Loading and unloading equipment?

[Innovate1]

Have a few things on casters and need to occaisionally load them in my Tacoma to use them at another location. For example I have a table saw that I built a base cabinet for (instead of the spindly Craftsman base with terrible wheels). I have some 8' 2 x 10s that give a shallow enough angle that I can push them up but keeping the wheels on the planks is my fear. Easy with a helper but not so easy by myself. Thought of putting some side curbs on the planks... Just thought I would post here for some other ideas. Some sort of lift table would be great for the garage but would need something for the other location too.

 

[cvairwerks]

Cut down the inside lip of a piece of channel iron. Taper the ends a little and it works good. The guy that loaded my big tool box had a pair of sections altered this way.

 

[cannuck]

If you are doing a lot of loading and offloading alone, worth considering buying or building a lifting crane for your truck. One option is to make it mountable into drawbar socket of trailer hitch - decision then is to lift over tailgate or leave tailgate off when using crane. Might as well plan on lifting over as a center mount would mean restricted size if going in low.

 

[619DioFan]

Do yourself a favor and invest in an engine hoist ( the type with folding legs ) doesn't take up much room and makes not having help a mute point. add in a couple of lifting straps ( Mine are from HF and work great ) or chains , I use both. over the years my engine hoist has lifted /loaded more heavy , odd ball items then it has engines.

 

[Rst277]

Have a few things on casters and need to occaisionally load them in my Tacoma to use them at another location. For example I have a table saw that I built a base cabinet for (instead of the spindly Craftsman base with terrible wheels). I have some 8' 2 x 10s that give a shallow enough angle that I can push them up but keeping the wheels on the planks is my fear. Easy with a helper but not so easy by myself. Thought of putting some side curbs on the planks... Just thought I would post here for some other ideas. Some sort of lift table would be great for the garage but would need something for the other location too.

Get a come-a-long. Instead of pushing, use it to pull items up the ramp into the truck bed. They're cheap and last forever and since you're pulling, the item goes up in straight line. A dedicated ramp with curbs is also a good idea if this is going to be a regular occurrence.

 

[KansasArt]

What about a small winch?

 

[mike93lx]

Have you considered a trailer? The much lower deck would make it far easier to load and unload and you could mount a small crane/hoist in it

 

[Renegade1LI]

If you have the room a portable gantry is real nice to have. I use mine allot, the one from hf is still a good value with the 20% of coupon. As Mike said a trailer is also great to have, I just bought a 12' 3500lbs one I can tow with my wife's car, we use our allot.

 

[kbs2244]

one of the greatest things I did to my truck was to put an anchor point for a portable 12 VDC winch behind to cab
with a wireless control I was able to load and unload stuff by myself that would have required helpers otherwise

 

[PoorUB]

Have a few things on casters and need to occaisionally load them in my Tacoma to use them at another location. For example I have a table saw that I built a base cabinet for (instead of the spindly Craftsman base with terrible wheels).

About the easiest way to load a tablesaw in a pickup is to roll it over to the pickup, put the table extension over the tailgate and lift the opposite side and flip the saw upside down into the pickup.
A lighter table was and be done by one man, a larger might take two men. Lay some cardboard or carpet in the pickup for it to lay on.

I have loaded everything from my Delta contractor saw with a 50" fence rail, to a 3 HP Unisaw using this method.

 

[Dig Doug]

I’d go with a flat bed trailer and a good ramp!

I like the flat bed so a fork lift can load it (think pallets) from the side

you could park the trailer and use the saw on the trailer when you get to your job site, or remove it for long term usage.
the trailer also makes for great material hauling so you don’t have to unload everything at one time

a couple of nice wood scaffold planks W/ aluminum flat strap screwed to the sides work great!
the wood scaffolding planks won’t twist and they typically have a rod at both end to avoid splitting

like others have said the trailer is typically lower and you can mount a winch or racking for transporting longer materials

the down side is registration, Maintenance ( tires ) and parking when not in use!

