• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Deuce tail roller and bed winch, skid loading setup

red

Active member
1,988
25
38
Location
Eagle Mountain/Utah
The other thing about the tail roller is it prevents damage to the winch cable.

Very useful. Even for stuff that's not on a skid, like spare tires.

Guide rollers on the sides is a great idea quickfarms.
 

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,580
218
63
Location
Dickson,TN
Worked on the roller a little today. I tack welded the brackets to the bed and test fit the roller.

Does anybody know how much the roller needs to stick up higher than the bed floor? I had planned on 1/2" but on the test fit I ended up with 5/16" for some reason. I wonder if that's enough?

I also did some figuring on the winch mount. I'm leaning more and more toward just mounting the winch at the front of the bed. I'll loose a little bed space but the more I look at under bed mounting, the more I see how much of a pain that's going to be. Aside from the extra work involved in fitting it under there, the controls (free spool and high/low) are going to be hard to access and I won't be able to easily see if the cable is spooling up right or not. I've got to do a little more measuring but I'd like to shoehorn it in the front of the bed. Looks like I can recess it 3" into the headboard before I run into clearance issues with the cab. That will leave it sticking 5 1/2" into the bed floor. I'll also have to make some sort of cover for the winch as I also haul loose material from time to time.

After looking at things during the test fit, I think I'm going to have to add the middle support rollers under the main roller. I first thought I could maybe get by without them but after looking at things, there's just too much span there with no support.
 

firefox

General
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,845
51
48
Location
Berkeley CA
With respect to the center roller, remember you are not dealing with a point
load in the middle. The shelter frame is distributing the load over the span.
I am not an engineer so no guarantees here.
 

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,580
218
63
Location
Dickson,TN
With respect to the center roller, remember you are not dealing with a point
load in the middle. The shelter frame is distributing the load over the span.
I am not an engineer so no guarantees here.
When picking the shelter off the ground the winch line will be pulling dead in the center of the roller. The load won't get transferred to the outer edges until the shelter skids start over the roller.
 

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,580
218
63
Location
Dickson,TN
Based on Kenny's pics of the pipeline deuce, it appears that my 5/16" clearance will be ok. I was just a little concerned that the roller would flex enough that the winch line would contact the bed. I may go ahead and raise mine just a little as it's only tacked on right now and it would be a lot easier to change now than it will be when I weld it up solid.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,999
4,556
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Based on Kenny's pics of the pipeline deuce, it appears that my 5/16" clearance will be ok. I was just a little concerned that the roller would flex enough that the winch line would contact the bed. I may go ahead and raise mine just a little as it's only tacked on right now and it would be a lot easier to change now than it will be when I weld it up solid.
God bless the luxury of making an easy change now, versus the nightmare of trying to do it later when everything is fixed in place (which just might rank as one of Murphy's absolute favorites, you know?).
 
582
7
18
Location
Dubois, Wyoming
I hear you, but I think these rollers are rated for 3,000 lbs each (they're urethane, and nit just "rubber"). It was just a thought, Iwas figuring it might be a lot cheaper to spread two or three of these of-the-shelf items across the back than go the full-width roller route.[/QUOTE

These trucks are standard in the oilfield. About everything is made to pick up and drag a cross the bed. Unloading is simply allowing a little slack in winch line, backing up and touching brakes. Load moves until line is tensioned. Repeat until break over, the winch to ground.

those twin steer trucks are amazing. Real beasts. We do some crazy things with them. They can winch 150k pound sub halves like nothing.
 
Last edited:
582
7
18
Location
Dubois, Wyoming
Do you plan on using a chocker setup on the end of the winch? Your main winch line connects to a cable loop that goes around the ends of the skid. This is the best way to winch anything large and heavy on a truck. Many men have died to find this out. Winching on trucks can be very dangerous.
 

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,580
218
63
Location
Dickson,TN
Do you plan on using a chocker setup on the end of the winch? Your main winch line connects to a cable loop that goes around the ends of the skid. This is the best way to winch anything large and heavy on a truck. Many men have died to find this out. Winching on trucks can be very dangerous.
The skid has two shackles attached at each corner. I was planning on just getting some chain spreaders with two legs and attach them to the corner shackles.

I know what you are talking about with the chokers, I've seen them on trucks before. I think that's really overkill for this little shelter (less than 2,000lb) and wouldn't really work well with how the skid is set up.

Judging by your user name, you've probably got more experience in this than I do. If you see something unsafe, let me know.
 
582
7
18
Location
Dubois, Wyoming
The skid has two shackles attached at each corner. I was planning on just getting some chain spreaders with two legs and attach them to the corner shackles.

I know what you are talking about with the chokers, I've seen them on trucks before. I think that's really overkill for this little shelter (less than 2,000lb) and wouldn't really work well with how the skid is set up.

Judging by your user name, you've probably got more experience in this than I do. If you see something unsafe, let me know.
Ok, chain should work. Didn't realize it was such a light load.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,999
4,556
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Growing up I used to winch load 35 to 40 thousand pound loads all the time.

I am not sure that the eyes on the skids were actually designed for this
As long as safety isn't compromised:

- Using one thing that is designed for something else...

Isn't always a bad idea.

We did that all the time in the Seabees. The Plumbers and Electricians borrowed ideas from the Carpenters (BU's), vice versa and et cetera.


Stupid but works.jpg
 

red

Active member
1,988
25
38
Location
Eagle Mountain/Utah
Growing up I used to winch load 35 to 40 thousand pound loads all the time.

I am not sure that the eyes on the skids were actually designed for this
The anchor points on the skid won't handle it. Learned that unloading the MUST shelter.

He's building a skid that the shelter will be secured to, no problem.
 

Valence

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,112
555
113
Location
Davis County, UT
Last edited:

red

Active member
1,988
25
38
Location
Eagle Mountain/Utah

Valence

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,112
555
113
Location
Davis County, UT
Yeah I know rofl- and your truck looked a lot less rusty.

I think I'd prefer the electric winch in the rear like yours over the PTO.
 
Top