Snowmobile hoist - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

FREERSY · 01-25-2010, 09:35 PM

hey everyone,

i'm helping my dad build his new shop and we're having a little problem

...the dimensions for it are 24x40. at the one end he is planning on building a loft that is about 7 feet high coming out from the wall 9 feet to store sleds in the summer and lawn mowers, bicycles etc in the winter.

our problem is how to get the sleds up there.

one idea my dad had is to run an I beam across the roof to have an electric hoist slide on but need an idea of a sling to hold the sleds.

any ideas would be appreciated! thanks

Lutter31 · 01-25-2010, 10:01 PM

is it possible to build a ramp? What kind of mowers does he want to put up there? If they're riding, those will be the toughest thing to get up there, so don't forget to factor that into the design.

FREERSY · 01-25-2010, 10:05 PM

yes it is a riding lawn mower. i was thinking of having a 4'x8' (ish) platform with eyelets at each corner and fasten each to a center point for lifting.

so it would be, drive on forward, lift, drive off forward

Lutter31 · 01-25-2010, 10:25 PM

the plywood platform should work, just have a good 2x4 frame below it, something basic....as for the cable lift, I think if you have each side come to a center point on their side (4 cables, 2 lift points). Then run them through a pulley where ever at the ceiling, then tie them together and run it to a good winch.

Then you never have a height restriction because of the cables center section. I think that it would be more stable with the two mounting points too..

FREERSY · 01-25-2010, 10:39 PM

ok, that would work with the winch on rollers attached to the I beam and just an extension cord running up to the winch to power it.

any possibilities of removing the idea of an i beam? the mobility of the platform would be gone right?

brandcole73 · 01-25-2010, 10:52 PM

Any chance you have a tractor with a loader on it? You can get forks made for the loader arms pretty cheap. I had a set made and powder coated for under $400

How about making a section of the loft into an "Elevator"? Make a 4 foot wide by 9 foot deep section that will lift the sled or mower up there and then you just have to figure out how to slide to the sides to store them. Maybe set them on wheeled carts first, then hoist up. Hook the winch to that section. Set it up like a boat hoist, with pullys at the four corners and you won't have to fight the head room.

Lutter31 · 01-25-2010, 11:07 PM

any possibilities of removing the idea of an i beam? the mobility of the platform would be gone right?

can you reiterate that? Not quite sure, are you saying you want to get rid of the ibeam? Trying to clarify before i get into an idea....

FREERSY · 01-25-2010, 11:09 PM

ah i wish there was a tractor around, he lives in town though...the elevator is an idea we haven't thought of. he has square 4-caster rollers for the skis and track so movement wouldn't be an issue

FREERSY · 01-25-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutter31

any possibilities of removing the idea of an i beam? the mobility of the platform would be gone right?

can you reiterate that? Not quite sure, are you saying you want to get rid of the ibeam? Trying to clarify before i get into an idea....

for the winch to slide from one side of the loft to the other end we were gunna have an i beam with a winch mounted under 4 rollers to slide on. i didn't know if there is an idea to get rid of the top i beam

boarder290 · 01-26-2010, 12:30 AM

Depending on how handy you are, you could weld together a 4 post lift system and run cables to each post to lift a frame up. you could then put big casters on the bottom to roll it around, elminating the i beam.

somehting like this with casters
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Lutter31 · 01-26-2010, 12:32 AM

I like the "build your own gantry crane" idea. Everyone has a use for one of those in a shop. do you have any pics of the shop?

kikkinurazz3 · 01-26-2010, 05:58 AM

I picked up a wheelchair lift, powered by a 120volt electric motor, from 1 of our local courthouses during an upgrade. I am puttin a platform w\o rails on it to do just the same thing in my pole barn. It has a 10 foot lift straight up, drive on and drive off, holds 1000 pounds. Maybe you can find something like that yourself.

**kccats** · 01-26-2010, 09:52 AM

Forks on a Skidsteer!

Pegleg · 01-26-2010, 10:30 AM

4-1" rigging straps will be plenty stong.this will lift about 2 ton if used in a straight pull and double that in a basket.your idea of a trolly is exellent.go on the web and look up rigging that should help you.i do this type of thing for a living.

Lutter31 · 01-26-2010, 12:57 PM

Somethin I drew up, What does the ceiling look like where you are going to install the lift? Depending on the structure, you might be able to hang the cables from the ceiling rather than an I beam.

JheLrey · 01-26-2010, 01:59 PM

I'd rather use a skid loader or a tractor with the sleds on long pallets. Much safer and less chance for them to be dropped.

Pegleg · 01-26-2010, 03:02 PM

that looks nice but what ever your lifting must be perfectly balanced.if a beam and trolly with a hoist and straps are used the load is stable.

stejus · 01-26-2010, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutter31

Somethin I drew up, What does the ceiling look like where you are going to install the lift? Depending on the structure, you might be able to hang the cables from the ceiling rather than an I beam.

I really like the looks of this for summer storage in my garage. I have a beam going to the middle of a garage that I could attach to. Has anyone ever done something like this?

**RJ Gleason** · 01-26-2010, 03:49 PM

I have a winch mounted on a side wall post, the cable runs through two pulleys along the ceiling to the center of the shop. Works great for lifting the rear of sleds and lifting engines out.

stejus · 01-26-2010, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ Gleason

I have a winch mounted on a side wall post, the cable runs through two pulleys along the ceiling to the center of the shop. Works great for lifting the rear of sleds and lifting engines out.

I'm looking for summer storage hanging the sled from the center beam on a platform. If this could be a cheap DIY project, I'm looking for pictures so I can put some plans together