So on an impulse after pulling my back out, I went and bought a forklift. The problem is that it is being shipped to me in a box of a semi rig.
My loading dock is 40 inches high, most truck conatiners are 50 inches.
I have a 3/8 plate of steel
(Its a 1968 Clark TW20 three wheel electric, weight about 5-7,000 pounds?)
Any advice?
Some options…
Renting a real dock plate?
Renting a another forklit to chain out the one i bought?
Renting a roll-off tow truck?
Advice from the masses…I await!
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Replies
I'd be inclined to rent a rollback. May mean having it delivered to a freight terminal, which is probably a little cheaper than delivery to a home or business. Shouldn't cost too much to have a rollback pick it up at the terminal, especially if they can do it when they can fit it in (within a reasonable time period), rather than setting a fixed date and time to do it. I've done it this way before, giving a window of maybe two days for them to pick it up and deliver to you.
i gotta second the rollback wrecker idea. they will move a bobcat,forklift, they will even move a small shed for less than 60.00. just tell them anytime in the next couple days. i bet it's there within 3 hours,some driver would rather be making money than sitting in wallyworlds parking lot waiting for a call.larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
I made a few calls, the cheapest was 125/hr.So I would have to co-ordinate to make sure both drivers were here at the same time, and then I still would have issues between the truck height and rollback height.
I can't see that a 10" drop would be that major of an challenge. I see a lot of equipment using loading ramps to up at least 20" that are made of a "ladder" arrangement with the side rails about 4" channel no more than quarter inch thick and with 3" angle between the rails with about 6" or greater spacing.
If the 3/8" plate is long (wide?) enough, to get a decent angle of descent, just brace it underneath with some dunnage (maybe rip some timbers on a angle to get more of a bearing surface. It should a lot easier going off than trying to put it on in that situation.
WOOD.... make 3 soild wood ramps 2x10's on edge maybe 6-8 of em wide then deck em with 3/4" ply just to help get close to the 10" and i think it'd hold em together... should be less than 30 min job....... 10ft 2x10 cut in half then each half cut corner to corner.... 6" of ramp out of each board... make em 8ply thats 12"wide each... and thats 6-10ft 2x10's total... less than call'n a rollback.... i would deck em top & bottom with 3/4" plywood and lots of nails...
p
One time in a pinch we simply Tapconed a piece of plywood to the front face of the loading dock. This was reinforced with 2by4s screwed in vertically. We put concrete blocks on the sides and trapped them with a couple of 2by4s screwed to the concrete.
Picture a U shaped enclosure with the open end facing away from where the trucks will be. Once set up we used wheel barrows to pour in builders sand. Formed a shallow slope something like ten feet long and twenty-five feet wide. We packed it a bit with a manual tamper. Over this we placed some scrap plywood.
It only took the carpentry crew with a couple of laborers about an hour to build. I suspect that because the forklift is a one-shot deal you could be more casual about the structure.
We were at a fairly remote location with shipments on the way and no adapter.
It worked pretty well. We kept some scrap plywood and a pile of sand handy to make patching easy. It lasted as the main offloading point for two days. And when the proper dock gear was made available served off and on for a week when the number of trucks coming in was high.
Good to see you still exist.
This is an old riddle and the answer is to let the air out of the back tires of the truck.
Other than that, since it's all downhill is get a brand new sheet of birch, 9=ply Baltic plywood and stuff the space with anything solid to make a ramp. Whenn building my second Loew's store, the GC forgot to include the concrete floor in the sales area [the big part] so I had to drive a scissor lift cross country up tp the office area which did have a floor. Careful selection of appropriate sized "scrap" formed the basis of an adeqyate ramp. However overzealous cleanup crews with limited brain power were a contstant danger to it's continued existence.
