Moving an Air Compressor

[Ridge Runner]

Did a quick search, but didn't see anything.

How do you guys move a 60-80 gallon air compressor if you don't have a forklift? 600 pounds and as far as I can tell, the only possible lift points are at the bottom, so I don't see how I could use a cherry picker or hoist. Do you just get a few guys to tip it over, roll it to its corner, and then right it?

 

[930dreamer]

Place a chain etc through the top plate and lift, being careful not to crush any important piece in the process.

 

[A_Pmech]

Pre-forklift days I moved my little 60 gallon compressor with a rigging sling through the pump mounting plate using an engine crane.

 

[Falcon67]

My 60 gallon weighs about 275. I just tie it to a two wheeler and off I go.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ok, thanks. Haven't bought the compressor yet, so I was going off of memory about an attachment point. Falcon, the specs on the IR and Quincy ones I'm looking at said 600. I wish they were that light.

 

[raross]

Last on I moved I pulled the motor, and pump off, it still heavy, but able to moved in 3 pieces with a couple of guys. If you keep it together as a unit, all I can say is do not under estimate how top heavy it is! Its worse on a vertical tank unit of coarse. But even strapping it to a heavy duty ladder rack in my service truck was pretty scary! 7.5 hp IR was the last one I moved. Hope this helps.

 

[darkzero]

I have a 60 gal vertical & I don't think it's that heavy. Me and my buddy loaded it in my truck & unloaded at my house on my inclined driveway. A couple of weeks later he bought the same one & it was even easier to load & unload that one since we've already moved one.

At home I just tilted it slightly to put carboard underneath each foot, then I just slid it side to side to get to it's final resting place. Not sure I could do that with a 80 gal though.

 

[sublimate]

I have a Quincy 5hp upright 80 gal. and was able to move it onto the liftgate of my truck and back off and into place in my garage by myself. It's heavy (but I don't think 600 lbs heavy), but with the height you have a lot of leverage to tilt it and and walk it from foot to foot.

Just take is slow and careful and keep in mind the you *REALLY* don't want to tip it over and drop it.

 

[Krusty]

I moved a 60 gallon two-stage vertical IR a short time ago. It weighed 460# and was extremely top-heavy. I had it horizontal in the trailer and getting it back to vertical was tricky. I wound up hoisting it with a come-along using braced rafters after moving it into its location with a platform jack. I had a guy help me in the last part, but even with two of us, we used lots of straps, braces, slings etc., etc. We used the bracket that the pump is bolted to as the upper lift point.

 

[buening]

I have moved my 500lb vertical 80gal across the garage by just sliding and walking it side to side across the concrete. Done this a few times now since I've been remodeling the garage. By walking it, I lift a corner just enough and then twist the compressor. Common sense prevails, so don't go tipping it a few inches as they are definitely top heavy.

 

[mayday0017]

I discourage moving one by yourself, an 80gal is 500-600lbs normally. Can 1 person move it? Sure Is it smart to move it alone? Not a bit..... Even if you have it on an engine lift it's nice to have someone else there incase something goes wrong and you need a hand, or if nothing else to push because lifts typically don't roll so easy. Grab a friend and a engine lift and use it, I wouldn't even think of loading one in a truck with just a couple guys seems like an accident waiting to happen. Also seems like a good way to bend something you wish you didn't. Take it from me, I was lifting mine off the pallet and dropped it, brand new and it did $1,300 in damages according to the repair shop. Don't take the risk, Take your time!

 

[Falcon67]

You could rent an appliance dolly - that should handle a real 600 lbs. Moved a lot of big Coke machines with those - well more than 600 lbs. Might need some help tipping it up though!

 

[aka Larry]

You could rent an appliance dolly - that should handle a real 600 lbs. Moved a lot of big Coke machines with those - well more than 600 lbs. Might need some help tipping it up though!

This was my thought as well. I'll be moving mine (60 gallon) from my attached garage into my new shop in a about a month.

