raising trusses for pole barn

boomer613 · Dec 7, 2012

I am building a pole barn with 16 foot sides (height for the trusses). Does anyone have any experience of raising the trusses this high? I was thinking of buying a pole boom for my tractor? Is this possible? If so why type of pole boom would I purchase?

Clint S · Dec 7, 2012

I have 12 foot walls and we had a crane come in for a few hours, was WAY easier. With 16 foot walls your peak will be 20 plus feet up. Cost was like $250 for 2 hours and like $100 per hour after that. We got all ours set, 12 of them in under 3 hours.

Grandad4 · Dec 7, 2012

Your tractor will work for setting low trusses, such as a small garage or shed. Anything with walls higher than about 10 feet will likely require something else. We rented a telehandler (extending forklift) one time that worked great. Your 16 foot walls may require a crane though, depending on the pitch of the trusses.

Reyer Farms · Dec 7, 2012

I would really look a big telehandler or crane. I have set more than my fair share in conditions like you have. It is not fun, takes a lot of experienced carpenters with no fear, and no choice the matter. It could go real bad real fast. Trusses are pretty floppy.
A steel spacer bar that hooks two is a must. If you are set on this you need a plan and that will include building your jib. I don't think any company will make a tool for a tractor loader that do what you want as the risk of failure is beyond great. I love a challenge but setting trusses is enough with out risking life for false economy.
Good luck, pay up the insurance, and say a prayer.

gwiley · Dec 7, 2012

You can rent high-lift gear for a few hundred bucks over a weekend. Worth the money.

If you are going to be up in the air pick up a fall arrest harness ($70 at Northern Tool). I strung a bull line that I use for directing tree fall (13K lb breaking strength) between eyes set in the posts at the gable peaks and then clipped into that while I set my trusses and sheathed the roof. It is annoying, but not nearly as annoying to live with a broken back or limb from a fall. Be safe.

boomer613 · Dec 7, 2012

Thank you for all the suggestions. I might consider having this done with a contractor. Was trying to save some money but building something 16 feet high might be out of my league.

gwiley · Dec 7, 2012

It really won't be hard as long as you have the right tools. A useful trick to lifting trusses is that you set them upside down, tack a toe block in and then rotate them to vertical using the equipment. My son and I did ours - height off the ground isn't the problem, the span (and hence weight) is the thing to worry about. If you set them upside down and rotate them using the machine or via a pull line connected to your tie off line then it really isn't bad.

Reyer Farms · Dec 7, 2012

gwiley said:
It really won't be hard as long as you have the right tools. A useful trick to lifting trusses is that you set them upside down, tack a toe block in and then rotate them to vertical using the equipment. My son and I did ours - height off the ground isn't the problem, the span (and hence weight) is the thing to worry about. If you set them upside down and rotate them using the machine or via a pull line connected to your tie off line then it really isn't bad.

Your are correct in your method, but that first ones a real bear with a 16' wall height. Bracing and plumbing are pretty rough with 10'-12' being your max bucket lift. With span and pitch determining peak of ridge every movement is amplified from operator to the end of the jib.

BugsRLB · Dec 7, 2012

Just saw this on CL yesterday. May give you some ideas!

tractor 3-point hitch lifting crane - 24' tall for trusses

RPW · Dec 7, 2012

What I did was create a long pole using thick wall pipe about 10ft. long with a spreader bar at the end. Slide it over the end of my bale spear. I was able to lift my steel trusses with vertical I beam into place. My walls are 14ft. and 16ft. in the center.

Good luck

IXLR8 · Dec 7, 2012

I have a 2" hitch receiver bolted to the top of the bucket on my tractor. I made a boom pole out of 2" square stock a little over 6' long and used it to lift the steel trusses for my shop. I had to lift them about 15' and they weighted about 450 lbs. They were at about the limit of what my tractor would lift that far out from the bucket.
Be careful!!

Luremaker · Dec 7, 2012

Here is a "Truss Erecting & Bracing" instruction booklet. It gives you a few good tips on truss lifting, installation and bracing. It is from The Canada Plan Service.

View attachment truss bracing-cps.pdf

ray66v · Dec 7, 2012

A lot also depends on the weight, and length of the trusses.

They do reach a point where it is easy to bend them, if not handled properly.

At that point, you pretty much have to you use a crane with a spreader bar, or risk their integrity by damaging them.

Mudfarmer · Dec 7, 2012

I'm a little surprised that no one has mentioned the technique used on my pole barn by the pros in the 1980s to lift the trusses to road legal height. They had two boat winches welded to a six inch open box that fit over the top of the poles at each end of the truss. They built one side of the truss next to the poles, lifted it verticle by hand and put the second side on so that the two poles were like tracks at each end. They had a couple of helpers with guy lines attached to the peak to keep it verticle and then cranked the thing up by the ends at the poles. Once up they bolted it in place at each end and quickly put the purlons in place to relieve the guys with the lines. Admittedly the foreman said on a "big" building it was better to hire a crane.
Mf

Reyer Farms · Dec 7, 2012

Mudfarmer said:
I'm a little surprised that no one has mentioned the technique used on my pole barn by the pros in the 1980s to lift the trusses to road legal height. They had two boat winches welded to a six inch open box that fit over the top of the poles at each end of the truss. They built one side of the truss next to the poles, lifted it verticle by hand and put the second side on so that the two poles were like tracks at each end. They had a couple of helpers with guy lines attached to the peak to keep it verticle and then cranked the thing up by the ends at the poles. Once up they bolted it in place at each end and quickly put the purlons in place to relieve the guys with the lines. Admittedly the foreman said on a "big" building it was better to hire a crane.
Mf

The post were taller than joist height and they trimmed them after. Truss bolted on side of post???? I don't know if I'm seeing it right in my head, but other than time to get the purlins secured it sounds painless. I just don't see how it works with inline framing.

buckeyefarmer · Dec 7, 2012

how long is the span? I did 12' high with my loader by bolting a 4x4 pole on the front of my pallet fork frame. these were 30'long. I couldn't have done 16' high, I'd rent the crane.

john_bud · Dec 7, 2012

I found a crew that was able to install and finish my 36x48x12 pole building for about a grand. And they were done and gone by quitting time on the 2nd day. Heck, they had all the holes dug down to 50+ inches in HARD ROCKY ground with the last 12-24" being solid rock and all done in an hour. I'd have been lucky to have been finishing up the first hole in that time. After 2 hours all the holes had posts. Before lunch the first day, they had all the trusses up and were starting on tin.

That was sooooo much easier than DIY that the $$ was among the best dollars ever to leave my wallet.

For the OP, I'd rent a lift.

strum456 · Dec 7, 2012

Did I read that the in the OPs profile that he has a 40hp tractor? If this is what you are planning on using, it is way too light in my opinion. I nearly had a catastropy this summer with a 70 hp tractor setting 30' trussess 10' high.

schmism · Dec 7, 2012

fab up a boom pole for the front of your bucket. there have been several TBN members that have documented how they have done it to much success.

do a search for bucket mounted boom pole

/pine · Dec 8, 2012

IMO...
If time is of essence...hire a crane (sky hook)...if not, I would find a couple of friends with some framing experience and use a push pole...
Again IMO...trying to use a rigged boom pole and a tractor is just not logical...for more than a "few" trusses...

it is imperative to brace the trusses as they are set...keeping your beams/walls straight to a gauged string...
However using a tractor to support the the first truss (until they are sufficiently braced) is plausible