I am outfitting my new to me 2005 Chevy C4500 flatbed for farm repair duty. I bought the truck with the primary ability to put a crane, welder and my tools on it and still pull my gooseneck trailer with it so a service body was out (don't like them anyway). I used a hydraulic Liftmore extendaboom type crane at my previous day job and that style would be fine plus more readily available. Some of their weak points I dealt with give me pause though. I however, believe I would prefer the older cable boom and hoist crane design that some local mechanics have on older trucks, but can't find any of them or what they are called, on the internet. What would I search for and are they a good or bad choice if I could find one. It won't be used often but is indispensable when needed. I have also been mulling over the idea of building a knuckleboom type from a small excavator or ditchwitch arm.
You mean like gin poles
This is what I think you are talking about.
The problem I see with it is length. The boom is over 8' Are you planning on having it on the front of the flatbed sideways? Or make a big pedestal and have it pointing to your front bumper?
B and B auto crane has some the last time I talked to him he is a small shop that rebuilds them I buy most my autocrain parts from way cheaper than anyone I have found
I like the idea of the winch & gin poles as Firemanmike69 posted . Simple yet stout and can be stowed away so the bed can be utilized for other tasks . I set up my first service truck almost 25 years ago . Damn time fly's ! Used a 1974 Ford F-350 chassis & 1987 knapheide body . Ended up building an electric / cable crane similar to auto crane . It's pretty handy having the controls in hand while removing or setting something .
What caterpillermech posted is what I am looking for. I have an 11' flatbed and would like to mount it at either the front or back passenger corner on a heavy plate base. Gin poles would work but maneuverability becomes an issue as the whole truck must be moved.
Check out any local truck builders or heavy equipment repair shops. Both usually have something laying around off an old truck.
Had a service truck years back with one of those Auto-Crane electric models. Nothing but a PIthe***. If it wasn`t burning up relays, the series-paralell switch was giving you fits, or the battery connections would corrode. Not the best design by a long shot, but if the price is right.
There is a nice autocrane 4004EH on ebay, and there is an outfit in Texas that had used 3016 imt cranes. Sounds like an electric crane would work best for your application
I really like my knuckle boom crane. You can find them cheap used
I built a small crane on my flat bed pickup that is mounted on the rearcorner of the bed that i can steal pull a gooseneck with it on there. It is all manual hand crank winch. After using it and finding out just how handy it is i would like to have something better.I have a 2ton truck with ginpoles and have had a pickup with them. If it is just once in a while deal they would be ok for mechanic work and it would be alot cheaper because all you would need is a good winch and if you used 2 winches one to work the poles it would be alot better. A good setup would be priceless in what it could save in back power.
WRW, the cranes your looking for are the original Autocrane's There was a 14' ft boom that lifted 4k called the Workhorse. The 17-19' was called the draft horse and lifts 6k. When they discontinued it the model was called a 6006e. I took the 19' one off of a F700 and put it on my 95 superduty. The boom is even with the front bumper. These cranes only weigh 5-600 lbs so the truck doesn't even feel it any other crane capable of 6k weighs at least 1500lbs. I just replaced all the cables for $85.00 but that's where the cheap parts stop. Parts are hard to come by and expensive, also like Craig said if you don't use these regular the solenoids/motors etc get stuck. 24 volt electric system runs off the truck battery and it's own battery. I worked for Holt that's all they put on our trucks simple crane, good when they're working. Little long in the tooth nowadays The two caterpillarmech posted where in McAllen 6000.00 each. Cheapest I've found them is around 3000.00 as is. They come up on Craigslist every once in a while but usually attached to some real POS.
I hve a 5000 lb autocrane for sale
Considering what soothappens had to say about the original design, I may be better off looking for a later Auto Crane or Lift Moore electric over hydraulic. Ohiofleet, as there are many miles between us, I will try to luck onto something local as I'm not in a hurry, but others on here may be interested. Thanks!
The electric over hydraulic are more compact. You could put one right benind the cab and store it across the front of the bed and it would be out of the way of your goose neck.
Does anyone know anything about thus crane i bought it says drafthorse on the side and has an auto crane control but they can’t Find out nothing about it i would love to find a wiring diagram
I hadn't seen an Autocrane that small before and it has hydraulics? All the ones I've used were cable and 24 volt electric that used a series parallel switch to run it. I never did find a wiring diagram for them and just had to chase the wiring out to figure out how it worked. There was a bit of head scratching over the years. Yours looks a whole lot newer than what I've worked on.
Thanks yes Eletric over hydrolic
I am stumped
If its not a big deal would you show the end of the boom? What are you going to put it on it will be handy?
I'm starting to think its a military/Government contract unit. possibly a re-brand from a different manufacturer?
Yes I will get pics of the boom I mounted it on my 18’ trailer
The boom comes out and you put a pin in it to stay out
Bingo, that is an AutoCrane product, in the top pic you can see the brake and release arm for the hoist just below the turntable in the little door. It has the two holes for the emergency hand crank in the brake drum.
I contacted auto crane and they said they could find nothing on it i was trying to find a manual
I found this one it looks similar only minus the hydraulic cylinder It’s in the legacy manuals on autocranes site. https://autocrane.us/wp-content/uploads/Backsaver-Junior-Senior-CB-12-CAB-12-1186.pdf
I’ve owned a few Auto Crane “classics” and as far as parts go you’re on your own. BC cranes I think it is, carries a lot of parts for the older ones.
If you could use small hyd winches on those Autocrane electric cranes i think would be great.
I've had three trucks that had them. The cranes just kept getting switched to new trucks and generally the motors and wiring had to be really rotten before anyone sent them to the bone yard. I liked each one I had. When the first hydraulics came out I hated them for the boom down control. Little valve on the boom wasn't specific per load. Set it so the boom came down easy with nothing on it and then look out when a big load was there. The new stuff though is fantastic compared to what I started out working with. Hand jack boom, manual swing and only 2,500 pounds with the boom nearly straight up.