Winch bed and trailer build

Tree09

Treehouser
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Feb 28, 2017
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Peoria il
I'm going to be building a bed for my 96 f250, and I've decided on building a winch bed so I can change beds out according to what I'm working on, but still use the same truck. Winch beds are used like a rolloff, but are dramatically simpler, consulting of only a flatbed, headache rack, a winch, and a tail roller. They oftentimes incorporate gin poles, which lean out the back and are used as a crane. They don't swing, out in some cases even luff under load, but they are simple, cheap, almost indestructible, and can pick up as much as the suspension will allow. While not as handy as a mini, and can't fit through a gate, I can build one with stuff I have here and I can use it for different stuff than trees (pipeline welding skid), and will lift dramatically more. The skids are nothing more than a basic frame, unlike a rolloff which is built to a certain size.

I'm planning on doing not only the truck, but a utility pole trailer I bought too. I will strip off the existing stuff on the trailer (not much) and then will add a tail roller and heavy duty gin poles (I'm thinking 4" pipe, 20' long. This will allow me to put the skid on the ground, raise the poles, and then use the poles to tip the skid up to dump. I can also pull sides and dump sideways. Although this is dramatically longer than just dumping a dump trailer, I can run multiple skids (prestaged at the job), no chipper (where I dump actually prefers that because they are making mulch, and regrinding just turns it to powder), just shove everything in the boxes and I do the trucking later. I can also run way longer boxes than your normal 12-14 for dump box, so I can move my backhoe too (might use it for loading with the backhoe and thumb, or for other stuff). I'm thinking I can use the truck winch to do everything, so the trailer won't need its own dedicated winch. I was planning on using a multi part line for the trailer to stay with the same winch. The trailer is extendable, so I can haul short or long tubs, maybe even a camper lol. I would be able to carry empty shipping containers too (planning to get some for storage and sell the covered trailers I have now).

Thoughts please and thank you :) remember I don't do trees full time, and I need to put a pipeline rig together. This way I can use one truck for both, and if I get a newer truck, I just do another winch bed, rather than a whole pipeline setup again. And I can use it around the house lifting anything, and I can load skids on the ground rather than messing with ramps. Here's a few pics I found online that kind of explains better, and some I thought were set up well.
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  • #2
Here's one showing a tractor pulling a trailer one
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Here's one showing an actual oilfield one lift a tank up high for some reason, kind of how I plan to dump
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And here's an up closer of the gin pole connection
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And here's some gin poles on the front of a dodge power wagon. Putting them on the rear gives wayyyyyyyyyy more lifting capacity
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  • #4
More skids being loaded
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They actually stand the tanks upright too, by backing into them. Whoever figured out how to do that is a badass lol

And a closer look at the last one, it looks like an rc car one... Might be, those were just a quick search showing how they load
 
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  • #6
Thx Butch, I thought it would be handy. :) I have the winch and trailer, I'll add pics tomorrow.
 
Some good ideas there. Will be good to watch this develop.

I just discovered Power Wagons this week. They are awesome looking trucks.
 
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  • #10
Alrighty, got some pics today. Here's the winch, got for free from a job I did a few years ago, he said it came off a utility truck used for lifting poles. Best I can tell it's an old Ramsey, worm gear type, which is what I want for lifting (can't free spool). I'm sure it's at least 8k, anyways should be heavy enough for what I need. I found a few numbers, thinking it's similar to their re 200 winch. Thinking of converting it to hydraulic or many even a small pony motor, because electric will probably be bad for using it on a production basis. Anyone have thoughts on this plz let me know.
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Here's the 250, and then the 350 dually I grabbed for 500 a couple years ago. The 250 is gtg, the 350 needs a new rear main seal and some carb work, but I drove it home. Thinking of using that for the tree business only, with another winch bed at a later date.
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Now here's the trailer, grabbed it at an auction a few years ago (anyone seeing a pattern lol) for $500, 14k with brakes, and it extends. Pintle hitch, so is ready for the upforce of loading and gin pole use, and the axle is almost completely at the rear (limiting the force upwards). The bed is coming off it, because I need only the frame.
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  • #14
Yup. You aren't supposed to use a "winch" to lift with, but a worm gear one can't really free spool, or be overpowered by the load. I worked a bit this year around some guys that were working on the natural gas wells, and they used this type setup. They had a single axle winch truck, and while I didn't get to watch them use it, they moved everything with it. So remarkably simple, yet so useful. Their tractor for moving the workover rig around looked like a normal semi, but with the winch and roller on it too. They never used the trailer jacks, just winched it on the fifth wheel. I had been thinking about it for awhile, so I started researching them and I like it more than a rolloff or hooklift. Can do more, and is lighter, so I can put them on smaller trucks like this. I looked at the switch and go mini rolloff setup, but that's a bunch more steel and hydraulics, so the lightest seemed to be a 450 truck
 
