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Harbor Freight 13 drawer tool boxes- how easy?

citadel

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Dec 13, 2008
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9
I am planning to buy 2 or 3 of the HF 13 drawer tool boxes. I have a trailer that I can use to bring them home from HF but I dont have anyone to help unload them.
How would you recommend I get them off the trailer? Would a large refridgerator dolly work?
 
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Chris Adams

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Oct 21, 2007
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Do you have a ramp for the trailer?
Can you borrow/build one?

Locally I rent (I keep selling my trailers...) a cheap 4x6 box trailer with a ramp for 15 dollars for 4 hours. 20 a day.
With a heavy duty ramp.

I roll BIG boxes on and off by myself, up to 950 lb Lista's.

However, I do use rope/straps to control the load.

If it's in a box, got furniture dollies? I mean the low flat ones, not the refrigerator dolly.
 

M10

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Nov 8, 2010
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134
Location
Minnesota
They come with the casters attached. You can disassemble the crate and roll them down a ramp or piece of plywood. I unloaded mine from a dock height truck, uncrated it and rolled it into the garage myself.
 

Brian'sGarage

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Jul 22, 2011
Messages
5
I bought the 13 drawer and (2) side cabinets and got it all into my p/u truck bed and unloaded all myself. With the 13 drawer I left it crated up and used (2) long 2X4's and slid it down out of the truck. Then it was easy to uncrate and finish assembly - pushed it complete right into the garage. It is not too heavy to do by yourself (IMO) if you take your time. Good luck!
 

Soon2AdjustYou

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Oct 30, 2009
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Kansas City, Mo
Took 2 of us to unload the 56" from a pickup...42" should be ok for 1 guy. Get creative like the other guys did. A moving/piano dolly or an appliance dolly would work great.
 

Flathead Johnny

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Nov 27, 2011
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185
Location
MA
also if it is a low trailer, like a foot or two off the ground just slide it off, then uncrate it and roll it to its location, the wheels are already attached, make sure you lift and slide it off the crate, do not push it off the crate you may tip it as there is a block of wood under it that you can not see that lock it into place
 

35mm

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Apr 6, 2011
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I got one for Christmas. My brother in Law picked it up for my wife. He was able to get it out of the back of his cargo van by his self.
 

Daniel Dudley

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Sep 4, 2009
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3,546
Slid the crates on A COUPLE OF two by sixes. After that I went out and got some of those extruded aluminum ramp ends, and made some permanent 2 x 8 ramps.

You aren't going to lift them, but they are easy to man handle if your ramps don't slip off the back of the truck...
 
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Swosanity

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Dec 3, 2011
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I thought I could do it myself the other day. But something about 300 pounds made me just get my nieghbors to help to just lift off my truck. Unboxed it and just rolled it in my garage.
 
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rhastings80

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Apr 1, 2009
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636
If possible I would recommend two people. It comes crated so don't think an appliance cart would work until you un-crate it. I put both of these in my basement with my wife's help. We just removed the drawers and then strapped it down to an appliance cart vertically and took it down the stairs no problem. Just make sure you have an appliance cart that is tall enough so you can grip the handles.
 

rabidsquirrel

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Jul 17, 2010
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397
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SE Pennsylvania
Took the tailgate off my Dakota, laid two 4x4s on the bumper, and slid it down. Getting it out of the crate is a joke, it seems that the plywood they used is unglued balsa wood...
 

bczygan

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Nov 4, 2009
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DETROIT! Arsenal of Scrappers
Brought home in an Astro Van.
The store took off the wooden crate and loaded it on a lift upside down. They removed the cardboard bottom of the box, leaving the wheels exposed and sticking up in the air. Slid it into the van where 2 seats were removed.
When I got home I parked next to a curb/sidewalk and slid the box out until the top corner was on the walk. Then rotated the box until it was sitting on it's end (Top and end are well padded). Then just rotated over onto it's wheels and rolled it up the walk.
 

38Chevy454

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Dec 26, 2006
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Cincinnati, OH
I was able to unload mine myself from the truck, but it was kind of a controlled fall. I kept it in the shipping box, and eased it down on the end, then rotated to flat, cut the box and plywood(?) reinforcement off, then rolled it on the casters.
 

csp

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Mar 23, 2010
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Franktown, CO
If all else fails you can also uncrate it and remove the drawers. The cabinet is easily handled by one person with the drawers pulled out of it.
 

Mike662

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Nov 19, 2009
Messages
303
Location
Colorado
I rented the smallest uhaul trailer I could find (looked kind of silly behind my F350), which had a ramp.


Photo-0191.jpg



The store loaded it with a forklift, and I had them leave it as close to the back of the trailer as possible.

I was able to slide it down the ramp by myself (asking my pregnant wife for help was obviously not an option!). I'm not a big guy, just moved it slowly a little at a time. If I had to do it again, I would get one more person to help, just to be safe. But it is possible to unload yourself. Just go slow and be careful.

As you can see, the trailer was at an angle anyway, which helped. If necessary, you might be able to (carefully) unhitch the trailer and lift the tongue. Of course, that could get you too steep an angle:yikes:, depends on the trailer.
 
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bhclark

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Aug 20, 2011
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418
Location
OHIO
I muscled mine off the back of the pickup while it was still in the crate. Got it within a few inches of the floor and sort of just let it fall in the direction I wanted. It's packed securely and tight to the wood frame, so it's pretty solid.
Mine was okay after unpacking.

If you can get a second person, it's easy enough to get off the truckbed.
 

rsanter

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Dec 22, 2007
Messages
18,506
Location
visalia ca
when they loaded mine I had them put it in the truck laid on its back sitting sideways so the wheels were to the tailgate
got home and slit it to the end of the tailgate and tiped it off onto the ground myself.
pulled the truck foreward and uncrated the thing

bob
 
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