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Wrecker wishlist of mods

wcuhillbilly

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I think I understand your question...
As the lunette eye is pulled, the flukes of the anchor - the two base plates, would go down as they move towards the stuck wrecker. There may have to be a little trench dug to 'introduce' the flukes into the ground, but when at the correct angle - they'd keep going down. Like how a boat anchor works. Specifically the plough type:
View attachment 673087
For retrieval, it has to be pulled out the reverse direction - up and to the left (as the drawing is now - achieved by a chain leash left loose on the ground, the other end attached to the top of the combining bracket.
same concept as a ripper on a Cat D9 ^ but with "wings" on the ripper... Although,,, Im not man enough to carry a ripper around with me...... Yall have fun with that....

I agree with Davis..... best thing with a wrecker is to not get it stuck to begin with..... though I know it will eventually come to this.... at least once......

PS: "Hey Honey!!!!! Can I buy a bigger dozer,,, and maybe an excavator too????? Uuuum ,,,, why yes it can be used to make some raised beds for your flower garden...... :rolleyes:
 
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Csm Davis

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Further to earlier post re ground anchor.

Assembled from wrecker Bii with added "combining bracket" - this is the concept sketch.

View attachment 673079
Hey bud i have a idea, there is no reason to have two sets of almost identical length bars on the truck, the medium towbar and the boom travel legs, and the long boom supports and a large tow bar and the land anchors/scotchs. Why can't we make one set of short legs and one set of long legs with different ends to preform the different tasks.

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zebedee

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Hey bud i have a idea, there is no reason to have two sets of almost identical length bars on the truck, the medium towbar and the boom travel legs,
Unfortunately you'll need both of these for a suspended tow if you do it the TM way - not so if you have an alternative Holmes lift bar...
Now, a permanent 'goal post' to support the boom for travel - like a regular truck crane would reduce that set - assuming you didn't need it variable height...

and the long boom supports and a large tow bar and the land anchors/scotchs. Why can't we make one set of short legs and one set of long legs with different ends to preform the different tasks.
Do you need to carry both types of towbar? - maybe just the Med/heavy instead of the Medium - though it would have to be telescopic....

My idea for the boat plough-type anchor seems not so practical upon further thinking... the lower leg of the towbar would be very susceptible to bending as it went into the ground and the 'combining' bracket would have to be quite the massive fabrication to support both ground pads... I'm sticking with the ground anchor plates and pins that are standard kit for the Brits and Aussies....
 

Csm Davis

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Unfortunately you'll need both of these for a suspended tow if you do it the TM way - not so if you have an alternative Holmes lift bar...
Now, a permanent 'goal post' to support the boom for travel - like a regular truck crane would reduce that set - assuming you didn't need it variable height...



Do you need to carry both types of towbar? - maybe just the Med/heavy instead of the Medium - though it would have to be telescopic....

My idea for the boat plough-type anchor seems not so practical upon further thinking... the lower leg of the towbar would be very susceptible to bending as it went into the ground and the 'combining' bracket would have to be quite the massive fabrication to support both ground pads... I'm sticking with the ground anchor plates and pins that are standard kit for the Brits and Aussies....
Okay I think you missed my point. I wasn't really talking about the plow system, which I think would work better using the large, not med/heavy, boom supports/ HEAVY tow bar. You won't bend that and i don't see a need for 3 sets of heavy long legs.

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Rescue101

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936 winch mod

This is the place for wrecker mods not just bigger motor but try and list what you have seen or want to try on any wrecker.
Jeff, as you are quite knowledgable about these(and I'm just learning)You hard would it be to rig and plumb a second winch say 12-15 K behind the roller on the main doom(near stay rods). The reason? Controlled rolls and/or to help control akward loads. Your Thoughts?
 

Csm Davis

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Jeff, as you are quite knowledgable about these(and I'm just learning)You hard would it be to rig and plumb a second winch say 12-15 K behind the roller on the main doom(near stay rods). The reason? Controlled rolls and/or to help control akward loads. Your Thoughts?
Yeah we have discussed a second boom winch but to do it right I think you would be in for some pretty significant modifications but definitely doable. I would probably use another stock type boom winch with different drum so it could be wound with more line and I would change the the stock drum also. Also make both drums half width so one could be spooled on the left half and the other winch spooled ontge right half so that the two lines won't cross.



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Rescue101

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I was thinking more along the lines on a Warn or Ramsey planetary........Much lighter and holds 125-150' of 3/8's or 7/16ths wire. My question is on valving . Do the stock valves have power beyond port type hydraulics? Thinking maybe one piggybacked to the Drag too to help when I'm shorthanded to stretch the 3/4.
 

zebedee

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>..... a second winch .....The reason? Controlled rolls <
You should already be able to do this with the drag winch to roll and the boom to lower when over center...

