24-ft manlift implement for my loader

[dfkrug]

I had found a mast from a fork truck that I would like to put on the back of my tractor with some stabilizers to do basically the same thing (although much lower).

Anyone attempting any lift attached to the 3-point should get a very good
understanding of all the forces involved. Draw a "free-body diagram" of
all the moments and vectors, and consider carefully that only weight keeps
most 3-pt hitches from lifting up unexpectedly.

There is no substitute for common sense, but sometimes you have to
do some measuring, calculating, and testing. As for rules being guidelines,
I think that once a government bureaucracy has been created to
enforce rules, there is no longer much room for flexibility or common sense.

 

[Fxfymn]

Awesome! While I don't disagree that there is a degree of danger involved with any device that lifts a person I would be very comfortable with how this is set up. The base is directly under the load and the load is concentric, not offset to the base. I'm sure that is the reason the basket is so small, so it cannot place an eccentric load on the base.

That is why most of these man-lifts that use a straight elevator mechanism to raise the load do not use outriggers. They rely on a heavy base to anchor the load.

 

[crazyal]

Thats what the orange 2-ft level is for for now (see photo above). The
Genie came with a 2-dimensional bubble level, but I could not salvage it. I
would like to get one, but it won't work better than my temporary level.
I do not just eyeball it for level!

I was just up in a 42' manlift a few days ago (not all the way), and I gotta
say that ALL of these manlifts sway a LOT up at the business end. Not
for the faint of heart, that's for sure. Far more secure than a ladder,
however.

The guy at the rental yard that sells me this stuff was telling me a story:
a manufacturer's rep was demonstrating one of the 36-ft Genie manlifts. He
went up all the way and shook it as hard as he could, without a problem.
It swayed so much, the guys on the ground were more scared than he was!

A few years back I used a 80ft lift to strip lead paint off of an oil tank so they could weld brackets for a safety railing. It was the rough terrain kind with no outriggers. It could swing 360 degrees side to side. It had a lot of bounce to it, more when you stopped moving it then you moving inside of it.

I assumed that's was your plan with the rear out riggers on your tractor. I'm assuming Kioti's are the same as other tractors and the front axle has a pivot so they provide little to no side to side support. Once up 24' if one leg starts to sink into the ground you are not going to be able to lower yourself down quick enough. Of course not seeing it in person I could be overly cautious.

 

[bx24]

Anyone attempting any lift attached to the 3-point should get a very good
understanding of all the forces involved. Draw a "free-body diagram" of
all the moments and vectors, and consider carefully that only weight keeps
most 3-pt hitches from lifting up unexpectedly.

Agreed. My tractor has quick connect points for the BH about the same place as the 3-point the arms connect (much closer to the center of gravity). I was planning on using the BH mounts to attache the mast to (not 24 inches out on the 3-point arms). I am going to have to fab up some sort of outriggers (similiar to a BH) to stabilize the mast.

Once built, I will tie off some ropes tothe mast when it is up to see how much force it takes to get it to tip so I know whether or not it is safe. I could probably figure out the math, but real world testing gives me more piece of mind. If it works great ... if not, I learned what won't work (I believe you learn as much or more from your failures as you do from your successes)

 

[jake98]

Nice attachment! Can't wait to see your Christmas lights!

 

[dfkrug]

I assumed that's was your plan with the rear out riggers on your tractor. I'm assuming Kioti's are the same as other tractors and the front axle has a pivot so they provide little to no side to side support.

You are correct that CUTs have a pivoting front axle and the sideways
stability is due to how well planted the REAR tires are. Unless you
plant the loader firmly down. The hoe outriggers help that too. That is
why I plan to use this at any serious height with the loader forks down
very firmly.

In the test case I posted in the video, I leveled the tractor on unlevel
pavement using the hoe outriggers. I also put some lumber under the
right fork tine so that there was pressure against the ground.


In gaining confidence in this rig's safety, the rope test (pulling on empty
basket when fully UP) is very helpful. Though you can sway the basket
around under this test, you can watch the base very closely to see if
IT moves. It does not.

As you rise in the basket, the cantilever forces between it and the base
increase somewhat, but the increase is in the most stable direction
(forward), and the forks are pressed down onto the surface of the ground.

I once tried out a new Genie scissors lift. The self-propelled kind that
you use only on level pavement, as in warehouses. No outriggers, and
it only went straight up and down. At 30 feet up, I was surprised at
how much the basket swayed. Apparently, these units have so many
pivoting links that all the clearances add up to quite a ride at the top.
Even in new condition. That's a feature, not a bug.

 

[nuffer460]

dfkrug, Very Cool attachment!!! I think with the down force of the front forks and the rear backhoe down riggers, it should be very stabil. I would pay to go on that ride. Well done!!

 

[KubotainNH]

I always enjoy reading the posts on your projects. As typical, very well thought out and all details checked. I would much rather be up on that lift than my 24foot fiberglass ladder, way less to go wrong in my book. Just a couple questions, what happens if you are up there and lose power? Also, I think you mentioned no power connectors so do you need to unbolt the cables to remove the lift?

 

[Jnasystems]

Wow that is really neat, and obviously you feel it is strong enough without outriggers or another connection point beyond just the loader, but I can't help but wonder how much force it would take to cause the forks to curl while you are up there. Another concern I thought of - can/do you disable the loader valve while operating the lift? It would seem pretty plausible that a falling object could land on the valve and send you for one heck of a ride if not.

 

[o2batsea]

Will you come over and put the star on top of our tree?