How would you build a loader-mounted gin pole?

[jimgerken]

If I want to lift things to a height which is higher than my loader, I imagine using a gin pole. At first I was thinking of bolting and chaining it to the bucket but now I am thinking it may be easier to simply remove the bucket and fabricate a new plate with just the gin pole on it. Has anyone done this or thought through it enough to have some good ideas? If so would you care to share your experience? Thanks!

 

[Bird]

Just don't forget that the additional leverage of putting the weight that far out in front of the tractor will severely reduce the amount of weight you can handle on that gin pole as compared to the rated weight for the front end loader.

 

[AndyR]

We made one out of two pieces of gas pipe and put it on my dad's old John Deer. 'Used it to move 50 foot trusses into place. A boat winch mounted on the tractor with a cable through a pulley at the top of the a frame made things much easier - remember, you want to keep that load as close in as you can so using a cable to lift is more stable then running your loader. On anything less then a full size tractor I would be extremely wary. Work out the weight and balance issues on paper first and make sure its worth it.

Andy in NH

 

[MossRoad]

That's right. The longer the lever, the less weight it requires to bend the loader mechanism or, worse yet, tip the tractor.

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>