# Van Crane Installation Help



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Mounting a harbor freight crane in the back of the van. I've typicall seen these mounted based off the frame. Unfortunantly, the frame is nowhere I need it to be. The first pic is the inside and the crane base will be to the right of the tape measure. The next pics are the underside of the van in that corner. One suggestion that was given was made to get a piece of 1/4 alumminum plate to distribute the weight underneath. Essentially the floor would have to get ripped up for the crane to be displaced. Any other ideas?


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

How does the crane mount to the floor? Do you have a pic of the crane? Or a link to it?





Paul


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37555


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

It's tough for me to see exaxtly what's going on underneath but my first thought was to weld some box tubing to the frame under the hoist. Then you can get some grade 8 bolts and go right into the new 2"x3" tubing.



I
I---I
IxxxI 
I---I
I
I

disregard the x's. the new stuff is in red, does that make sense?



Paul


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## ironandfire (Oct 9, 2008)

Probably shouldn't weld to the frame. Can you box out from frame to bumper?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

rocksteady said:


> disregard the x's. the new stuff is in red, does that make sense?
> 
> Yes
> 
> Paul





ironandfire said:


> Probably shouldn't weld to the frame. Can you box out from frame to bumper?


Not really. Do you guys think a plate underneath won't cut it? The biggest thing I think I'll ever use it for will be a 350 lb jetter.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

ironandfire said:


> Probably shouldn't weld to the frame. Can you box out from frame to bumper?


 
Why not? How would you box from the frame to the bumper without welding?






Paul


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

gear junkie said:


> Do you guys think a plate underneath won't cut it? The biggest thing I think I'll ever use it for will be a 350 lb jetter.


 
It probalby would but from what I saw it didn't look like there was a big flat surface under the floor that you could get to. If I were using a plate I'd use 1/2" (same as the base of the hoist) and I'd make it as big as I could.








Paul


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## ironandfire (Oct 9, 2008)

Gear, Can you post a pic 180 from the frame? 90 from the frame (to the inside)?


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Allthread though to a plate or flat bar whatever works best with the underneath contour. From what you said there's no need to over engineer it.:thumbsup:


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

gear- i bought a harbor frgt. crane and added a 2000lbs. warn winch and it has handled my 550 lbs. miller welder with no problem, my install worked out perfect for my set up, i centered it over frame ran 4 5/8 allthrd. down thru floor thru a 1/2 plate. its worked out great. dont weld on frame. ieven made brackets for my drain cleaners & water jets so when i lift them there not all out of balance.:santa::santa::santa:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

gear junkie said:


> Not really. Do you guys think a plate underneath won't cut it? The biggest thing I think I'll ever use it for will be a 350 lb jetter.


As someone who has built stock car chassis for a long time, no, a plate won't cut it, you need to be able to transfer the weight to something solid, and do it evenly. Were it me I would run 1¼ square steel tube from frame rail to frame rail and weld in place, and place it so that all four mounting bolts for the crane go through the tube. If that can't be done then I would do as stated and then run 1¼ square tube at a right angle to the rails mounted to the frame at points that will allow the bolts to go through it.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

ironandfire said:


> Probably shouldn't weld to the frame. Can you box out from frame to bumper?


Why is welding the frame bad? Tempered metal or something?


ironandfire said:


> Gear, Can you post a pic 180 from the frame? 90 from the frame (to the inside)?


Just got inside after working all day, decided to put the crane on the other side of the truck.


Killertoiletspider said:


> As someone who has built stock car chassis for a long time, no, a plate won't cut it, you need to be able to transfer the weight to something solid, and do it evenly. Were it me I would run 1¼ square steel tube from frame rail to frame rail Can't do this, the rail goes from the frame to nothing. the side of the truck doesn't have any real under support. and weld in place, and place it so that all four mounting bolts for the crane go through the tube. If that can't be done then I would do as stated and then run 1¼ square tube at a right angle to the rails mounted to the frame at points that will allow the bolts to go through it.


