Cranes

[dobyg75]

I have been thinking about putting a speed crane on a deuce and was wondering how much would be involved in installing one i was also thinking about putting the bed back on after the crane install let me know what you guys think about having one is it worth it?

 

[Maverick1701]

I thought there was someone around here who shortened the bed of their deuce and installed a crane between the cab/short bed....im sure someone will post a link soon

 

[gimpyrobb]

Spicergear and BFR have.

 

[cranetruck]

I have had my mil spec HIAB with two different beds for almost 15 years now and love the combination. It makes the truck so very much more useful (check hundreds of previous posts).
The first bed was home made with an aluminum deck and the current bed is a slightly modified pipeline (M756 bed), much heavier, but looks great.

 

[spicergear]

I use mine probably twice a week and don't know how I managed without it. -well, yes I do...I risked life and limb and put a beating on my poor John Deere too or winched stuff up in between trees. This is soooo nice- Oh, that's an M977 Light Duty Cargo Unit from a HEMTT.

 

[BFR]

I have been thinking about putting a speed crane on a deuce and was wondering how much would be involved in installing one i was also thinking about putting the bed back on after the crane install let me know what you guys think about having one is it worth it?

the short version of what is involved...
1. Decide how much crane(weight) are you willing to put on a deuce chassis.
2. Decide how you will provide hydraulics (my pump is chain driven by a transfer case PTO).
3. Remove the bed.
4. Mount the boom and plumb the hydraulics.
5. Modify the bed & reinstall.

I would argue it is worth it, but I am a little biased.

for the unabridged version of what was involved....http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-modification-hot-rodding/31405-deuce-w-hiab-950-knuckleboom.html

 

[dobyg75]

is 7000 lbs too much for the deuce to handle?

 

[Maverick1701]

is 7000 lbs too much for the deuce to handle?

if you stay on road you will be A-ok....
5K lbs off road
10K lbs on road

 

[cranetruck]

is 7000 lbs too much for the deuce to handle?

Depends on weight distribution. Don't put more than 1,000-1,500 more on the front axle or it becomes very hard to steer. I switched to 1100 tires and removed the front winch to help my situation and park the crane boom over the bed whenever possible.

 

[spicergear]

I'm at 10,020 lbs on the tandems and 7980 lbs on the front axle with my near 4,500 lbs of crane added. Yep, that's 18,000 lbs total. I switched from the stock 900x20's front to 11" wide 'A3 wheels with 12.5R 20 Conti's on it to up the front tire rating. I also like the look of the wider front tires and stance. Steering is a work out sometimes starting out or at low-low speed lock to lock...not bad normal driving though-

 

[cranetruck]

I'm 17,000 lb plus "empty" also. Crane alone is about 4,000 lb. Being able to swing the boom in all directions makes a good counterbalance, it doesn't have to be in the "figure 4" config for driving.
Compare the xm757 8x8, it's 16,500, not bad for a 5-ton.

 

[Stretch44875]

M108 crane is 20,000 empty. I also find mine very useful. As a note, the frame is reinfored and wrecker style springs are installed on a stock M108.

 

[spicergear]

The side plates to my crane base and outrigger base are 1/4" plate. I've got 28, 5/8" grade 5's holding those to the truck frame. I'm considering that frame reinforcement- Oh, plus with my outriggers behind the cab, then the crane...the length of frame from rear of crane base to tandem sideplates is pretty short. I consider that inadvertant reinforcement too-