Alright, so, I decided to get one of those cranes for my pickup truck. You know, the ones that help you lift heavy stuff onto the bed. I’ve been needing one for a while now because, let’s face it, my back isn’t getting any younger, and some of the things I haul around are a real pain to lift manually.
So, first thing I did was look around online to see what my options were. There are a bunch of different brands and models out there, some with a hand winch, others hydraulic. I saw one called MAXXHAUL 70238 that had a capacity of 1000 lbs., which seemed pretty decent. Also came across an Ultra-Tow model that could handle 2,000 lbs. That one seemed a bit overkill for my needs, though.
Then there was this brand, HAUL-MASTER, that had a crane with a boom that extends up to 53-3/8 inches. I figured that would be handy for reaching further into the truck bed. Pricing was another thing, of course. Found one for around $379, but then I started thinking about long-term value.
I ended up going with a VEVOR model. It has telescopic arms that lock into four positions, with the strongest supporting 1000 lbs. Seemed like a good balance of strength and versatility. The idea of easily moving heavy stuff from the ground to my truck, then rotating it into place, was super appealing.
After I finally got the crane, I had to get it installed. The VEVOR crane was designed to mount in a 2-inch receiver hitch, so I had to make sure my truck was set up for that. No point in having a crane if you can’t attach it, right? It was a bit of a hassle, not gonna lie, getting everything lined up and bolted in place. Took me a good part of the afternoon, and I definitely worked up a sweat.
Once it was all set up, I had to test it out. I had a few heavy items lying around the yard that I’d been putting off moving. The first thing I lifted was an old engine block. I hooked it up to the crane’s cable, started cranking, and man, it was smooth! Way easier than trying to wrestle it into the truck bed by myself. I moved a couple more things with it, just to get a feel for how it handled different weights and sizes.
- Hook it up.
- Start cranking.
- Watch it go up.
- Swing it into the truck bed.
- Done!
So far, I’m pretty happy with my purchase. It’s definitely going to make my life a lot easier. No more throwing my back out trying to be a hero. If you’re thinking about getting a crane for your truck, I’d say it’s worth considering. Just make sure you get one that fits your needs and your truck’s setup.
