Hi Art,
The truck could be a flatbed, a box, or caravan with side curtains. A
adequately rated 16 ft shooting boom forklift and some slings can unload
any one of those. If you are going off hard surface make sure you rent
4wd.
I've rented with just a credit card (Sunbelt), another wanted a full
value insurance binder (Star)- mine was free from Allstate, a contractor
license & bond (Hertz yuk! NOT), your local yard?, etc. Ask the delivery
driver for the short course. I've found them very helpful. Run with the
controls in Turtle mode if available. Get the rental a day before and
play. Adventure!! Power!! Fun!!
You will need to buy the slings, I'd guess 6 to 8' depending on how you
can rig it in/on the truck and the dimensions of the crate. With 4 of
two lengths you get choices of choker or basket at various lengths.
When off the truck on dunnage, sling at the balance point, keep the load
low and have helpers keep it parallel to the path.
Worked for me on a 1/3 mile dead end narrow street, down my 600' tree
lined driveway, twice for 2x HDX589's not in crates. I think it was an
6k# rated shooting boom forklift. I also rented a bigger one for another
tower project. Sideways off the flatbed (lift is rated with boom
retracted so check the load chart).
Another choice is hire a rigger, thoroughly explain the task,loads,
roads, slopes, other constraints, etc. It's a small job, but they might
come take a look first. They will provide everything. Should be bonded
and insured. Scheduling them to meet a truck is a real problem as you
have realized.
If the truck driver is good, load is in good shape, helps out, give
him/her a nice tip for patience with you.
Grant KZ1W
On 9/11/2019 4:08 PM, Art Greenberg wrote:
I'm in the research & planning stages of a crank-up (telescoping) tower purchase. It would
be my first such tower. I'm looking at "small" towers (for < 12 square feet of
antenna) in the vicinity of 50 feet height. Considering both steel and aluminum, but at the
moment the steel tower seems to be in the lead. I'll probably post questions during the
selection process. But for now, I have some questions that pertain whatever the choice.
The manufacturer of the steel tower told me that the shipping weight of the
tower is around 1,000 pounds, and that it will be shipped fully assembled and
crated in an enclosed truck (probably a tractor-trailer, going cross country).
The length of the assembled and crated tower as-shipped will be about 25 feet.
I live on a narrow street, and there is zero chance that the delivery driver
will be able to bring his truck (assuming a tractor-trailer) onto my driveway.
My property is fenced with a lot of trees, meaning the best route onto the
property is though the gate at the end of the driveway and then following the
not-at-all-straight driveway to its closest approach to the tower installation
location. But to do that, the tower would have to travel down the driveway
lengthwise - crosswise on a forklift won't work too well due to the trees along
the driveway.
My questions:
1. How the heck do I get a 25-foot long 1,000 pound crated tower off of the
truck? A reach forklift? Something else?
1a. I'm not a forklift operator. Any suggestion as to where to look for one for
hire? Do such people provide their own equipment, rigging and tools?
1b. What (other) tools/rigging am I likely to need?
1c. I'm twisting myself into a pretzel obsessing over how to coordinate the
forklift with truck arrival. Is it really as difficult as I imagine?
2. How do I get the tower through my gate and to a suitable spot on my property
to await installation?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and advice!
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