 

[Skinny_Blinky]

As one of the previous posters mentioned, I also have a couple of trailers with a low deck that makes loading really easy in most situations. A slight ramp made of 2x6 to assist if needed. I too have a Tacoma so I get it. The 2500 is even taller from the ground.

Your mileage may vary. Best on the solution.

.

 

[wssix99]

I roll these things on to my 4 post lift, raise it up, and then I use boards (flat ramp) to roll the heavy items on/off the truck.

 

[RoninB4]

I've used a lowboy to haul the Bridgeport, made a gantry from 2x10's on casters (for same Bridgeport), and have a small winch I mounted in the truck/trailer. All previously suggested by other members. All good suggestions that worked well per what I needed to load/unload. Pick your likely scenario for an appropriate solution.

 

[Innovate1]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I have used a come along to pull a few things up the ramps. Worked well and was able to push them down for unloading. They are drilled for eye bolts and chains to hook to the bumper to keep them from slipping back and off the truck but don't usually use the chains unless I am worried about them slipping. I use them some for a small riding mower but for that I usually back up to a small hill so the ramps are fairly flat. I could put curbs on the 2 x 10s with some scraps of plywood although I wonder if the flex of the boards might break up the plywood. A low trailer would be great.

 

[nadogail]

I use a cheap Harbor Freight come along to pull my generator into my van. The generator is on four wheels and can roll up the ramp I welded together.
With the come along and the ramp, moving the generator from one property to another is a one man operation. With out it, you need at least two.

 

[DBS5Window]

I have used my 4 post lift and some plywood & lumber to load and unload woodworking equipment and lawn tractors.

 

[Firebrick43]

Get a hooklift platform for your truck

https://hooklifttrailer.com/en/mini-lift/ml38k8ib--minilift-3800-lbs-inbox--8-foot/41

 

[mike93lx]

Get a hooklift platform for your truck

https://hooklifttrailer.com/en/mini-lift/ml38k8ib--minilift-3800-lbs-inbox--8-foot/41

Geez, typical garage journal excess.


A telehandler is way more practical

 

[Firebrick43]

Geez, typical garage journal excess.


A telehandler is way more practical

sort of hard to haul the telehandler to "other locations" with a tacoma

 

[mike93lx]

sort of hard to haul the telehandler to "other locations" with a tacoma

Easy. Drive that toy truck down to a Ford dealer and get a real one. Diesel super duty solves all the problems




I jest, I jest

 

[Firebrick43]

Easy. Drive that toy truck down to a Ford dealer and get a real one. Diesel super duty solves all the problems




I jest, I jest

Then you need a lift for the cab to work on the engine!

 

[mike93lx]

Then you need a lift for the cab to work on the engine!

In rolls telehandler. See? It's easy

 

[Zeke]

I have used my 4 post lift and some plywood & lumber to load and unload woodworking equipment and lawn tractors.

Kinda hard to take that to the job, eh?

I have the hitch mounted crane set off to one side. The thing about hitch mounts is that the truck changes height when loading and unloading. If you have a foot for the crane, it heeds to work with that like a trailer tongue jack.

 

[Renegade1LI]

In rolls telehandler. See? It's easy

Really should just cut to the chase and get a boom truck, will handle most of his future needs as well.

 

[mike93lx]

Really should just cut to the chase and get a boom truck, will handle most of his future needs as well.

A great complement to a telehandler!

 

[housewolf]

Have a few things on casters and need to occaisionally load them in my Tacoma to use them at another location. For example I have a table saw that I built a base cabinet for (instead of the spindly Craftsman base with terrible wheels). I have some 8' 2 x 10s that give a shallow enough angle that I can push them up but keeping the wheels on the planks is my fear. Easy with a helper but not so easy by myself. Thought of putting some side curbs on the planks... Just thought I would post here for some other ideas. Some sort of lift table would be great for the garage but would need something for the other location too.

