HEMMT M977 Crane Swap Deuce Project

I can pleasantly state that I feel very good progress is being made! As of today, 02/05/06, it's been about a month. This is solid weekends and picking at little things evenings for a couple hours after a long drive up from work. On the HEMMT, this sucker mounts at the rear of the truck with the frame sandwiched between the crane and the outrigger body (under) and that was quite simple. I mid mounted this deal and had to do some extensive mods to outrigger because mounting it below the frame was out of picture since there's this drive shaft thing there that can't too easily be moved. The outrigger has a big single cylinder in it also, so it couldn't be cut or notched for the driveshaft...nor could it be spaced down to clear driveshaft as it would have just been real dumb looking then...and like a literal foot off the ground.

I decided to mount it behind the cab and flip the body of it. This required having to disassemble it completely, cut out some of the internal mounts for the ends of the ram, make up new mounting connections and weld them in all working through some pretty confined areas. All this crap is REAL heavy too. I chose to gusset the now top of the outrigger body in the same way the GROVE originally did when they designed it. When I picked up the crane some bartering had been done by the great people I had gotten it from (THANK YOU REED CLAN!!!) when they picked it up and they snagged me an extra base with mounts. I used one of those 'spare' mounts for the driver's side mount of the outrigger. The pass side mount was...interesting. There's this pesky fuel tank there that I did not look forward to having to relocate. I instead, used a hunk of 4"x 6" x 3/8" angle, braced it with 3/8"x 2" flat bar and did it in a way that it could be sandwiched between the original tank mouts and the frame then the outrigger could bolt down to it and the tank moved only like 5/8" straight out off the frame. The mounts, of course, don't have bolt holes in the right location for the deuce frame so I had to redrill. I have seven, 5/8" GRD 5 bolts per side cinching it to the frame, and four 5/8" bolts per side holding the outrigger assy down to them. On the ends of the mounts facing the rear I bored another two large bolt holes.

Crane base was done in very similiar fashion. 7 per side, then the factory four 7/8" monsters holding the crane to the mounts. Yeah...I'm tightening all this crap with a 3/4" breaker bar. I drilled all the holes to size. 5/8" hole, 5/8" bolt. Drilling all the holes took time off of my lifespan. Each hole is 3 drill sizes the third being 5/8" hanging on an evil old drill with a pair of handles to try and hang on to it. Had to put a little notch in the crossmember just ahead of the middle axle for the one detent in the 'swing' hydraulic motor. Oh and beside having 28 bolts holding these two to the frame, there four more 5/8" bolts bolting each side mount together. I figured that ought to be pretty substantial.

Needed a nice hydraulic tank. 10 would do...but my gut wanted more capacity. A buddy got a Case model 406 'Mog and took off the twin 20 gallon air tanks it was equipped with. I snagged them and will run one for air and the other for hydraulic oil. They could not have fit any better if I had specified them to be built! Yes, lucked out- I mounted them on some pretty burly mounts, that incorporated some of the 'mog mounts, on top of the outrigger just behind the cab. Mounts are 4"x6" angle base with 3x3x 1/4" post then 2x2x1/4" supports, then another mounting point above that. I've also just gotten the full rack of valves mounted on the driver's side behind the outrigger. Don't have a pic of the valves mounted yet...but I think one pic has if mocked up. Looks like I'll be cutting down dropside from 12' to 9' before it goes back on...but that's still down the road. Next project is pluming tanks and mounting hyd pump while keeping in mind I still gotta get a shaft back to the rear winch. I REALLY like winches to be mechanical, even though HYD would be quite easy. I'm not smart like that-

This is just after another crane *placed* this crane on the truck. It move about 14" forward from the first pic.

Well, that's nice...it uploads pics in reverse order- sheesh. Anyhow- here's some more pics-

And here's the 'Mog air tanks mounted. Am probably going to keep ONE of the stock tanks and plumb up from that to the top tank here. Again, lower tank will be hydraulic oil res.

