HF 2 Ton Shop Crane

[BCRider]

....Does the folding 2T crane tower high like this one does?

No, it doesn't. In fact I had to make up a riser block that fits under the lower cylinder mount point to get mine to lift up to a little over 8'. But then part of the issue is that the folding styles don't have the slide in/slide out legs like your picture shows. You really don't want one of the more compact folding lifts to reach up that high as it would become very tippy what with the smaller base footprint.

The one you show from a few years ago with the extendable legs for better reach would be great in a larger area. But of course it needs more room to store it since it doesn't fold up.

Why not swap the rear wheels so the small ones are in the back?

You want the support points out on the extreme corners. Or as mentioned it would become at least tippy if not downright dangerous.

I love the idea of the Bessey toggle as a built in "jack". That's downright brilliant! My own does not seem to have this issue to the same extreme As in the middle wheels do kiss the floor frequently in use and it doesn't take a lot to get the pins out unless I park it in the wrong place and there is a hump in the floor. But it makes me wonder if I'm getting the maximum stability as well. I'll have to watch for and shim things accordingly to favor the outer wheels when I re-caster it with the new easier rolling options.

And FWIW the one I have is the lower orange folding hoist shown in 3PL's post #66. Just mine is yellow. It's also got "yesteryear's" thicker proper 3/16 and 1/4" wall tubing as mentioned by wierdscience a few posts before the pictures. Mine having been bought back 7 years ago.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Found some more pics of my "old" HF style crane in action..Probably around 2006 at my old house/shop.. I unloaded a Ninja 1000 I got for the engine out of the back of my truck.






After surgery...

[flylo]

If I didn't get areal shop crane or rebuild these into Parallel leg units at least weld a pc of c or box channel under the very bottom of the narrow end where the pump is low & long enough where if it starts to tip the channel will keep it upright & from tipping over but it will be a trip hazard.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

I prefer the four independent telescoping legs. They slide out far enough if/when more stability is needed and slide in when it's not.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Look at those long sexy legs..

[coldformer]

wrong bolt

This may already been addressed, but just wanted people to know they should regularly check the bolts in their shop crane.

I noticed the other day that my well used HF 2 Ton Shop crane was telling me something... I'm not sure what it was saying but it might have been one of the following:

-Why were you lifting more than the rated amount with me you nincompoop.
-I'm not as strong as I should be, maybe you should using grade 8 bolts in me instead.

I don't "think" I've ever lifted more than the rating in either of the 4 boom positions, but maybe I did..... Anyone else have the same conversation with their shop crane?

Notice the over stressed bolt at the end of the ram.....

how about if they were not using threads for a bearing surface

[RichR]

Gonna be fun removing that bent bolt! I'm guessing you'll have to cut it on both sides.

It should be alright.. The hole is much larger than the bolt so it might just slide out of there even though it's bent. Not sure, but there might even be as much as 1/4" slop in holes with the bolt that's in there.

I'm just going to replace the bolt with a bigger one. I absolutely love this shop crane.. Many fond memories of unloading and setting up new tools with it.. To think she'll soon have a much stronger ram bolt just tickles me with joy

If not, grab the bolt head with a wrench, rotate it 180 degrees, and overload it until the bolt straightens out.