Thread: Transporting machinery

Here in Sydney we have a company that rents out beat up Hilux Utes for about $60 for the day.
I recently used one to pick up a Jointer that weighed 700kg and after it survived that I went back and after putting 50lb in the rear tyres transported a thicknesser that weighed more than a ton.
The machines were loaded with a fork lift and unloaded using a chain block on a rafter supported by a couple of acro props.
I have used an engine lifter to unload and the weight you are talking about would be no problem.
H.

Most of the vehicle hire places offer light trucks with a hydraulic lift fitted. Equipment hire outfits have any number of trolleys etc. to move the thicknesser to and from the truck. Otherwise a call around removalists will certainly yield results.

Good luck
mick

Many garages hire out trailers so if your Territory has a tow bar fitted that would work. I have transported some very heavy machinery in a trailer - they can usually legally carry up to 750kg, which is the legal towing limit for un-braked trailers. I am a light-weight but have single-handledly unloaded a 165 Kg machine from a trailer using boards as a ramp and sliding the machine down the ramp very slowly and in a controlled manner. It is also amazing what a steel two-wheel trolley can do to help and you can also make yourself or buy a mobile base on castors to slide the machine onto for ease of location once home. The big green shed sells castors as do specialists here in Brisbane like Richmond Castors in Salisbury.

Check Gumtree or the phone book for crane truck hire, usually runs at $100 an hour, probably a 1 hour minimum charge. Or the bobcat hire mobs... They come with truck and the bobcat does the lifting. Bobcats are better if its a shed out the back/ tight access situation. The secret is in you being organised; know where its got to go, have enough room to get it there, if its going on a dolly have the dolly made etc etc. From the perspective of driving the truck I want to be able to pull in, load, tie it off, drive, unload, and go to the next job, not be stuffing around while someone shifts 2 cars, a pushbike, and 30 boxes of junk out the way, but if you want to hold me up hey... you're paying for it.
Or just do the ute hire thing and have enough manpower to lift it.

Thanks for the replies. I had thought of hiring a truck with lift from a normal rental mob but costs quickly escalated. I hadn't thought of Gumtree though and these prices are a lot more reasonable. I think that's the best option.

Cheers!