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Raising trusses to sit on 16' walls with a farm tractor? UPDATE

Started by gspren, June 15, 2021, 08:04:37 AM

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gspren

  The local truss co no longer has a crane so they can deliver my trusses but can't set them. I think my forks will lift to about 13' but that don't help. the trusses are 48' and with a 4-12 pitch puts them 8' tall with the end trusses weighing about 500 lbs. This will be done before the concrete is poured so wall height will be 16.5 so really need to aim for at least 17' high under or 25' high to hook under center. Any suggestions? I may need to rent/hire a crane but I've got a month to think. Pics of jib poles etc. may help my feeble mind come up with something.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

firefighter ontheside

I don't think that is gonna be practical.  The weight isn't the problem, its the length of the trusses.  You could go from a tractor on all fours to a tractor on its side in a heartbeat.  
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petefrom bearswamp

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mike_belben

Praise The Lord

doc henderson

it is amazing what can be done by hand.  but a lot of rolling up and then upside down.  easy to damage a truss on its side.  hard to do with that wall height.  could get a man lift for inside the building to lift the peak up and hold if you can man handle them onto the plates.  you would need a crew that really knows how to work together.  
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

scsmith42

Years ago I built a stinger to use with my backhoe forks.  It provides a 16' extension from the front of the forks.  There is a sliding hanger that can be pinned in a few different locations along the mast if the maximum length is not required.

It's designed so that the forks go through the grooves in the i beam, and the back of the stinger has a saddle that pins on to the fork carriage.  It's been pretty practical, and we've used it for setting trusses.

A farm tractor is not a backhoe though. I'm starting with a 16,000 lb machine with 8000 lifting capacity at the back of the forks.  If you used something like this with a lighter farm tractor you'd really have to be sure that your load was perfectly balanced from side to side.



 

 
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

GAB

Quote from: scsmith42 on June 15, 2021, 08:41:18 AM
Years ago I built a stinger to use with my backhoe forks.  It provides a 16' extension from the front of the forks.  There is a sliding hanger that can be pinned in a few different locations along the mast if the maximum length is not required.

It's designed so that the forks go through the grooves in the i beam, and the back of the stinger has a saddle that pins on to the fork carriage.  It's been pretty practical, and we've used it for setting trusses.

A farm tractor is not a backhoe though. I'm starting with a 16,000 lb machine with 8000 lifting capacity at the back of the forks.  If you used something like this with a lighter farm tractor you'd really have to be sure that your load was perfectly balanced from side to side.



 


Mr. Smith Sir:
I agree with you however to your last sentence I'd like to add: that the ground also needs to be firm and level side to side and that the speed of travel of the tractor needs to be heavily considered.
My suggestion is get some knowledgeable help and hire a crane.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

alan gage

Another rental option that might be cheaper than renting a crane or lull would be a towable boom lift. I can't remember what the capacity is with the bucket removed (and hook installed) but I always thought they would be handy for setting trusses and you can pick them up at the rental place with just a small truck. I'm sure you can find some other uses for it while you've got it on site too.

I rented a simple (non-hydraulic) extendable boom for my skid loader when I needed to set some 8x10 13' long cedar beams that were 16' in the air. I don't know how heavy they were but I was real careful and paid close attention to how the seat of my pants felt. Felt solid the whole time. That skidloader had a 4500lb tipping load and always feels much more stable than my dad's 70hp tractor with 2300 lift capacity.

Alan
Timberking B-16, a few chainsaws from small to large, and a Bobcat 873 Skidloader.

Resonator

couple suggestions: 1st rent a zoom-boom (lull is another name for it ;D). 2nd check with excavation contractors and see if one has a decent size excavator (big enough weight, long stick) to use like a crane. Even better one that has a jib boom attachment in place of the bucket to lift trusses.
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trimguy

 

 

 

 
This is what I did. These trusses are 40' plus 1' over hang on each side. It's 13' to the top of the plate . Keep in mind that is a 14,000 pound backhoe. I had plenty of height with it.

gspren

This morning I talked to my contractor (Amish) and he is checking on a different truss manufacturer that has a setting crane. If that doesn't pan out I'll check on a crane. I know the weight isn't an issue but getting it that high and then driving the length of the building, 64' is.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Skip

Local billboard, sign, contractor hires out to set trusses here. Might wanna check locally .

Crusarius

I remember building my parents house and setting all the trusses by hand. Carry one end up the ladder set it on the wall. fasten it with a strap or something so it doesn't come back down unexpectedly then walk the other side up and set it on the wall. then flip the truss pointy side up.

Make sure you get all the trusses flipped up before your run out of room to flip them. That made for some very bad words that day :)

Could also use a jib crane but instead of being so far in front of the machine make it go vertical. That way your still lifting inline with the loader and not cantilevered out in front trying to hold it all from moving.

mike_belben

If i had to do it with a tractor id build an inverted tee or A frame style jin pole from timber to hook up to the 3 point.  Mount a winch on bottom run by jumper cables. pulley on top and winch each truss to the parked and grounded jin pole.  You can stabilize it with cribbing on the low side if necessary to use on imperfect ground. 

