mounting tractor implements to trucks

[OddBlallNo3]

Ok so I'm in this dilemma,  I'm looking at a tractor to do stuff like move engines, push cars, lift things,  remove engines etc etc.   its not a bad deal, but I really just don't need yet another vehicle sitting around dormant.  I do have my shop truck, which already gets used like 5 times a year.  I know they used to do these things back in the day to regular trucks for stuff like this.  and I was thinking a forklift or a knuckle boom would make a lot of sense,  does anyone do this anymore?  id rather modify a tractor implement to attach to the truck vs yet another vehicle to maintain.  just seems like a no brainer for seldom used stuff.  what do you folks think?

[iowaboy1965]

In your situation, I would put a push bumper of some kind on the truck and invest in an A frame and a hoist. Or maybe a cherry picker. I probably  would not mount tractor implements on my truck. There is a reason it's  not done much anymore....🤷‍♂️

But I have a truck and several tractors with loaders at my disposal. As well as a cherry picker.

[Shell1066]

Look up around DC for auctions. My boss bought two IH single axle dump trucks that had loaders on the front. Lifted over the cab and dumped into the bed. Used for scooping up animals that died from being hit. Maybe other big metro s have them to.

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

I have seen this advertised before. It didn’t look like anything I would want, but maybe it’s ok for some things. 
 

Truck Bed Loader

[Howard_P]

Knowing how difficult it is to judge the position of a front loader, I'd think it would be almost impossible to stack bales or dump gravel just where you want it on the back of a pickup.

[Matt Kirsch]

If you want some ideas, go check out Farm Show Magazine. Search their archives. You'll find lots of unique contraptions from the past 50 or so years.

[yellowrosefarm]

11 hours ago, Howard_P said:

Knowing how difficult it is to judge the position of a front loader, I'd think it would be almost impossible to stack bales or dump gravel just where you want it on the back of a pickup.

And you would need a young neck to look over your shoulder trying to do it.

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

When we built a Morton building years ago, they unloaded everything with loaders made onto the back of the semi trucks that pulled the trailers that delivered the building. The operators were very good at using the forks on the semi trucks and unloaded it in no time. They folded down for clearance for the trailer. I was impressed when I watched them. They did not even have day cab tractors and did everything in the mirror. 

[lotsaIHCs]

35 minutes ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said:

When we built a Morton building years ago, they unloaded everything with loaders made onto the back of the semi trucks that pulled the trailers that delivered the building. The operators were very good at using the forks on the semi trucks and unloaded it in no time. They folded down for clearance for the trailer. I was impressed when I watched them. They did not even have day cab tractors and did everything in the mirror. 

The delivery guy from Menards had the same setup when we had the steel roof for our barn delivered. I thought it was going to be the most awkward thing imaginable but it actually worked well and only took a few minutes from dropping the trailer until he was unloaded and hooking back up.

[yellowrosefarm]

Of course this isn't a new idea at all. From doodle bugs in the 20's, Jeeps and Scouts in the 40's and 50's and UNIMOG later, people have tried to marry trucks and farm equipment.

https://www.farmjeep.com/lifts/monroe-lift/

https://www.thedrive.com/news/38001/the-4wd-international-harvester-trucktor-is-real-and-yes-you-can-buy-it

https://autorestorer.com/articles/here_come_the_doodlebugs-240

[MacAR]

22 hours ago, iowaboy1965 said:

I probably  would not mount tractor implements on my truck. There is a reason it's  not done much anymore....🤷‍♂️

Exactly... sounds like a good way to waste a lot of time and money to tear up a good pickup... he'd be better off finding a cheap old loader tractor. And I'll guarantee if he did find a small loader tractor it'd get a lot more use than he thinks.  

[just Dave]

Unimog has truly mastered getting more from a truck that was designed to give more. 

[Cody IH]

If just for lifting and pulling you could build something like this 

 

[Matt Kirsch]

2 hours ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said:

When we built a Morton building years ago, they unloaded everything with loaders made onto the back of the semi trucks that pulled the trailers that delivered the building. The operators were very good at using the forks on the semi trucks and unloaded it in no time. They folded down for clearance for the trailer. I was impressed when I watched them. They did not even have day cab tractors and did everything in the mirror. 

Wow, I had completely forgotten about that. We had a Morton put up in 1983 and I'm pretty sure they did it exactly the way you describe. 

Nowadays they either have a trailer with rollers that dumps the load, or they use one of those piggyback forklifts. We have a flatbed truck with one of those at work. Dang thing is so heavy the truck sits nose-high and it's hard to load with the regular forklift sometimes.

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

21 minutes ago, Matt Kirsch said:

Wow, I had completely forgotten about that. We had a Morton put up in 1983 and I'm pretty sure they did it exactly the way you describe. 

Nowadays they either have a trailer with rollers that dumps the load, or they use one of those piggyback forklifts. We have a flatbed truck with one of those at work. Dang thing is so heavy the truck sits nose-high and it's hard to load with the regular forklift sometimes.

I think it was 2010 or 2011 when I saw them do it that way. I don’t know if they still do it like that or not. 

[Dzldenny]

30 minutes ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said:

I think it was 2010 or 2011 when I saw them do it that way. I don’t know if they still do it like that or not. 

Sure do. Menards delivered the supplies for my nephews new shed that way not even a week ago.

[12_Guy]

I must be getting old. I remember helping unload a few Morton buildings by hand. They had a pretty good system and the drivers knew how to do it. Seems like they wanted 6 men on site. 
A loader tractor is always handier than people think especially if you have forks for it. I always have the forks on and rarely use the bucket except of course for loose bulk material. I have an extension pole for the forks for lifting things higher like setting trusses etc.  

The gin pole crane on the truck pictured above would be handy as well and not take up too much space or money.

 

[England806]

I bought an old Massey 50B backhoe. 
backhoe had been removed and replaced with a 3000lb concrete weight. 
has a 4 in 1 front bucket (great for breaking beads on tyres)  I don’t use it a lot but it’s been so handy for the few occasions it does get used it’s well worth having around  

 

[just Dave]

This rig is a considerably modified bolt down jib crane. I store it in a side swinging 2” mount beside welding table when not being used.

That green oak, a couple pounds each? It has a remote electric winch and a hand winch.

[sandhiller]

On 10/10/2026 at 12:22 PM, OddBlallNo3 said:

I do have my shop truck,

Truck or pickup?.........makes a difference

A knuckle boom with outriggers mounted behind the cab would be handier than pockets on a shirt

 

 

[marty966]

3 hours ago, just Dave said:

This rig is a considerably modified bolt down jib crane. I store it in a side swinging 2” mount beside welding table when not being used.

That green oak, a couple pounds each? It has a remote electric winch and a hand winch.

what year is the truck?

[just Dave]

On 10/15/2026 at 7:58 PM, marty966 said:

what year is the truck?

2005