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2000 GMC W4500

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Bent up the deck panels for the flatbed.
 
dig it, no overlaps is very bueno
where deck is laid over top of crossmembers is always where it rusts out first

anyone local that does galvanizing?
 
dig it, no overlaps is very bueno
where deck is laid over top of crossmembers is always where it rusts out first

anyone local that does galvanizing?
Yea about 2 hrs away, I might get it dipped. I don't know if I need to blast it first though.
 
Yea about 2 hrs away, I might get it dipped. I don't know if I need to blast it first though.

yep no need to blast, rusty is even fine so long as most is knocked off with a pressure washer. if there is existing galv on it thats fine too. around here its around 50cents a pound and a 150$ minimum.

by far the cheapest and longest lasting coating. my next flatbed will be galv'd, if i dont go aluminum.
 
Why not run telescoping outriggers like palfinger? It would make swapping bodies a breeze.
 
Why not run telescoping outriggers like palfinger? It would make swapping bodies a breeze.
I bought those hydraulic trailer jacks to make into outriggers. Not crazy about them though, kind of dinky. Probably look for something else.
 
I bought those hydraulic trailer jacks to make into outriggers. Not crazy about them though, kind of dinky. Probably look for something else.

I was more referring to the style that palfinger uses where there are only 2 outriggers directly under the crane. The outriggers and crane mount to the chassis and then you bolt on a body behind it.
 
pretty sure they'll pickle it in hot acid to get the mill scale off and that's enough to get the zinc to stick
That's exactly what they do. And always a nasty as fuck and poorly lit facility. If you thought your local steel yard was a dingy unsafe shithole your local galvanizer is worse. :laughing:
 
That's exactly what they do. And always a nasty as fuck and poorly lit facility. If you thought your local steel yard was a dingy unsafe shithole your local galvanizer is worse. :laughing:
thats the truth!!
the place i used to go looked like a homeless camp where they actually did some work. everything but the pick up yard had a thick layer of filth on it and the workers were like zombies. not a place id ever consider letting the wife drop work off...

a couple years ago they put in a new galv shop closer to me and its the cleanest galv place i've ever seen! the people aren't zombies and there are always at least couple guys pushing brooms. even cleaner than the best steel yard i've been too. my wife drops almost all of my galv work now. its great.

even better that new galv shop is a block away from my powder coat place, and they will pick up pieces from galv and powder them saving me a trip. powder over galv seems a bit of a waste to me, but if thats whats called for it is what it is.
 
I was more referring to the style that palfinger uses where there are only 2 outriggers directly under the crane. The outriggers and crane mount to the chassis and then you bolt on a body behind it.
Yea, i think I'm going to sort of copy that design. I have the drawing of the mount and outrigger spars. Not totally decided on how the crane mount will come out. Keeping it separate is a possibility though.
 
Yea, i think I'm going to sort of copy that design. I have the drawing of the mount and outrigger spars. Not totally decided on how the crane mount will come out. Keeping it separate is a possibility though.
Something like this ford with a hiab crane.

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We had a run of 80+ trucks requiring knuckle booms. Same chassis & crane mounting throughout the run but built to accommodate anything from a service box to a dump bed. On a typical install the substructure on the chassis would end where the body started instead of spanning all the way like these.

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Edit: only mentioning this because you were considering multiple bodies for the same chassis. Don’t know if that’s changed or not.
 
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Cut and bent the second crossmember. This will butt against the trucks frame rail. Frame on this is cut real short and in a bad spot to splice in new. Bed will overhang frame by about 1'. I'll toss some bracing in here and tie in a hitch mount.
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Front crossmember cut and bent. It's recessed between the panels to clear the fuel tank because this thing is slammed.
I probably only need one more crossmember in the middle, that one will be in 3 pieces.
 
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Not sure how I want to go from here. Got 3 different options.

1) Finish out the body here and fab a small headache rack type lip on the other side. Separate crane subframe, mounted to frame. Like Dan posted but ending right after crane.

2) Weld on 2x5x3/16 box tubes extending out from the end of flatbed for the crane subframe, integrated into the body. 1" uhmw strips under the body and continue under crane mount subframe.

2A) The above but the 2x5x3/16 bolt onto the body.

3) Weld on 2x6x3/16 box tubes for crane subframe notched so they extend into the body about 12". It would be a 1" thick part of the tube left welded onto the body's channels. So steel on steel in front and 1" uhmw after it.

Got a few days to ponder this as baby is coming this week.
 
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Outrigger stuff. If I tuck them under the body I'll only have 10" of unloaded clearance. Truck has about 4" travel until bump stop, then probably 2" of squish. Add in tire deflection and a little breakover im not comfortable with it. If I hang them off the back I can stub them up above deck height. Deck height is about 34" above ground in the rear.

They measure 24" retracted, and 40" extended. I prefer to keep it at a happy medium where I don't have a ton of shaft out, but not too little underside clearance.

If anyone needs some of these surplus center has them for 59.99 ea. Might be junk who knows.
 
This is only if I go with rear outriggers in addition to the front extendable. I think it's nice to be able to get the whole truck in the air, if it's COG let's it happen.
 
This is only if I go with rear outriggers in addition to the front extendable. I think it's nice to be able to get the whole truck in the air, if it's COG let's it happen.

What about (rear) outriggers that pivot down, you could also pin them using a hitch/receiver style mount then stow them sideways but might be stuck with manual jacks.

Uhmw or apitong are fine under the body but I have always mounted the crane direct to steel. If the crane is mounted on the body the body then gets direct to steel mounting. That’s been my experience anyway.
 
What about (rear) outriggers that pivot down, you could also pin them using a hitch/receiver style mount then stow them sideways but might be stuck with manual jacks.

Uhmw or apitong are fine under the body but I have always mounted the crane direct to steel. If the crane is mounted on the body the body then gets direct to steel mounting. That’s been my experience anyway.
Swivel would be great, but I don't think I can package it nicely.

Just re checked everything and under the body doesn't look so bad.
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Between 12"-13" in its approximate location.
 
I missed what crane you are using, but gather you don't want it on the rear corner. I'm not thrilled with my 3200lb auto crane on right rear corner weighing 700lbs


It's self contained, electric over hydraulic, I could see having a dedicated stand for it somewhere with a chain fall, it bolts on with 4 bolts, so back under, drop it down, bolt it on, hookup the Anderson connector and rock out

I've also considered having it on a pivot on the bed, pivot on the left side over the wheel, so I could move it from rf corner to rr corner, then hammer down the necessary lockdown bolts.

I get the struggle, I'm going to be cranky when I give up my company service truck:laughing:
 
I missed what crane you are using, but gather you don't want it on the rear corner. I'm not thrilled with my 3200lb auto crane on right rear corner weighing 700lbs


It's self contained, electric over hydraulic, I could see having a dedicated stand for it somewhere with a chain fall, it bolts on with 4 bolts, so back under, drop it down, bolt it on, hookup the Anderson connector and rock out

I've also considered having it on a pivot on the bed, pivot on the left side over the wheel, so I could move it from rf corner to rr corner, then hammer down the necessary lockdown bolts.

I get the struggle, I'm going to be cranky when I give up my company service truck:laughing:
It's a Palfinger pc 3800. I was struggling with front or rear mounting, but decided to just go with behind the cab. I have more time with stuff hanging off the back than i do crane stuff. I can put a plate in the rear of the body to bolt it into if needed, that's a good idea.

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Burned in some parts and worked on outriggers. I think im happy with this location. The mounts will get a plate closing off most of the open part where you see the cylinder and boxing in the outer body channel. Openings will be cut for drainage and hoses.
 
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