Dump truck pics for Holzster.

[Bigbear]

bobodu, good deal man, I have an old toyota with a flat bed and want to do the same thing. I can't quite get it through my little pea brain how you are working the hinge, where the ends of the lift cylinders push on the bed. If you get time, how about a closeup pic of that area. From the pic it almost looks like you have it scissored at that point, or is that part of the bed bracket. BEAR

 

[bobodu]

Here's a pic when I was building the hoist.I have beefed up the lift arms a lot since then.Just wanted to make sure the geometry was right.

For the hinges,I just welded ( the dickens out of ) a two inch long piece of 1 inch pipe to a piece of 2X4X1/2' plate and ran four upright pieces of plate with 1" holes near the ends to the frame and subframe.Dropped in a couple of Grade 8 bolts.

Here's a shot of the hoist early on...

These are where I got the lift concept from.

 

[Bigbear]

Thanks bobodu, /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif OK, the light bulb went off. Now it makes sense. If I can swing the cost of cylinders, pump,etc, I will start the project soon. We are in the process of building a new home (half for now) over at the woods, doing everything by cash, sure don't leave much for projects. But this project would help defray the cost of hauling gravel and stone. Thanks again man, BEAR /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bobodu]

Hay...as a super cheapo,I built this from stuff I had laying around,save the steel for the bed itself.If I were to build from stuff I had to buy,I'd go with a long cylinder on a slight slant and have that lift the bed.I'd suggest looking around for a scrapped out forklift for the hydraulics.We did away with one at work and I was able to grab the pump and valves off it...(shoulda taken the whole thing home in pieces)...and used them on the Farmnought.I was concerned about the pump,but I found out the vane pump will split wood just fine using a 4 inch cylinder!
There is more on my truck here..
http://www.machinebuilders.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1709&PN=1

 

[bobodu]

Well Boys...she got her maiden load today!!
Neighbor brought in a couple of loads of firewood.The second was heavy enough that I could see where the tires had rubbed the underside of the bed.The hoist worked like a charm!!! No creaking or sputtering and best of all....no broken welds or flying steel!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif