Moving machinery without a liftgate

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SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by SteveM »

I need to move machines and the rental companies won't rent out a truck with a liftgate for a one-way trip.

Depending on the vendor, they say that the ramp is good for 1,000-1,500 lbs. Heaviest thing I got is probably 500, but it's going to be a bear getting it up.

What's probably going to get us is lifting lots of 50-100 lb items and boxes, so the liftgate would even be welcome for that.

One truck is a box truck with about a 3 foot height, the other is an actual semi-trailer with a higher load height (but a stronger ramp).

Renting a forklift might work, but would cost money, and I'm not sure I want to explain the damage I do to the truck / trailer with the forklift.

What other options are there?

Steve
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by Russ Hanscom »

For one of my moves a number of years ago, I got a bunch of pallets and stacked all of the boxes on pallets then shrink wrapped each stack. Other items and tools were creatively strapped to pallets. I rented a forklift to load the pallets; it made quick work of the job, and it saved a lot of back strain. Even the freezer got loaded that way. The prep work was spread out over a number of days.
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liveaboard
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Re: Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by liveaboard »

It depends on the details; but you say you're loading 2 trucks with heavy items, a few are very heavy.
You're renting the trucks, so loading time costs money too.
I'd say rent a forklift if you can, and if your location allows that.
If you hurt your back heaving and shifting those boxes, the forklift cost will seem like lunch money.

Maybe someone in your area has a bobcat, loader/backhoe, or tractor with front end loader with a pallet fork attachment who can load for you.
Like Russ said, put it on pallets.
You'll save big on unloading too.

I have a pallet fork for my old tractor, it sure saves my old spine.
Never do work by hand that you could do with a machine!
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choprboy
Posts: 322
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:23 pm

Re: Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by choprboy »

I built a towable engine engine hoist a while back. It works great for lifting machinery (done both my mill and lathe) and pallets into and out of the truck bed and trailers.
whateg0
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Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: Wichita, KS

Re: Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by whateg0 »

I have a towable engine hoist is great for low volume work. I even built a set of forks for one of mine. Works great for items up to about 300#. More than about 450# will tip it forward because of how I built it. Far too slow for moving a lot of stuff but for a few items, is great. I also put pallet jack wheels on it to make steering it super easy
TRX
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:30 pm
Location: Central Arkansas

Re: Moving machinery without a liftgate

Post by TRX »

I always called a local wrecker company. They would lift tools off the trailer and use the boom to sit them inside the shop door. After that I moved them on pipe rollers.

Chatting with the driver, he said they got called out to unload or move big air conditioner units, air compressors, safes, etc. Places that delivered bricks, architectural stone, and funeral stones had their own equipment, but they'd call a wrecker if they had an equipment failure.
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