Gerasimek's Tree-mek

[SJ_Treeguy]

Here is a single axle, 33,000 gvw freightliner , 25 tonne meter Heila crane , 5 upper extensions with a 3 extension fly jib with one manual pull out , 75 ft horizontal reach 500 lb by 82 ft height 500 lb . , the truck measures 26.5 ft long I bought the crane 5 years old and mounted it on this truck the rear stabilizers came with it , you can buy them as an after thought also. I have been running this truck for the last 3 years, it is stable at full reach and it fits almost anywhere !

 

[classictruckman]

How do you know the truck's COG without knowing axle weights? Or did you just ballpark it?

Just ball parked, it on a truck that light the body and kboom should be close to the same effective weight as the drivetrain/steer axle.

It's all about keeping more effective weight on the crane side of the outriggers rather than the hook side.

 

[frashdog]

View attachment 36482 Here is a single axle, 33,000 gvw freightliner , 25 tonne meter Heila crane , 5 upper extensions with a 3 extension fly jib with one manual pull out , 75 ft horizontal reach 500 lb by 82 ft height 500 lb . , the truck measures 26.5 ft long I bought the crane 5 years old and mounted it on this truck the rear stabilizers came with it , you can buy them as an after thought also. I have been running this truck for the last 3 years, it is stable at full reach and it fits almost anywhere !

sweet!

That is exactly what I wanted when I was looking into cranes a few years ago. Opdyke and there installer were trying to tell me you could not do that.

 

[SJ_Treeguy]

The crane is THE largest that can be put on that size truck , with that being said you have to be very careful and watch your stabilizers for when they lift . The crane installers (engineer) want a margin of safety and on this truck the margin is very slim, if i had used a 20 tonne meter crane the margin would be better and anyone could operate it . I also have very little capacity for logs or chips or whatever, truck empty is 26,600 # the GVW is 33,000# . I wanted a crane to get into any situation so i lose in another area plus only three people are allowed to operate this crane. Where i live the trees are 80 foot all day long so this truck works good, anyplace else you need to get creative with the top and rope them over then connect to the crane and move the top away.

 

[james mauldin]

Ok, this is a rough estimate, with the truck weighing 20k at 57' it would take 4210 lbs to tip it over. What is the boom rated for at 57' away?

Boom is rated at 2100lbs at 57'. As a package I know that the engineer is going to lowball the chart. He didn't like the truck /crane package. Didn't like the axle and he was confident that I would destroy the truck and the world would end when I started talking to him. After 3 calls we came up with adding rears and a complete subframe cab to tail and still no front picks but as SJTREEGUY said his is doing find with his larger setup so with front outriggers, we should be good. Not taking the engineer for gospel truth.

 

[allmark]

View attachment 36498 On the kboom the tires should be on the ground. They share the load. If it needs to be lifted to get closer to level dunnage should be used under them.

 

[classictruckman]

I agree all tires on the ground for a cab mount, but with a rear mount I have no issues jacking the front end way up into the air to get level.

 

[classictruckman]

Boom is rated at 2100lbs at 57'. As a package I know that the engineer is going to lowball the chart. He didn't like the truck /crane package. Didn't like the axle and he was confident that I would destroy the truck and the world would end when I started talking to him. After 3 calls we came up with adding rears and a complete subframe cab to tail and still no front picks but as SJTREEGUY said his is doing find with his larger setup so with front outriggers, we should be good. Not taking the engineer for gospel truth.

Anything is better than nothing, I just hate it when you're paying a lot of money to build a truck and you can't get it the way you want because a so called engineer doesn't understand what he's designing

 

[Ben Heller]

View attachment 36497 View attachment 36498 On the kboom the tires should be on the ground. They share the load. If it needs to be lifted to get closer to level dunnage should be used under them.

I didn't see it right away, but you were adding some extra security for that lift. Good to be friends with the excavator operator.

 

[dmd]

I'm working with 2 different companies getting info on building a tree mek. One company says a cab mount creates stability problems and the other says a rear mount creates more problems. Can anyone square me away on this. I want a cab mount to have a dump option.

 

[KnuckleboomTrader]

I'm working with 2 different companies getting info on building a tree mek. One company says a cab mount creates stability problems and the other says a rear mount creates more problems. Can anyone square me away on this. I want a cab mount to have a dump option.

What size crane and truck?

 

[dmd]

Palfinger 40002 on a Mack cabover. Short as I can get.

 

[KnuckleboomTrader]

Did the dealer model the crane and truck in software to check stability?

 

[dmd]

Don't think so they seemed to be speaking from experience.

 

[james mauldin]

New truck or crane, do you already have either?

 

[dmd]

No.

 

[Ben Heller]

I'm working with 2 different companies getting info on building a tree mek. One company says a cab mount creates stability problems and the other says a rear mount creates more problems. Can anyone square me away on this. I want a cab mount to have a dump option.

I don't know if you have talked to Jason Smith at Tiffin Loader Crane in Ohio, but I would say they should know. It may not be close to home, but they do know their cranes and mounting. S J Treeguy could probably tell you about the front mount stability and chart. A short truck creates issues to deal with regardless of where you mount the crane. You just need to have it engineered and dealt with. Best to you.

 

[dmd]

Jason is extremely knowledgeable a huge help. He liked the rear mount.

 

[SJ_Treeguy]

dmd,
Here is a cab mounted 40002 Palfinger without the grapple saw it measures 99.5 ft side reach 800 lb , 109 ft vertical with 800 lb lift. With the grapple saw on its 92 ft side and 101 ft vert. completely tested by westminster Hydraulics and it is stable at full extension and weight .

 

[dmd]

What jib do you have?