Receiver Crane

[Hank Chinaski]

I made this a few years back and thought ya'll might like to see it and have use for it.

It started as a $75 harborfreight in the bed (over the wheelwell hoist). FWIW they are a pain to install as they are supposed to use supports under the bed (not included) that go from the side of your bed to the frame. Most folks just bolt it thru the bed and tear up their beds. I never got around to making the supports and came up with this use instead.

I simply welded a 2" box tube to the bottom of the mount and placed a hole for the lynch pin for the receiver.

The crane can swivel (and lock) from side to side, as well as extend 7' up in the air and will hold approx 4-500 lbs when in the extended position and more when compressed.

Note:
Receiver hitches are rated by Class, and their tongue weights are as follows:
1 : 200lbs
2 : 350lbs
3 : 500lbs
4 : 1000lbs
5 : 1250lbs
They are rated to hold this weight at highway speeds. At slower/crawl speeds like you would use with this crane setup, you can hold more, but "more" is subjective and up to you. I'm not taking the blame if you manage to lift a ton, and drive across the yard and it rips your receiver out of your truck :msp_biggrin:

It's really a simple setup and helps quite a bit being a gimp and usually working alone.

Here's the pics:

 

[Hank Chinaski]

and here it is working on a military engine driven air compressor (approx 350-400lbs):

I was able to place it right next to the other compressor against the wall on the right, without killing/straining myself, or needing a friend to come over to help for such a small job.

 

[Big_Al]

My neighbor has something like that, I think he got it at cabelas for loading deer/elk into the back of his truck. Has to remove the tailgate to load big stuff into the back though, doesn't have enough room to open it.

 

[rarefish383]

That's pretty cool. If you extended your 2" box tubing far enough for the tailgate to open, put a "T" on the end, and then made 2 drop down feet for out riggers you could pick up a little more. For that matter if you just put one drop down foot on the end to take a little weight off the hitch. Anyway, it looks like you have a right nice load on it with that compressor. Yep, cool, Joe.