Side loaded Shouldered Forged Eye bolt

[Twowaxhack]

This is ten minutes of awesomeness for me to read this morning. I had to make a ramp down my narrow crawlspace stairs and slide mine down. This thread is next level hassle. Did you charge a premium for all the engineering just to get it up there?

These heaters would no way no how slide down the stairs. They’re too big.

I’m billing for the cost rigging equipment that I bought plus time to shop for it and the time to rig it at $175 an hour. So around an extra $600 for this job over the normal cost of installing it in a garage.

 

[Twowaxhack]

"Rated" eye bolts should be marked with the grade, just like regular bolts, but sometimes with the weight rating.
You are absolutely right in your assessment that the weight rating is for full tension load at 0-5 degrees.
ASME B30.26 states that between 6-15 degrees, you are at 55% of rated load., and between 16-90 degrees 25% of rated load.
Just a WAG here but I suspect that the eyebolt may be the strongest part of your system, and some of the other components the weaker links.

I cannot really tell from the photos, but instead of jerry rigging a solution with some of the parts you show, is it possible to use a "come along" lift? Something like this? They come in all sizes and shapes, usually in ratings measured in tons or fractions thereof, from the usual gang of suspects (Northern Tool, Grainger, etc.) If you can find one with a long enough steel cable the rope issue is a non issue. You can find ones priced between $60-$80.

Years ago, my father and I constructed an engine hoist made from a come along, and an A-Frame made with 2x4s. There were two A frames, reinforced with a cross member, and a horizontal 2x6 piece to connect the two. Looked like a children's swing set frame but made of wood. It was all portable. We'd often take it to a junkyard or even to someone's home to remove an engine from an automobile. Never had a failure or even any cracking sounds, and these engines were a bit heavier than an empty water heater.

View attachment 44179

With limited headroom hoists and come-alongs are useless without rigging pulleys. If I’m going to rig a pulley, I might as well just use a rope like I did, I could’ve pulled the heater up with one hand with the 2:1 mechanical advantage the pulleys gave me.

All of this can be done solo without help or risk of injury.

 

[Twowaxhack]

There’s no room at the top of the stairs. There’s also only 58” of headroom at the highest point above the stairs.

Stairs and where the handrail and hinges are too narrow for the heater to slide down or slide up. The heater had to come straight up through a 22x22 ish hole at the opposite end as the stairs.

 

[MicEd69]

The springs and hinge mechanism for those stairs can be easily removed. But I see now that the HVAC system is in your way to use the stairs as a "slide" Looks like you performed the job quite well based on the limitations you had.

Cable come alongs are great if you need to lift a half ton or so, but WAAAAY too slow and HUGE overkill for a 150-pound load even if you had the head room available.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Even if I took the hinges off I would have to lift the heater horizontal to get it through the opening, the head room is even lower on the stair side of the opening.

But the next install will be different, they all are a little different. Many size heaters and many different designs of home and ways to construct.

If I had headroom I would have used my electric hoist.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Even if I took the hinges off I would have to lift the heater horizontal to get it through the opening, the head room is even lower on the stair side of the opening.

But the next install will be different, they all are a little different. Many size heaters and many different designs of home and ways to construct.

If I had headroom I would have used my electric hoist.

I am gently reminded to NEVER buy a home with a water heater in the attic. Ever...and take a good look for whatever's in the attic to see if any sense or logic was employed by the builder.
You earned every penny of your "rigging" charge.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I am gently reminded to NEVER buy a home with a water heater in the attic. Ever...and take a good look for whatever's in the attic to see if any sense or logic was employed by the builder.
You earned every penny of your "rigging" charge.

Once I gathered all my parts, which took a while because I had to feel confident that I wouldn’t damage the customers property or my water heater, it took me about an hour to measure, plumb and install my rigging. I wasn’t in a hurry.

Then I had to remove it all when finished.

I’m keeping it all in a small tote that I will add to each time I use it in the future. I plan to get a few more pieces of hardware and another pulley or two. Each job is different so it might come into play.

If I get a call on a Saturday morning without any help to help me, I want to tell the customer that I’m capable to perform the work with my equipment and knowledge. It’s easy to justify extra cost when the job conditions require extra equipment and measures of safety.

 

[Twowaxhack]

You know, after I think about it, it probably would’ve been easier to drain the water out of the tank in the attic instead of lowering it while it was full of water.

Hindsight is 20/20 Is guess

 

[JeffreyWisc]

Hahahhaah!

 

[Twowaxhack]

I am gently reminded to NEVER buy a home with a water heater in the attic. Ever...and take a good look for whatever's in the attic to see if any sense or logic was employed by the builder.
You earned every penny of your "rigging" charge.

I’m on the fence about it. If it’s done correctly with proper access and forethought then I don’t think it’s too bad, I think it would even be a good thing.

Let me give you an example.

Way down here in Dixie where it’s hot most of the year it’s a good thing to put the water heater in a naturally hot environment, as long as it’s not too hot. The attic must be properly vented.

Builders would need to install heavy duty pull down staircases and have an accessible anchor point in the atttic to rig a pulley or hoist, minimum. Ideally you’d have regular stairs that are 36” wide. The attic would need to be floored, have ample lighting and service outlet. You’d need a 4” deep pan with a 1.5” drain. The relief line would exit separate to the exterior.

This would be in the garage attic, not over a finished living space.

If all those conditions would be met then it’s not so bad.

I’ve found a few like this. I have one customer that has twin 50 gallon gas water heaters in the 3rd floor atttic in a custom 6” deep pan that’s about 6’ wide and 5’ long. It has a 2” drain. It also has a circulator pump in the pan.

