??Light duty hydraulic winch available

[IslandTractor]

I am thinking of how to put a light duty (2000lb) winch on my tree boom FEL attachment to use as a small crane. I already have hydraulics up front for a grapple so I was thinking I could just weld a mounting plate on to the tree boom attachment plate and bolt on a small hydraulic winch. Problem is I don't seem to find any such hydraulic winch for sale and am not sure it would be a simple matter to adapt a small hydraulic motor to serve that function.

The basic need is to help with an annual job that requires me to drop the tree boom over a seawall, attach it to a float then lift the float up out of the water and clear the seawall so I can back up and put the thing down on dry land. I cannot get the tree boom down far enough to attach it directly and still be able to lift it high enough to clear the seawall so I need to be able to winch the thing up to the top of the tree boom in order to clear the seawall. I suppose I could rig a simple pully system but it occurred to me that I've got the hydraulics up there anyway so why not see if there was such a device available.

Any thoughts?

 

[J_J]

I am thinking of how to put a light duty (2000lb) winch on my tree boom FEL attachment to use as a small crane. I already have hydraulics up front for a grapple so I was thinking I could just weld a mounting plate on to the tree boom attachment plate and bolt on a small hydraulic winch. Problem is I don't seem to find any such hydraulic winch for sale and am not sure it would be a simple matter to adapt a small hydraulic motor to serve that function.

The basic need is to help with an annual job that requires me to drop the tree boom over a seawall, attach it to a float then lift the float up out of the water and clear the seawall so I can back up and put the thing down on dry land. I cannot get the tree boom down far enough to attach it directly and still be able to lift it high enough to clear the seawall so I need to be able to winch the thing up to the top of the tree boom in order to clear the seawall. I suppose I could rig a simple pulley system but it occurred to me that I've got the hydraulics up there anyway so why not see if there was such a device available.

Any thoughts?

I purchased one of those remote controlled winches from HF. Just might work for you. Around $63.00.

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

How much weight can you pick up with the boom horizontal? I believe the lifting capacity is determined at the end of the lifting arms, and if you add the tree boom, the lifting capacity diminishes with length. If you have lifted this item before, it might not be a problem.

Power-Trac makes a hyd winch for their machines, but it ain't cheap.

You could make your own with the right hydraulic motor and gear box.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks JJ. I am aware of the HF winch you used and that is my fall back plan. I'd just prefer not to get something electrical especially as I already have hydraulics up front.

I don't have any trouble lifting the float (really only weighs about 400-500lbs) with the boom, I just cannot lift it high enough (or rather I cannot get the boom down low enough to attach it without about six feet of line.

I will check out the surplus supply website to see what I can find. I know there are very powerful hydraulic winches available but I really just want something with about the same capacity as the HF winch you have. If it is lots more $$ I'll just go with the HF (or even a simple mechanical block and tackle but that would be a shameful thing with all this tractor equipment) but being in a marine environment I'd prefer to go hydraulic.

 

[Willl]

Seems the words 'small' and 'hydraulic winch' are tough to find in the same sentence.

Did find this thou

Simpalift - Hydraulic Winch

 

[IslandTractor]

Seems the words 'small' and 'hydraulic winch' are tough to find in the same sentence.

Did find this thou

Simpalift - Hydraulic Winch

thanks. That is almost perfect. Almost because it costs $650. Looks like I am going to end up with the electrical option favored by JJ or just a pully system.

I wonder if I could replace the electric motor in the HF winch with a small hydraulic motor? Probably could but I imagine finding the adapter necessary could be a flail.

 

[brandoro]

If you only need about 6 feet drawn up you could get by with a small diameter long stroke cylinder and a couple sets of pulleys (sheaves). More pulleys to add passes of line for a shorter cylinder stroke. Sort of a hydraulic winch and wouldn't be too expensive especially if you already have an appropriate size cylinder on some other equipment.

 

[IslandTractor]

If you only need about 6 feet drawn up you could get by with a small diameter long stroke cylinder and a couple sets of pulleys (sheaves). .

I did think of that when I was pondering using pullies. I guess if I got a cylinder with an 18 inch stroke I could use a four part pully set up to get about six feet of lift. I'll put that one on the back burner for now but I think you are correct that it would do that specific job.

 

[J_J]

How about something like this.

If you went with a hyd motor, the winch to hyd motor adapters are readily available.

 

[IslandTractor]

How about something like this.

If you went with a hyd motor, the winch to hyd motor adapters are readily available.

What I have is essentially the tree boom you posted in the second photo. I may just give up and get the HF winch you mentioned earlier as it is by far the cheapest solution. I could then use it and when the motor corrodes or craps out then figure out how to adapt a small (very small) hydraulic motor. My efforts to find anything on surplus supply have come up with no joy but it still might be a fun project down the road.

On a separate point, is it safe to run the 12v winch directly off the tractor starting battery or is a separate battery used?

 

[J_J]

Give me an idea of the motor size, and shaft size, be it round, splined. and cu in. of the motor. and rpm desired.

Have you considered a large A frame lift with the base anchored. Back the tractor with the chain at the apex, and another piece of chain going to the item you are lifting, and slowly back the tractor, and the A frame will rise bringing the float up and on top of the dock.