Looking underneath today, I think I might have to go with the plate. The rail you see underneath (middle pic on bottom)is completly boxing in the gas tank, so I only have access to the outside of the frame. If I welded on it, it might become cost prohibitive. I think the gas tank would have to get drained and dropped at a bare minimum and I still don't know why some peole are saying you shouldn't weld to a frame.

As I typed the above statement in red about support made me realize something that never really occurred to me until I typed it out loud. The distance from the frame to the outside of the bed is about 24" with no real support other than the extruded aluminum bed. The bed is able to handle heavy loads with no real support. Maybe the extruded alumminum can also handle the load from a crane?


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

I have welded all kinds of crap to my Jeep frame. I just use fish plates.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

What are fish plates?


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

I dunno, maybe it's just me (naw, it can't be... I'd try to tackle this), or maybe it's just too late (yeah, it IS late), but don't we always belittle ppl that don't call in the professionals? I'm just sayin'. . .


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Miguel said:


> I dunno, maybe it's just me (naw, it can't be... I'd try to tackle this), or maybe it's just too late (yeah, it IS late), but don't we always belittle ppl that don't call in the professionals? I'm just sayin'. . .


We have established that plumbers and only plumbers are exempt from "HACK" classification...


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

slickrick said:


> We have established that plumbers and only plumbers are exempt from "HACK" classification...


:thumbup::thumbsup::whistling2:


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Miguel said:


> I dunno, maybe it's just me (naw, it can't be... I'd try to tackle this), or maybe it's just too late (yeah, it IS late), but don't we always belittle ppl that don't call in the professionals? I'm just sayin'. . .


I hired a pro to install my crane. No DIYer hack work!:laughing:


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## dankman (Nov 19, 2009)

gear junkie said:


> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37555





I love your forum signature.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Well I hate to admit it but I have a confession to make. I'm a hack and proud of it. I've done framing, concrete, drywall, electrical, rebar, equipment operation and just yesterday, I did some painting. All without a license. I'm sorry for dissapointing y'all but I have a feeling I'll continue to do these things. I'm actually planning on changing my oil and struts next week-no ASE certification. And....I just don't know how to say it........I shop at Home Depot and they all know my name and vice versa!!!!!! Please forgive as I feel I cannot control my actions anymore and I don't know what I may fix/build next.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

service guy said:


> I hired a pro to install my crane. No DIYer hack work!:laughing:


Mind posting a pic of the install? Maybe i could get an idea or two.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

gear junkie said:


> Well I hate to admit it but I have a confession to make. I'm a hack and proud of it. I've done framing, concrete, drywall, electrical, rebar, equipment operation and just yesterday, I did some painting. All without a license. I'm sorry for dissapointing y'all but I have a feeling I'll continue to do these things. I'm actually planning on changing my oil and struts next week-no ASE certification. And....I just don't know how to say it........I shop at Home Depot and they all know my name and vice versa!!!!!! Please forgive as I feel I cannot control my actions anymore and I don't know what I may fix/build next.


 
The junkie is out of the closet, You should feel better about yourself now..


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

slickrick said:


> The junkie is out of the closet, You should feel better about yourself now..


LOL! Yup, here's to ya, gear! Prolly get more of us confessing now that you've broken the ice. 

I can see the club meetings now... [dream sequence like they do on TV] "Muh name is Miguel . . . and I do muh own weldin'." (_room_)"Hi Miguel!"[/dream sequence] :laughing:


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

I bought a crane with winch from Grainger and installed it in my box truck. It was incredibly slow to load and unload and was kind of obtrusive,so I took it out and use the built in ramp to roll the machine into the truck. 


Also Western Mule makes one that folds into your bumper.

http://www.westernmule.com/bumper_cranes.html


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I got the crane done and it's great. Extended the boom all the way out and sat on it and the floor didn't shift at all. I ended up putting a 12"x12"x1/2" steel plate above and below and below the floor. I think the extra surface was the ticket for stabilty.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

How fast does it winch it in?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

All 50' took about 3-4 minutes. I took off the stock hand winch and installed a harbor freight atv winch on sale for $39.


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