trailer starting to lean when you are asking a bit much from it, but don't like the idea of the load moving on the pivot if the crane leans.

The trouble is Stu, once the trailer leans, the load is likely to swing, and the more the trailer leans, the more the load is likely to swing, you have a situation with positive feedback and a potential runaway on your hands. That is why real cranes are carefully levelled before lifting a load.
Ideally some mechanism to control the swing would also be employed to prevent such runaway sequences happening, but some form of outriggers with jacking ability to level the trailer before lifting would be a good start.