# Bumper hitch crane anyone?



## gemniii (Feb 13, 2012)

Has anyone used/built something like this to help get the logs/lumber into the bed of a truck?






Actually I want one for this truck.





I'm looking for something to hook up occasionally, rather than built in 24x7.


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## MHouse1028 (Feb 13, 2012)

i built one from a old engine crane and mounted it on the rear of my trailer it works really well...i'll see if i can find a picture


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## hamish (Feb 13, 2012)

If you are thinking about using your reciever hitch as its in the center of the vehicle it will be limited, even off set with out riggers your into more than a used trailer, with a lower deck that you can parbuckle you logs onto and stack them on once cut.

I can easily load 10' pine and spruce logs ont my trailer with my atv ramps and 20' of manila with just myself haling them up. The first time i tried it my idea was to get the log up to the ramps then use my atv to winch them up, bu the time i turned around the log was already 1/2 way up the ramps!


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## john taliaferro (Feb 13, 2012)

I got a harbor freight one and fitted a berring in the top , we use a hf 3000 lb winch . the post is welded to the bumper through the right rear corner of the bed f250 . It will lift 1200 or so .


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## n8ghz (Feb 13, 2012)

With your truck being 4-dr 1 ton dually, you have a pretty good base to work with. The problem is not wanting a crane on it permanently mounted, and I truly understand not wanting to do that on such a nice truck. What you may do, once you settle on what type of crane, could be to tie into the truck frame under the bed at say ... the right rear corner, and sandwich a steel plate in the bed bolted thru to the underneath structure. The inside of bed plate would not be unsightly when the crane was not on it and not have much effect on normal use of the bed. Of course, this would be more than a screwdriver/channel locks kind of fab job.

I don't have the problem of not wanting to mess up a nice daily-driver truck. I have a bucket-truck, and added a permanent crane to it's right-rear utility-bed compartment on top. I used an Autocrane 3203, like you see on highway service trucks,etc. I didn't put it on for logs, but it will surely do them.

A small jib crane should help you, mounted correctly.....don't want to screw that Ford up....

That setup on the white truck looks like it'd work. Inserted into the reese box and the crane offset. What I'd do with that setup is add an outrigger/tongue jack to the area at the crane base and make the crane post swivel. You'd have a 2-point mount (hitch & the ground). That pic looks like the whole structure swivels solely on the hitch?


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## porta mill (Feb 14, 2012)

I have a similar set up on my trailer that also ca be converted to fit in the back of mt class III hitch it works well . the only thing I would do different from the set up in the pic you posted is add a leg under the hoist for support .


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## gemniii (Feb 14, 2012)

hamish said:


> If you are thinking about using your reciever hitch as its in the center of the vehicle it will be limited, even off set with out riggers your into more than a used trailer, with a lower deck that you can parbuckle you logs onto and stack them on once cut.
> 
> I can easily load 10' pine and spruce logs ont my trailer with my atv ramps and 20' of manila with just myself haling them up. The first time i tried it my idea was to get the log up to the ramps then use my atv to winch them up, bu the time i turned around the log was already 1/2 way up the ramps!


Thanks but I've got an 18' 12K trailer. This was to get stuff into the truck bed.



porta mill said:


> I have a similar set up on my trailer that also ca be converted to fit in the back of mt class III hitch it works well . the only thing I would do different from the set up in the pic you posted is add a leg under the hoist for support .


Does it work well? Is it a DIY or a named brand? 
I'd definitely add a leg support under it.

Right now I've a couple of places on my land where I can drop some oak w/ about 20' of clear trunk. I was figuring I could load 2 or three on the trailer and then a couple of 10' chunks in the truck.

For logs the hoist would mainly be used to help my little tractor get one end up in the bed.

Also good for the occasional road kill.


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## Rosco (Feb 14, 2012)

The part you want to see starts at about 50 seconds in.

Western Mule Cranes - Demo Video

My former service trucks had cranes like these, different manufacturer.

Folds out of the way in a step bumper.
Always there, 60 second set up, never in the way.

Very handy, but the location let it collect a lot of crap and crud.