This is the key part. I use some sort of combination of a lift table, engine hoist, or even a small trailer I’ll build that will double as a lifting platform on my two post lift. I can get about anything that’ll fit in there. It’s unloading on the other end that occasionally presents a problem.

 

[Innovate1]

I have the hitch mounted crane set off to one side. The thing about hitch mounts is that the truck changes height when loading and unloading. If you have a foot for the crane, it heeds to work with that like a trailer tongue jack.

Got a picture of that?

 

[cannuck]

Here is the ideal small telehandler to pull behind a half ton

Manitou ULM 412 H, agricultural telehandlers | Manitou

Discover the images, videos, accessories and technical specifications of the Manitou ULM 412 H. Find here a dealer of construction telehandlers Manitou to know its price.

www.manitou.com

 

[like2wheel]

Get a hooklift platform for your truck

https://hooklifttrailer.com/en/mini-lift/ml38k8ib--minilift-3800-lbs-inbox--8-foot/41

I find it easier to just use my helicopter.

 

[66Caprice]

I use my 4 post lift...

 

[olytdi]

I use my 4 post lift...

What about on the other end of the trip?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I could put curbs on the 2 x 10s with some scraps of plywood although I wonder if the flex of the boards might break up the plywood.

I'd screw a 1x3 or 1x4 to each side of each 2x10, besides providing edges to keep the casters from going off the edge it would also stiffen the ramps.

 

[scooby074]

A local rental shop has one of these hydraulic lowering trailers. You can rent it for general use but they particularly recommend it for moving hydraulic manlifts/scissor lifts . I always thought it would be the perfect trailer to move something like an engine lathe or milling machine etc.

For OP something like this truck crane work, if it would reach high enough above the truck bed to clear whatever your lifting. Or maybe a bed mounted version

 

[MushCreek]

Since I move heavy stuff like mills and lathes, I use my engine hoist. I've used that thing for everything from pulling a truck bed to using it as a drywall lift. I've had it for 40 years, and am on my 3rd or 4th cylinder. I moved an entire machine shop twice, but have only pulled two engines with it.

 

[Zeke]

Got a picture of that?

Not mine but close:

 

[walta]

After you have used a truck with a liftgate any vehicle without a liftgate hardly qualifies as a truck.

I am sure 80% of “trucks” never see a load over 20% of its capacity.



Walta

 

[Monza Harry]

I'd echo quite a few of the ideas thrown out here

Get a come-a-long. Instead of pushing, use it to pull items up the ramp into the truck bed. They're cheap and last forever and since you're pulling, the item goes up in straight line. A dedicated ramp with curbs is also a good idea if this is going to be a regular occurrence.

What about a small winch?

As for the come-along, I use and prefere a small boat winch [nylon strap kind], my come-along always seems to get knotted up with long pulls, and can run short of travel frequently. Place a dedicated hook on the equipment and use for loading and unloading for added control both directions. I've used both and a larger electric [12V 4500#] winch and for smaller loads (as you've described) the boat winch is the easiest for me. Harry

 

[CraigStu]

I think Zeke has the ultimate solution. Not two expensive and will work at both ends of the trip. If you decide to go w/ a come-a-long or winch put two eye bolts on both ends of the saw. Make up a chain w/ dog leash clips on each end to hook to the eye bolts. Put a ring in the center of the chain so you have a ring to clip the winch to and about 2ft of chain to each side of the saw. This will really help keep the saw going straight up the ramp. And Stuart's 1x3 or 1x4 is a really good idea.

 

[whateg01]

Kinda hard to take that to the job, eh?

I have the hitch mounted crane set off to one side. The thing about hitch mounts is that the truck changes height when loading and unloading. If you have a foot for the crane, it heeds to work with that like a trailer tongue jack.

I was going to build one. Still would like to one day. I was going to put it on parallel arms though so it can move up and down independently when in use.