Moving loaded 72" x 24" tool chests with a forklift?

[Paul_The_Builder]

Have 3 loaded 72" x 24"D Husky tool chests, albeit not loaded super heavy. Looking to move them a considerable distance in the near future.
Is it safe to just move these around with a forklift? Are they able to support the weight of the tool chest on the bottom frame if you pick it up with normal forks at the middle of the tool chest? These are the standard duty Husky boxes, so not the most sturdy ones in the game.
Tried to search for some information or people doing this, and couldn't find much. Seems that people almost always move them with a liftgate, winch them up a ramp, or take out the drawers, move the box, and re-install the drawers. I could do those options, but if a forklift is safe, that seems like the fastest and easiest way.

 

[yellowbox]

We move tool truck boxes like that , never an issue , not sure about husky , but I would try it shouldn't be an issue at all

 

[BlindViper]

Moving them just by a forklift? My concern might be they could deform slightly. I would use some 4x4's to support the entire tool box length ways just to be be sure.

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

Moving them just by a forklift? My concern might be they could deform slightly. I would use some 4x4's to support the entire tool box length ways just to be be sure.

Yeah that's something I was thinking about. Maybe even 2x4"s mounted lengthwise to even out the load. I imagine the frame is designed to hold the most weight in the center and 2 ends where the wheels mount. I'm afraid of the frame bowing in the middle and even if its only 1/8" it might make the drawers hard to move in and out etc.

 

[mepstein]

We move car chassis by placing a large pallet under the floor pan. I would do the same with the toolbox. That should distribute the pressure of the forks over a large area of the tool box.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I bent an old school Craftsman toolbox moving it with a pallet jack. I can’t see these newer boxes surviving unbent.

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

I bent an old school Craftsman toolbox moving it with a pallet jack. I can’t see these newer boxes surviving unbent.

Good information to know! Thanks for the insight

 

[ecotec]

Yeah that's something I was thinking about. Maybe even 2x4"s mounted lengthwise to even out the load. I imagine the frame is designed to hold the most weight in the center and 2 ends where the wheels mount. I'm afraid of the frame bowing in the middle and even if its only 1/8" it might make the drawers hard to move in and out etc.

I wouldn’t use 2x4s, I would use 4x4s as long as the box or longer. I would put as many as I could fit between the front and back wheels (but not actually touching them) and have the operators move it.

Maybe you can borrow some long 4x4s from a material lay down area or maybe talk to the operators and see if they have seen any. They put **** on 4x4s all day.

 

[mike93lx]

A pallet should work well and make the handling easier than 4x4's.

I'd put a couple ratchet straps around it, top to bottom, as a backup to ensure the drawers can't open, or even better, stretch wrap the whole thing.

 

[ATC]

We move car chassis by placing a large pallet under the floor pan. I would do the same with the toolbox. That should distribute the pressure of the forks over a large area of the tool box.

I came to suggest this too. Just stick an empty pallet on the forklift and use it to lift the box.

 

[nadogail]

Back When I was working in a Printed Wiring Board Factory, I fabricated a frame from repurposed steel Channel that had previously been used a Pallet Beam. I put heavy duty casters on it and mounted both my Craftsman bottom box and side box on it; I also welded an upright on one end to mount my vise. When the box needed to be moved it was either forklifted or just rolled.

The box, because of the Industrial casters and heavy steel frame, was a full 5” higher than when it left the store. The elevated center of gravity became a consideration when pushing it across uneven pavement.

 

[WillyBoy]

When you write "considerable distance", that makes me think across town, but maybe that's not the plan. "Normal forks in the middle" doesn't sound like the best location to lift. Do you have access to a forklift that can have the forks spread to just inboard of where the wheels are mounted? To me, that would be the strongest place to life from. As others have said, if the lifting is near the center, additional horizontal supports would be the best. Also keep in mind, how evenly is the weight in the boxes distributed? You don't want the boxes tipping one way or the other.

 

[iagsxr]

When you write "considerable distance", that makes me think across town, but maybe that's not the plan. "Normal forks in the middle" doesn't sound like the best location to lift. Do you have access to a forklift that can have the forks spread to just inboard of where the wheels are mounted? To me, that would be the strongest place to life from. As others have said, if the lifting is near the center, additional horizontal supports would be the best. Also keep in mind, how evenly is the weight in the boxes distributed? You don't want the boxes tipping one way or the other.

This is my question also. Are you talking about driving across town with a box on the forks?

My forklift has pneumatic tires and you still couldn't go slow enough to not beat the bottom of the box driving down a street.

If that's your plan, make a pallet big enough for the box wheels to sit on. Strap the box down hard, then fork the pallet.

 

[Snip]

Many boxes, my Snap-On included, have a lip around the bottom about the thickness of two pieces of the box metal. I always feared it would fold under the weight of the box and contents (loaded heavy). I would cut a couple of 2x6's just shorter than the depth of the box and place on the forks so I was lifting by the bottom of the box close to the wheels and not the lip. Never had any problem with lifting and moving using this method

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

When you write "considerable distance", that makes me think across town, but maybe that's not the plan. "Normal forks in the middle" doesn't sound like the best location to lift. Do you have access to a forklift that can have the forks spread to just inboard of where the wheels are mounted? To me, that would be the strongest place to life from. As others have said, if the lifting is near the center, additional horizontal supports would be the best. Also keep in mind, how evenly is the weight in the boxes distributed? You don't want the boxes tipping one way or the other.

Yeah should have been more clear.
Moving across country (~1000 miles), so trying to figure out the logistics of packing up my workshop into Uhauls or similar and taking everything to a different state. Moving from a regular suburban type house to a house on an acre of land with a pole barn or similar.

I have 3 trailers I have to move also, so really trying to figure out how to fit my toolboxes, garage cabinets, and large tools into (2) 16' Uhaul or similar type trucks. I know I could fairly easily roll the toolboxes onto a flatbed trailer with ramp, but adding another trailer would mean another truck rental and cross country drive.

I don't like the idea of trying to get (3) 72" ~1000lb toolboxes (plus a few other smaller toolboxes, cabinets, and tools) up the ramp to a Uhaul or Pensky or similar box truck. And as far as I can tell, its virtually impossible for an average joe to rent a truck with liftgate cross country. The other issue is that 2 of the 72" toolboxes don't have the wheels attached, I have stacked 2x6s bolted to the underside of the tool box to make it the same height as my workbench. I mean I have casters to attach to it, or can put it on 3 dollies or something, but forklifting it is by far the easiest solution if its viable.

Now that I'm typing this "out loud", it seems like just taking the drawers out and moving the empty boxes then loading the drawers back in once the toolbox is loaded in the box truck is probably the best answer.

Worked in construction all my life... loaded/unloaded a lot of equipment and construction materials on and off trucks/trailers, so always thinking of the most efficient way to do things...

 

[Certified Drunk]

I see a new tool boxes in the OP’s near future.

 

[CraigStu]

Yes, pull the drawers. All the boxes I have had have been of about the same quality level as yours. What I have seen is the wheels always mount fully out at the corners where the bottom gets support from the verticals that go up from there. So lifting w/ a fork lift where the forks are way narrower than the box, to me, has a real good chance of the box bending. But, if you are lifting just the shell, my gut says no bending problem. I would also put the wheels back on the boxes that you removed them. Your fork lift only gets the box 3 feet into the truck, how would you move it further in w/o wheels. And who knows what will be at the other end of your trip. BTW, just the shells w/ wheels, pushing the boxes up ramps becomes a lot more attractive. And pack those ramps in the truck for the other end.