First Build: Tractor Crane for FEL

[PhilCase]

I have a New Holland TC30 that has been a great little tractor for me. A few months ago it was whispering that it wanted a new house. So I'm currently building a 24x56 pole barn for it's pleasure. The next step in the barn build are the roof trusses. I need to lift the trusses and place them on top of the headers since my truss builder does not do building-top delivery.

The FEL on my TC30 can only reach up about 10 ft, so I decided to rig up a crane-like boom to allow me to hoist the trusses up above the building to set them in place. I wanted to keep the rig as simple as possible, with a quick breakdown and minimal tooling. The rig I came up uses a 14 ft pipe to give me a total working lift height of about 22 ft, cost less than $100 total, and only took a couple of hours to rig up. When finished the pipe used for the boom will be recycled into steel corner fence posts. I'll keep the rigging for possible future needs as my wife is whispering about her new house.

I was initially concerned about the hydraulics being able to handled a "leveraged" load on the end of a boom, but I weigh about twice what a single truss weighs, so after this test I'm confident the FEL will live up to the requirements of this task.

A slide-show of the entire build is available for anyone interested.

Phil

 

[jayste]

Very nice. I'll be watching for the truss mounting video!:thumbsup:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I've thought about doing something similar, except in my head the bucket would be replaced with the boom attachment.

How are you going to hook onto the trusses? Do have have another cable or hook planned for the end of the boom?

 

[mmurphy]

:welcome: We all like pictures! I am curious do you really have powers to hear what your tractor is saying!!!!!! People get t.v. shows for that!!:laughing:

 

[Defective]

I understand that hearing the wife is even more amazing...

 

[jlrsn]

Pretty neat and I would say overbuilt!! I've been going to build me a Boom Attachment welded to a Quick Attach Plate that I bought for my L39. I might only have to use it a couple of times a year so It's been on the back burner with other priorities first. I've lifted thousands of trusses over the years with my helicopters before I retired and I'd usually take a stack at a time.
Good luck,
Jim

 

[kevinj]

I see several safety issues with this set up.

 

[mmurphy]

I understand that hearing the wife is even more amazing...

IMPOSSIBLE!!!

 

[PhilCase]

I see several safety issues with this set up.

The main issue that I'm aware of is that there is nothing, other than the roll bar of the tractor to protect the operator in the event one tilts the bucket too far back causing the boom to want to come back past vertical.

This issue is one that I plan to manage through my own vigilance.

I would be interested in knowing what the other safety issues are that you see?

Thanks,

Phil

 

[mbohuntr]

You may wish to do the physics before you lift. I'm not sure how much you know already, but your front tires are acting as a folcrum, and the weight of the truss plus attachment times the HORIZONTAL distance needs to be less than the total weight times the same distance toward the rear. (not the tractor weight only)
Truss weight x distance foward needs to be less than tractor center mass weight (given as a distance from the Tires)+ attachment weight at center mass x distance. Be safe, do a test for stability first... (I can't wait for the pics either, I've thought about a boom pole attachment for the FEL myself.) I missed the over center possibilities!!! I ran a bobcat once or twice and discovered that!!

 

[PhilCase]

You may wish to do the physics before you lift. I'm not sure how much you know already, but your front tires are acting as a folcrum, and the weight of the truss plus attachment times the HORIZONTAL distance needs to be less than the total weight times the same distance toward the rear. (not the tractor weight only)
Truss weight x distance foward needs to be less than tractor center mass weight (given as a distance from the Tires)+ attachment weight at center mass x distance. Be safe, do a test for stability first... (I can't wait for the pics either, I've thought about a boom pole attachment for the FEL myself.)

Agreed. My first test was intentionally designed to represent a "beyond operational limits" test by putting my own weight (2X operating load) at the end of the boom in a horizontal (maximum leverage) position. At this weight and attitude, there is no predisposition for the tractor to want to tilt.

The other issue one must consider is lateral (skew) forces that could cause sideways tractor tilt. These will be managed via operator attention. This will be a lift and lower, not a swinging-load apparatus.

Once I get my pully-block put together I will certainly do some addl load tests before I start working with the trusses.

Phil

 

[mbohuntr]

Sounds like you got a good handle on it!!! Now I GOTTA see the video!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[PhilCase]

How are you going to hook onto the trusses? Do have have another cable or hook planned for the end of the boom?

My plan is to do a double block-and-tackle (5:1) on the end of the boom. It will have a hook on the end of it that will go to a Y cable that will attach to the trusses at the two top mid-scissor points.

 

[SARG]

Looks like the job may require a helmet.

I've always found a couple pals to help walk the trusses in ...set them on the plate upside down and flip them up in position.

Last time it was my wife and my dad ..... boy, that was thirty years ago !!

 

[kevinj]

The main issue that I'm aware of is that there is nothing, other than the roll bar of the tractor to protect the operator in the event one tilts the bucket too far back causing the boom to want to come back past vertical.

This issue is one that I plan to manage through my own vigilance.

I would be interested in knowing what the other safety issues are that you see?

Thanks,

Phil

I would not use that thing up high unless it was firmly attached to the bucket at ALL points with ridgid structure.

I had one years back that replaced the bucket as Egon said. You will experience jerky control out that far if you have to use the bucket tilt.

 

[PhilCase]

You will experience jerky control out that far if you have to use the bucket tilt.

I understand, and agree, with your point. It is my plan to not to use the bucket tilt at height with load. This is why there will be a pulley system on the end of the boom. The raising and lowering of the "load" will be done via the block-and-tackle apparatus. Once raised the tractor will move into position with the trusses turned askew to the headers, then trued and lowered via the block-and-tackle.

Thanks for the feedback.

Phil

 

[greasemonkeyok]

A number of people are killed every year running metal things, raised dump trucks, ladders, gin poles, etc into overhead electrical lines. Stay clear and be safe.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You will have no problem. I did the same thing lifting 40' trusses for my neighbor using my Jinma 25 HP tractor and FEL. We used a small I beam we had and I welded a hook on the end made out of 5/8" rebarb. 4 ratchet straps and a piece of plywood in the bucket cut to size to hold the foot end of the I beam in place and we lifted and set all the trusses in few hours with a crew of 5.

Chris

 

[jlrsn]

The cables are overkill for the weight that is being lifted and no further rigid structure is needed. An additional cable restricting the upwards motion of your FEL would take care of lifting too high over center. When you tested your setup with you sitting on the end of the boom you didn't account for your weight sitting in your seat which will be an added counterbalance. You can make this as difficult as you want it but I would just put a hook on the end of your boom and lift the trusses into position with the FEL. Have someone unhook your truss when in position. You're complicating the operation with a block and tackle. I've lifted thousands of loads with both helicopters and cranes and have never dropped a load or injured anyone!!
Just do it!!
Jim

 

[Scotty370]

Thanks for the photo documentary! I'm facing the same task this summer an just today, was looking for weld on hooks for my bucket at TSC. I was going to opt for the trailer receiver type set up on the top edge of the bucket. But my Markham tooth bar just came yesterday, and with the five teeth, (one dead center) it would be a natural for this design. My plan would be to 'lift-only' with the FEL. IE no tractor movement. I've got a backhoe on it, so I'm thinking place the tractor inside the barn footprint, set the outriggers, extend the hoe bucket-arm directly to the rear for max counterbalance, and raise and rotate each truss to rest on the headers. with low throttle, I'm thinking I could do this without need for a block and tackle. Thanks again! ~Scotty