1320Fastback wrote:
When I put the Atwood on our first trailer I grabbed some pallets and trash 2X4 and built staging in the back of my truck that was parked as close as possible to the trialer. If I remember it was only two levels to get it up on the roof. The wife and I lifted it into the truck, then up one level, then we stood on the first level and lifted it to the second and finally up on the roof.
Similar to what we did (me and my DW), instead of pallets I used several 2x12s across the top of the truck bed for the A/C to sit on. Placed a sturdy 8ft step ladder in the truck bed (not opened) against the side of the trailer and secured the step ladder to the truck bed.
This splits the amount of height one must lift a heavy bulky object.
However, in hind sight, at that time was young and dumb to not think about the what if's of the plan if things went sideways.
Reality is once you have an heavy bulky object at arms height or higher (above your head) you do lose strength and control and it places your body directly and squarely in the path of that heavy and bulky object if for any reason one person loses grip or balance of said heavy object.
Yes, we got it done, wasn't easy, wasn't pretty, wasn't fun and wasn't safe and the last foot or two was downright sketchy and dangerous.
Fast forward many yrs worth of experience later and I would not consider attempting this same feat manually. Using some sort of safer way with mechanical advantage like a purpose built lift, front loader, ect will get the job done in a much safer manor in a much faster way for a much more reasonable cost than ones life, health, safety.
Be very careful about just throwing a line into a tree and dangling the unit from that. Tree limbs can be pretty good looking but yet dead or rotted inside and one will never know that until it breaks. One would also want to use not just a rope, but a rope, pulley and a winch with a brake.
Pulley reduces friction it takes to get the item in the air.
Winch with brake makes lifting effort easier plus the brake gives you some means to control the item at all times.
Think safety first..
