What's new
What's new

OT?: Moving household and shop, ramp or lift gate truck

Bill D

Diamond
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Location
Modesto, CA USA
When I retire I plan to move about 200 miles for better climate. In general I know I need a lift gate for heavy shop machines. But is a cheaper ramp truck okay for household stuff or is the lift gate better there as well.
As I get older the idea of falling off a ramp becomes more likely. Never ridden on a lift gate does it have a handrail to hang onto?
Bill D
 
I rented a liftgate truck the first time I brought home a 1000 pound machine. The dealer had no issue placing the mill on the truck bed with his forklift. But I had a big problem getting the mill off the truck. It was very difficult getting the machine onto the gate and again difficult getting the machine off the gate and into the garage. I have never rented a truck since that day.

I then bought a pickup truck and built an adjustable height gantry on casters. Problem solved. When I moved, I used the gantry to load the heavy stuff onto the pickup truck. I bought a used 2 ton engine hoist and used it at the new place to unload the truck. It took quite a few trips to haul all the shop stuff in an S-10. I hired a furniture mover to move the ordinary household stuff.

Larry
 
When I retire I plan to move about 200 miles for better climate. In general I know I need a lift gate for heavy shop machines. But is a cheaper ramp truck okay for household stuff or is the lift gate better there as well.
As I get older the idea of falling off a ramp becomes more likely. Never ridden on a lift gate does it have a handrail to hang onto?
Bill D

I rented a box truck with lift gate to move my Bridgeport, Problem is it did not have the balls to lift it. Ended up using a tow truck to load and unload a lift gate equipped truck.
 
I would suggest a drop bed trailer for moving the shop machinery. A few years ago I purchased a Sheldon lathe from a member here. I researched tailgate lift trucks and found only the largest ones had a tailgate powerful enough to lift the 1,600 lb. machine. Instead I rented a drop bed trailer which worked out perfect. I was able to unload the machine myself without any cranes, engine hoists or other equipment. I could roll it off the back of the trailer on 1" diameter steel rods.

Sunbelt rentals has several different size drop bed trailers for rent anywhere from 2,500 lbs. to 12,000 lbs. capacity.

Trailer Rentals | Sunbelt Rentals

Companies like United Rentals, and even local equipment rental companies also carry them. I rented one from a company called A to Z rentals. At the time it cost less than $200.00 for a weeks rental.
 
Why don't you hire a rigging company to move the machines. They move machinery for a living. Way lees stressful and they are insured. Save the wear and tear on yourself.
 
........ In general I know I need a lift gate for heavy shop machines. But is a cheaper ramp truck okay for household stuff or is the lift gate better there as well.
...........

Focus people, focus. He asked about the household stuff.

I've moved a couple of times with a ramp box truck. Had several friends and a couple of dollies. Can't imagine having to wait for the lift to go up and down. Also, I moved a Bridgeport and two other 1000 lbs machines with a ramp box truck. Used my forklift to set the machines on a pallet, secured them to a custom made pallet, put the pallet in the truck last. Hooked up my flat trailer, put the forklift on the flat trailer and took them off at the other end.

When I went to the Penske place to check to see if their trucks had a trailer hitch they told me not to mention I was planning to tow anything when I rented the truck.

Steve
 
My brother the mechanic told me that they had problems with lift gate trucks used to haul food to the schools. He said they would run the gate up and down a lot at each location. This could drain the battery if it was just a short drive between schools.
Lots of jump start calls to the shop. It is not a good idea to leave vehicles idling with so many children around.
Bill D
 
I used to have a moving business. In fact I moved someone from Az to Modesto Going up and down that ramp gets old fast.
 
I would get about six pallets, and build 4’x4’x6’ crates on top of them. Stage them in the garage and load all the household stuff in them. Then on moving day, rent a forklift and load the machines and crates on a flatbed trailer, drive the 200 miles and then reverse the procedure.
 
When I retire I plan to move about 200 miles for better climate. In general I know I need a lift gate for heavy shop machines. But is a cheaper ramp truck okay for household stuff or is the lift gate better there as well.
As I get older the idea of falling off a ramp becomes more likely. Never ridden on a lift gate does it have a handrail to hang onto?
Bill D

The OP made the assumption that a lift gate truck was a given for moving machinery. In my opinion as well as others the best choice for moving machinery is NOT a lift gate truck unless you're loading and unloading with a fork truck. Even then lift gates are small for most machines, and cannot lift the weight. Most of the ones I researched (from rental companies) had a lift capacity of between 500 lbs. and 1,000 lbs. The machine I was intending to move weighed over 1,600 lbs.

Given the OP's remarks about falling I would also be question if he had the strength and balance to move large pieces of furniture or other household goods up a ramp. I would think the liftgate would be the choice for household goods, as opposed to a truck with a ramp. Most lift gates can be operated either from the ground or from the gate itself. In his case I would recommend he either operate it from the ground while someone else waits inside the box for the gate to be raised, or he wait in the box while someone else lifts the gate.