When my friend I unloaded it (when it was new) we almost dropped the damn thing because it was so top heavy. Once it was on the floor I was able to 'walk it' to it's final resting place by myself.

 

[Steevo]

You can almost always slip a flat webbing strap through from one end to the other under the motor/pump mount plate. A tie-down of sufficient strength will work. As mentioned above, just watch what it squeezes against as you apply lift to it.

As for top-heavy, even a horizontal unit can be top heavy as hell.
I have a IR T30 30-gallon horizontal, and was dragging it forward inside an enclosed trailer. When I slipped a strap under the feet, wrapped the ends around my hands and pulled hard to get the feet off the floor enough to scoot it forward, the act of pulling up on the end with the motor on it tipped it completely over on the other end, so it was standing vertically, and it was all I could do to lift/tip it back the other way onto its feet, because the heavy pump end was against the floor at that point. It also snapped off a brass fitting on the pump head that I then had to replace.
DOH!

 

[Lightfoot]

last time i moved a big compressor across the shop, we just borrowed a pallet jack. Take the drain plug out of the bottom (so as not to smash it) and have a buddy just steady it as you lift it barely off the floor, just high enough to roll it where you need it. Or, if you are moving it from one location to another, you can lay it down on the pallet jack (may have to build a form out of 2 x 4's) and move it to where you need it, then stand it up.

 

[Falcon67]

This was my thought as well. I'll be moving mine (60 gallon) from my attached garage into my new shop in a about a month.

When my friend I unloaded it (when it was new) we almost dropped the damn thing because it was so top heavy. Once it was on the floor I was able to 'walk it' to it's final resting place by myself.

So now I have to fess up. When I bought mine, Lowes loaded it in the truck with a fork lift. Tied it down, drove home - no problem. Wife says, how do we get it out? Easy. I walk it to the tail gate, we lay it down in the bed, slide the compressor out of the bed until it tips down, and there it is. She goes in and I unbolt the compressor from the pallet. I get the 2 wheeler under a leg and roll it back, the thing twists, spins out of my grip and crashes to the ground. Smashed the regulator all to hell. There went that $45 I saved on the special price.

 

[In My Garage]

How do you guys move a 60-80 gallon air compressor if you don't have a forklift?

I took my 717 pound, 7.5 HP, V4-cylinder, 80 gallon compressor apart to carry the three items (motor, pump and tank) into my basement and then reassembled it.

 

[mayday0017]

So now I have to fess up. When I bought mine, Lowes loaded it in the truck with a fork lift. Tied it down, drove home - no problem. Wife says, how do we get it out? Easy. I walk it to the tail gate, we lay it down in the bed, slide the compressor out of the bed until it tips down, and there it is. She goes in and I unbolt the compressor from the pallet. I get the 2 wheeler under a leg and roll it back, the thing twists, spins out of my grip and crashes to the ground. Smashed the regulator all to hell. There went that $45 I saved on the special price.

Man I wish that was all the damage that happened to mine! Lucky SOB! I ended up lucky too since Mastercard gave me my $$ back and it looks like it will end up costing $280 to fix the $1,300+ compressor.... All that being said if I could do it over again I would of been more careful, use a chain with some cardboard to protect it & an engine lift.

 

[rodm1]

I just ended up buying a Forklift it comes in handy and I didn't brake anything.

 

[cyamaha2007]

I moved my 80gal upright from garage to barn about 200ft with a hf 2 wheeler and it was gravel fun fun. I did have help my gf to call for help if it crushed me. Be sure to strap your load.

 

[roaddog359]

3 guys and or a 2 wheel dolly worked for me.

 

[Ram]

Mounted wheels under mine it goes any where now.

 

[lowrider gmc]

Drilled holes in top plate between motor and pump and bolted vortec v6 lift braket to it and use a cherry picker,works really good

 

[jdub63]

I left mine on the pallet, so anytime I need to move, just 3 or 4 mop handles made from solid wood and I can roll it anywhere in the shop. I use the same method for moving heavy lockers/cabinets into place too.

