H.F. Truck Bed Crane: Subframe Reinforcement

I got one of those slightly hokey mini truck bed cranes from the Harbor Freight. Bit of an impulse buy, but I wanted to save my back while loading heavy scrap or equipment. I liked this one because it was compact and would fit nicely out of the way in the bed. Had no delusions however, that the mounting would need to be improved over what the instructions recommended...
My visions of grandeur soon faded as I realized tying into the truck's frame was not going to be as easy as I initially thought. There's not much room between the bed and the frame, and I wasn't real keen on welding directly to the frame. In the end I think it will work decent enough, but may need some additional work for heavy abuse.

[@johnbrandt2167]

Love it at about 30 seconds when the piece of paper shown states 'vehicle not included.'

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Because you know somebody had to have complained about that, haha.

[@bigchungus7720]

Why feet 🦶?

[@Veikra]

Yeah i returned mine when I found out the truck wasnt in the box

[@MatthewHarris77]

Dude you are a real man. I can’t yet weld and so can’t do this mod. But love it!

[@jeremyhanna3852]

If you over build it you will never no if you under build it you will never forget it

[@SuperSpecialty]

I liked your video very much, especially the editing-in the name of the parts & your diligence to test & make improvements. I also thought your speech cadence was perfect. Best of all, you didn’t utter any ahhs or umhs!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks! I try to make a point to avoid too many "uhms", but they still sometimes sneak in there, haha.

[@bradleymaddy7380]

I installed mine a couple days ago. I made a 1” thick aluminum plate that’s a lot bigger than the original mounting plate on top, I used the supplied angle iron on the bottom with plans of stabilizing it to the Reese hitch. It should be fine after I add those supports. The hitch is huge so I can’t get to the frame of the truck

[@D.Garcia007]

Thank you for this video I was about to buy one of these I'm not ready to go through all that bullshit thank you once again for the heads up

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Glad to hear, you would certainly be disappointed if the bed folded when using it. With the bracing this crane has done a lot of service, and it's still going today.

[@fordnut4914]

Says at the beginning I'm going to do it right the first time... few minutes later the dreaded "FAIL" pops up.😂 nice job tho.

[@thestone3849]

Nice one

[@cocinaycocteleriaconjunjun7823]

Good video. I have a question. Where do you get the cap or plug for the jack bottle? Thack you.

[@thothheartmaat2833]

What if you attach a leg that can come down under it? Is there enough space?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I think that would work well, and kind of what I originally intended to do. However, it really depends on how your truck's frame, bed, and suspension is setup, there may not be enough clearance or space. That's why I ended up doing it the way I did. Anything you can do to spread out the load will help.

[@akbychoice]

Add a removable extension to the verticals upright and your lift arm will be higher and you can then use a cable winch.

[@cindysauer4103]

That's what I'm planning. Going to try to use a small winch, braided rope, pully on the end of the arm. Wire the winch and add an inverter for a charger. Tonneau cover over the bed.

[@jacobkirtland9911]

Nice

[@jb-ik8sj]

Good job

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks! It has come in handy quite a few times.

[@williampeterson9029]

The most important thing to note; "vehicle not included". Here's your sign.

[@welltheregoestheneighborho8584]

Lifting my 200lb plate compactor in and out of the truck bed is either going to be easier this year or with the addition of a pressure washer which weighs a bit less…. Be cause for me to purchase this thing here 😅

[@welltheregoestheneighborho8584]

Nope… I’m a keep lifting these things for now… probably get an enclosed trailer with a ramp. Yea, that makes sense to me, have all my tools in the cab mostly smh.