About 5 - 9 postings below these was the second discussion in this thread re changing or adding an additional boom winch and way back it's been discussed about one man operation re an aux winch for running out the 3/4"....
 

73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
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The second hoist winch is not the issue, what to do with the second cable is, if the wrecker is using a 3 part block rigging then there is NO sheaves for the cable to run over at the boom tip, so another tip needs to be added. as far as hard to manage loads, proper rigging will take care of that issue. When you start welding things to booms you HAVE TO be VERY CAREFUL or you WILL cause cracks and loose a boom. If a second hoist winch is added then THREE levers are needed to telescope out in order to NOT breaks something, some wrecker owners can barely pull ONE lever without breaking something.
 

Rescue101

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The second hoist winch is not the issue, what to do with the second cable is, if the wrecker is using a 3 part block rigging then there is NO sheaves for the cable to run over at the boom tip, so another tip needs to be added. as far as hard to manage loads, proper rigging will take care of that issue. When you start welding things to booms you HAVE TO be VERY CAREFUL or you WILL cause cracks and loose a boom. If a second hoist winch is added then THREE levers are needed to telescope out in order to NOT breaks something, some wrecker owners can barely pull ONE lever without breaking something.
NOT interested in running 3 part line or running the length of the boom. Take a look at a modern Century or NRC(Secondary turret winches) to see what I'm talking about. Can't use drag to do what I want,it HAS to be controlled from the Crane station. It's only function would be a catch line or a faster way to deal with vehicles 1 ton class or under. 12-15L Planetary hydraulic,much lighter and faster that the stock rock breaker. My big question is if one additional valve could be piggybacked to the control station,the rest is EASY.Winch would be mounted to MAIN BOOM ONLY and used from there.
 
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red

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The stock valve bank looks like a solid 1 piece unit on the crane bucket. Will have to add another, separate valve bank plumbed in after the stock unit or buy a new 5 valve bank setup.

I have a 18k winch I've been thinking of adding (eventually) like that, discussed a few pages ago. Mounting the winch on the underside and adding a pulley to the underside of the main boom at the end would be the easiest way I can think of. Free spooling, easy to work with, doesn't interfere with the stock setup. Like the newer Century 50 ton units with 4 winches (2 main that use the top of the entire boom, 2 lighter ones only rigged to the main boom along the sides).


With that mod there are 2-3 spots on the main boom that will require welding. 1-2 for mounting the second winch, and 1 for it's pulley. For liability purposes have either a crane shop or a certified welder who repairs cranes do that work.
 
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zebedee

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CSM's Weight Loss Program

Jeffs feet.jpg

OK Jeff - using the large boom support legs - with their ends removed (Tab for stay bar left on), fab sets of 'feet' to switch for each of the functions.

Saving weight from:- Spade Legs. Towbar.

Add holes to boom support tubes for ground anchor pins.
 

Csm Davis

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View attachment 673967

OK Jeff - using the large boom support legs - with their ends removed (Tab for stay bar left on), fab sets of 'feet' to switch for each of the functions.
Saving weight from:- Spade Legs. Towbar.
Add holes to boom support tubes for ground anchor pins.
Okay looks good except the tow bar end on a large towbar is a single not a y type double end.

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zebedee

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... and by removing the bumperettes to utiliseing the tie down shackles and the 90 deg 'Y' to 'Y' couplers - you can loose the spade sockets and the need for 'end 4'. Bracing for side pull would be lost - but how likely is that? The 984 doesn't have that capability...
 

Csm Davis

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... and by removing the bumperettes to utiliseing the tie down shackles and the 90 deg 'Y' to 'Y' couplers - you can loose the spade sockets and the need for 'end 4'. Bracing for side pull would be lost - but how likely is that? The 984 doesn't have that capability...
I have already cut off my bumperettes I think that I will still want to use dedicated mounts on the truck for the side pull but i can easily change the ball socket for shackle mounts and this gives me the front of the truck back on my A2 to use the spades for the front winch.

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red

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With setting up the equipment to be more versatile, what about using the boom jacks and travel legs as spreader bars? Thinking about welding on some tabs that would allow them to be connected to the wiffle tree
 

Csm Davis

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With setting up the equipment to be more versatile, what about using the boom jacks and travel legs as spreader bars? Thinking about welding on some tabs that would allow them to be connected to the wiffle tree
I like the way you think red but you don't have to weld anything to them to make them work just use two cables going up to the hook or whiffletree and two cables hanging down from the loop ends.



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red

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Wouldn't that be too much strain on the rigging, since the angle would be really shallow? Considering the relatively short height of the boom I'm trying to think of a good way to rig it up as a spreader bar as close to the crane hook as possible.
 
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