Any body built a knuckleboom loader

[aczlan]

Why are so many small loaders for sale up north, and nothing but big loaders for sale in the south?

Are you looking in the right place? I found 4 cranes in 10 minutes of searching. 3 of them would probably be the right size.
Here is one in Youngsville NC for $1500: Palfinger/Hiab folding truck crane
Truck mounted one (with the truck) in Salisbury, NC for $2600: 1956 White 9000TD Flatbed Dump Truck W/ Crane - REDUCED (again)
Another truck mounted one (currently on a F600) in or near Mineral Springs, NC for $3000: Ford F600
Yet another truck mounted one for $3200 (might be a little small, its mounted on a Chevy 3500): 1992 Chevy 3500 with utility bed and crane

Aaron Z

 

[muddstopper]

I've seen those ads. Not really what I am looking for. Most of the folding truck cranes are to heavy to place on the tongue of a trailer. Now if you run across a farmi or similar I'm very interested.

 

[mikefromnh]

If you could get that graveyard crane for closer to $1000 I think you'd be money and time ahead. You'd have a rotating base that's already been engineered for the job and you could re-use the hydraulic cylinders and valves.

 

[aczlan]

If you could get that graveyard crane for closer to $1000 I think you'd be money and time ahead. You'd have a rotating base that's already been engineered for the job and you could re-use the hydraulic cylinders and valves.

That was my thought. The first or second ad could probably land you with the crane for $1000-$1200 (for the second, you would need to re-sell the truck without the crane for at least $1400 to get that, or use the frame to build a trailer). If the boom on the crane is too heavy, you could build your own boom, but you would be starting with outriggers, a rotating base, a valvebank and some cylinders.
Alternatively (if the mechanics crane is heavy enough), the Chevy 3500 could probably be had for $3000 and could be resold for $2000 (or $2500) without the crane. That crane would just need a high mount base to sit on.

Aaron Z

 

[muddstopper]

Yea, I considered it, but then I looked it up, it 360miles from me. A problem with using folding cranes with extendabooms is the hydraulics for the grapple. You either have to use a retracting hose reel or let the hoses dangle when the boom is retracted. I have used retractable cable reels attached to the hoses to keep them from hanging, so it doable, Takes 4 hoses for the rotator and grapple. I just dont see a $1000 value plus a day of travel time and expenses to get it. Now if it was across town and I could get a good look at it, I might have a change of heart.

I have actually seen the crane military truck in Salisbury NC, 240 miles, I used to work there. The f600 in Mineral Springs is just outside Charlotte NC, I will be out there next wk so might look it up.

Buying a used crane just to get the cyl, control valves, swivels, etc and then rebuilding the boom I dont know about that. Can I do it, sure, do I want to do it, I'll have to think about that one. I have been scrounging the scrap yards for a while now and already have a pile of valves and cylinders. Really, the swivel is all I need.

 

[aczlan]

Yea, I considered it, but then I looked it up, it 360miles from me. A problem with using folding cranes with extendabooms is the hydraulics for the grapple. You either have to use a retracting hose reel or let the hoses dangle when the boom is retracted. I have used retractable cable reels attached to the hoses to keep them from hanging, so it doable, Takes 4 hoses for the rotator and grapple. I just dont see a $1000 value plus a day of travel time and expenses to get it. Now if it was across town and I could get a good look at it, I might have a change of heart.

I have actually seen the crane military truck in Salisbury NC, 240 miles, I used to work there. The f600 in Mineral Springs is just outside Charlotte NC, I will be out there next wk so might look it up.

Buying a used crane just to get the cyl, control valves, swivels, etc and then rebuilding the boom I dont know about that. Can I do it, sure, do I want to do it, I'll have to think about that one. I have been scrounging the scrap yards for a while now and already have a pile of valves and cylinders. Really, the swivel is all I need.

Good point, if you already have a valveblock, it doesn't make quite as much sense. If you are going to build the boom either way, you might be able to sell the boom portion of a knuckleboom to offset your costs. I imagine that it would be worth at least few hundred to the right buyer.

Aaron Z

 

[muddstopper]

I actually have a boom off a long arm mower I thought about using. Its a little short, but I got the cylinders for it and the valve bank. I probably wont use that entire boom because it is only 10ft, but I am thinking about using the root boom portion as a dipper boom on my loader. The dipper boom had a knuckle in the middle to allow the mower to kick back incase you hit something when mowing. I used the cylinders to make a small knuckle boom for my log spliter. it was strong enough to pick up the size wood I wanted at 14ft extended. To bad my swivel wasnt up to the task.

 

[mikefromnh]

I actually have a boom off a long arm mower I thought about using. Its a little short, but I got the cylinders for it and the valve bank. I probably wont use that entire boom because it is only 10ft, but I am thinking about using the root boom portion as a dipper boom on my loader. The dipper boom had a knuckle in the middle to allow the mower to kick back incase you hit something when mowing. I used the cylinders to make a small knuckle boom for my log spliter. it was strong enough to pick up the size wood I wanted at 14ft extended. To bad my swivel wasnt up to the task.

That's what I want to build for my new splitter, but with a hydraulic grapple.


Like this

 

[Baby Grand]

Now that's a splitter.

 

[dcomp]

Found this truck on Craigslist in hohenwald TN for $3000 or best offer come on down and we'll go in half and you can carry the boom home with you lol.