Let’s talk about hook lift trucks

Merle Nelson said:
The search function is your friend.

What size truck are you thinking of running it on?
Click to expand...
Hey Merle , I poked around a bit on search. Found some good stuff you’d said in a post on a tandem hook garesimek sold. And not a lot else , but what you had said in there was very valuable info to me. I’m a cab-over advocate for I’ve had good luck with my Isuzus , for this trucki like the FTR model primarily.. I believe I saw one listed for sale they said was 33k derated to 26k. I’m not opposed to going bigger if it’s worth it. I have cdl class A and am pushing my longest running employee to attain his as well so I’ll be more flexible with our setups in transport. It would appear if I did get into a hook lift the driver of that rig could get “stuck” driving it around all day long between dumping chips then coming back for wood or equipment or what have you ? I dunno how it would play out ? Hence I’m here searching for some sort of answer from folks who’ve gone down that road!
Right now say “normal” ish day would be
Me in crane truck towing loader and stumper. Other employee in chip truck with chipper in tow and another in a log truck.
 
Great info. I just have a small mostly pruning operation and the one class 5 truck.

@Lumberjack has two bigger hooklifts I believe and runs a lot more iron closer to what you sound like. I love the versatility of mine even though it detracts from legal weight limit. Not as much an issue on a big truck. I wouldn’t work without a hooklift in the mix knowing how much hardship it shortcuts in our hard work intensive field.
 
Correction
FTR class 6 truck 26k
FVR class 7 truck 33k can be derated for staying under cdl I’ve read. Not that I am too worried in that regards if the truck makes us more profitable even after taking care of cdl driver
:)
 
I will add this...beg borrow or steal the "Bin There Dump That" idea of hydraulic tank placement from their youtube videos if you could use the side slung room to good effect for toolboxes. They have the opinion that their placement or make up or something is patent worthy I believe.
 
Merle Nelson said:
I wouldn’t work without a hooklift in the mix knowing how much hardship it shortcuts in our hard work intensive field.
Click to expand...
Could you expand on this statement some ?
Here’s what I think I know
Easier to load stuff low , having multiple bins to work with sounds good drop log box have chip box on truck or dropped in suppose to chip into .. what else I know there’s more benefits ?
I will look into that YouTube channel you recommended
Thanks always for your knowledge and advice
 
I would be surprised if you wanted to drop from 2 trucks to 1 if your a bigger operation. But, it could easily keep you from feeling like you need 3 or 4.

I focus on pruning but end up doing removals when necessary. To drop the bin on the ground and load wood at ground height is such a savings. Frequently I do that and hand load rather than bring the Avant as it's quicker. Drop a bin (I think hooklift guys call the cans) the night before and bring a second that day to chip into. Load the Avant at ground height.

I had two bins built, one lower wall and closer to max length (12ft?) for my truck and hooklift combo, one smaller to nest inside but taller walls. I thought I might transport them that way but haven't as I'm within 45 minutes of all my work and it's a bit of a pain to load them up. Both were built heavier to handle logs well.
 
Make sure you look at the Stellar hooklifts. They seem to be built very hearty. Mine could be mated up to a smaller truck and tuned to lift 10k loads or same unit can go on bigger trucks to lift 16 or 18k loads.

For other people that see this thread I just saw a Palfinger hooklift on a class five truck that looked like it was built lighter as a hooklift unit. If I was squeezing out room for max GVWR that might be something to look at.
 
Say im 20 minutes half hour from my jobsite. I’m evsioning , say big job mix of prune and removal.. We drop a box for logs that has equipment in it , go back to yard hook chip box and chipper head to job. While staging brush or setting up , hook truck returns , Works flowing were chipping and now that’s full go dump chips return drop box in front of chipper for more chips if needs go hook log box go dump wood. Return pick equipment up go to yard drop equip can return for box chipper .
Repeat tomorow ? Does that sounds like how it could would work for you hookers?
Maybe not that order depending on the job and maybe a third can in the mix for staging at another job or same for large projects . Smaller for stacking inside another ?
@Merle Nelson you said it’s cumbersome to do the Russian doll move?
 
It will have to be a pretty big job before you do that much moving around each day. Plus you'll find ways to tailor your activities to your new found capabilities.

Who wants logs to mill? Will this other person take this variety of logs plus the partial load of chips under it? Etc.

I would only haul can in can when it saves time. Like the ride home from manufacturer about 2 hours from me. I thought I would want to do it more but haven't needed to. Sounds like you would have so little call for it with 20 minute turns that you may not choose nesting cans.

By the way cans for my Ram 5500 were only $4k in 2018.
 
You have a crane, log truck, and chip truck. Ditch the log truck and go with a hooklift. You have machines to load empty dumpsters. Get a large chipbox and two open top cans. One for daily use and one for random junk wood at the shop from small jobs, that gets dumped when needed. Days when two chip trucks would shine you will have that. Other days it’s one chip truck and a log dumpster.
 
Merle Nelson said:
Great info. I just have a small mostly pruning operation and the one class 5 truck.

@Lumberjack has two bigger hooklifts I believe and runs a lot more iron closer to what you sound like. I love the versatility of mine even though it detracts from legal weight limit. Not as much an issue on a big truck. I wouldn’t work without a hooklift in the mix knowing how much hardship it shortcuts in our hard work intensive field.
Click to expand...


I only have one hook lift, I built the first truck, used it for 3 years, then built the second truck reusing the hoist. I really like the truck's setup, turning like an overgrown pickup but having a mountain of payload capacity.

1739023632678.jpeg
1739023660804.jpeg
1739024069283.jpeg
 
@Lumberjack Nice rigs.. I have not ever had a look up close at a truck with that little tag axle on the rear as yours is. Does it support the rear for lifting your bins only ?
Whats your payload on that truck?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom