Transporting fork lift

[bobj49f2]

I have a 5000 lb fork lift truck I need to move from my old shop to my new one, about a ten mile trip. Does anyone know the weight of the truck? It's an older, I guess mid '80s Yale. Triple mast, side shifting.

This would be a one time move. I have a tilt bed car trailer with a wooden deck with 7000 lb axles, brakes on both axles, but subtract the weight of the trailer, which his about 1400 lb, I have rough 5500 lbs of capacity . I have my doubts the trailer would hold the truck. I have had a couple of people tell me it would hold it but I would think the very least I would have to do is use a piece of 3/4" plywood to help distribute the weight. I'm still pretty leery that the trailer would hold it. The roads I'd travel are newer, smooth low traffic country roads so there wouldn't be much jarring of the load.

I will be checking into renting a larger trailer if I need to.

What are your thoughts? I think I know what the answer is but I'd like to hear from people who have done this with their trailer and those who do this for a living, in other words, those with more experience.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Have you considered renting a drop deck trailer ?
You might be able to get one for a half day.

Or if you're out in the country, maybe you could just drive it. ??

 

[A_Pmech]

The data plate on the machine will list the weight of the machine. A good estimate is 1.5x capacity.

A 10k drop deck trailer designed for moving man lifts can be rented from most Sunbelt stores.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I had a transmission shop move mine on a rollback for $60. It was 5,500 lbs

 

[Milton Shaw]

Rollback is the safest way to move one. Cheap at $100 or less and he has to be responsible for tying it down and to load and unload. Weight would be 8000 plus pounds in all probability.

 

[Jaysreal]

As a Forklift mechanic that is a product I work on all the time, as mentioned above the data plate should indicate the total weight of the unit.

If the plate is too worn, a lift like that usually weighs about 10,000-13,500 lbs (assuming the 5000 lbs you mentioned is the lift capacity of the unit) but don't quote me on that. Call your local lift dealer they should be able to simply tell you an exact weight.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[dr_clyde]

Hire a rollback wrecker. Cheap, fast and easy. I pay $100 for a one way trip, saves a ton of headaches.

 

[stikman56]

I'd figure 10,000 pounds anyway,just going by what I know from being around forklifts for years.

 

[AA/FC]

At one time in my life I hauled forklifts for a living. I've probably hauled thousands of them.... That forklift is at least 10,000 pounds or better. Unless you have a solid oak wood floor on your car trailer, those forklift wheels will probably punch right through a pine floor..... especially if your forklift has solid wheels. Hauling a forklift on a car trailer is almost always a major headache. Even a skid loader / equipment trailer with a solid oak floor is still difficult because the ramps aren't meant for forklift wheels. Save yourself the headache, take everyones advice and hire a flatbed.

 

[Ruger_556]

It weighs ~ 10,000 lbs... Just drive the forklift and have someone follow you. 10 miles isn't that far unless the steering is worn out, then it ***** big time. I take our forklift down the road 5 miles all the time and we have a trailer. Takes less time than loading it and chaining it down.

 

[Bobcat753]

Yup that forklift weighs 10k pounds plus. A normal flatbed wrecker couldn't move it. You would have to hire a "heavy truck" flatbed, think two rear axle type. I would just drive it with someone following with the 4 ways on. The granite company down the street moved their 10k capacity forklift by driving it down the road with a car following it.

 

[AA/FC]

Yup that forklift weighs 10k pounds plus. A normal flatbed wrecker couldn't move it. You would have to hire a "heavy truck" flatbed, think two rear axle type....

That's not true at all..... A single axle, medium duty roll back (flatbed) tow truck can haul a 10,000 pound fork lift all day long.

 

[General Geoff]

It weighs ~ 10,000 lbs... Just drive the forklift and have someone follow you. 10 miles isn't that far unless the steering is worn out, then it ***** big time. I take our forklift down the road 5 miles all the time and we have a trailer. Takes less time than loading it and chaining it down.

If the pavement is smooth and there's a broad shoulder the entire way, I'd say ferrying it might be the best solution.

 

[bobj49f2]

Driving it was my first thought but when I brought up that idea to a couple of friends, at two different times bought the trailer could handle it, I just didn't think so. I bought a similar sized forklift some years back at an auction and used a skid steer trailer to hauler to haul it about 30 miles home. That trailer didn't have brakes. Man, that was an interesting ride, especially the first intersection it pushed me throw. I also bent the frame, the bed never latched correctly after that.

 

[Roberts210]

I recently hauled a skid steer on a 10,000 pound trailer 5 miles. Some friends had rented it and wanted me to move it. The rental place was unable to connect the brake electric line to my connector, which is in the bed of my truck so I hauled it with no trailer brakes. Worked ok. No problems. You just have to be careful. I have a '95 Dodge Cummins with 4 wheel disc brakes. I would have been stupid to try that with the stock front disc, rear drum set-up.

 

[uppster]

Another thing to think about if you use a trailer is the ramps. The trailer will do the job but the angle for loading and most ramps are not up to that kind of load. Even those made of angle iron would probably not work if you had solid rubber tires.

 

[doorfx]

If the data plate doesn't tell you the weight then the capacity plate will. I agree if it's an IC truck it weighs 10,000 lbs.

 

[blazemaster83]

lol drive a forklift 10 miles? That's a youtube vid right there. Check out the prices to rent a trailer, the rental place near me has equipment trailers for $60 a day

 

[Tim37]

A 4500lbs electric cat wieghs in at about 11,500

 

[sberry]

Be faster to drive it than fug with all this.