Tom


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## gemniii (Feb 14, 2012)

Rosco said:


> The part you want to see starts at about 50 seconds in.
> 
> Western Mule Cranes - Demo Video
> 
> ...



Yes, I saw that but it looked rather pricey. Ok if I had a business to justify and take the tax write off, not for full price.


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## hamish (Feb 14, 2012)

Do you have a full length bed on your dually F350? Just trying to figure out how to plan to hook up your trailer with the gate down or logs hanging out of the bed of the truck.

Seems we all are trying to find different ways to wrestle with logs. If yopu plan on using the crane to lift one end then push it on with your tractor....how are you getting them off?
Tail gate on or off for the loading and unloading operation?


I have some huge pines at my place I would luv to mill up, but unfortunately they arent being cut down as the first saw log I could handle with my equipment is over 30' up. A logistical nightmare.
The trees I want to mill I am looking at at eye lever and up, the rest of the tree is over 100' down the mountain.


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## gemniii (Feb 14, 2012)

hamish said:


> Do you have a full length bed on your dually F350?


Yup, shortbeds on 350 duallies are rare. F350 Short Bed Dually vs regular F350 Dually - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums



hamish said:


> Seems we all are trying to find different ways to wrestle with logs. If yopu plan on using the crane to lift one end then push it on with your tractor


nope. winch to pull them on


hamish said:


> ....how are you getting them off?


Wrap a chain around and drive off if necessary.


hamish said:


> Tail gate on or off for the loading and unloading operation?
> <snip>


probably off. It unhooks too easily.

I've also got little things like my Woodmizer LT10 mast I could use it for.




I had been planning on trying to jury rig my engine hoist to my trailer hitch.

Sometimes ramps up to the bed are very clumsy and a near vertical lift works better.


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## hamish (Feb 14, 2012)

Whatever you find is going to work for you!

Myself I have found that parbuckling onto the trailer and making two trips is faster than trying to get something into the bed of the truck, as saves the truck for the occasional oops.

I like the shed/garage/structure your Lt10 is in, and noticed the guy wires.......have any other pics of the construction of it?


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## porta mill (Feb 14, 2012)

the crane I have is one from harbor freight that mounts in the back of the truck . I welded some 2x2x 1/4 square stock in the shape of a big Z shape and welded a plate to it that I mount the crane to . here is my original version first made this up to pull well the pitless adapter out of the well ceasing then made it fit the truck , no pictures of that version .but it gives you the idea.


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## ShermanC (Feb 18, 2012)

*All things considered look at the YT videos for using a Lewis Winch.*



porta mill said:


> the crane I have is one from harbor freight that mounts in the back of the truck . I welded some 2x2x 1/4 square stock in the shape of a big Z shape and welded a plate to it that I mount the crane to . here is my original version first made this up to pull well the pitless adapter out of the well ceasing then made it fit the truck , no pictures of that version .but it gives you the idea.


I read all the posts on this thread and they all seem practical ideas to meet the needs for each person that replied. I have known about the chainsaw-powered Lewis Winch from Vancouver, BC. For the cost this machine is what I need for its power and versatility. I have three large chainsaws so I already have the power supply to run one. The solution is simple...save up the $ and get one. Two recent jobs I've done in tree service could have been done easier and faster
with a winch pulling the loads.
Keep us posted!


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## gemniii (Feb 19, 2012)

porta mill said:


> the crane I have is one from harbor freight that mounts in the back of the truck . I welded some 2x2x 1/4 square stock in the shape of a big Z shape and welded a plate to it that I mount the crane to . here is my original version first made this up to pull well the pitless adapter out of the well ceasing then made it fit the truck , no pictures of that version .but it gives you the idea.


Yes, it gives me an idea. In your pic I see a square tube on the side of your hitch - 





Very similar to mine





My hitch tube is big enough to hold my receiver.

Now I'm thinking of trying to either fabricate a platform to hold a crane being primarily supported at the hitch side and center tube, or perhaps some A-frame type structure getting support from both sides of the hitch.


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## Pcoz88 (Nov 8, 2014)

Any body got one of these,now?


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