Deuce tail roller and bed winch, skid loading setup

[m16ty]

Well after a Memorial Day cookout with the family, I finally got a little time this afternoon to work on the truck.

I got the tail roller mounted and fabbed up the brackets that will hold the center support rollers. The center support brackets will be held at the top with a pin through the tailgate hinge and I'll drill a hole for a bolt at the bottom so they'll be completely removable. I just need to take the brackets to my work shop where I have a mill to bore the holes and install the rollers.

 

[tim292stro]

Are you working the tailgate into the extra pin length on the roller?

 

[m16ty]

Are you working the tailgate into the extra pin length on the roller?

No, I just haven't cut the ends off yet. I didn't know for sure where everything was going to fit so I made them long, figuring I'd cut them off when got it mounted. I'll cut them off and drill a cross hole for a pin to secure everything in place.

Everything will come off except the brackets welded to the corner of the bed. That will allow me to use the stock tailgate if needed.

 

[rustystud]

That's some mighty fine work there!

 

[Another Ahab]

That's some mighty fine work there![/QUOTE]'

You "ain't" kidding.

 

[m16ty]

Well with work and other things getting in the way, this has been a slow project.

Got the center support rollers finished. I finally pretty much have the tail roller finished. I just have to clean up the rough edges and throw on some paint.

Now on the the winch.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Slow and steady wins the race! I finally put those axle boots I got from you on today, thanks again!

 

[m16ty]

Slow and steady wins the race! I finally put those axle boots I got from you on today, thanks again!

I've been needing to do a set for probably a year. I just stay out of deep water the best I can and roll on.

My original plan was to have this project rapped up and the shelter finished to go camping on Memorial Day but that fell apart pretty quick. Now it looks like the 4th is out of the question and I'll be lucky to be ready Labor Day. Just too many irons in the fire.

I have also done a little work on the shelter but nothing worth posting in that thread. Just grunt work (stripping and cleaning).

 

[red]

Lookin good. The S280 builds have me interested, they are over a foot shorter in height than that MUST shelter I had.

 

[Another Ahab]

Well with work and other things getting in the way, this has been a slow project.

Got the center support rollers finished. I finally pretty much have the tail roller finished. I just have to clean up the rough edges and throw on some paint.

Now on the the winch.

Slow and steady wins the race! I finally put those axle boots I got from you on today, thanks again!

No one I know about is holding a stop-watch to your progress. I agree with gimpyrobb. And that is some beautiful work you have put together there. Heavy gauge stuff and it all looks terrific. I sure don't have the know-how to tackle this kind of thing, but I wish I did. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I sure don't have the know-how to tackle this kind of thing, but I wish I did. Thanks for the inspiration.

Trial and error works best! Start a project and post what your doing, we will "arm chair QB" to the best of our ability.

 

[m16ty]

The best thing to do is go get some tools and jump in.

I'm constantly doing a fab job of some sort. This is one of the rare times I've stopped long enough to take pics.

Yesterday I got the hole for the winch cut in the headboard and the plate the winch will attach to tacked into place.

 

[rchalmers3]

Ty, Will you still be running a fairlead? How high off the bed will the winch line exit the winch/fairlead?

I'm interested to hear (or eventually see, ahem!) how you will strengthen the bed to withstand the winching efforts.

Rick

 

[m16ty]

I'll get some pics.

I cut out a piece of 1/2" plate the same size as the winch footprint that the winch will sit on. The winch will be sitting into the headboard 3" which is about as far as I felt comfortable with to maintain enough clearance between the winch and cab. The winch is roughly 8" wide so that will leave 5" of the winch sticking through the headboard. So to answer your question on how high the winch will be sitting, just the thickness of the plate which is 1/2".

I'm going to try and get by without a fairlead. Mainly because I'm already sticking 5" into the bed and a fairlead would just make it stick out even further. I'll mainly just be pulling straight pulls so I think I'll be ok without a fairlead. Also, if I do any pulling at a angle, it would be easy enough to put a snatch block at the rear of the bed to keep the line feeding straight onto the winch drum.