AHhh, and one last note worth...um, noting. Tools Broken to date:

One, Craftsman 3/4" breaker bar-
*One, 3/4" drive 3" extension twisted off-
One, 3/4" drive 1-1/2" socket grenaded-
**One (more) 3/4" drive 1-1/2" socket bell shaped-

*Needed this shorty in a pinch and welded it back together with a stainless stick rod.
**Welded stainless welding rod material into socket to take up 'belled' slack. Beat down onto bolts, WORKED GREAT!!!

That looks like ALOT of work, too much for me. Looks good!

man, how'd ya break that thing? I aint never seen a craftsman breaker bar broke like that. glad its craftsman so ya can get a free replacment for it.

looks great! what kind of reach/capacity will you have?

Great to see another crane truck born! Good thing you have the fab skills, that one would be impossible to fit behind the cab for most mortals.
I'd double check the hydraulic oil requirements. My tank holds 20 gallons and it uses as much as 1/2 of it when everything is fully extended. Don't forget hydraulic oil filters.

Man Tom, that truck is going to be one heavy SOB. You'll be ungrading tyres soon! Looks great though and congtats on some outstanding fab work.
K

Outstanding work! Top Notch! Wish I could tackle something like that!

Truck will not be able to move down the road with more than a sixpack of beer in the back!

Hey Spicergear,
Great looking job! Nice to see another member of the heavy iron clan come into the spotlight. Good looking and obviously well thought out.
Signed, the baby HEMTT and his boy, Leonard.

Desert Rat said:

Outstanding work! Top Notch! Wish I could tackle something like that!

Click to expand...

Heh, remember Tom swapped the multifuel out for a Cat. He should still have plenty of power on tap.

what kind of bed are you going to put on the back looks like a 105 trailer bed would fit or a fifth wheel

nah.... he wouldnt do something that simple... instead... he is gonna HACK up a perfectly good dropside!!!

had to Tom....

Here's two more pics I grabbed tonight. First one..if I upload correctly (ha-ha Mangus) is of the mounted rack of valves and just the completly mounted set up of tanks, outrigger, crane mounts from driver's side. It looks very mechanically aggressive and kind of prehistoric. Second pic is of the hyd motor, planetary set, and bull gear that drive the 'swing' of the crane. Pic is slightly deceptive as it makes it look like it's right above the driveshaft. There IS room there...really. Oh I did have to pull the hyd motor off and spin it 180* so that it would clear. That was and ugly night. Took like two hours to mount...everything that could have slowed me did...even to the point where I got stuck inbetween the motor, axle chunk, frame and suspension while worming though to pick up a tool I had dropped. I was coming close to freaking the hell out that night...WHEW. Shirts bunched up against chunk and frame and had me stuck all wedged in. Yeah, uh...anyway, here are the pics.

OH, RDM, I drove it over to a buddies the other night just for grins. His driveway is at the bottom of a steepish hill. His stock deuce (will prolly soon need a bottom end) chugs up it slow in third till he's nearly to the top. I'm over 2500#'s heavier than him right now and can easily outpull his truck, no sweat.

Bjorn, this pic will give you a real good idea of spaced used on frame-

Thanks guys! I think I might have even figured out hyd pump mounting and rear winch PTO drive tonight! ...maybe.

For comparison, this is how the HIAB sits on the frame.
The turning (swing) mechanism is different in that the HIAB uses gear racks operated by hydraulic pistons.
The pump can be seen next to the air tanks.
Total weigth: about 3,800 lb w/hydraulic fluid tank and outriggers.

and yes, I know I need new tires.....

Tom, when you turn your crane how much clearance will you have between the boom and cab?

as usual tom's(spicergear) fabrication skill astounds me and on this subject theres a concrete stair place
that has a little(ok not that little) knuckle boom crane much like cranetruck's but smaller from looking at
it it set's on top of the frame with two shoulders that "hug" the frame on the out side the tag on it say's it
weighs is at 2,100 lbs I think there asking like $500 or something for it and if memory serves it's
from a truck that was hit(wrecked?) dont know how bad but I think it's worth looking in to any thoughts.

Jed, that could be a real find, but keep in mind that repairing one of these things could get VERY expensive.
You will need the hydraulic pump and tank as well.