Bed or receiver mount crane?

[Davexxxx]

Anyone used either one, on a Gen 14 Ford?

Thinking of lifting ~350 lbs, without tailgate removal and swing it into the bed.

The specific purpose, would be to load an RV waste toter, when boondocking. I know there are macerators but that doesn't appeal to me.

Kinda running through the pros and cons of each would be.

Bed mounted pros = always assembled but tucks away decently. Cons = whatever they weigh, its a permanent load and I've no idea if the aluminum bed is tough enough, without substantial reinforcing.

Receiver hitch mounted pros. = More stable, can be used from either side of the truck, they look to have a better reach. Can be transferred to different vehicle, when not in use, can be loaded to the front center of the bed. Cons = more gagety, needs to be assembled and disassembled each use.

Or maybe something like this? Lots lighter and assembly / disassembly looks minimal. Have to get the smaller toter but still workable.

https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Solutions-VS-VSL001-Game-Processing/dp/B00VXURFSG/ref=sr_1_19?

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[Aron]

I have no suggestions for your crane idea. However, I would assume that something big enough to lift a full waste toter would significantly cut into your payload, which is generally already tight for towing RVs. Also...it seems a bit risky: if the lifting straps slip when the toter is halfway into your truck bed, it seems like it could turn into a sewage bomb pretty easily if the toter falls and impacts the ground. I think that I would prefer to use some type of macerating sewage pump that can lift the fluid up into the toter that's already in your bed, but I respect that you said that you don't want to do that.

On my RV waste toter, the wagon handle is wide enough that I can hook it on the trailer hitch, so I just tow it to the dump station site. Granted, in certain locations, that might not be feasible due to the terrain you might be towing through.

 

[Davexxxx]

The one I linked, is 56lbs. I have room for that much. Especially if stowed to the front of the bed, or the rear of the trailer.

And since the last will do, for me, it is probably the better choice.

But for others, the actual cranes, I was thinking of using cargo webbing. They're more than strong enough for such a load.

On the platform style, a simple cinch strap will be plenty.

 

[powerboatr]

we have a BLUE BUNNY it can hold 35 gallons and its a bear to move full
but it has four wheels and a long handle and can be towed t 5 mph
NEVER EVER EVER tow one at 5 mph and not have some one watch it
we lost a WHEEL on one at 5 mph and the concrete ground a big hole in the corner and let the fluid flow as it was ..
good thing was by time i got the dump station it was empty

i could not image lifting 35 or more gallons of STUFF up high enough to get in the bed then drive to a dump station and pipe it down to the ground connection


how about a per or removable tank in the bed, that has a pump from the rv to the tank, then
use gravity at the dump station to empty

when not rving...take it out and when on the road ..leave it empty

 

[Davexxxx]

we have a BLUE BUNNY it can hold 35 gallons and its a bear to move full
but it has four wheels and a long handle and can be towed t 5 mph
NEVER EVER EVER tow one at 5 mph and not have some one watch it
we lost a WHEEL on one at 5 mph and the concrete ground a big hole in the corner and let the fluid flow as it was ..
good thing was by time i got the dump station it was empty

i could not image lifting 35 or more gallons of STUFF up high enough to get in the bed then drive to a dump station and pipe it down to the ground connection


how about a per or removable tank in the bed, that has a pump from the rv to the tank, then
use gravity at the dump station to empty

when not rving...take it out and when on the road ..leave it empty

There are at least a couple ways to keep the wheels on. Drill it and cotter pin it, or drill and tap through the cap retainer.

I'm looking at the 28gal Rhino with 4 wheels. About 260 lbs. full. The hoist is rated for 300.

The reason I want it in the truck, is because we'll be doing a lot of remote camping and need to drive to town to dump, rather than inside a campground.

I know what a macerator is and want nothing to do with it.

 

[powerboatr]

There are at least a couple ways to keep the wheels on. Drill it and cotter pin it, or drill and tap through the cap retainer.

I'm looking at the 28gal Rhino with 4 wheels. About 260 lbs. full. The hoist is rated for 300.

The reason I want it in the truck, is because we'll be doing a lot of remote camping and need to drive to town to dump, rather than inside a campground.

I know what a macerator is and want nothing to do with it.

My wheel actually broke at the plastic hub
Now the new one has harbor freight steel wheels and pneumatic rear tires.
I see tye point if you have along run to drain the goods

I have 80 gallons combined of Grey and black. Even at that we can run out of capacity pretty quick woth showers, etc.
Will be watching to see what you come up with

 

[Davexxxx]

My wheel actually broke at the plastic hub
Now the new one has harbor freight steel wheels and pneumatic rear tires.
I see tye point if you have along run to drain the goods

I have 80 gallons combined of Grey and black. Even at that we can run out of capacity pretty quick woth showers, etc.
Will be watching to see what you come up with

Conserving grey water is fairly easy but with just a 30 gal black tank ... I want certainty of at least a week at a time.

Anyway, went ahead and ordered the platform lift. Supposed to be here today but we'll see.

