Overland Exped Vehicle Rear Motorcycle and Tire Lift

mog

Kodiak Buckaroo
OK, here's some more. Not sure where this pic came from. I'd like to know more about this build
Your wish is my command - Click for build info

That is one of the two Fuso FM260s that Darrin Fink converted to 4x4.
One of them sold a few years back here on the portal (I could not find the ad) for a very reasonable price.
The other is still owned by my friend in Bend, OR (although he has dropped off the radar?)
Some info here - https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/first-fuso-fm-from-ruf-inc.18812/
 

AMBOT

Adventurer
Attaching this large 1500 lb weight on the back of an aluminum house frame may be a problem. It is hanging off the back and trying to rack the entire house frame. I doubt the house frame was designed for that kind of force. Attaching steel to aluminum is another problem. All doable. I'd add an angled brace coming from the back wall, forward and down to the house floor.

the box is composite with embedded aluminum tube and i can tie into the subframe to take the vertical load. Without subframe connection I believe the approved weight is about 500lb.

thanks for the info about bending the plate, that seems the best route to go.
 
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Zuber

Active member
the box is composite with embedded aluminum tube and i can tie into the subframe to take the vertical load. Without subframe connection I believe the approved weight is about 500lb.

thanks for the info about bending the plate, that seems the best route to go.

There's trouble with that thinking. It's not a true vertical load. It's a combo of vertical and a twisting load due to it hanging off the back.
If you're just hanging a wheel, it will probably be ok. Plus a motorcycle, not so much.
 

AMBOT

Adventurer
There's trouble with that thinking. It's not a true vertical load. It's a combo of vertical and a twisting load due to it hanging off the back.
If you're just hanging a wheel, it will probably be ok. Plus a motorcycle, not so much.

I have a few additional tie in points that may help mitigate that. The side panels have 2 mil aluminum under the fiberglass skin at two points. The overhang could have a load tensioned off the inner wall to help keep everything in place. All edge profiles are aluminum.

do you think that would help some?

8410F757-67A4-47FF-9CCA-9C9CACB52180.jpeg
 

mog

Kodiak Buckaroo
I stumbled onto this website HYDRALIFT . Everything from motorcycles up to side-by-sides.
Not the clearest photos, but all 'frame' mounted so no issues with the back of the camper.
These all look like they do not hang down very far from the attachment points (vehicle frame), so on a Fuso, they should have a good ground clearance/departure angle.
hydralift.jpg
 

AMBOT

Adventurer
I stumbled onto this website HYDRALIFT . Everything from motorcycles up to side-by-sides.
Not the clearest photos, but all 'frame' mounted so no issues with the back of the camper.
These all look like they do not hang down very far from the attachment points (vehicle frame), so on a Fuso, they should have a good ground clearance/departure angle.
View attachment 612907

This has been used on only one overland vehicle that I could find, and I've asked how it has held up.

 

Zuber

Active member
Sorry, forgot about this thread.

After weighing the rear axle loaded, my EXP was going to have the rear tires very close to max load, axle wasn't even close with an extra 2500# available. So, I had to keep it light as possible.

My solution was to modify an existing MC rack laying around here and use the existing 2" receiver hitch on the bumper. I added additional stabilizer bars that tie into the bumper and keep it from rocking side-to-side. The 2" bar then only has a vertical load. The rack ended up being about 40" high, so pushing the bike up was impossible.

I built a lifting crane that used an existing heavy bracket attached to the rear bumper. I had some 2.03" ID honed tubing for the base and heavy 2" tube would slip in with just enough room for grease. I used a 2000# warn ATV winch for lifting power and tapped into the rear 16k truck winch for power. This winch was very fast, so I removed all the cable to leave the first wrap only. It is still very fast, maybe takes 5 seconds to do the lift.

MC Lift n Rack sm.jpgMC Lift sm.jpgMC rack sm.jpgMC Rack stab arms sm.jpg

All the hardware maybe adds 150# to the rear. With my 330# KTM 690 on back the rear tires are about 200# over max weight. I keep them pumped to the max psi, don't drive over 60mph and watch the tire temperatures close. The crane just lifts out of the honed tube to reduce weight.

It's easy to load, maybe better than rolling up a ramp. I made some straps that loop through the frame at the balance point. These are a little fiddly to install, but goes quick when I remember the right technique. Then 5 seconds to lift, swing it over to the rack, install the tie down tubes and tie down. Takes about the same amount of time as any normal motorcycle loading.

Downside is if I have a flat on the truck. The motorcycle will have to be unloaded to retrieve the spare tire. I'd probably plug a tire first.
 

cjken

Explorer
I’m late to this thread, but has anyone used or modified a box truck lift gate.
I’m looking toward that as a possibility.
 

Zuber

Active member
The 'Tommy Lifts' are heavy. If you want to lift 1500-2500 lbs 10 times a day, that's probably what you'll need.
 
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