Raise the truss a few inches above ground and clamp it so it cant swing.  Now raise the 3 point a few inches and drive over to the building.  Then when you get to the frame, winch them straight up in the air to glide just over the top plate.  

You arent gonna roll if the truss lands on the top plate as soon as tippy starts. 
Praise The Lord

Larry

The larger truss companies usually have somebody they sub-contract to set trusses.  More are hand set than with a crane.

This is my house trusses.  They are 48' 7/12 pitch.  They have a 12' cantilever on one side and a off center cathedral ceiling.  Way out of balance.  A crew of 10 or so set em in one day without machines.  The crew was skilled and the job was just another ho-hum day for them.



Your 16' walls is what scares me.  If a shop without dividing walls, they are probably not very stable.

I've set a lot of trusses with a tractor.  I think a swinging truss from a jib pole is an accident waiting to happen.  I build a frame to whole the truss stable on the loader.

These were 30' 5/12 for my shop.  10' walls and my little tractor only lifts 8' but the frame made up the difference.  Did it by myself and it was an easy one day job without drama.





I could do the same on your building with a bigger tractor or my forklift.  Might be a scary job because of the 16' walls.

Think I would find a truss company that will set them and also attach your purlins while you sit under the shade tree.
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SwampDonkey

It's been close to 35 years ago now, but we used a tractor and FEL to lift trusses. I forget to details now, but the walls were 16'. It was a potato shed, so yes you have high walls. So it can be done. But here at the house build the contractor booked a crane to lift them. Someone that does this a lot for house construction. It's probably 16' as the side wall is 6' on the upper floor, sloped to 9'. But there are sections, so a lot higher to place the top triangles. Plus also a mid support structure which is some 2x6" sandwiched together.



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scsmith42

I've also set trusses by suspending them off the side or underneath a 60' telescoping man lift.

The nice thing about this is that you can use the man lift to speed installation of the blocking.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

scsmith42

Quote from: GAB on June 15, 2021, 09:09:00 AM
Quote from: scsmith42 on June 15, 2021, 08:41:18 AM
Years ago I built a stinger to use with my backhoe forks.  It provides a 16' extension from the front of the forks.  There is a sliding hanger that can be pinned in a few different locations along the mast if the maximum length is not required.

It's designed so that the forks go through the grooves in the i beam, and the back of the stinger has a saddle that pins on to the fork carriage.  It's been pretty practical, and we've used it for setting trusses.

A farm tractor is not a backhoe though. I'm starting with a 16,000 lb machine with 8000 lifting capacity at the back of the forks.  If you used something like this with a lighter farm tractor you'd really have to be sure that your load was perfectly balanced from side to side.



 


Mr. Smith Sir:
I agree with you however to your last sentence I'd like to add: that the ground also needs to be firm and level side to side and that the speed of travel of the tractor needs to be heavily considered.
My suggestion is get some knowledgeable help and hire a crane.
Gerald
Good point Gerald. On my own projects I always grade the building site first so firm and level ground on the building pad has not been an issue.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Don P

I imagine the pick points on that size will not be a single point at the peak but rather 2 points at the next web out and then the slings should be at an angle steeper than a 45. In other words I suspect your hook will be well above the peak. There is a BCSI document you should review, the truss plant has it or it is online. Lower pitches 24-28' wide on "regular" height walls, no problem by hand. Bigger, taller, heavier I call a crane, there is enough gravity going on up there. You cannot have too much bracing, I've seen some terrible flops.

Percy

When I built, I assembled sections on the ground and then Steve the crane guy lifted them up like this.
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farmfromkansas

When we framed my daughters house, used my skidsteer forks, slid a piece of rectangle tube over one of the forks, welded a piece of pipe onto the tubing, so it would slide onto one of the forks, and then also welded a piece of chain to the long point of the pipe, which then hooked to the top of the rear fork frame, and a chain hook on the end of the pipe to lift with, and hooked a chain onto 32' trusses for her garage.  Stick framed the house. Set the trusses on to 10' high walls.  Went very well.  If I were setting trusses on a 16' high wall, would use a big farm tractor with loader in a similar way.  The trusses are not really heavy for a big tractor loader, but would not consider using one of the small tractors that most forestry forum members have.  Come to Kansas, most tractors are 200 hp plus. Morton buildings used to set trusses with tiny little 35 hp Ford industrial tractors and a long boom.  Very shaky.  Now they use telehandlers.
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samandothers

On a 24' wide pole barn with 14 foot walls I used a skid steer Quick attach plate on my front end loader.  I attached my boom pole to it and then put 3 2x4's together for a stinger and lifted my 2y' trusses to the too of 14' walls.  

When I helped my neighbor he rented a towable man lift to serve as a crane. Those were 38' attic room trusses set high enough for a car lift to operate. 

gspren

Thought I should update, the trusses were set this morning! 8) Yesterday the builders put up the walls and the trusses (46') were delivered, this morning the truss company's crane truck pulled in about 8 and after 15-20 minutes getting set-up they were booming out and the 5 Amish guys set the last one at 9:30. I've been taking pictures but don't know if I'll get them posted, I usually fail at that.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

doc henderson

Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

samandothers


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