 

[Mike_C]

I had a few neighbors help me unload my 60 gallon quincy from my pickup truck and move it into the back corner of the garage. Even with 4 of us it wasn't a easy task.

 

[jimindm]

I have left mine on the little pallet that it came bolted to. The broom handles work great to get it to the final spot. For moving it around , I just drilled the top plate and bolted a long eye bolt in it. Its long enough that I can just hook the engine hoist up and lift. Snap-on guy has always used his liftgate when it cam time to actually transport it somewhere.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I just moved a 60 gallon with an appliance dolly. Was real easy, just make sure you get one with the extra set of wheel that kick out of the back so you can cart it around. It's so top heavy you don't want to do it with a normal dolly.

 

[trboxman]

I have a 60 gal vertical & I don't think it's that heavy. Me and my buddy loaded it in my truck & unloaded at my house on my inclined driveway. A couple of weeks later he bought the same one & it was even easier to load & unload that one since we've already moved one.

At home I just tilted it slightly to put carboard underneath each foot, then I just slid it side to side to get to it's final resting place. Not sure I could do that with a 80 gal though.

My wife helped me unload my 60 gal from the back of the truck and I was able to just push it where I wanted it in the garage on it's pallet. I did put a 1/2" cushion mat underneath. Also not sure I could do the same with an 80 gal but I'd likely use the engine hoist technique.

 

[p1mlb03]

I used a piano mover that I rented from the tool rental joint down the street. I was able to move it by myself from my shop around to the attached lean to where I installed it. Only needed a couple sheets of OSB / plywood to roll it on. Here are some pics from my after cooler thread, scroll down about half way down page 2 of the thread.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50946&page=2

 

[Burn1]

60gal Quincy and walked mine across the garage floor. Piece of cake if your careful and work slowly. Then took an engine hoist with some lifting straps( Harbor Freight) thru the pump/motor top plate. Worked perfect for lifting the compressor to the raised floor area in my garage.

 

[_CY_]

I just moved a 60 gallon with an appliance dolly. Was real easy, just make sure you get one with the extra set of wheel that kick out of the back so you can cart it around. It's so top heavy you don't want to do it with a normal dolly.

warning this tactic can be real dangerous with a top heavy compressor like IR T30. mine was only 440lb and I nearly dropped it. had it strapped in to an appliance dolly with rear extra set of wheels.

when I tipped it over ... was not ready for weight on top. normally rear wheels would catch weight and keep load from tipping over. instead you are holding up weight of entire top end.

barely managed to lower compressor rest of the way down to horizontal position without dropping it. the next fun part was lifting it back up. be sure to chock your dolly's wheels.

what a PITA and dangerous .. next time I will use an A frame as cherry picker with straps will not be tall enough. looks like unbolting motor and compressor head from tank may be the safest way to move top heavy compressors.

 

[Beaumont67]

When I bought my used 2 stage/5HP/80gal compressor (Canadian made), it took 4 guys to load it on my truck & $150 unloading into my garage.

Last month, we sold our city house and moved into the country, a few miles out - but didn't want the compressor, to be an expensive move again.
- so added used 6" diameter phelonic Industrial casters (freebies), equipped with bearings and grease fittings
- frame made out of 2x2" redi-rack scrap tubing & right angle plate formed on a hydraulic press (farmed out)
- sections mig welded, by a former coworker/retired friend with 43 experience (certified welder/millwright)...ensuring optimum penetration

- cut rubber gaskets from a scrap 18 wheeler tire inner tube, for cushioning vibration between the compressor feet and square tubing
With wheels on the several hundred pound compressor, had it loaded in my 14' enclosed trailer in just 5 minutes/project paid for itself in 1 move.

20 day close on our sold house (we've owned for 32 years), and the dreaded 24x30' garage clean out, was bitter-sweet.

- but we made the dead line & their will be another bigger workshop, in the making