Opinions on Unloading a Transported "Problem Child"

Tigerhaze · Post by **Tigerhaze** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:15 am

OK guys-

I recently purchased a spare 2010 crawler loader as a parts crawler for my currently-owned 2010 crawler loader. It is going to be shipped to me in the next week or two by a third-party transporter using a flatbed trailer.

The spare 2010 is a "problem child" because the previous owner left it out in the rain uncovered so the brakes have become frozen and the tracks are basically "locked" (will not roll freely in neutral or the towing gear). The transporter has a flatbed trailer with aluminum ramps so he asked that they not be used to load or unload, but he was fine with sliding it on wood (plywood or 2' by 10's?) on and off the trailer. I don't know for sure what he will use but he suggested it so he must have done this before.

I have arrangements on the seller's end to load it onto the trailer using their large wheel loader and a truck mounted knuckle boom so that shouldn't be a problem.

I am a little more worried on my end. They are going to put some type of wood under the tracks so I can "slide" the crawler off the trailer deck on my end. I have several small hills (rise that levels off to flat ground) that the transporter can back up to that should be nearly level with the end of his trailer, and they are straight back from the maintained and compacted gravel road so he should always be on sure footing with his rig. I am mainly worried about having enough power to drag it off his trailer. I only have my 2010 crawler loader (with worn snow pads).

Do you think my 2010 diesel will have enough power to slide the spare 2010 off the trailer and a short distance across firm ground/grass to clear the trailer (with locked brakes and good snow pads)? I have several neighbors with mid-size JD wheel tractors that may be able to help (the one neighbor has a JD 148 wheel tractor), but I'm not sure how much better that would be over my 2010 crawler. There are other neighbors with much bigger JD and Ford/New Holland wheel tractors but I am not sure if they will be available.

As a last resort, I can rent a CAT 939HST crawler loader from my local CAT store which I am sure could do it, but that would add close to $1000 by the time they mob/demob it from the city to my property.

I would appreciate hearing from those who have "been there, done that". Thank you in advance.

Pammark · Post by **Pammark** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:21 pm

Try the Ole Egyptian trick. Put round pipes under the boards to roll on. I would think 4-5 1" pipes about 8 foot long will do. After the last one clears the board, move it to the front. etc.

Mark

Tigerhaze · Post by **Tigerhaze** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:36 pm

Thanks- I was thinking about doing that but I didn't know how well it would roll with good tread left on the snow pads. That may be a lifesaver though, at least until I got it opn the ground. That may not works as well on the grass but it's worth having the stuff there for it.

NNAATZ · Post by **NNAATZ** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:11 pm

with out seeing its' hard to say but putting steel tubeing paralell under the track so your sliding steel on steel but trying to keep it straight would be problem and as it made the desent off the trailer there is no stoping it but it would move esay. could you make make-shift load dock? to keep it level
dangerous moves nick

JR · Post by JR » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:18 pm

Drive up tight to the parts machine so it can't roll back fast and make a good hitch to it. pipes and boards should be enough to eliminate a lot of friction and if you go to grass just put another set of boards on the grass then pipes then boards under tracks. rotate the pipes as you go and it should be a piece of cake.JR

JR · Post by JR » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:20 pm

Drive up tight to the parts machine so it can't roll back fast and make a good hitch to it. pipes and boards should be enough to eliminate a lot of friction and if you go to grass just put another set of boards on the grass then pipes then boards under tracks. rotate the pipes as you go and it should be a piece of cake.JR

DiggerLarry · Post by **DiggerLarry** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:39 pm

Never done it with a crawler as big as the 2010 but the pipe and board method works on the 40/420 crawlers. But sometimes the pipe will sink if you don't have a lot of them to distribute the weight and you are not on hard ground or concrete. You can literally push it by hand on the trailer so make sure it doesn't get away from you before you get the tug attached to it.

Steel plate alone under it works well also. Steel track on steel is surprisingly slick. I have dragged them on oak 2x8s with grease on them with flat pads but found the grousers on the snow shoes want to dig in so you need pipe beneath it. In that case I didn't have enough pipe or boards so, I used 3 pieces of 2x4 steel tubing about 8 ft long placed from side to side under the tracks and the grousers held it in place. Slid easily on the greased boards. A trip to the local scrap yard might be worth it to have some material on hand.

