So long story short. I accidentally poured a slab for my generator @ 6inches from what became the exterior wall of my garage. I need to move it over a foot. I tried using a large post hole digger metal pole and the pole started bending. Any other ideas?
Moving a generator slab?
- Thread starter pr3dict
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Dumber than lumber
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- Dec 19, 2015
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You should probably do calculations and see how heavy that slab is.
Could help you rule in/out different approaches.
From just eyeballing that pic it is 1500 lbs minimum.
Could help you rule in/out different approaches.
From just eyeballing that pic it is 1500 lbs minimum.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Hydraulics. Push it with a porta-power?
510ebl
Well-known member
Move with a jackhammer and repour 
Beau Nugget
Active member
I moved one much larger than that with a skid steer equipped with pallet forks
Joemctag
Well-known member
I’d take that shovel and level out the new spot. Then, dig down on each short end, undermining the slab say, 4”. Then, get a 10 ft 4x4 and some short 2x4s or 4x4s for a fulcrum, and lever the ends up and out , walking it over about 6” each time. Moved many heavy objects that way.
510ebl
Well-known member
Actually, do you need to move it, or could you add a foot to it?
I think it's 800lbs based on my calcs... That entire 2x10 i s not filled with concrete. I'd say only 5 inches or so of it are.
Hmmm I wonder if One of those cheap mini skid steer like stand behind ones can nudge it enough. I'd hate to rent a full sized skid steer just for that little thing. I thought about drilling 2 holes in each side and having a few friends do a dead lift walk haha
Hmmm I wonder if One of those cheap mini skid steer like stand behind ones can nudge it enough. I'd hate to rent a full sized skid steer just for that little thing. I thought about drilling 2 holes in each side and having a few friends do a dead lift walk haha
That's thinking outside the box! I guess technically I could make a new form, put some rebar in it and then use some bagged concrete. That would probably be the easiest.
Kaizen
Well-known member
Option 1. Get a digging bar at Home Depot. Solid steel bar five feet long. Put a 4x4 piece down and fulcrum it over a few inches on each side at a time. Should easily lift 400 pounds. Also can get a 4x4x8 instead of bar.
Option 2 dig and expose bottom of 2x. Use pipe under them to roll it.
For a foot I’d do option 1.
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Option 2 dig and expose bottom of 2x. Use pipe under them to roll it.
For a foot I’d do option 1.
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Higgins
Well-known member
The smaller walk behind skids seers are only good for 700 - 900 lbs. BC S-450 is good for 1,600 lbs.
AL
I tried a digging bar and it started to bend when I put it between the garage foundation and the slab.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-69-in-Post-Hole-Digger-and-Tamping-Bar-34219/204168182 is sorta what I have.
matt_i
Well-known member
Drill thru and use a bolt, easy to pull it with a pickup truck or tractor.
swampman
Active member
Just add another foot. Even if you get it to move, it will not sit flat against the subgrade causing potential cracking down the road.
jimkinney
Well-known member
Drill into the existing slab and epoxy some rebar in to keep slab from separating and moving up/down.
Cant pull with a truck without some kind of pully to change the direction of the rope/chain bcuz there is a fence right there that backs up to some woods.
Kaizen
Well-known member
Hmm I feel you. I'll give it a shot that way in a little
Put multiple attachment points on the wooden forms, then attach a lifting sling to the slab and forms and LIFT it with an engine hoist.
Prep new spot (remove topsoil, go down to needed depth, etc), put in the standard gravel bed, put in a layer of mortar and lay the slab in the mortar bed that is on the new gravel.
Or dig down on the 'ends' of the slab, put down some ground plates to spread the lifting load, use something like a porta-power hydraulic mini-ram jack up the slab enough to get a steel pipe roller underneath from end-to-end, roll the slab away from the building to the desired location, and place the slab on top of the prepped ground (dug down, new gravel bed, probably the same idea of a mortar bed on top of the gravel to set the slab onto).
Or lever it up and walk or otherwise move it over to the desired location.
Or break it up and repour a new pad in the desired location.
Prep new spot (remove topsoil, go down to needed depth, etc), put in the standard gravel bed, put in a layer of mortar and lay the slab in the mortar bed that is on the new gravel.
Or dig down on the 'ends' of the slab, put down some ground plates to spread the lifting load, use something like a porta-power hydraulic mini-ram jack up the slab enough to get a steel pipe roller underneath from end-to-end, roll the slab away from the building to the desired location, and place the slab on top of the prepped ground (dug down, new gravel bed, probably the same idea of a mortar bed on top of the gravel to set the slab onto).
Or lever it up and walk or otherwise move it over to the desired location.
Or break it up and repour a new pad in the desired location.
Kaizen
Well-known member
This worked like a charm
Good. I’m always amazed what I can lift with a fulcrum.
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imjustdave
Well-known member
So how level was the underside to start with? usually it's not and moving is detrimental as it never fits the new location like the old due to the waviness of the concret on the bottom.
Glad it worked for you.
So no photo of the generator, new spot siding
Glad it worked for you.
So no photo of the generator, new spot
sidingnadogail
Well-known member
Congratulations on getting the slab moved, generally concrete slabs are considered to be permanently in place.
It was 99% level according to my level beforehand. Now... Eh not as much but still inside the bubble. I'll probably end up shimming it if it is really bad when I lay the generator on top. IF I EVER GET THERE.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8785617#post8785617
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8785617#post8785617