that F*#d that the hoist is in has a 8 ft long bed and no overhang beyond the hinge point i'm not at home right now so i can't really measure it nor will i be home for a while (i'm in wisconsin going to school, but if i was to take educated guess i'd say that the case is about 4-5 in. wide and the ram not being much smaller but i'm thinking about getting ahold of a 63 Chevy 2 ton COE and make a flatbed on it and i want to know if this hoist i have will be able to lift 4-5 tons, i'm gona make the flatbed myself i want it to be 24 ft long 16 ft before the hinge and a 8 ft overhang if the hoist will work then i just have to more problems where is the best place to mount the hoist and how do you do the hinge at the end of the frame? also the hoist has an electric pump can i keept it like that or should i switch it to a pto powered one (that 63 COE has the pto setup on it just no pump, it had a 16ft grain bed on it with hoist)
thanks
Nate

Link to my photobucket for pics of my vehicles
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff17/OldIronChevy/