Road trip for a hydraulic press

Amarillo, TX to East Dallas for this press. I was very nervous hauling this with it upright but we made it.

Glad you made it safely, so all's good.
Armchair quarterbacking: Constraining the base movement with timbers, and affixing chains all the way at the top would make one less nervous. Using transport-rated chains instead of the shiny silver ones would make the cops happier, if they happen to be looking. But it doesn't look totally unsafe for normal traffic conditions.

I aways try to tie things down well enough so that you could pick up the load and shake it, and the trailer wouldn't fall off. Somewhat overkill, of course...

Carry on!
Chip

I hear you, wooden floor boards were deflecting down so maybe a steel floor trailer should have been better for the job?

In general, four oak 4x6 timbers through-bolted into the legs will spread the load, as well as make the whole assembly less tippy, so moving it with a pallet jack becomes easy*. Also, when loading up, look not only at the fore/aft positioning with respect to tongue weight, but also where the point loads hit with respect to the trailer frame members. Some flat utility-type trailers are designed and rated for the weight you're handling, but only when evenly distributed, not point-loaded. You may find there's only one or two 2" angles under the load when it's in the "right" position. Moving fore/aft and ballasting with the rest of your rigging gear, pallet jack, concrete blocks or mother-in-law (optional) may be needed.

*As long as you're only lifting it 1/2" or so. Still tippy if raised up high.

Chip

Looks like a nice job chaining it down.

Shawn Ghormley said:

I hear you, wooden floor boards were deflecting down so maybe a steel floor trailer should have been better for the job?

Click to expand...

No wood decks are always better. Just checkout big trucks flat beds with metal decks are rare.

A load will bite into a wood deck where on a steel deck it might as well be a sheet of ice.

How abouts you STOP posting multiple threads on this same
press ?

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/help-id-hydralic-press-341834/

Chip Chester said:

Glad you made it safely, so all's good.
Armchair quarterbacking: Constraining the base movement with timbers, and affixing chains all the way at the top would make one less nervous. Using transport-rated chains instead of the shiny silver ones would make the cops happier, if they happen to be looking. But it doesn't look totally unsafe for normal traffic conditions.

I aways try to tie things down well enough so that you could pick up the load and shake it, and the trailer wouldn't fall off. Somewhat overkill, of course...

Carry on!
Chip

Click to expand...

Any time I move anything (usually 20' sticks of pipe on my roofrack, or a vertical compressor or something, but never really with a trailer) I always floor it and slam on the brakes and get out and check strap tension. I would much rather lose a load in a parking lot than on the freeway.