~Peter, former Intellectual Affairs advisor for TV Guide
"Good to see you still exist." And "This is an old riddle and the answer is to let the air out of the back tires of the truck."I'm still kickin. I'm a bit leery about answering electrical questions from people who really should be calling an electrician. I wonder if they do their own dentistry.In a vaguely similar situation, this time with the forklift assembled in the back of the truck, I know how we would handle it a few decades ago. Simple as pulling the truck up a tight as possible. Start the forklift back it up as far as possible and aim for daylight with the pedal to the metal. Younger days.If the load on the truck wouldn't run we would find a hefty vehicle and yank it off in one quick and smooth motion. 10" drop be damned. A long time ago I worked with a stage crew that would roll up with the scaffold stacked in the back of a tall step van. Their way of unloading was to get her going about twenty in reverse and slam on the brakes. After the crashing, banging and an ominous rattling ringing sound the truck was unloaded. Saved enough time to allow the crew to take a break around the back and spark one up. Younger days.There is something to be said about being young, stupid and blissfully unaware of the danger. You can get a lot done with a strong back, weak mind and boundless enthusiasm. I once had a boss who would size up situations and decide it needs what he called BFI, Brute Force and Ignorance. Once the call was made he would tell his youngest crew to have at it and then lock himself in the office with 911 and his insurance company on speed dial to await the result. Mostly the job got done with minimum damage. Once or twice someone lost finger and/or equipment was destroyed. He considered it 'all part of the process'.Either way his loading dock was cleared in short order and ready to receive more shipments. Necessity is the mother of all invention. We once had a situation where a bulky and heavy transformer was on the back of a truck. No loading dock or heavy equipment available. We found a pile of dirt about the right height. Knocked the top off with shovels and stomped it flat. We had the truck driver back up sharply into this. We then set about levering the unit onto the flat of the pile of dirt with crow bars. Once on the pile we got it down by digging under the large pallet the transformer was bolted to. Once at ground level we backed up a pick-up and dragged it the 100' onto the slab. Had to get three or four of the guys to grab the top and lean back to keep the pallet from digging in. There is usually a way.
" what he called BFI, Brute Force and Ignorance."I've heard of BFI before and thought it meant Big Frieakin Idiot;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Or the old standby bull strength and awkwardness.
>> When building my second Loew's store, the GC forgot to include the concrete floor in the sales area [the big part] How do you "forget" a hundred thousand square feet of concrete?
Maybe he got one of those HD vanities by mistake?
Good question. You're paying attention, thank you.
Usually in tilt up construction, they first pour the floor. Then they use that as the bottom of the form to pour the concrete for the walls. But in this case, they used concrete block walls so just the foundation under the walls was poured.
Some numbskull in the design department seemed to feel that if the floor was poured early in the project, we would drive our scissor lifts over it and scuff it up. Note that our lifts have gray tires and don't scuff. So the ground was bare and rather lumpy. Our company and other trades' had to rent huge, all-terrain, propane powered lifts and they sucked. If you tried to move when elevated, when you stopped, the bottom stopped but you on the upper part kept going and you ended up with a tooth jattering earthquake. So every time you wanted to advance, you had to lower, move and then raise.
Of course, once they finally did pour the floor, we immediately invaded it with our machines and did no damage. This was a total waste of time and money.
Forklifts
Every once in a while, someone leaves a fork lift park out in the open. I go to a fast food place and get a plastic fork. This I tape to one of the tines of the lift. Nobody understands why I do that.
~Peter, the Official Censor for Penthouse Magazine
Every once in a while, someone leaves a fork lift park out in the open. I go to a fast food place and get a plastic fork. This I tape to one of the tines of the lift. Nobody understands why I do that.
Okay, I'll admit to being dense but why do you do that?
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
Because it's a "forklift".
use the Evil Kniel method...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Or, like kids with bikes, pay some sap 50¢ to lay on the dock, next to the truck. If he cries, give him a buck.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Bunch of 2x lumber.
Put sevearl piles crosswise, with a couple long ones set to match the width required. We've done this many times at work. You have to watch how steep you make the ramp, because if you're not careful, the angle will get the bottom of the fork assembly hung up. Ask me how I know.
It's much, much easier to go from a higher trailer to a lower dock than it is to go the other way.
If you can borrow a big enough forklift -
Turn the thing sideways in the doorway of the trailer, pick it up with the bigger forklift, and set is down wherever ya want.
I once carried a small lift a half mile that way. And when we used to get plywood in rail cars, we'd set a small lift inside the car th bring the bunks of plywood out.
Check with your local tool rental place.
My guy would use his flat bed to go get it for me. For a price and when he has time.
Car ramp truk should be able to get off trailer then to ground, hace it diverted to a towing place then they drop off later
Got a buddy with the right size dock?
Two companies within a block have better, proper docks. Of course, I am the new guy in the neighborhood, and although I have been over to shoot the bull, I am not sure about asking for a big favor yet.i hate the idea of making my headache someone elses.I might give the wood idea a try. Like a wood 4x8 platform at the correct height with a proper dock ramp between it at the truck, and an improveized steel ramp from the wood platform to the rest of the dock.Although I will check into renting another forklift, and turning this one sideways (maybe remove the forks?)
Maybe a bottle of single malt would take away the concerns about asking for a favor - and gain you a good buddy in return. Sounds cheeper than renting another fork.
