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Ceiling hoist?

bix

bix

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As i get closer to the point where i need to get the bed back onto the truck eventually i am forced to think about how thats actually going to happen. I took it off myself using a engine hoist i was borrowing but it didnt work that well. The sling angle was too stiff at about 20 degrees and the added force from that angle did tweak the lifting points a little and made it very hard to manouver. Id rather not store a engine hoist against a wall until i LS swap the camper van... :whistle: but thats for another time.

I figured i could for the same price, build a support for a winch on the ceiling and get a little 1500 lb hoist. Ive seen situations where they are mounted but stationary. Wondering if anyones built any moving hoists on the cheaper side. I do have some two 6 ft chunks of 3/16 square tubing i was going to use for rocksliders on the k5 just sitting here so im gonna see if maybe that would work as the rail somewhow.. im gonna hit the drawing board and report back.

any ideas are welcome!
 
So for engin swaps ant op removals I built a hanging beam from the ceiling that has removable legs. A "gantry" if you will, a chain fall or electric hoist to the trolley both hf. Torch or plasma "tee" slots to hang the beam (I forget the weight per foot but it's a two guy operation to hang the beam. It's 5x6 but a smaller beam could be used with the trolley with adjustment of the width. Legs are of super light 2.5x3.5" ibeam with plates welded on either end for attaching to the underside of the hanging beam. It works extremely well with open truss or rafter and the only parns needing stowed are the legs. I don't have any other pics of it specifically on my phone I'll dm you when I get home. It's pretty basic

IMG_20210301_174353_695.jpg
 
The problem with a hoist from the ceiling is the stationary position it's mounted lacks flexibility. A gantry crane is much more useful since it can be rolled around.

For squarebody beds I use a cherry picker and I'll continue to do so until I have a two post lift or a gantry crane.
 
I was going to build this as a gantry but then ide have to store it on its wheels or disassemble. The trolley will all side to side but the forward back must be done with the vehicle
 
SpeedlabDan said:
So for engin swaps ant op removals I built a hanging beam from the ceiling that has removable legs. A "gantry" if you will, a chain fall or electric hoist to the trolley both hf. Torch or plasma "tee" slots to hang the beam (I forget the weight per foot but it's a two guy operation to hang the beam. It's 5x6 but a smaller beam could be used with the trolley with adjustment of the width. Legs are of super light 2.5x3.5" ibeam with plates welded on either end for attaching to the underside of the hanging beam. It works extremely well with open truss or rafter and the only parns needing stowed are the legs. I don't have any other pics of it specifically on my phone I'll dm you when I get home. It's pretty basic

View attachment 375929
Click to expand...


Yea thats sorta the way i saw it going as well. side to side would be doable but one way or the other is all i would get without having a gantrty. I definitely dont have space on the floor to store an object that big either. I dont need much room either way to install the bed. I was going to roll the truck forward into the other bay. pick up the bed and then roll the truck back under it and lower it.

skunked said:
The problem with a hoist from the ceiling is the stationary position it's mounted lacks flexibility. A gantry crane is much more useful since it can be rolled around.

For squarebody beds I use a cherry picker and I'll continue to do so until I have a two post lift or a gantry crane.
Click to expand...

by cherry picker do you mean engine hoists? when i hear that i think of a boom truck crane, but im biased when it comes to hoisty things.
 
Yes. Fully endorse your idea.

I installed a simple 4" wide I-beam and then created a rolling hoist system using a Harbor Freight winch and a couple of JET trolley kits.
A hospital-grade coiled cord keeps the tangles away....



IMG_5027.JPGIMG_3712.JPGIMG_3714.JPG





-G
 
how do you find moving the rollers with applied force on the hook?
 
bix said:
how do you find moving the rollers with applied force on the hook?
Click to expand...



IMG_0997.JPG

Easy peasy..... you shim the wheels with the washer set so that they have a small amount of lateral play against the I-Beam.... as long as they aren't binding, they roll smooooooth.

But be advised the JET trolley kits will cost you more than the winch.

(and the winch controller cable is so short that you won't be able to reach it without a tall ladder.... pick up some 4-conductor wire to extend it)


-G
 
A buddy of mine owns a fab shop. Im gonna see if hed want to cut and torch the plates and source the i beam. Dont think the wife would appreciate that on the factory roof rack of the rav 4..
 
Just build an A frame out of 4x4s.
I lifted an entire 72 k5 body off the frame with one. It was easy to break down, and store for later use. With today's prices it'd probably still be $150 though.
Castors would have made it movable if need be.
 
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Forgot I never posted pics of the a frame.
I just used braces on the ceiling to stop side to side movement for that job.
We later added angle braces so it could stand on its own and made a tire swing out of it.
Cross bracing in the second pic is a separate stand made to hold the body for a long period while we rebuilt the frame.

DSCF1471.JPG

DSCF1470.JPG
 
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