Seems like stabilizer legs would help. Can be simple and easy. The pintle hitch is tough, but how about tongue weight/ force on the hitch, in its weakest direction.


Seems like a lot of fabrication on old trucks, to me.
 
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  • #16
Lol it is, but I can switch the beds to another truck later. I would love newer trucks, but I own them, and can't swing a new one. And I know how to work on them, can't say the same for newer trucks. I do plan on getting another dually, 4x4 next year tho when I'm welding pipe.

Stabilizer legs would help, but I think I'm gonna need to roll forward to place the tub back on the ground. The extendable trailer should help too, because I can extend it all the way out, which will give me a really long lever to oppose a small force. And I shouldn't be picking up the whole weight either, just one side. The tub will be on the ground the whole time on one side.
 
If it is mostly work in the bed build, and switchable, sounds like a win.

Will be very interesting to see how it works.


I would like to modify my chip truck, but it's too old, since I have to pay for such skills, and materials.


Making things work for the individual is key.
 
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  • #18
As far I as I can tell so far, the expense is in the winch. I got quoted for steel at less than $1 a pound, mostly c channel and plate. Since I have this winch for free, I'm gonna see if I can make it work for me. I know it will be fine for the truck, but it might not be enough for the trailer (load capacity wise). My plan is to do the truck first, then do the trailer. As I was taking measurements yesterday on the trailer, I need to raise the frame by a few inches, and probably widen it. Once again all c channel, so shouldn't be too bad. I also need to start hunting for some blocks, brand new ones would be nice, but if I can find used ones, that much better.

I'm planning on 3" c channel for the frame for the truck, and 3" channel for the skids for the truck. 2" pipe with 1 1/2" pipe inside for extendable gin poles for the truck. Wood floor, possibly plywood (it will get torn up) for weight. 4" pipe as a tail roller, with 2 intermediate casters for support. The truck isn't a cab and chassis, so I'll be padding it level with wood, and then u bolts to fasten it to the frame. Extra support for the tail roller and gin poles. The skids will have a wood floor as well, and wood sides. I'll make the gin pole rooster out of old axle shafts. I'm still trying to figure out how to power the winch tho. It's either gonna be a pony motor, or tie it into the power steering pump like they do with the mile marker winches. I'm leaning towards the pony motor tho, easier to switch at a later date and I have a generator that I could hook up too.
 
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  • #21
Lol to you it may look like trash, but these are my prized possessions! :lol:
 
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  • #23
Yes, but with cash. The only way to buy steel is scrap yard if they will sell (most won't anymore), or through a commercial supply house. Min order stuff applies, but if you are doing a project like this you expect to spend a few hundred. I'm guessing when it's all said and done I'm looking at 1500 for the truck, gin poles, skids, and trailer.

Also, stay away from square tubing if you can. 2" square tubing is twice as expensive as 3" channel, but half the strength. About the same weight. Channel, I beams, angle, and occasionally pipe are your friends, same stuff they use in industry. It will be in stock and cheaper.
 
Sweet! When I can I buy thru my buddy who owns a good sized manufacturing business and they order millions of pounds a year (literally). Last order was 400' of 1.5x1.5x3/16 wall square tube I think it was $1.35 a foot.
 
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  • #25
Wow, yeah just add your order on with his lol, probably get it for free!
 
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