Toolbox Transport - Get it off its casters?

[Flash21]

Hey all - I'll be transporting a toolbox on Wednesday. It will be empty, rough dimensions are 56"W x 30"D x 40"H. Net weight 650lbs.

Someone outside of the forum recommended that when transporting the toolbox that I get it off its casters during transport - ie jack it up and put some 4x4s or something under it to support the box by the bottom to prevent caving the bottom. Is this recommended? This is a heavy duty box (with spring casters) that will be empty during transport. Seems like it should be able to handle some rough roads in the trailer if you can load with nearly 5000lbs of tools. Most of the drive will be interstate.

How do the big manufacturers ship them? I assume they are on a pallett but are they supporting the weight of the toolbox by the casters during transport?

ron in sc - Did you just let your box ride on the spring casters with wheel chocks?

I think I have four options for transport: (250 miles)

Lowest Cost: Get it into the back of my father-in-law's 1/2 ton pickup. (Chevy S-10) I think this is also probably the hardest....because it is highest.

Next Lowest: Rent an open trailer and pull it with my Jeep

Next Lowest: Rent an encloced trailer and pull it with my Jeep

Highest Cost: Rent a truck with hydraulic lift on the back

I want to chock the wheels but the problem with the U-Haul enclosed trailers is that they have a metal floor so that isn't really possile.

I did a search and have researched the threads that I could find.

Any suggestions appreciated!!!

Thanks

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Probably best in the trailer. Buy a 2" wide 10,000 pound ratchet strap from Home depot (or two, they are only about $14 each, and push it to the front of the trailer/truck bed, and strap it so it is held forward and down on its wheels and go. You are not going to damage the box.............

Charles

 

[Moose-LandTran]

When i collected my box i put it in a van, top box on the floor (just sitting there) and the bottom box with the caster brakes on, and a rope around it. Didn't move at all the whole journey.

 

[JohnK007]

I have transported surplus boxes from Warner Robbins AFB to Chicago, and from Texarkana to Chicago in an open trailer, plenty of strapping, and the caster brakes set. Never even thought of raising them off their wheels and I never had a problem with caving or bending. Several of the boxes were the longer 72" Snap On's. You'd think if any would bend it'd be those, but nope.
So, I'd go with the open trailer option if the weather is cooperative and you're going to make the trip in one day. Otherwise I'd get the enclosed trailer. Lock the casters and strap all four sides tight to prevent any shifting. You should be OK for 250 miles.

 

[caper]

I've hauled my KRL series from cape breton to toronto and back several times sitting on the casters,loaded with tools and the top box sitting on top.Never had any structural problems of any kind.Loaded in the back of a cube van and strapped to the wall.

 

[chad s]

So it was you that bought this box:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21428&highlight=2500

 

[rsanter]

I have transported them several ways

in the back of a PU
it was tough to get it up there but we did it. strapped it in and no trouble

a couple of times on a flatbed trailer. no trouble but used 4 straps to hold the box and 2 to ensure the drawers cannot open

in the back of rental trucks with lots of other stuff

in the back of my MAC tool dealers MAC tool truck
this was the easiest

bob

 

[Merkava_4]

Yes, he bought that box Chad.

Kevin, taking the casters off might be overkill, but it's not a bad idea; it'll keep the box from becoming a ping pong ball in the back of a moving van.

The best way to lift up the box for removing or replacing the casters is with a piece of 2 X 6 doug fir board on top of the floor jack's pad; the block of wood will protect the box from the damages a jack pad would cause.

If you want to leave the casters on, you can heavily pad it with blankets and secure it down with ratcheting cargo straps to some solid anchor points. I wouldn't rely on ropes.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I've never taken casters off, have hauled a 26" toolbox that probably weighed 2000 lbs 800 miles with no trouble. No, that's not a typo. Dad had it crammed, you couldn't even lift the top chest off with two guys. I just screw blocks of wood tot he trailer to box the wheels in, then strap it down.

