The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Tractor Boom

Got a chance to use my boom today to move the cab out of the way while I work on the frame/suspension. Jerry told me about the 4x4 in the door and I used a ratchet strap to keep it in the door frame.

Boom

That looks like it worked pretty slick. You obviously used a strap that was stout enough. Shallow angles like that put a lot of tension on the strap.

Coming in from the front like that as opposed to the engine hoist with beam method I've seen posed on here looks like it might work better just from the access standpoint. Of course if there's enough room to roll the chassis, then the engine hoist method would work fine. Where my truck is sitting, I wouldn't be able to move an engine stand on the gravel. It'd be roll the chassis forward, lift the cab, roll the chassis back, and roll a trailer under the cab to move it. It's going to be an exercise in any case.

For heavy lifts (an engine) I use a chain and tensioner back to the bucket. This was a HD strap through a smooth/large chain loop. Really pleased how it worked.

That 4x4 (beam) has a small pcs of chain underneath in the center that I use to lift the cab off the frame with an engine hoist. The small piece of chain keeps the hoist from slipping off the beam. That also works well and give more control.

The boom for my tractor attaches to the 3-point hitch and can extend out to 10 feet or so with one piece of pipe that telescopes over a slightly smaller one. I've used it to move a complete Bridgeport mill around a couple of times, so an engine, a frame, or the front end of a car doesn't present much of a problem. Of course, the 1,000 LBS of suitcase weights on the front bumper helps keep the steer axle on the ground! The tractor is a Massey-Ferguson 180.
Jerry

That's a cool idea Allen.

Here is my cab remover/installer version. I just bolted a couple of channel irons to the bottom of the tractor bucket. Seemed to work pretty well.

[img]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/3285/medium/IMG_13675.JPG[/img]

Paul

Instant forklift. Nice Paul

Jerry, I've seen guys put up 50' wide trusses on a pole barn with a 3 pt. boom like yours. Much more lift power than with my bucket, but I have a lot of fine tuning control with all the bucket movements.