Shoot, get to know your neighbors. You won't tie up their dock but just a few minutes. I'll bet they'll be happy to accommodate you.
Greg
Let the trucker figure it out. If he can't get it off the truck that's his problem not yours. To my way of thinking, until the load hits the ground it's hasn't been delivered. I'm not in the delivery business and it sounds like you aren't either.
I can't figure out how this is related to light construction!
Depends totally on the terms of the purchase. If the terms you bought it for are "ex works", then you own it as soon as it is on the loading dock at the shippers. If it's FOB xxxx, then you own it as soon as it is on the TRUCK at xxxx.
If you own it, it's your problem how to get it off the truck, and if the trucker is smart, you'll take the rap if it gets wrecked during the unloading. Freight terms are a complicated thing, and you can easily get caught if you don't keep an eye on the fine print.
I have pallet goods like bags of concrete, bunks of plywood, and the like that are delivered and must be removed from the truck. Hence, the forklift.I use the goods building things. Hence, the light construction.Other Breaktimers have knowledge beyond swinging a hammer. Hence, the question.I think leaving it up to the driver might leave you with a forklift that is pushed out of a truck onto the ground. I second the wood dock idea.
I would assume that you aren't loading and offloading these things every day, so why would anyone suggest anything complicated? A bunch of 2x, a saw, nails....probably stuff you have around anyway.....the thing only weighs what, 5000 lbs....should be no sweat to throw something together that will work once.
"Let the trucker figure it out. If he can't get it off the truck that's his problem not yours."
Get real - Trucking doesn't work that way.
Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.
I can hardly wait for you and your thread complaining "why won't truckers deliver to my site" thread to show up, LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
By all means make friends with your new neighbors. I'd do it for your in a heartbeat.
Be kind to your truck driver. Chances are, he isn't making a dime while you figure out how to unload it, adjust the ramp you built, etc. Many are paid by the mile, and if the truck ain't moving, they may was well be fishing.
The driver is arriving at 7 am tommorrowI went with the wood idea, and have pre-fabricated a 4x8 "pallet" 4 inches high, with other layers in wait.Once the truck backs up, I can square the first layer to his rear, then add layers until I am an inch or so shy. (I dont want to assume that his truck is 50". It might be lower and he might have air shocks he can drop) Then I will attach a plywood deck and the steel ramp. If I have been a good boy, then just drive the forklift off onto my new platform.Rip some more wood down to make a ramp from the pplatform height to the dock height, add more steel, and drive off.My nightmare is getting hung up between the truck and dock.Will take pics no matter what.Oh my Oh my
Let the air out of the truck tires.
ohmyohmy,
You'll like the TW 20 it's a fine forklift!
simple, durable, and reliable as heck.. very tight turning.
make sure your charger is large enough for the battery.. (you did get a charger with it didn't you?)
Couple of hints..
keep the water in battery up to the proper level. very critical for battery life!
use distilled water!!!!!
When the barttery won't hold a charge all is not lost!
You need to flush the cells of lead sulfate..
gently drain the acid and water into large glass bowls.. and while the battery is upside down (probably weighs 2000 pounds) rinse out all the lead sulfate.. (it's the soft white powdery stuff) let it settle and gently pour the acid back into the cell.. (leaving all the white powery stuff at the bottom of the bowl.. check the PH of the cell to detemine if you need more acid or more water.
A properly used and charged battery will last 7 years if you do this treatment you'll get several more, a buddy with several such batteries used as storage for a solar system gets 12 to 15 years doing just this)
Thanks for the vote of confidence- I was hopeing you would add your thoughts.Yep, it comes with a charger. Its a 24 volt system and I am not sure how old/ what condition the battts are in. Hopefully they have been replaced since 1968, but who knows. Well, I will know, tommorrow.I hope they charged it before loading it on the truck!I plan on useing the lift 2-4 hours a month. Any hints on prolonging batt life inbetween useing it?Thanks for the info about distilled water to extend batt life. If/when it come times to replace the batts, what would you recommend?
ohmyohmy,
That's probably the hardest on the battery.. every time a battery is charged a cycle is removed from it. so you want to charge the batteries as little as possible..
However less than a full charge sulffates batteries and that will shorten the life of the battery as well.
a fully charged battery should easily keep that forklift in constant motion for 8 plus hours.. I was able to put big enough batteries in those old TW's to get nearly a week of fairly heavy useage before a recharge!
thus if the battery is perfect it will take you three to four months to fully discharge the battery.. sulfates will build up tremendously charge it everytime you use it and you'll needlessly take three cycles out of the battery every two months..