It has an elevator that takes you to the attic and the attic is foamed and is somewhat conditioned. 80-85 degrees in dead of summer.

 

[JEG in Raleigh]

I want to side load a 1/2” shouldered forged eye bolt with approximately 150 pounds (50 gal water heater) and hoist it up into the attic.

I’ll have a 1/2” double braided nylon rope tied to the eye. The rope will drop to the top of the water heater where it’ll go around a pulley then travel back to the top and go through another pulley and then I’ll be pulling down on the rope from the floor of the attic.

The pulley and Eye bolt will penetrate a 2x8 hip rafter with 3/4” plywood gussets on each side of the penetration to beef the rafter up.
That’s a 3” pulley.

View attachment 44141
The open space between the washers in this pic is where my wood will be. The nut beside the pulley is there as a spacer to keep the pulley off the wood.

Am I crazy or will this work ?

I want to side load a 1/2” shouldered forged eye bolt with approximately 150 pounds (50 gal water heater) and hoist it up into the attic.

I’ll have a 1/2” double braided nylon rope tied to the eye. The rope will drop to the top of the water heater where it’ll go around a pulley then travel back to the top and go through another pulley and then I’ll be pulling down on the rope from the floor of the attic.

The pulley and Eye bolt will penetrate a 2x8 hip rafter with 3/4” plywood gussets on each side of the penetration to beef the rafter up.
That’s a 3” pulley.

View attachment 44141
The open space between the washers in this pic is where my wood will be. The nut beside the pulley is there as a spacer to keep the pulley off the wood.

Am I crazy or will this work ?

You might want to look at using this inexpensive boat winch.

I want to side load a 1/2” shouldered forged eye bolt with approximately 150 pounds (50 gal water heater) and hoist it up into the attic.

I’ll have a 1/2” double braided nylon rope tied to the eye. The rope will drop to the top of the water heater where it’ll go around a pulley then travel back to the top and go through another pulley and then I’ll be pulling down on the rope from the floor of the attic.

The pulley and Eye bolt will penetrate a 2x8 hip rafter with 3/4” plywood gussets on each side of the penetration to beef the rafter up.
That’s a 3” pulley.

View attachment 44141
The open space between the washers in this pic is where my wood will be. The nut beside the pulley is there as a spacer to keep the pulley off the wood.

Am I crazy or will this work ?

You might want to look at using this inexpensive boat winch. It's rated at 600 lbs. For $10 more you'll get one with a 3000 lbs rating. I have a couple of them that I use to raise 200 lbs machines out of the way in my workshop. https://www.amazon.com/HighFree-Win...t=&hvlocphy=9009761&hvtargid=pla-898489826765

 

[Twowaxhack]

You might want to look at using this inexpensive boat winch.

You might want to look at using this inexpensive boat winch. It's rated at 600 lbs. For $10 more you'll get one with a 3000 lbs rating. I have a couple of them that I use to raise 200 lbs machines out of the way in my workshop. https://www.amazon.com/HighFree-Win...t=&hvlocphy=9009761&hvtargid=pla-898489826765

I have a hoist but the problem sometimes is the lack of headroom. So mounting that winch would be difficult.

 

[TomFOhio]

You know, after I think about it, it probably would’ve been easier to drain the water out of the tank in the attic instead of lowering it while it was full of water.

Hindsight is 20/20 Is guess

That really surprises me that you didn't drain the tank first instead of taking it down full of water. 8 lbs to the gallon is a lot of
extra weight.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Builders would need to install heavy duty pull down staircases and have an accessible anchor point in the atttic to rig a pulley or hoist, minimum. Ideally you’d have regular stairs that are 36” wide. The attic would need to be floored, have ample lighting and service outlet. You’d need a 4” deep pan with a 1.5” drain. The relief line would exit separate to the exterior. This would be in the garage attic, not over a finished living space. If all those conditions would be met then it’s not so bad.

Yeah, here's the rub on that. Builders. They won't spend one red cent more than they have to, and rarely think about the owner's future in the house.
Most pull down stairs are designed for fitment between trusses/joists with 24" spacing. So, the rough opening is 22.5" (and you need about 54" in length, too). That's the standard. A cheap wooden model to fit the bill would cost about $375 and have a 250# capacity--insufficient for both a worker and an empty tank. A heavier duty aluminum model may cost nearly twice that, with a 350-375# capacity. Still a bit on the weak side.

You can special order these things, with wider widths. I installed one for a neighbor where one had been removed in a garage, and the rough opening was 31" x 54". I don't recall the capacity but imagine it was also in the 350# range. It was nicely built and insulated. So assume you do have one that works...

...now you have to have a 4" deep drain pan, one that doesn't leak (meaning it was tested!). Drain to daylight is a given. The lighting and a service outlet is a given, as is a finished floor to provide a plumber like yourself sufficient workspace for installation and service...

...then this all has to be in a garage attic, not above living space.

It all makes perfect sense. I'd still prefer my hot water heater low rather than high. Mine occupies no more than a 3x3' space in the corner of the garage. Sure I could use it for more storage but it's OK.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The reason for in the attic for me would be an ideal environment for keeping hot water hot, but that’s in our warm climate along the coast It’s even very warm in the attic on most winter days here. You would also get the benefit of the extra space in the garage and no chance of a car hitting it.

It would have to be a custom home, yiure right no builder cares or I haven’t met him yet.

Many water heaters I find have no flooring to it or not enough. The one I just did the other day I had to install 1/2 a sheet of plywood in front of the heater, it had 2x4 laid flat every 8” in front of it as flooring. Stupid

 

[Twowaxhack]