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Stabilizing a HF Shop Crane

Way back last fall I mentioned that I had to unload my Bridgeport onto soil rather than a paved surface and the Harbor Freight shop crane kept rolling off the boards I put on the ground when I'd start to lift.

I tried putting C clamps as brakes on the wheels in order to lift a

500 lb. drill press this weekend, and they kept the wheels from rolling off the boards.

Photo of the setup in the dropbox here:

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I'd still like to make some removeable outriggers for the ends of the crane's legs, but I haven't run across the right pieces of steel at the local junk dealer.

If you guys have come up with another way to level and stabilize these shop cranes, I'd like to see some photos to get other ideas.

RWL

Reply to
GeoLane at PTD dot NET
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Simple chocks, even made of wood, would keep the crane from shifting.

I personally threw away the original HF casters, and instead installed more decent casters (2 swivel/2 rigid).

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Reply to
Ignoramus12697

If you don't have to move the crane under load, I would put some 4x6 blocks (or similar) under the frame next to the casters. Just let the castors hang.

Reply to
Tim

You could drill a pair of holes near the casters for a long say 1/2" bolt and weld a nut on the bottom of the legs. That way you can turn the bolt down into the ground or boards to stop any movement. Roger

Reply to
Roger Paskell

That would work, but I wonder if it would be shortening the legs on the sides just enough to make it a little unstable.

I picked up some 3/4" threaded rod and some nuts at the scrap yard recently, thinking / worrying that 4000 lbs might strip the threads on a half inch bolt. What I'd like to do is find some U channel that is a sliding fit inside the legs of the crane, and weld the 3/4" nuts to the U channel. I could just slide in the outriggers and adjust the "feet" to level the legs.

RWL

Reply to
GeoLane at PTD dot NET

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