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Results! Lifting a full drum of oil, with the arm in the shortest position, with the truck's air supply alone does not work. Wedging a 2x4 next to the cylinder to lock the arm in the highest position and using a hoist from the hook does get a full drum of oil into the bed. This was all done...

The post at the base that everything is hinging on is about 2-1/2" I think.

The mast that is the base? I believe it is 2-1/2" diameter. I used the bed crane for a few lifts and the hydraulic cylinder started leaking so I took it down and it is going in for new seals and maybe a new can tomorrow at a friend's hydraulic shop. It didn't have enough power to lift an...

I really thought about adding more bracing, but the top of the tube is **** near FULLY welded through 3/4" of material. There is the bed floor, the fender support, and then the 1/2" thick piece of plate I put up in there that the tube passes through the middle of. The 1/2" plate is welded to...

I knew someone was going to ask that right away! I can't say where I got it, how much it costs, or what a part number is. It's one of those things I wish I could share but I can't. :x

Got it installed today! I'm really happy with it so far. It lifted my 250 lb or so father with 120 psi shop air without even a hint of strain so next I will try it with a full barrel of oil and see how well it works. Just needs some paint!

Well I sold my 3 piece canvas cargo cover and got a vinyl camo cover and SURPRISE, my canvas cover was an extended height cover, at least 8" taller than my new cover, so now my bed crane won't fit under the cover by about 5" BUT I have a plan! The bed crane has a 2-5/16" diameter 14" long shaft...

Hay you made good points, and I can't take credit for the flow control orifice. That was on there when i got it.

Thanks for the good post. I wasn't planning on throttling with those valves, because they are cheap valves, which is why I set the orifice so that operation is very slow. That way the valves are open or closed and also that non-linear movement I will have will be less of an issue.

I did some simple plumbing, filled the reservoir with ATF, greased the base, and adjusted the orifice on the lower line that controls speed to make it nice and slow lifting. I like it! I thought it was ready for paint and mounting then testing BUT I found out it needs shortened about 4" to fit...

The air valve came apart easily and looks to be pretty well worn inside. As suspected it looks like it supplied air, blocked air and held it in the system, and released air in the 3 positions of the lever. I think I'm going to replace the whole air switch with some simple plumbing and 2 ball...

No idea on what it can lift. Once it is bolted down in the back of the deuce bed, testing will follow. If I find it to be insufficient, it won't take much to add a harbor freight bottle jack to it and remove all of the air lift components. It would be a shame to carve up a cool bed crane like...

It looks like it has a 3 position hand valve. Up, neutral or hold, and down. There seems to be some leaking coming from the valve so it is the first thing I'm going to disassemble, clean and inspect.

I uploaded the video to youtube so you can see it without a plug in Stratton Hydro-Crane - YouTube

Unfortunately, there i nothing stamped on the data plate where the model # should be. Just a serial number.

It works! There some leaks that need address but I might have a winner here. Lift height is 73" max. I'll have to put a limiting strap on it for use under a cargo cover. Video of it working: http://youtu.be/uImWhST2a3g

The only downside I see is the truck has to be running, but I don't really call that a downside. The truck likes idling more than anything else!

Pictures attached! Is that one sweet unit or what? It looks like air comes in the rubber hose to the hand valve, and then air is sent to the fluid reservoir on the back of the arm, and pushes on the hydraulic fluid there. It looks like a discharge air line runs down to the base from the hand...

Seeing all the threads on here about different bed cranes got me hunting the local craigslist for one. I think I got lucky and I scored this heavy duty looking Stratton hydro-pneumatic bed crane for $150. I had to drive an hour and meet a guy at 1am after he got off work to get it but I think...