The reviews are ... pretty mixed. You know how that goes. Most of the complaints are about winch assembly (which is easily gotten around) using cable at all, or the cable being too long (again, I can fix that) and some suggested refinements (I'm ok with that too). I think most of the time, its better to read the 2 to 4 stars, than either end.

That way you bypass the fanboys and the never happys.

If it can be made to safely lift 300 lbs. and swivel into the bed, I'll call it a win and will use it for more than just the honey wagon.

 

[imnuts]

If it has wheels, why not get a ramp to go to into the bed and then you could either just push/pull it into the bed manually or set up a system to pull it up via the existing tie downs.

 

[Davexxxx]

If it has wheels, why not get a ramp to go to into the bed and then you could either just push/pull it into the bed manually or set up a system to pull it up via the existing tie downs.

I thought about that and have done similar on my old truck but the new truck has a shorter bed and my existing ramps wont fit with the tailgate and tonneau closed.

So, new folding ramps and use the winch rig I already made, or try a lift?

Prices and weight are near enough, to more or less be a coin toss, with advantage IMO, going to the one that could do something the other cant.

 

[powerboatr]

Conserving grey water is fairly easy but with just a 30 gal black tank ... I want certainty of at least a week at a time.

Anyway, went ahead and ordered the platform lift. Supposed to be here today but we'll see.

The reviews are ... pretty mixed. You know how that goes. Most of the complaints are about winch assembly (which is easily gotten around) using cable at all, or the cable being too long (again, I can fix that) and some suggested refinements (I'm ok with that too). I think most of the time, its better to read the 2 to 4 stars, than either end.

That way you bypass the fanboys and the never happys.

If it can be made to safely lift 300 lbs. and swivel into the bed, I'll call it a win and will use it for more than just the honey wagon.

I for one will watch this thread. Sounds similar to a lift for a scooter chair or mobility chair

Please post up as you get it sorted?

 

[Probity]

I went through a somewhat similar exercise a few years ago – looking for a ‘good’ hitch receiver mount portable truck crane (I didn’t want a bed-mount solution). My main reason for use was something suitable for moving a large (over 350 lbs) portable generator into/out of my truck bed.

I never did find exactly what I wanted (suitable for solo assembly/operation, low cost, low overall crane weight, smallish footprint when stored in truck bed, relative ease of crane assembly, 400+ lb rating, no tailgate interference issues with tailgate down, etc). The various deer lift types appealed to my cheap nature but their robustness was always suspect to me. The various hydraulic/manual crank steel cranes with 2-legged supports were all above 100 lb in weight, took awhile to assemble, and would have required a fair amount of bed space when carrying it.

This one wasn’t available for purchase when I was looking in 2021, but I’m thinking it ‘might’ have worked for me with the optional ‘hitch extender’ to allow for tailgate-down operation. Unclear whether I’d be comfortable using with a 350+ lbs lift though….
Amazon.com : octora Truck Hitch Mounted Crane- 600lbs Load Capacity, 2 Inch Receiver Hitch Hoist,360° Swivel Winch Lift Gambrel Set - Carbon Steel : Sports & Outdoors

The Viking SwiveLift looks like it might meet your needs if you’re under 300 lbs.

I ended up going the very high dollar route and got a Spitzlift. Truck Receiver Hitch Kit - SpitzLift Portable Crane. Today’s price for it is breath-taking (over $2k), it was a lot less in 2021. I only use it a couple times a year at most but my nephew-in-law who owns an HVAC company has used it a few times for his residential AC condenser installations and likes it a lot.

Will be interested in what you end up with, keep us informed.

 

[ks54703]

Lifting liquid that can shift in any container is much different than lifting something static..
3rd picture of a tilted snowblower should make a good impression that this thing is unstable.
Now put a rolling tank with 20-30 gallons of septic black-water that weighs 100- 200 pounds, please keep the cameras rolling cause it could make a very good video.

 

[Davexxxx]

Well, they're claiming it is out for delivery, so should have something to show you by this evening.

Not sure I can come up with 300 lbs. to test it but I've got a few 5 gallon buckets of sand I keep around and can cobble something together.

 

[Davexxxx]

Lifting liquid that can shift in any container is much different than lifting something static..
3rd picture of a tilted snowblower should make a good impression that this thing is unstable.
Now put a rolling tank with 20-30 gallons of septic black-water that weighs 100- 200 pounds, please keep the cameras rolling cause it could make a very good video.

They got these new fangled things called ratchet straps. Think I can handle it.

 

[Calson]

To pivot a load to the inside of the bed the crane needs to be in the corner of the bed of the truck. How to best attach it to the bed is another question and one that would be worth asking someone with one of the aftermarket utility bed companies. Many industrial work trucks have cranes mounted as with ones dealing with HVAC or heavy tires.

I would bet that any solution is best suited for a F-250 or F-350 truck frame. An alternative is to buy a hoist that has large wheels and can be towed behind the truck as with the ones available at tool sheds.

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