 

[nes999]

We frequently drive ours about 10 Miles to another yard. Just pick a time of day that is not rush hour and go. It isn't worth wasting the money on a rollback or a trailer.

 

[bobj49f2]

How long it take to drive 10 miles. I figure top speed can't be more than 15 mph, take about 45~ minutes?

 

[sberry]

Take longer than an hour to load and bind it. Don't have to undo it and fart with a trailer + the added expense. A lot of the suggestions are well meaning but probably not from those who do this kind of thing for a living.

 

[Roberts210]

lol drive a forklift 10 miles? That's a youtube vid right there. Check out the prices to rent a trailer, the rental place near me has equipment trailers for $60 a day

They must all get together on prices--that's what the place charged my friends too.

 

[bobj49f2]

The one big downside to driving it is if it, besides jarring my internal organs, is if it would break down somewhere along the line. It might be a hoot for the locals to see me driving it down the road but some I know would get a bigger laugh if they say me broke down in the side of the road.

Saturday morning looks like a good time to do it. Now that I know a few have done it I feel more secure in driving it.

 

[Maui]

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Farmall450]

It weighs ~ 10,000 lbs... Just drive the forklift and have someone follow you. 10 miles isn't that far unless the steering is worn out, then it ***** big time. I take our forklift down the road 5 miles all the time and we have a trailer. Takes less time than loading it and chaining it down.

Agreed, just drive it on the road if hauling it is an issue. A winch and a deckover is how we do it otherwise.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Simply drive it... Ten miles at even ten miles per hour will take only a bit over an hour.
Just because the thing will travel fifteen miles per hour doesn't mean You have to travel that fast and shake Your guts out.... Have You ever drove that forklift wide open?? You may soon feel a bit more comfortable at a reduced speed.... Be sure to wave at people as You enjoy Your journey. Who knows; It might be so enjoyable that weekly cruises will become normal

 

[geartow]

saturday morning at like 5.am would be good not after the sun comes up. i have drove fork lift wide open bout 4 miles safety glass are a must. if propaine make sure you have an extra tank with you.

 

[bobj49f2]

Maybe I'll post a video

 

[ishiboo]

Forklifts are very concentrated loads that typical equipment trailers aren't really meant to handle. I sold a 15,500lb scissor lift and the guy hired some Craigslist idiot who showed up with a 30,000 lb trailer the Skyjack just about destroyed and swore it was TWICE that... just too concentrated a load on such a small area. I bet him $500 (the amount I made on the sale) that if we scaled his tare after dropping it off, it would be within 500 lbs of the nameplate... came out to 130 lbs more which was probably fuel and a few tools.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Would that forklift be available for rental on Halloween night?

 

[Jason280]

Rollback, no question about it...

 

[trackwelder]

Rollback, no question about it...

Absolutely!!! driving a forklift 10 miles down a road no way. I have a nice forklift and pay around $150-$200 round trip to move it.

 

[rustyjames]

Driving a forklift down the road that distance wouldn't be a very good idea. Technically, you can wind up with a ticket for no registration, and one for no insurance.

 

[R.Anderson]

Driving a forklift down the road that distance wouldn't be a very good idea. Technically, you can wind up with a ticket for no registration, and one for no insurance.

Just throw a slow moving sign on the back. It will not be any different than driving a tractor down the road.

Renting/hiring a rollback for a forklift for a ten mile haul that is funny lol. Drive it, unless it is in mint condition and a collectable. 10 miles is a short distance. If it is electric I may see hauling as well, propane or gas/diesel drive it.

I use to go to auctions with my grandfather and every tractor he bought with rubber tires he drove home.

Only thing I would do is take the forks off as already suggested.

 

[nickelmore]

Tow truck ....why put extra wear and risk on the forklift.

COD rate $160.00 commercial rate probably $130.00 offer cash for further discount,

I bet you can get it moved for $80.00 to $100

 

[bobj49f2]

UPDATE: Drove the truck home, 8 1/2 miles in one hour exact. No real excitement but it got a little squirrelly go down a couple slight hills and it's no hill climber. I could feel it lose power going up a couple of slight hills. We live in a relatively flat area, not Illinois flat but a few minor hills. Only problem was whem I pulled into my driveway and turned the truck off it puked anti-freeze out of the overflow tube. Overall not nearly as bad of a trip as I thought it was going to be. The truck will probably stay with the property if we ever move though.

 

[Farmall450]

UPDATE: Drove the truck home, 8 1/2 miles in one hour exact. No real excitement but it got a little squirrelly go down a couple slight hills and it's no hill climber. I could feel it lose power going up a couple of slight hills. We live in a relatively flat area, not Illinois flat but a few minor hills. Only problem was whem I pulled into my driveway and turned the truck off it puked anti-freeze out of the overflow tube. Overall not nearly as bad of a trip as I thought it was going to be. The truck will probably stay with the property if we ever move though.

Glad to hear all went well.

 

[bczygan]

UPDATE: Drove the truck home, 8 1/2 miles in one hour exact. No real excitement but it got a little squirrelly go down a couple slight hills and it's no hill climber. I could feel it lose power going up a couple of slight hills. We live in a relatively flat area, not Illinois flat but a few minor hills. Only problem was whem I pulled into my driveway and turned the truck off it puked anti-freeze out of the overflow tube. Overall not nearly as bad of a trip as I thought it was going to be. The truck will probably stay with the property if we ever move though.

Photos?

Video?