Mods to a shop/engine crane

[DaveH]

Finished   When I was in the shop buying the paint .......... looked the same colour
Put the bigger wheels on - moves a lot better. At least it will help taking the strain off my back

   

DaveH

[DaveD]

I have one of those generic cranes and let me tell you that you are 'playing with fire' if you attempt to have the lift arm load point anywhere close or beyond the center line of the front casters. The littlest pebble that will stop a wheel will cause the load to swing and the instant it goes past the caster center you will be riding the back of the crane up in the air until the load hits the ground. It all happens in slow motion too.

Then as the load heads toward the ground the upper part of the crane starts moving in funny directions downward and can destroy whatever it comes into contact with. In my case it ever so slightly bent the top portion of a expensive racing distributor

Be careful with those swivel casters because the load point for the caster is its axle centerline. You can easily lose 4 to 6 inches in crane wheelbase based on which way the casters are pointing.

You will also note that the max load rating is with the crane boom arm retracted and not extended.

Bottom line...be careful and understand and pay attention to how the crane has to be set up for heavier loads.

Lastly bigger casters will almost make the crane useless for doing engine swaps in cars. I've had to go the opposite way on casters and remount them so I had minimal ground clearance on the bottom of the crane.

[DaveH]

Thanks DaveD, I will be careful  
I have used it a couple of times taking the 6 ton log splitter on and off the welding table, which weighs perhaps 80lbs. A 2 ton engine crane was a bit of an over kill, it just looked so much better made than the 1 ton one. 120lbs is probably the heaviest load I will lift on and of the table - the 3 ton arbor press.

As for taking an engine out the car       I'll just go and buy a new car  
 
DaveH

[Highpower]

(08-28-2015, 02:26 PM)DaveD Wrote: I have one of those generic cranes and let me tell you that you are 'playing with fire' if you attempt to have the lift arm load point anywhere close or beyond the center line of the front casters. The littlest pebble that will stop a wheel will cause the load to swing and the instant it goes past the caster center you will be riding the back of the crane up in the air until the load hits the ground. It all happens in slow motion too.

All excellent points DaveD.  

Fear not however, because knowing DaveH - I'm certain he will have a counterweight system drawn up and ready to weld in short order.  

He usually ends up OVER building most everything.  

[John S.]

I know this post is about cranes but I have the same problem when installing new bench top CNC mills and even though I have a crane I hardly ever use it and much prefer to use two of the hydraulic lifting tables. I say two because often I have to negotiate steps and I put one table one side and the other table at the opposite level then bring the tables up to equal hight and slide the machine across with a steel plate between the two.

Add to this those cranes can't move thru single doorways, they are far too wide.

TBH now I have these tables I wonder how I worked without them. They are a means to lift and move things, a work bench that is always at the correct hight and have to convieniance of being able to be moved easy.

[krv3000]

a job well dun