Designing a Truck Loader - Can It Be Done Cheaply?

[Pengwuino]

Does anyone know of or know of the feasability of making like a cheap, gas or electric operated machine that you can bring up to a truck, load a bunch fo stuff on it (just a few boards with maybe locking sides for loose stuff) and drive it up a ramp or something :D It seems like around my house, we're continually getting big things that need to be transported off the truck... and I am lazy :D

I was thinking about mounting an engine on something with tracks or wheels and just attach a big metal board above it... dumb :D but I am bored lol

Ive been watching too much junkyard wars lately :-/ Also, what kind of programs would help in designing something like that...

 

[CarlB]

It sounds like what you want falls under the classification of "motorized hand truck". Do a google of this phrase to find examples.

If you're moving pallets into the backs of trucks, and you don't want to buy a fork lift, consider a "stacker". Stackers typically have a car battery powered moto (that you charge up every once in a while) and can lift. But to maneuver around, you use human power. Ah, here's a link:
http://www.dcgraves.com/stacker%20straddle.htm

Carl

 

[Pengwuino]

lol ooo cool :D They look funny though. Probably look like someone driving down home depot lol. How much do you think they are?

http://northamerica.yale.com/lift_trucks/index.asp

That seems to have a lot of cool things. I wonder the price for these things. I kinda wanted to build something because I've been watching too many junkyard wars shows!

 

[Danger]

I tend to think like a farmer in situations like this. Look at what you want to do, look at what you have available in the way of parts and tools, and improvise. The result might be ugly, but who cares as long as it works?

 

[FredGarvin]

There are non-motorized versions of hand trucks that use a hydraulic foot pump to raise and lower the forks/platform. Although, even those are $500+.

Why not just rig up a large pully and support system in some rafters of your garage. Anything large that needs to be unloaded, have the truck pull under the hoist. If you had electric in the garage, you could splurge and get a relatively inexpensive electric hoist with a 500 Lbf capacity.

 

[Moonbear]

I tend to think like a farmer in situations like this. Look at what you want to do, look at what you have available in the way of parts and tools, and improvise. The result might be ugly, but who cares as long as it works?

How about thinking like a veterinarian? What you all are describing sounds just like the sort of surgical tables used for large animals, like cattle. They have hydraulic lifts to raise them up to a comfortable height for the surgical procedure, and then to lower them back down to get the animals on and off (they can also tilt in various directions). They have wheels on the base so you can roll them, but then hydraulics can retract the wheels for stability so it doesn't start rolling away during the procedure. (And if you toss a few blankets on it, it makes a halfway decent bed when you have to tend to animals all night too...they're also fun to ride on when really bored. )

Okay, on the smaller animal scale, maybe these transport/lift tables will give you some design ideas. http://www.paragonmed.com/mobiletables.shtml

 

[Danger]

How about thinking like a veterinarian?

I have enough trouble with the sheep already, without introducing medical toys.

they're also fun to ride on when really bored. )

So was Sylvia, but I thought that we agreed to leave her in the 'Weird Food' thread down in GD.

Okay, on the smaller animal scale, maybe these transport/lift tables will give you some design ideas.

I didn't actually look at those links, but only for one reason. You don't really want to lay out a couple of thousand bucks for hydraulic equipment to dump one truck. Unless you have access to a good surplus shop, hydraulic stuff is very expensive.