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8,000# Machine Delivery on Asphalt Driveway

jmvar

Plastic
Joined
Jun 11, 2014
Location
MD
I am looking to put a CNC mill in my detached garage that is in my back yard. I have an asphalt driveway that goes around the side of the house and to the back yard right to the garage.

I had a rigger come out and take a look and he is worried about the weight of the forklift and the asphalt drive. The driveway is probably less than 5 years old and in good shape.

He suggested putting down 3/4" plywood and moving it along under the forklift but still had concerns.

What can I do to avoid damage to the driveway?

Thanks
 
Without knowing more about the underlying soil, it is impossible to say. If you are on clay soil, with minimal roadbase, it will probably sink and screwup the asphalt and you cannot blame the rigger for that.
 
If the driveway was built right and solid underneath the asphalt, you’ll be fine this time of year.

I know that is a big “if”, but with that kind of weight, only time you’ll have problems with a properly built drive is in the heat of summer, when the asphalt gets soft from the heat.

All that being said, get you some 3/4 plywood to drive over, if you are concerned. I’ve used 3/4 plywood over loose gravel with comparable weights and it holds up fine. Plywood is super strong if you make sure it’s laying flat without voids under it.
 
Just last week I drove 45,000 lbs over the asphalt at my shop with no damage whatsoever

(Forklift = 30,500 lb, VMC = 15,200 lb)

49BCFF0B-B210-4B43-8A07-2D29CC7EC901.jpg

The surface in this photo is pervious concrete but there is a 40’ long patch of asphalt I drove over numerous times last week unloading two semi loads of machines.
 
True,but a domestic driveway laid on dirt ,most likely,is a big risk for damage.Everyone who has ever delivered heavy machinery has horror stories that start......"Oh ,dont worry about the drive,its nothing special" and end up with a lawyers demand for $10,000 to reinstate damage to a surface......Even a legal indemnity and release wont absolve you from a claim,and legal costs.
 
I am looking to put a CNC mill in my detached garage that is in my back yard. I have an asphalt driveway that goes around the side of the house and to the back yard right to the garage.

Like others mentioned above it is all about what is under it.
Did you have it installed?
I would bet that it is on the light weight side, more to keep down dust than handle heavy truck traffic.
If you are worried put machine on a low trailer and meet the air tire forklift in the shop. The riggers might even bring the forklift on an appropriate trailer if you ask.
Also mentioned and I agree, do it in the morning before things warm up, frozen ground should be more solid.
 
True,but a domestic driveway laid on dirt ,most likely,is a big risk for damage.Everyone who has ever delivered heavy machinery has horror stories that start...
Agree that damage is possible, especially in the heat of summer but I was amazed the asphalt wasn’t phased at my shop as the reason it is there is because the pervious concrete job was done so half assed we had numerous potholes and cracks, mostly from normal vehicle traffic and occasional UPS size trucks. So I figured the asphalt area was over some iffy ground prep and probably not much thicker than home driveway
 
I have moved a lot of heavy machines at both my shops. Both have asphalt drives. the only thing I have found that prevented damage is steel plates. I have 4' X 8' sheets that are 1/2" & 3/4" thick.
 
When BP resheeted the tanks at the refinery,we used to get the old plate free for taking away.............and generally would sell it to someone was going to sheet a soft yard so cranes could work .........often home boatbuilders,who couldnt believe the boat they built behind the house weighed 30 tons.
 
Your average Chevy Suburban (2500) weighs nearly 8k, wet/with stuff in it. Sits on 4 tires with nominally 1 sq. ft. contact patch. Duplicating that should safely get you back there if you keep moving until you get there.

I looked into a similar weight-sensitive move of a 6500 lb. bed mill in a commercial building with a basement. Riggers were concerned about mill+forklift-big-enough-to-lift-mill over the basement area. (Not quite smooth enough for skates.) One option was to use the lifting bar holes that went clear thru the base, and install round bars as 'axles'. Attach hubs for truck wheels/tires. Install with tires deflated, then inflate tires to get 2" of ground clearance. Steering wasn't needed in this case.

A two-axle kneeling trailer would suffice, if you can source with the right physical size and capacity.

(Ultimately, we ended up dragging the bed mill with a forklift, while it was sitting on "HDPE plastic sleds" (actually cheap-ass cutting boards). Worked fine.)
 
I have moved a lot of heavy machines at both my shops. Both have asphalt drives. the only thing I have found that prevented damage is steel plates. I have 4' X 8' sheets that are 1/2" & 3/4" thick.
Hmmm...now you've got me wondering if my patch of asphalt is normal asphalt... 45,000 lbs rolling over it with solid tires no less and no damage.... my neighbor (I'm in a commercial flex space building) handled the paving contract work...will see if they know what the actual material was...
 
I have an asphalt driveway that is @15 years old. I have moved machinery in the 8klb range with a tow motor that was rated for 10k. So combined weight was pretty heavy and we never had any trouble but there is probably a 12" thick base of gravel underneath that was compacted for 70 years.

If I was in your shoes, and had any concern, I would get a few sheets of plywood. For a hundred bucks or so it buys you some peace of mind and may save a thousand bucks or more in repairs.
 
With our recent weather in our area I would just go for it at the crack of dawn, the frozen ground is pretty hard.
 
I plan on moving over #10k and probably in the next two weeks. I will need all the luck I can get. Hit 50 yesterday and making a mess of things. Part asphalt, part gravel mix. Getting plywood for sure but wont be fun.
 








 
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