 

[joenero]

I've hauled my KRL series from cape breton to toronto and back several times sitting on the casters,loaded with tools and the top box sitting on top.Never had any structural problems of any kind.Loaded in the back of a cube van and strapped to the wall.

Seen that done MANY times with a uhaul, seems to be the cheapest easiest way. Strap it good to whatever you can find in there and get going! I've also seen flatbeds but the cost involved if it's not local can be pretty bad.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Yeah Nissan, How was that possible?

 

[nissan_crawler]

How was what possible?

 

[Merkava_4]

Yeah Nissan, How was that possible?

How was what possible?

LOL!!!

 

[ron in sc]

I used my open trailer that's 6' x 10'. I made 10' ramps so we could easily load and unload it. Used some carpet to cushion places where straps went on top of the toolbox.

While it was only about 175 mile drive to bring it home that drive took 4 hours because none of the drive is interstate. Lots of traffic lights. Due to the time on the road I needed to protect it from rain. Basic on recommendation from another forum member I used that plastic wrap they use to wrap pallets. It worked very well. I went thru some serious rain and when I got home and removed the wrap there was no water whatsoever that go to toolbox.

 

[Fedwrench]

There's no need to remove the casters. Lock the wheels, use some 4x4s as chock blocks, cover it when a movers quilt, and use a ratchet strap to secure it to to whatever you're using as a vehicle. I'm not too sure about hauling a toolbox that big in an S10 though. A trailer or U Haul truck would be fine.

 

[eschoendorff]

I used my open trailer that's 6' x 10'. I made 10' ramps so we could easily load and unload it. Used some carpet to cushion places where straps went on top of the toolbox.

While it was only about 175 mile drive to bring it home that drive took 4 hours because none of the drive is interstate. Lots of traffic lights. Due to the time on the road I needed to protect it from rain. Basic on recommendation from another forum member I used that plastic wrap they use to wrap pallets. It worked very well. I went thru some serious rain and when I got home and removed the wrap there was no water whatsoever that go to toolbox.

I was scrolling through this thread really fast and saw the pic of your box. The finish looked horrible! Then I realized it was still wrapped in the plastic...

 

[ron in sc]

I was scrolling through this thread really fast and saw the pic of your box. The finish looked horrible! Then I realized it was still wrapped in the plastic...

That photo was taken at my friends house in Wilmington, NC before I headed back to Charleston. The plastic wrap looked the same after I drove home with none of it blowing off while driving.

 

[Flash21]

Just wanted to finish this thread with what I did. It worked well. Hopefully this will help someone during a future search...

I rented a 5'x9' U-Haul open trailer with plenty of tie points. The deck height was pretty low as is. Used pressure treated 2'x12's to use as ramps. Rolled the box onto a 3/4" piece of plywood in the trailer bed so that I could screw 2x4 wheel chocks to the plywood because the bottom of the trailer was metal. After chocking the wheels (with caster locks on) I shrink wrapped it just like ron in sc did with 20" shrink I bought from a packing supply surplus store. Then I wrapped it with furniture blankets and cardboard for the front to protect it from rocks/stones and then shrinked it again. Finally, I used four tie downs to secure it to the trailer. It worked great and didn't move an inch during the 250 mile trip.

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions!

 

[Mike 47]

On Saturday, I transported a KRL1001 450 miles. Thanks to KLars1, ron in sc, and others for the info in this thread, I didn't have a single problem.

My trailer is aluminum, with some holes already in the deck for motorcycle wheel chocks and e-track. I got a sheet of plywood and bolted it to the deck. Screwed down 2x4 scraps to block the wheels, and ran a strap from each caster to the corners of the trailer. Put a piece of carboard on the front of the box, then wrapped the box with shrink wrap which I got at Home Depot. Used one 2" ratchet strap over the top of the box to compress the caster springs a little bit, and that was it. Box didn't move at all.

 

[chadster1]

I transport boxes every day and I never take the casters off. They are just strapped to the wall of the truck.