Crane for lifting rocks?

I have a pile of landscape boulders that I need to pick up and move to other areas of my property. Is there a boom lift or other device that can be mounted in the bed of a 2nd gen, either permanent or quick-mount? How about something that attaches to the tow hitch, bumper mounts, or whatever? I would like to be able to pick one up, drive over to where we want it, and just set it back down. I don't need to be able to load them into the bed. The biggest rock might be 300-400 pounds, but most are smaller.

This is the only picture that I have at the moment, but you can see that the rocks aren't giant, but with my back they are too big too move by hand.

 

I would use a flat trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFEcQAGmwFw

 

I would rent something vs using my own truck.

 

I agree, but we have a large pile and several projects where we plan to use the rocks. I would have to rent for a long time and/or repeatedly. It's a truck, and I'm not afraid to use it as long as it's safe and not jury-rigged.

 

An option?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SNAP-LO...503|MCORGID=F6421253512D2C100A490D45@AdobeOrg

 

I used a regular hand dolly on a few large boulders, Messed it up, but your stuff looks a lot smaller so it should be able to handle it.

 

i would suggest a dirt cheap trailer like this, then use a board and winch to drag all the rocks you want onto it.

 

I don't know what they're called, but have seen backhoe attachments for trucks.

I'd just rent a backhoe or skidsteer.

 

trailer hitch crane, which is basically an engine hoist with a few other brackets.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/STARK-U...ist-Crane-Hitch-Mount-Lift-KIT56075/321051808

still $300, but a $300 crappy trailer can be used/abused and hit with a $20 in spray paint to be resold for $400.

a brand new $300 trailer hitch crane is worth $100-200 as soon as it lands on the doorstep.

 

mower and thick piece of smooth plastic with 2 holes and a sturdy rope thru them going to a hitch. You'd be surprised how easy it is to slide it and there isn't any actual lifting involved as the plastic is right on the ground.

 

Gin Poles! Lots of possible variations including this one on YouTube.
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/M-oTrE4u1c0

 

https://www.arosswelding.com/shop/ginpoleprints

 

Lots of good ideas. What I'd do is get some 2x4's and a bottle jack. I'd secure one end of the 2x4 at the back of the bed (by the cab) so that it can pivot, (you don't have to go crazy, just use a bolt as the pivot point) I'd use the bottle jack to lift it up. Probably want to spread the load a bit, some plywood as a base would work.

You're only lifting 400lbs, that setup should work, just don't drive it like a ralley car.

 

Here's a crude drawing.

 

I have loaded some very heavy logs onto a trailer using ramps and a hand truck.
Trailer is nice cause they can be bought cheep used/don't matter if you damage it and they are lower then the truck bed so its easier to load

 

A rock off the end of a pole is gonna swing like crazy on that terrain

Just drag it. Build a little sled out of plywood and you can roll the rocks on and off

 

*towable backhoe

 

An option.

 

interesting. i understand the concept, at least on a steel-bodied truck, but how could that be applicable to a tacoma with limited attachment points and a composite bed(all the accessory rails and front tie downs are just riv-nutted in, and the rear body bolts are almost too close to the rear of the truck for the chain angle) without some pretty dramatic modification for frame attachments?