![]() When lifting larger items you’ll need to keep the rigging between the crane hook and load as short as possible. Also having a couple of different sized D ring shackles on hand is a good way to connect your slings to your load and to the crane hook. I prefer using slings on the equipment you don’t want to be scratched. ![]() Rigging devices include things like lifting slings and chains. 99% of the time you will need some sort of “lifting device” to hook up to the load being lifted. Once you have your crane you will find it is rare that you will be able to simply connect the crane hook up to something, lift it, and set it in the back of your truck. This could possibly damage or break the cable if the load is very heavy. ![]() If the hook is raised up tight against the boom, and the boom is lowered, it can put a lot of stress on the cable. As the boom lowers the cable may naturally get pulled in an inch or two, depending on the crane’s design. ![]() If you are lower a load and need to stop, be sure to put the winch in the “up position” and make sure the load is secure before letting go of the winch handle.Īnother little tip when using a crane equipped with both the hydraulic boom and cable winch is to be sure to leave the cable winch hook lowered a couple of inches before lowering the hydraulic boom. Just remember, when raising and lowering your load, slow and steady wins the race. Don’t try to grab it! The spinning handle can easily break or at least badly bruise your hand. The second hazard is as the load falls the handle on the winch will spin rapidly. The first is the load will fall and possibly cause damage to it and/or your vehicle or cause injuries to you. When this occurs, two bad things can happen. Unfortunately, this is typical of this style winch. However, in the “ down position“, if you let go of the winch handle, the load will begin to fall. This is good for making sure the load is secure. When in the “ up position” you can partially raise the load and stop, and the load will stay in that position. When raising and lower your load with the winch there is a selector lever for up and down. On hitch mounted cranes with both the hydraulic boom and the cable winch, there are a couple of things you should know before operating the winch. The main point here is no matter what hitch mounted truck crane you purchase, it’s very important to know the lifting capacity limits of the crane, the weight of the objects you’re lifting, and to follow the manufacturer’s directions. Making a lift like this can not only damage the crane itself, but it can stress and damage the hitch on your vehicle. Not to mention the support leg in the photo is not down to help support the load. In fact, they claim the average PWC weighs about 850 pounds. I did a little research and according to the “ Steven In Sales” personal watercraft (PWC) website, the two lightest PWC’s currently made weigh in at about 300 and 400 pounds. As shown above, in the extended position this crane’s rating is 250 pounds. Just by looking at the pictures in this ad, I can tell it is in the extended position. Let’s make sure you’re making purchasing decisions based on good information. Don’t take me wrong, I love my lift, but it does have its limits. If you click on this link to the XtremepowerUS hitch mounted crane similar to mine, on Amazon, don’t let the images of it lifting the personal watercraft (PWC) deceive you. These commissions help support our website so we can continue to produce articles like this. Therefore I am required to let you know that if you click on one of these links and make a purchase I could make a small commission at no extra cost to you. My hope is to give you enough information to help you select a truck crane that will work for you and any specific lifting needs you may have.Īlthough this is not an official product review of my crane, I will be discussing it and providing an affiliate link to it and a few other products in this article. In this article, I am going to go over some of the features of my truck crane and point out some of the things I like about it and a couple of the things I don’t like about it. You can easily load things in your truck, take them where they’re needed, and unload them all by yourself. Hitch mounted cranes are particularly useful when you have nobody around to help you. Why run the risk of hurting yourself by lifting something too heavy when there is a tool made to help in these situations. It’s great for lifting heavy items and setting them in and out of the back of your pickup truck. One of the best investments I have made to help do this is to buy a hitch mounted truck crane. As I’ve gotten older I have done my best to adopt the idea of “working smarter, not harder”.
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