FEL Boom Conversion from Engine Hoist

[downsizingnow48]

I have had an old Harbor Freight two ton engine hoist for about 20 years, a good tool. But I don't use it anymore, and I was thinking of putting it on Craigslist. Then I saw a thread here where someone planned to mount a small crane on their FEL. That made me think, I could do the same. Then I would have a very useful adjustable boom instead of a not-very-useful engine hoist.

So I grafted the engine hoist onto a SSQA plate.

Three pieces of the hoist tubing had to be cut to make parts for the boom. Photo 1.

I got a cylinder from Surplus Center with about the same collapsed length and stroke as the hoist jack. The cylinder is 1.5" bore, smaller than the jack, but adequate for my purposes. The rod end clevis was 2" wide vs the 1 3/4" opening in the hoist. So I sawed off 1/8" from each side. Photo 2.

The SSQA plate is sandwiched between the hoist mast and the back brace, using two 5/8" bolts, with heavy duty plate washers to spread the load. Photo 3.

The finished boom works as planned. Photo 4 and 5.

I need to get some longer hoses, the ones on there now are too short. Other than that, the boom is done. It took longer to paint it than to make it.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Real nice looking set up. Congrats. Course you already know to be careful on getting to much weight up front, high, or on unlevel ground.

The jib hydraulic cylinder is operated by. The tractors hydraulics ?

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thx for the note. Yes some time ago I installed an auxiliary valve on the fender, and ran lines to the FEL. Had a grapple in mind. Still don't have the grapple, but the hydraulics are already there for the jib.

 

[Fallon]

Engine joists are usually rated for a ton or 2. Most CUTS top out around a ton of loader lift. And that boom would shift weight well forward. Make sure you have max rear ballast & don't overload your machine.

 

[stingray1]

Nice build,thanks for the info and pics.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Safety issues are very important. It would be easy to get in trouble with this jib. Reading up on the internet, I found a handful of folks with small tractors, who have mounted a three point boom to a quick attach plate, or to a quick attach 3pt adapter. But commercially, what there is, is three point booms for tractors and ssqa booms for skid steers. For good reason no doubt.

My B21 gets a bit tippy just raising a bucket of debris up to 7ft to dump into my dump trailer. I routinely use the backhoe for balance, extended behind or to one side or the other.

One advantage to the engine hoist conversion, is that I can plant the FEL solidly on the ground, lower the backhoe outriggers, extend the backhoe behind, and then have a pretty stable platform for lifting stuff up with the hoist rather than the FEL. I can then back the pickup or trailer underneath the load. Used in that manner, the hoist can handle about 900 pounds, more than I would ever need to lift.

Moving around with a load, with the FEL off the ground, would be a whole different kettle of fish. I would want to shorten the jib all the way and limit to a couple hundred pounds, carried right at ground level, with one hand on the valve lever for a quick load dump if needed.

Anyway I have thought about safe operations and welcome the advice and cautions.

 

[skyhook]

Nice, think of all the attachments you could put at the end of it, a man lift for cutting tree branches,
or roof work etc. I like it.:thumbsup:

 

[blackrams]

I built a boom for my three point and have used it several times to load/move things that were too big to manhandle. I like this idea. Not sure I want to put it on the front although that would be very doable. The reason I like it is because my current boom (at times) doesn't go quite high enough to get what ever I'm handling up to the level I want it. An example would be the RV generator I recently placed on the back of my pickup. Lifting it from the top of the generator was no problem and well within the weight limits of the tractor/boom but, I couldn't get it quite high enough to clear the bed. Ended up placing some 4 inch blocks on the ground and backed the tractor (rear) tires up onto the blocks which allowed me to successfully back the pickup under the load.

Unloading was a whole different issue. Took four grown men to manhandle the dang thing off my pickup. But, having such a boom as you have built would be a real advantage. Cool Tool!!! :drink:

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks for the notes. Yes getting heavy items in and out of the pickup was a big part of what I had in mind with the conversion. And also tree trimming, I have an old Remington electric pole saw that I already test-fitted. It will be dead easy to trim branches up pretty high. Photo below gives a better idea of the boom in relation to the tractor.

 

[NCMau]

Thanks for the notes. Yes getting heavy items in and out of the pickup was a big part of what I had in mind with the conversion. And also tree trimming, I have an old Remington electric pole saw that I already test-fitted. It will be dead easy to trim branches up pretty high. Photo below gives a better idea of the boom in relation to the tractor.

In my opinion it would be a lot more useful and safer to adapt the engine hoist for a 3PT implement. I have been using mine for few years and it is the one that I usually have attached. There is an optional 3500 lb. winch for accurate positioning. One of the things I love with this setup is that when the boom is retracted it is not taking much room in the back, making my tractor shorter. If you have a loader, you already have the lifting functions anyway.

 

[blackrams]

In my opinion it would be a lot more useful and safer to adapt the engine hoist for a 3PT implement. I have been using mine for few years and it is the one that I usually have attached. There is an optional 3500 lb. winch for accurate positioning. One of the things I love with this setup is that when the boom is retracted it is not taking much room in the back, making my tractor shorter. If you have a loader, you already have the lifting functions anyway.

Thinking I'm gonna build one of these. Have two engine hoists, rarely use one of them. I like the idea of building one to fit on my 3 point lift. I also have an extra hydraulic cylinder laying out in the shop, might as well run hoses to the hydraulic manifold and use the tractor hydraulics while I'm at it. Appreciate the ideas.

Hmmm, I wonder if this has already been patented?

Rams:drink:

 

[NCMau]

Thinking I'm gonna build one of these. Have two engine hoists, rarely use one of them. I like the idea of building one to fit on my 3 point lift. I also have an extra hydraulic cylinder laying out in the shop, might as well run hoses to the hydraulic manifold and use the tractor hydraulics while I'm at it. Appreciate the ideas.

Hmmm, I wonder if this has already been patented?

Rams:drink:

The cylinder operated by the tractor hydraulics would be just like icing on a cake. The idea of the engine hoist conversion is not my original. There are few versions out there in cyber space. Most of them used the runners for a platform, which is ok if you want to extend your tractor length. I opted to keep the runner in vertical position and use them for containers for various long tools. If I do need a bigger platform, I can always attach it to the existing one with just few bolts.

 

[ovrszd]

Very nice build. Sounds like you have a firm grip on the safety issues. For delicate use I like your idea of planting the FEL on the ground and using the jib to lift!!!!

Nothing as nice as yours, but, I rigged up a boom pole to use on my FEL. Task was to replace the head on an old windmill. Obviously nothing heavy. Takes a soft touch on the FEL controls!!!

For some reason I'm not smart enough to rotate the second pic, sorry.

 

[NCMau]

Very nice build. Sounds like you have a firm grip on the safety issues. For delicate use I like your idea of planting the FEL on the ground and using the jib to lift!!!!

Nothing as nice as yours, but, I rigged up a boom pole to use on my FEL. Task was to replace the head on an old windmill. Obviously nothing heavy. Takes a soft touch on the FEL controls!!!

For some reason I'm not smart enough to rotate the second pic, sorry.


Good idea using the extended capability of the loader. Basically I did the same thing, not quite a long reach like yours. That was an older try-out version to see if the idea would work. The new version has the same pipe but added lateral chain support for stability. I can easily lift few hundred pounds without rock-n-rolling.

 

[downsizingnow48]

ovrszd your photo is one I studied when thinking about how to do the boom. I decided I wanted as much lift and reach as possible.

I considered putting the hoist on the three point, but that would limit the range of lift. Also I have a backhoe, with the hoe always installed and often used. It only takes a few seconds to drop the front bucket and pick up the hoist on the SSQA adapter. It is something of a chore to remove the backhoe, assemble the three point mechanism, then attach a three point implement. That would reduce versatility.

 

[ovrszd]

ovrszd your photo is one I studied when thinking about how to do the boom. I decided I wanted as much lift and reach as possible.

I considered putting the hoist on the three point, but that would limit the range of lift. Also I have a backhoe, with the hoe always installed and often used. It only takes a few seconds to drop the front bucket and pick up the hoist on the SSQA adapter. It is something of a chore to remove the backhoe, assemble the three point mechanism, then attach a three point implement. That would reduce versatility.

I think you are right on the mark for the uses you described!!!

If you ever rig up the electric saw please post pics and narrative!!!! I think that's a very innovative idea!!!

 

[downsizingnow48]

First use. Reached deep into a storage shed to pick up this heavy old piece of furniture, then carried it over to the house and set it down on the front porch. Weighs over 100 lbs. This is much easier than manhandling it out of the shed, getting it several hundred feet to the house, then up onto the porch. The cylinder operates smooth as butter and gives a lot of lifting angles and height options.

 

[Mace Canute]

That's a great back saver! There's just a boat load of stuff around a place that's much too heavy and awkward for a guy to move by hand but with that unit it's a cakewalk. Well done! :thumbsup:

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks Mace!