When it's time to replace the battery see what sort of deal you can get on used or reconditioned batteries..
you will need to have a certain minimum weight of battery which is much more battery than you'll need , however without that minimum weight the forklift becomes very dangerous!
make sure the forklift has a full charge before you try to unload it!
low battery charge will cause the contacts to stick and maybe burn them out!
luckily the old TW doesn't have the new IC circuits low batteries burn them out, however with contacts, most likely the only failure will be burned or stuck points..
So the truck arrived at 5am, and I was ready with my ood platforms with steel decks. He backed up and I got within 2 inches in height then spanned with a piece of steel.The driver thought that the battery was going because he said when it was loaded it was barely crawling. I sit on, turn the key, and the gauge reads ok, so I drive forward.Soon, I realized why they took their time going in. Because the damn thing has no brakes. I mean you press on the pedals, and its just pretend. So I roll out of the trailer onto my platform and the only thing that stops me is I put it in reverse and press the go pedal.After regaining my color, I said bye to the trucker, build a ramp from the platform to the dock, and slowly drove around to the inside of my shop.I just sent a very calm be assured email to the seller that I am quite unhappy with his non-disclosure that could have caused an accident.Besides the brakes, the TW20 seems fine, esp. for its age. I lifted a full pallet of sand, no problem. Will post pics of the forklift on my platform soon
if you think you will continue to need to get into or lift from the rear of trucks... I'd consider lower'n the ground... I've built several loading dock pits... sometimes the trucker has to slide his axle to get it to line upwith a dock but thats not a big deal...
I don't know what people do without forklifts.. i have 2 (3 if you count the forks on the bobcat) on my jobsite now...
things i do...
i have a 1 man basket that fits the forks i welded up... use it like a man lift... have a rope rigged to lower it... so someone can lift and leave you to work and you can get yourself down
welded up a trench bucket... when cutting concrete floor trenches i ca remove the forks add my trench bucket... and lift the cut concrete and trench down about 18" just use'n the lift & tilt of the forklift & my "bucket fork"
pallet jack is an almost must have... i welded up pockets on one so that i could lift a loaded pallet jack with the forklift to the second floor...
a "long arm" hooks on your forks so u can reach out and lift... say an engine out of a truck... really helps lifting an engine out of a boat.... think cherry picker...
pallet clamp... the sissor clamp thing that will grab the wood of a pallet with a long chain lets you pull pallets from the front of the truck to the back so that you can then lift em out... if you can't get in the truck with the lift and don't have a pallet jack
a hole in one fork for a chain or a trailer ball....
man i love my toys
p
Yup, I am just as excited. For me, it means I wont have to rely on help for lifting things.So I save money and save my back
Too late now, but a pound of drywall screws on the pavement would adjust the truck to fit your dock.
Works on my tires, should work on his.
Joe H
I happen to make my living outfitting loading docks. 40" is pretty low by most standards, but a "portable dockboard", at around 84" (min.) length, should be long enough to allow you access to std. trailers. Overseas containers and several other types will be higher, but you should be ok, and can always talk to your carrier about what will be used to deliver anything shipped to you. If i were you, I would check used equipment sites, and ebay of course, for a portable dockboard. This situation will be a continuing one, or you wouldn't have purchased the forktruck. This can be made of steel, which will be cheaper and more durable, and should have "fork pockets" or a lifting chain, so you can place and remove it with the forktruck itself. Be sure to find something that is rated for the forktruck's actual weight, plus it's total capacity. Both amounts will be found stamped on a metal plate on the front of any forktruck. I'm sure you could make something to offload the forktruck initially, but get yourself a safe means to enter the trailer at some point. Forktruck accidents can get pretty ugly. I can provide more info if need be. Good luck.
Let the air out of the tires on the trailer? Or jack up the front of the trailer? ;-)
Wait, you now own a forklift, you are now "GOD" to any of those that don't have one.
Just as some one else has posted, go visit your neighbor and borrow their dock. Someday you will return the favor when they need something unloaded.
Another alternative is a bunch of bags of gravel and a sheet of 1"plywood works. I have done this.
You could always use the time-tested 10 inch thick ice block method. Sprinkle a little sand on it for traction, unload and wait.
OK, hands down, that is the best idea I have ever heard. In fact, I am going to buy another forklift just to try it.hell, this winter, i am going to raise the forklift truck high with that method, just 'cause.
I would have the fork lift shipped to my local towing company. There they will use a roll back flat bed and load the item then drive it over to your loading dock where the roll off will meet your dock height with NO problem, NO engineering, NO mashed fingers(or worse), NO damaged fork lift. Problem sloved.