boom pole limits?

backintheday · Mar 26, 2014

Hi all,
I'm planning on building a shop this year that will have 16' walls. My question is how high do you all think i can lift a 44' long truss with a 35hp branson? It can lift a large round bale, i have a BH for ballast but im no conviced it's possible. Just currious what everybody thinks.

Thanks much.

pmsmechanic · Mar 27, 2014

I lifted 32 foot rafters onto the 10.5 foot walls of my storage building with a 35 horse 4410. It's not lifting the weight that's the problem it's stability. You've got a very narrow tractor lifting a long unstable object very high above the ground. A small breeze would be enough to push you over. I'm not saying it's impossible just be very careful and make sure the ground you drive on is very level. I used about a 20 foot gin pole that had a piece of 1/4 inch angle iron welded and braced to hook over the bucket edge for lateral stability and then just a chain part ways down the pole to the top of the bucket to keep everything from bending to pieces. Have fun.

BuilderML · Mar 27, 2014

I have worked many times with trusses. What you are planning on doing is not something i would consider. With trusses that wide they try to fold back on themselves. Depending on how you will try to lift them a truss that wide you will need 2 points to lift from above "spreader bar". You could attempt a single point center lift but i think if you do you will only try that once. Besides i don't think you will have the lift height to try to pick from above. So that leaves you with lifting from the bottom cord of the truss. I am sure your machine will have the power to lift it but not something you want to do unless you have done it before. You have to remember that when lifting trusses of that width it is a multi person lift. If you are not all on the same page knowing what each has the do it could be a very short day for many. What i think you should do is call yourself in a crane should cost about 700-1000 for the day. Makes life alot easier. And you can frame your gables on the ground and lift them onto the walls complete. Good luck with your project.

FarmWrench · Mar 27, 2014

Hanson buildings use a hand winch on top of the pole to lift assembled truss/purlins to top of poles before girts go on.

You need a spreader bar. I hung some 50' to 16' a few years ago with a Case 580 super m hoe trusses were 400# I had landing gear down on the backhoe for placement. My Case can lift your branson.

ace10 · Mar 27, 2014

A 44' truss in snow country is going to be a lot of wood. A lot of wood. I don't think it's even close to possible.

$0.02

backintheday · Mar 28, 2014

All good points. I think I'll just rent the proper equipment and play it safe.

Thanks all.

pmsmechanic · Mar 28, 2014

I'm with BuilderML but I've seen the idea carried a step further. The rafters are all set up on the ground on a suitable framework. They are assembled and braced in suitably sized sections and then one day the crane comes and each section is lifted onto the walls and in a few hours the rafters are all up. Most of the nailing is done on the ground and the price of the crane is offset by faster assembly on the ground. My brother did this on his 50 x 100 shop. Two lifts and the job was done. Think the crane was $500