unloading/moving a 60 gal compressor

[toddmorr]

i'm taking delivery of a 60 gallon upright compressor in a week or so, Curtis CT5. But there's a chance the boxtruck driver won't be willing to drop it at the top of my driveway, even with a little $ persuasion. What if I had him drop it onto a furniture dolly upright and I towed the dolly up the driveway. Is that realistic? Assuming of course I strapped it down good.

Another option....take off the pump and/or motor and use a handtruck to muscle it up the driveway?
driveway is probably 50-70 yards long and 15 degrees steep I'd estimate.

 

[MovingAlong]

Wait a minute, that wasn't helpful..

Your center of gravity is simply way to high to move it safely across a garage floor on a furniture dolly, much less up that drive.

Cancel the delivery guy and find a proper mover who will place it in the garage exactly where you want it. Worth every penny...

 

[GRN96WS6]

Truck? Put it in your bed drive it up and get a few buds to help unload. Dolly would not work at all, not on that driveway it would be hell to keep it straight.

 

[toddmorr]

Be sure to post the video to YouTube, I love watching these kinds of spectacular fails...

i can assure you there's not going to be a fail. I'm pretty risk averse in things like this.

 

[MovingAlong]

i can assure you there's not going to be a fail. I'm pretty risk averse in things like this.

Edited my original post, apologies for it not being very helpful.

 

[The Cobbler]

is it on a pallet?
the motor & pump make it somewhat top heavy ,unless you can move it laying down I would remove them if you have any distance to go

 

[toddmorr]

Truck? Put it in your bed drive it up and get a few buds to help unload. Dolly would not work at all, not on that driveway it would be hell to keep it straight.

yeah that's what i worried about, too steep to keep it from tipping over. i don't have a truck but could certainly rent a home depot truck, but then i gotta figure out how to get it off the truck.

 

[toddmorr]

is it on a pallet?
the motor & pump make it somewhat top heavy ,unless you can move it laying down I would remove them if you have any distance to go

yes, it comes on a typical 40 x 48 wood pallet
yeah taking off the motor and pump probably the way to go. A hassle but might not have a choice. I should be able to muscle a handtruck with just a tank up the driveway, not easy but should be doable

 

[The Cobbler]

can you borrow or rent a pallet jack?

 

[mitusa]

If you don't mind laying it down, get a dolly that has the extra two wheels.
Lay it down and pull it up the drive.
Have a neighbor help if needed.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Why not drain the oil then you could lay it down on a trailer or dollys.

 

[toddmorr]

can you borrow or rent a pallet jack?

yes, would think so but i'm not sure they go as high as a truck bed. Guess I could rent a small trailer, those tend to have a bed low to ground

 

[Renegade1LI]

If it's new it might not have oil in it

 

[Renegade1LI]

Make up a gantry with some 2x for laying it down & lifting it back up.

 

[mikedodge]

It's no problem to use a 2 wheel dolly to move one around in a shop, no way I'd want to pull it that far up a driveway.

If the delivery guy wont go to the top your safest bet would be like your thought- take the pump and motor off and lay the tank down on a furniture dolly.

If you have a truck or SUV you could drain the oil and lay it down in the back of that. That's how I got mine home. Took 2 people to get it in and tilt it back up again.

 

[finn]

I moved mine in my 2wd Ranger instead of the full sized trick simply because it was lower. A trailer would be better yet.

Another 80 gal compressor was on a pallet so we used the skid steer with forks. I think we used the forks then, too.

i hope you paid for lift gate service. Because without a dock or lift gate, it’s unlikely it will be dropped.

This is a case where it might be best to rent a trailer and take delivery at the terminal. You can unload the trailer with an engine crane. If you don’t heave one, you can rent one.

 

[JuncleJohn]

Small tractor with a front end loader would ideal. Piece of cake for my Kubota. Do you know anyone with a small tractor?

John

 

[carlaisle]

Forklift, skid steer, or tractor with loader would be easy.

Failing that, rent a drop deck trailer and have the delivery driver set it on there. Strap it down and take it to where it needs to land.

Failing that, removing the compressor head and motor eliminates the top heavy problem. Then you can easily move each component individually.

Don't underestimate how difficult that extra weight 5' off the ground is to control.

 

[PWC Repair]

I bolted a piece of 2x wood onto the bottom feet after I took mine off the little pallet. Then just strapped it onto an appliance dolley and wheeled it around.