1990 - Volume #14, Issue #6, Page #07
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High Lift Loader Tractor
Wilson knew that he wanted a high-lift loader and didn't see anything on the market that quite did the job. Equipped with a quick hitch, the 11,800-lb. "boom truck" will lift and store an 8-row cornhead and an equally wide grain head. It will lift truck beds up into place and can lay down grain bins and pick up big bales. He also uses it as high-lift scaffolding. The 24-ft. telescoping boom reaches out a total of 44 ft., when fitted with a 20 ft. jib. It can also be fitted with a 5-ft. jib or a self-leveling fork.
Wilson salvaged and scrounged most of the parts except for about $750 worth
of metal he had to buy. Altogether he figures he has less than $1,500 invested - not including the countless hours of work that went into it.
He built the 12-ft. long chassis from scratch with 10-in. channel iron. Using the axles from a 1952 IHC truck, he bolted what had been the rear end to the frame up front. The steering axle was mounted on the rear on a center-pivot joint to allow it to follow ground contour in the fashion of a combine axle.
The hydraulic steering control is from a John Deere 6600 combine. Wilson mounted a 2-stage hydraulic pump on the crankshaft, using one stage for steering and one for lifting.
The engine is a 250 Chevrolet, out of a car. Transmission is a Chevy 4-speed, early-50's model. The loader has indi¡vidual drive axle brakes to aid in steering.
Wilson's big boom is made from 10 1/ 2 by 101/2-in. sq. box steel with 1/2-in. sidewalls. It is 14-ft. long and is built to telescope out 10 ft., controlled by a 4-in. dia. cylinder inside.
To better handle the immense loads he intends to handle with the loader he plans to switch to cast spoke-type wheels. For better equilibrium he plans to add outriggers.
Contact FARM SHOW Followup, Clair Wilson, Rt. 2, Winchester, Ill. 62694 (ph 217 742-3809).
Reprinted with permission from Top Producer.
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