[@welltheregoestheneighborho8584]

Well, the most common ones anyway.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

ll agree with you about Harbor Freight sometimes it’s hard to argue with what they sell things for money wise 80 bucks for that crane does seem like a decent deal i do like your modifications on “Beefin” Up the mounting system although if i was to need or buy one of them i would probably utilize my 2 “ receiver that’s rated to 10,000 lbs plus my truck is a 1 ton Dually that should be pretty stable without any jack stands when i hitch my travel camper to the hitch even with loaded water tanks my suspension doesn’t compress and it actually improves the trucks ride ironically one time my best freind noticed that i purposely stored most of my heavy items inthe front of the trailer to add tounge weight and he asked me why i’ve pulled a 19,00,500 lb fifth wheel with the truck as well as my 10,0000 lb Sport fishing boat that also had a lot of tounge weight with the trailer i use

[@brauliorubio2465]

do it like I would put a boat cable winch on top of the base that can resolve the problem of the lifting height

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yeah, could certainly do that. I've had pretty good luck thus far just using a big ratchet strap.

[@KEOHO1965]

Can I ask, what is the square tubing diameter? On the 1000 lb. side. 2” or 2 1/2”?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

2 3/8" outside on the bigger tube.

[@KEOHO1965]

toocheaptosmoke thanks..... someone bought my first build.... I didn’t expect it. So I wasn’t able to take measurements.. Since I am in Hawaii... I wanna build another.... instead of buying and shipping it to Hawaii.... I am going to use 1/4” instead of 3/8” for the boom, so I can lengthen it to 5 1/4’ long... I also subscribed to your channel..... thx for the info...

[@KEOHO1965]

toocheaptosmoke Phineas J. Whoopee Thanks, I built my new crane, if you care to see it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmGtkIejqZuNaas I messed up, I should have put a photo of the new crane @ the beginning of the video. The completed crane is @ the end of the video.

[@davidgrover5996]

Isn’t that end statement always how it works?

[@cockasorrus7475]

Murphy brudda

[@natenimon827]

I'dove to see you load your sled with that

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I've done a couple of older sleds, worked good for that. Trying to pick up a big triple from the 90's would be pushing it.

[@bowlweevil4161]

that jack is a waste for lifting, just mount a hand or electric wench under main arm just in front of upper jack connection and a pulley on end of boom to lift stuff and use jack to position boom high enough to get stuff into bed of truck, good job stabilizing

[@patricetringer5675]

MRS. JACKIE...MYQUEEEEENNNNN

[@patricetringer5675]

My Proable...Thanks...I'll figure out its base..How much it can handle? Let's Cee...We Laid back Now...It better be glad it wasn't around years ago...Break dat poor lil thang...Viking

[@mega-hb4re]

The easiest way is with a thicker bigger plate on the bottom just like the top one and that's it

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Unfortunately a lot of truck beds like mine just don't have thick enough metal for this, it would twist the floor up if a full 500 lbs. was lifted.

[@edredfish]

How a bout w plate welded underneath to bed crossmembers and two square tubes across frame and a plate between jack and bed ?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

@@edredfish If you had a heavy enough plate and also tied it into some cross members it would probably work.

[@welderusa9063]

Weld a scissor jack under the bracing.

[@hectorguzman28]

I bought it today and just bolted it on the bed lol.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Just keep an eye on things if loaded heavily, haha. I still use this crane pretty often, it has been working surprisingly well.

[@hectorguzman28]

@@toocheaptosmoke I could not use it. I have to reinforce it too. Thanks for your video!

[@patricetringer5675]

Damn she's So strong even outside the truck be N inside of Heavenly Father

[@s0nnyburnett]

lets add some airbags for a kneeling function.

[@Sabrinabb2]

Kapaza 6

[@patricetringer5675]

NO...2short 2low

[@marcos22571]

Why dont you just remove the tailgate. Common sense!

[@nguyenvuhoanglong3418]

is it illegal?

[@patricetringer5675]

Why Not built something under it 2lift it up? And Don't 2get to keep it Protable...So Short....

[@patricetringer5675]

Put it on a heavy base...Put it put it 4what it made 4

[@williamgoring7605]

You're totally doing that all wrong.