Compressor transportation

[Chris83]

I am picking up a 60 gal. compressor from a friend in the morning and I am trying to find the best way to move it. I have my pickup but I don't know if I am better to try and get the compressor to stay standing up in the bed or if I can lay it on its side? has anybody had any experience with this?

Thanks
Chris

 

[JerseyJim]

Unless the compressor is mounted on a skid, you may have trouble keeping it upright. A compressor falling over during a quick stop could really bang up your truck. An old trick with heavy stuff is to use tires to pad your truck bed. If you have a tire store around, you might be able to borrow some carcasses.

Put the compressor on the truck and then tilt it over so that it rests on the tires. Cover the bottom of the bed and tilt a couple tires up against the side just in case it wants to roll when you corner. Tires can also be stacked on the ground and use to cushion heavy items as you take them off your truck.

Even used this trick when I swapped engines in my Econoline pickup. With the truck on a lift, I piled tires under the engine. Unbolted the motor mounts and then lifted the truck up, leaving the engine resting on the tires. Great shock absorbers. Can make heavy lifting a lot easier.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

If you have very stout tie down points on your bed, leave it upright and tie the bottom of the tank to all four corners with heavy duty ratchet straps. Once you have the bottom anchored, do the same for the top of the unit. By having 8 anchor points and all of them tight, the compressor will not move unless something REALLY bad happens.

In that case, the compressor will be the least of your worries....

If you can borrow a pallet or make one to increase the size of the base, it would be a little better but not required unless you are going a long distance and have a lot of very steep hills.

 

[rlme36]

This board is really awesome sometimes with its timing. I am headed out this morning to get a used quincy unit. Hopefully its as advertised. I am planning to use an appliance handtruck to get the compressor and then attach it to a pallet I made yesterday. Using my car towing straps along with some extras to attach it to a Uhaul 5x9 trailer which has a ramp for loading. If that doesn't seem to work out well, then I'll lay it on its side in the back of my suburban. Plan and have options, I am traveling over 3 hrs to get mine so I don't want any issues.

The tire idea is genius, I'll need to try that for another item I need to move.

 

[cyamaha2007]

I just brought my new 60 gallon home and i took off the pallet and laid down in the bed. No problems it was rather simple.

 

[cyamaha2007]

On another note my 60 gallon fit in the back of the gf Trail blazer laid down nicely too.

 

[Burl]

If it has oil in the motor, should you drain it if you lay it on its side?

 

[gandyj]

I bought a new 60 gallon compressor yesterday. It was still on a pallet so it was easy to get home. We just loaded it onto my truck and used ratchet straps to tie it down to the four corners of the bed. Moved it from one side of town to the next on the interstate with no issues.

 

[cyamaha2007]

Mine had oil in it and i thought it would leak out but not a drop and it was laid down for 3 hours or so.

 

[rodnok1]

I disassembled mine to move the last two times. Take off the motor and compressor(heavy part) then the damn thing is a breeze to move. I moved it by myself the last time. I backed the truck up to the tank and lifted the compressor off. It took me about 15-20 minutes to take apart. I put mine in a compressor room and the ground was unlevel around it and would have been impossible to keep it upright.

 

[930dreamer]

I hauled my upright, no problems

 

[Kev442]

Laid mine down in the back of the van, stood upright at home for more than the suggested 48 hours, no problems, no leakage.

 

[rpsurfr]

took the trailer I have 8X14 with a wood floor
took my engine lift- Cherry Picker
hooked up compressor
lifted it and lag bolted it to the floor then ran tie down straps a lot of them to hold it
Drove 70 miles and took it off\
It was a Quincy 80 5hp
try is

 

[Mickey O]

I like using a heavy duty appliance dolly, you can rent them.

 

[tcianci]

I laid my 80 gallon down in the back of a pickup, no skids, no rachet straps, no problems. It was also very easy to unload from this position because it was already laying down so i just slid it off the back until it was slightly over center and let it down to the ground and then pushed it upright. The whole trick to moving stuff this size is to not put yourself in a situation where you will have to deal with the entire weight of the device at once.

 

[rlme36]

I just got back from a 3hr up and 3hr back trip using a Uhaul trailer on my suburban to get a new QT 5 80 gallon, kept it up right. Put in on a pallet and used the heavyduty appliance handtruck to move it around. Yes its 600 lbs, but a buddy of mine did it with no problems. Multiple tie downs to hold it to the trailer and then one to each corner to keep the top heavy portion in check. 200 miles later and now in my garage.

 

[rsanter]

lastitime I moved mine I tipped it into the back of the truck and moved it on its side.
I drained the oil and used the oportunity as an oil change

bob

 

[Kevin54]

I brought my IR 80 gallon home on its side and the skid was still attached. The skid just helped to keep it stable from rolling any. I let it set upright for 24 hours before firing it up. No problems at all.

 

[GzrGlide]

Put my 60 Gal upright in the trailer and strapped it down before hitting the highway.

 

[IONH]

Laid my 60 gallon down as well. Did not drain the oil first and that was not a problem. Fired right up after and haven't had any issues with it in over a year.

 

[Zrexxer]

Laid my 60 gallon down as well. Did not drain the oil first and that was not a problem. Fired right up after and haven't had any issues with it in over a year.

The fact that you were lucky with this practice doesn't mean it's recommended. Enough oil gets on top of the piston to cause a hydraulic lock and the first thing you hear when firing it up may well be "BANG." Oil can also leak from breathers and fill ports causing a real mess too.

I've hauled new, uniflled compressors lying down without a problem, but if it's got oil in it and you're going to haul it laying down, run it enough to get the oil warm and drain it first.

When I transported my Champion home, they're factory filled with the correct oil and I didn't feel like trying to drain it and lay a 540 lb compressor down. The dealer set it on my trailer with a forklift and a four-point tiedown made it completely stable.

 

[Lhorn]

The guy who delivered my 80 gallon Speedaire in the back of his Yukon wished that he drained the oil. Made a bit of a mess before he put a pan under it. He also tweaked the pressure switch, but not bad. I'd drain it if it were me.

 

[Chris83]

Well I managed to get it into the truck and made it home with minor issues.. After looking all over for a pallet I finally found one and headed out but my buddy didn't tell me it was already mounted to one.. So me and him lift it into the truck while the wife holds the top end steady and all went well.. strapped it down to the 4 corners of the bed but made the mistake of running the straps inside to the center hole on the pump and motor mounting plate.. So halfway home I had a strap break on me but I had extras so just changed it out and made it home with no other problems.