As far as mounting it to the bed, I've got the 1/2" plate that I mentioned and I'll also add a crossmember under the rear of the winch. the winch mounting bolts will go through the crossmember, through the bed floor, through the 1/2" plate, and thread into the winch. Now the front of the winch where it sticks through the headboard (along with the 1/2" mounting plate) will have some braces added that will tie it into the stock bed front crossmember. Truth be told, I could probably just drill some holes and mount the winch directly to the bed floor and still be ok but I want to make for sure it doesn't give.

I don't know if what I posted above makes sense but hopefully after I get the winch mounted and post some pics it will be a little more clear.

 

[rchalmers3]

Your first post had a drawing where the line would have been passing through a sheave half way up the headboard. That would have required some serious strengthening of the headboard, for sure.

Your current plan, as described, makes more sense and will require zero hardening of the headboard and minor strengthening of the flooring, especially if the cable exits under the spool.

I'm very interested to see how you arrange your existing hydraulics to operate the winch, and to see your solution for remote operations.

Is there any hydraulic winch made for recovery that has a remote operation? Or will yours be the first?

Rick

 

[Another Ahab]

Trial and error works best! Start a project and post what your doing, we will "arm chair QB" to the best of our ability.

The best thing to do is go get some tools and jump in.

I tell you what, if I had myself a metalworking shop with a milling machine like THAT, i think I'd be thinking in (heavy) steel for every problem I could find!

That is one fine looking set-up.

 

[m16ty]

Your first post had a drawing where the line would have been passing through a sheave half way up the headboard. That would have required some serious strengthening of the headboard, for sure.

Your current plan, as described, makes more sense and will require zero hardening of the headboard and minor strengthening of the flooring, especially if the cable exits under the spool.

I'm very interested to see how you arrange your existing hydraulics to operate the winch, and to see your solution for remote operations.

Is there any hydraulic winch made for recovery that has a remote operation? Or will yours be the first?

Rick

My original plan was to mount the winch under the bed but even though it had many advantages, after thinking long and hard about it I realized that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. The main reason I wanted to mount it under the bed is so the winch wouldn't be sticking sticking out into the bed area and I'd br loosing a little bed space. The problem is that with the winch under the bed, I would be able to access the winch mounted controls very easy and it was going to require a lot more fab work to deal with the extra cable routing. I also wouldn't have a good line of sight on the winch drum to keep tabs on the cable feeding onto the drum and know when there was a problem.

The hyd HMMWV winch that I'm using is already set up for remote operation. It has two 24V solenoids mounted on the winch that control the hyd. The hyd arrangement will just be a simple tie in to the existing system. I will have to add a separate relief in the winch circuit because the winch runs on 1,500psi max and the dump circuit is set up on 2,500psi.

 

[m16ty]

Got the winch mounted today. Now all I need to do is plumb and wire it up. Does anybody happen to know the fitting size off the top of their head of the lines on the winch?

I still need to dress up the hole I cut into the headboard and some other cosmetic issues but everything is mounted.

 

[Another Ahab]

I still need to dress up the hole I cut into the headboard and some other cosmetic issues but everything is mounted.

That's a mighty clean cut; how did you make that, with a grinding wheel?

 

[m16ty]

That's a mighty clean cut; how did you make that, with a grinding wheel?

Yes, a cutoff wheel on a angle grinder. It's not as clean as the pic would lead you to believe, that's why I mentioned I needed to clean it up. I'll probably frame it out with some small angle.

I've gotten to the point now that I just want to see it work and I'll go back and fix the cosmetics latter. I just need to gather up all the hyd parts to tie it into my existing system and I'll be winching.

I went Sunday to Tractor Supply to get a 4 pole round trailer plug for my remote, but as usual, they were out of stock. They had the round 6 pole but I only need three poles so I was looking for a 4 pole. I quick look at Northern Tool's website showed it though so I ordered it there.