As for a rigger to move the machines, it can get expensive quickly. When I purchased the lathe I contacted 3 different rigging companies before researching a truck or trailer. The lowest bid I got to move a 1,600 lb. machine less than 150 miles was $3,300.00, the highest was over $4,200.00. If money is no object go for it. But since the OP was considering a DIY job and renting a truck, I doubt the cost of a rigger would be something he would consider.
 
Every time I have moved I have had a forklift at each end. One time a bought a 24' box truck for cheap that ran good and that was handy to have so I could leave stuff in it while I figured out where things were going.

If you're using the same truck for both I recommend moving the house first. I ruined a mattress once when I leaned it against a wall that had a blob of grease on it I didn't see.
 
40' cargo container.

Buy them outright.

Is there a weight limit to a 40' container to load and unload without a container handler or crane? I haven't researched it much, but I did look into buying a container filled with machines once from a local auction and the tow companies told me the container could crumple if they tried to use a landoll and winch. Dealing with some non ferrous scrap recently the dealer told me they pack 45K into each 20ft connex, but they had to load them on a container chassis from a dock.
 
Is there a weight limit to a 40' container to load and unload without a container handler or crane? I haven't researched it much, but I did look into buying a container filled with machines once from a local auction and the tow companies told me the container could crumple if they tried to use a landoll and winch. Dealing with some non ferrous scrap recently the dealer told me they pack 45K into each 20ft connex, but they had to load them on a container chassis from a dock.

I'm sure there is, now that you brought it up, but I don't know it.
However, machinery get's shipped in them daily, so it's not a problem, just something
to watch/plan for.
 
Last edited:
Is there a weight limit to a 40' container to load and unload without a container handler or crane? I haven't researched it much, but I did look into buying a container filled with machines once from a local auction and the tow companies told me the container could crumple if they tried to use a landoll and winch. .

This does not make sense to me. If the box is picked up with a crane that grabs each end of the container how is that any different than the container being set on each end while being dragged up a landol?
 
Every time I have moved I have had a forklift at each end. One time a bought a 24' box truck for cheap that ran good and that was handy to have so I could leave stuff in it while I figured out where things were going.

If you're using the same truck for both I recommend moving the house first. I ruined a mattress once when I leaned it against a wall that had a blob of grease on it I didn't see.

My last move I had a forklift at both locations, used my equipment trailer, worked like a charm compared my previous move using a ramp truck.......the only drawback of an open trailer, you need good weather or you have to tarp everything!

I sold one of the forklifts after the move, didn't lose anything and it was better than dealing with the logistics of renting one.

The hydraulic trailers are nice for one or two items, it would suck to move a whole shop that way, similar to the liftgate truck, just too time consuming!

Kevin
 
This does not make sense to me. If the box is picked up with a crane that grabs each end of the container how is that any different than the container being set on each end while being dragged up a landol?

I agree with you, just what I was told by both a heavy haul tow company and the owner of a big scrap outfit. The owner of the scrapyard could have saved a hell of a lot of money if he had me pack 200,000 lbs of non-ferrous into containers at my shop, but he said there was no way unless I had a dock. He said the containers would come apart if they put them on the ground then tried to load them at 45K.

I know it's done often at weights under 10k lbs or so, but it's pretty easy to put 60K in a 40 ft container.

I think it's the forces required to drag it on. I've pulled > 50K lb HMC's onto Landolls and it took every bot of a snatchblocked 20K winch to do it and tore the shit out of the tops of the I-beam trailer frame.

I don't know. Just curious.

I do big, unusual things sometimes and if I can pack a container solid and get it moved I'm game. I'd rather not be the guy that finds out it doesn't work though. That's why I ask.
 
I agree with you, just what I was told by both a heavy haul tow company and the owner of a big scrap outfit. The owner of the scrapyard could have saved a hell of a lot of money if he had me pack 200,000 lbs of non-ferrous into containers at my shop, but he said there was no way unless I had a dock. He said the containers would come apart if they put them on the ground then tried to load them at 45K.

Thinking a bit about it I could see a long container buckling if it was loaded heavy, especially if heavy on the ends, and when dragging onto a landol or?? it was allowed to high center in the middle so each end was in the air. Not designed for that kind of load. I have watched roll of drivers load bins that way, get the container started onto the truck and then power down the bed, either the box or the front of the truck goes up.
 
Ramp and two wheelers for the household stuff.
Low level truck or trailer for the house stuff so the ramp is not steep. Big snowmobile trailers, long car trailers and of course U-Haul.
Local high school football studs are cheap help and like to show off. You just have to love these kid and at times put the brakes on them.
Lift gates come in flavors but most won't handle a decent or even small sized machine tool plus you have to get it onto the gate.
A trailer and help from a tow truck or forklift on both ends.
You may need more than one truck.
Opposite side is a real semi trailer if you rent a fork on both ends. Then you can pack anything in there and get to play with a lift truck.
Budget depends, and it is sort of fun to play with the bigger toys at not a whole lot more money.
Then there are engine hoist in tandem or other. I salute and have done that many times. So many ways to do this on the cheap...... Just do not get hurt.
Most things in a house are not the weight of a small B-port or lathe.
You have a mixed load to move and how far?
3000 miles and 300 miles would change what I would do.
Bob
 








 
Back
Top