I have a Ford 4000 wheel tractor with a front loader and using it to lift one end or side up at a time allows putting pipe, boards or plate under the track and as power to drag it. I agree with JRs comment about chain it tight to what ever is dragging it as a dead weight to control it. You don't want it falling off the trailer or sliding out of control into someone. For your unloading spot try to get the trailer level from left to right so you don't have to worry about gravity "helping" it move toward the low side. It will pull a tractor like mine sideways with it as the crawler weighs almost as much as the tractor and the center of gravity is higher.

I've been in the same spot you are a few years ago and had no idea how to accomplish the move. The guys here gave some great ideas on my first one. I have had to deal with the same problem a couple of times since. Hope my experiences help you. Most of all, Think Safety. As Nick said, this is dangerous. You’re trying to make a 10,000 lb piece of equipment move easily. That can have bad results if something unpredicted happens.

Stretch · Post by **Stretch** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:10 pm

I have used a rollback with a winch. Grease the wood, winch off trailer onto rollback which will be the same height then take machine to where you want it tilt up bed and pull off with your 2010. Easy

Stretch

Tigerhaze · Post by **Tigerhaze** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:03 pm

Thanks for all of the replies- I figured some of you had gone through this and didn't want to duplicate trial and error.

I think I will have some help with the strategy, as the transporter is someone that Lavoy has worked with before and he seems like he has hauled thousands of these smaller crawlers. He may have it all figured out before I even get anyhting set up but I certainly want to be prepared and not sit there without a couple of plans.

I like the idea of a rollback but I am out in a rural area and I'm afraid getting someone out there who is agreeable to pull it on may cost a bunch, plus the rollback would need to get up the hill which may be difficult.

I hadn't put a lot of thought into the pipe and tubing scenarios and am glad for the ideas as now I can go buy that stuff this weekend and be sure to be prepared. There is a slight tilt on approach to the small hills so I will need to be careful with trying to keep level.

To the extent I can, I will take pictures of whatever I do to get it off of there and post up.

sbarr · Post by **sbarr** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:28 pm

Anyone around with a boom truck,I have a buddy of mine that moved mine for me with no problem

Tigerhaze · Post by **Tigerhaze** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:02 am

Unfortunately no, just wheel tractors and my crawler. I'm sure somewhere out in the county there's a guy with a boom truck but I don't know them. Actually I believe the sawmill about 20 miles away has a knuckle boom on their logging truck but I've never spoken to them.

The problem with bringing in another third party to help unload it will be the timing and coordination; as of now the delivery date and time has been repeatedly revised on the other end so I would need to be flexible and meeting the transporter and it is sort of tough to have another hired party on continual standby.

Pammark · Post by **Pammark** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:59 am

I suggested the Egyptian Style unloading. I was going to add to watch out for gravity helping you unload a little too fast. Others have made the point.

My 2010 weighs 6.4 ton, but I have a bucket which might account for one ton. I have some expellers that are one big chunk of cast iron at 5 ton each. I had them on a flat bed semi. I used a telehandler to unload them. The type you see at construction sites that are 4WD normally with a telescoping boom. Keep the boom retracted and it lifted them OK. Then you can drive them anywhere and set the dozer down. Go to an equipment rental place and see if they have one rated at about 8-10,000 lb. They have enough extra strength to lift more.

I don't think you will find a logging boom truck with a rating enought to lift 5 ton.

Mark

NNAATZ · Post by **NNAATZ** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:33 am

did you ever take delivery on this machine yet?

Tigerhaze · Post by **Tigerhaze** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:23 pm

I am still waiting on the seller and transporter to find a mutual time for pickup. I'm hoping it will be in the next week or two, although I am pretty busy at work right now and would probably need to take time off to unload it.

I went and got some 2"x12"x12' CCA boards to grease up and slide the crawler just in case. I would have liked to find steel plate but that is big bucks.

NNAATZ · Post by **NNAATZ** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:54 pm

i was just wondering haven't seen any body post for awhile

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