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Goto: Specs, Componets\Tools\Skills\$, Abilities, The Process
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Technical Specifications:
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Scissor / Lift Capacity
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2 Tons (4000 lbs)
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Dump Angle
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35 – 43 Degrees
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Cylinder Size
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3-1/2” Diameter x 10” Stroke
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Cylinder Rod Size
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1-1/4”
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Pump Pressure
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1500-2500 PSI / 1.0-1.3 GPM
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Pump Power
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12 Volt DC
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Scissor Width
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14-1/2”
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Scissor Length
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25-1/2”
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Scissor Height
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7”
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Scissor Mount Dimensions:
(Centerline of Mount Points)
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Closed
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3”
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Open
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40”
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Components, Tools, Skills, and Money:
The following generalized items are required for this project:
| Parts and Supplies: |
A hydraulic pump, solenoid and reservoir assembly
A hydraulic cylinder and high-pressure hose
Pump and control electrical wiring and associated equipment
A variety of flat steel plate, angle iron, and piping
Various hardware and other miscellaneous supplies
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| Tools: |
Metal cutting/welding/bending and drilling equipment
Regular hand tools - wrenches, sockets, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.
Regular power tools – drill, saws, grinder, etc.
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| Skills and Abilities: |
A technical mindset:
- The ability to read and interpret technical drawings
- The ability to identify and implement fabrication changes
Metal cutting, welding, bending, grinding and drilling experience
Regular disassembly and assembly mechanical abilities
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| Space, Time & Help: |
A clean, lit, dry, level, adequate workspace large enough to:
- Fabricate and assemble all of the individual components
- Disassemble and prepare the vehicle
- Install the assembly on the vehicle and reassemble appropriately
Adequate time and help.
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| Money: |
The costs associated with this project are almost impossible to predict. My assumption is that those who purchase these plans already have the tools, skills, and abilities for a project like this and hopefully this is not the first project of this caliber attempted. With that said my expectation is that the necessary resources and thriftiness already exists to find most of the parts and supplies needed at relatively low costs or even free.
As an attempt to provide a worse case, high-end price range for the completed project, I’ve outlined some of the components and associated cost estimates:
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Hydraulic Cylinder and Pump
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$50 - $380
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Steel and Piping
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$75 - $150
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Electrical Parts
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$35 - $70
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Hardware and Miscellaneous Parts
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$80 - $150
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Total:
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$240 - $750
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NOTE: As a comparison, a professional factory manufactured dump bed add-on kit can be purchased for around $1000. For someone who is planning on outright buying all the necessary parts and supplies new and at full price – this project is not a cost effective approach - go buy an already made kit.
Check the
Questions page
for information
about such kits. But for those who are drawn to the satisfaction of a professional ‘homemade’ product at significantly lower than retail (or even wholesale) cost, then this project is perfect for you.
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Ability Requirements:
These plans are geared towards a person with above-average fabrication and mechanical abilities and experience. As a mechanism to ‘Rate Yourself’ – answer the following questions:
- Are you fairly mechanically oriented?
- Do you have an ‘engineering’ mindset?
- Can you understand, interpret, and follow technical fabrication and assembly instructions and drawings?
- Do you have metalworking equipment (welder, oxy-acetylene torch, metal saw, cutting, drilling, bending, grinding, etc)?
- Do you have the skills and experience to cut, bend and weld various shapes and sizes of metal?
- Do you have the technical ability to identify potential problems and engineer minor modifications or additions as needed?
- And overall, do you have the skills, tools, time, space, money, and help necessary to take on this type of project?
If you honestly answered ‘yes’ to all of the above questions, then these plans provide a great match to your abilities – you should rest assured that this project should be right up your alley. If you have some doubts about a few questions, you might need to enlist the help of some friends or family who can help out with those areas. If you answered ‘no’ to most or all of the questions then this project is completely out of your league; and it is way too dangerous to attempt this on your own. You should consider finding someone who has the necessary tools, skills, and abilities and pay them to do this for you.
The ultimate responsibility of making the necessary judgment calls about your own abilities lies on you personally. Any inaccurate representations will only do you injustice; they can be very dangerous and can lead to major problems and damage.
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The Overall Process:
These plans have been designed to provide a step-by-step start-to-finish approach for the fabrication, assembly and installation of the dump bed assembly. The primary focal point of these is to provide the precise plans and details to construct the scissor lift assembly. Due to the universal applicability of this assembly, the attachment of the scissors will need to be field designed as appropriate. The overall process of this project can be broken down into the following five steps:
- First and foremost; confirm that the entire assembly will physically fit, meets the needs of the desired application, and is suitable to be assembled and installed as designed in these plans.
- Locate and purchase the necessary parts and supplies to build the assembly components.
- Fabricate and assemble those components.
- Prepare the vehicle/application for installation.
- Install the components and reassemble the vehicle.
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