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Moving with lowboy

jonno634

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Garfield, WA
Occupation
Farmer
I have 2 different moves I need to do with a 53 foot RGN lowboy (30ton excavator). I do not believe I can make the corner, especially loaded. This would be from a state paved highway turning onto a gravel county road. It’s possible they may have better access coming from the opposite direction, but its 10 miles further to get turned around, and will still be very questionable. So, what do you do, do you make a dry run empty, so that you don’t get stuck or get in a bind loaded. Do you unload on the pavement (on wood, tires or belting) and track in? What about if sight distance isn’t great? Just looking for ideas... I am pretty good with my truck and lowboy, but I am no trucker.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,424
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Either that or figure on carrying conveyor belting and or tires even to having soil or rock layed out on the paving to offload on pavement then track the machine in. If cannot make the corner and any drops on the sides will either get hung up, buried or tip the machine off which any of the three get mighty costly. You will need spotters, chase cars to block the road, and NOTIFY or Ask permission of the local PD and county roads work office.
 

Junkyard

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
3,621
Location
Claremore, OK
Occupation
Field Mechanic
What’s the intersection? I bet a quick look on google earth I can tell you. How deep is the ditch on each side and if you unloaded on the road how far to track? What wheelbase is your truck? Approx width of each road? I could explain how to measure it....lol but it’s an art I’ve learned and am not sure how to translate it into words!
 

Tugger2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
Is your deck flush , going off the side onto the dirt road is ok if your deck is flush. Cancel that , just saw side boards and centre beams in your avatar if thats the bed your using.
 

bam1968

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
528
Location
IA
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
With the ground being wet and loose unload on the road. I don't think the law is going to bother you in Garfield.

Just yesterday we unloaded a dozer off the side at an intersection because of the road being soft. I don't really care to spin the machine around on the trailer and take a chance of screwing up the deck or bending a flange on the frame when coming off the trailer. But it all went well and wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had to.
 

jonno634

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Garfield, WA
Occupation
Farmer
Is your deck flush , going off the side onto the dirt road is ok if your deck is flush. Cancel that , just saw side boards and centre beams in your avatar if thats the bed your using.
The deck is flush.. looks like it’s raised, cause the inside boards are out on the outriggers.

Leaning towards unloading on the road with flaggers. Move got postponed a week or so, will see if conditions improve. I’ll post how it went.
 

JPV

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
756
Location
S.W. Washington
That is how I would do it (unload with flaggers), I am always more comfortable if I can do it empty first. I run into a lot of those types of situations in the woods and have learned the hard way that using caution is usually less work in the long run. I will unload and reload on the other side of the corner if there is much doubt in my mind. It would be interesting to learn Junkyards technique, I am always trying to figure out if I can make it or not. Usually it involves steep switch backs that you get one shot at because backing out if you get fouled up is not good!
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
I'm assuming it must be a really narrow 2 lane road you're turning off of to make it that close, if so wouldn't unloading on the road force you to block 1 entire direction of traffic or possible entire road? If it wasn't that far i'd probably have spotters to stop traffic, go into the turn a bit see if you think you can make it, if not just unload on the road and track in.

The spring time can suck. I remember one job last spring got stuck going in, and coming out and having to unload. Gravel can look so deceiving. Looked good, pickup goes across doesn't leave a mark, dump truck makes it across ok, trailer sinks up to the frame.
 

Mother Deuce

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Messages
1,603
Location
New England
Is your trailer a Witzco or Eager Beaver? The gooseneck looks like a Witzco. Just curious.... the outside flange of both those trailers is a channel not a beam. If you decide your going to bail off the side. Bring enough lumber to crib up above the deck height of the trailer, so the machine comes off onto the blocks and pivots right up off the deck so the flange never bears the weight of the tractor. I concur with Truck Shop though. However like D Miller suggested make sure your safe and your permits are in order. I received a ticket once for than the cost of a new 4X4 F350 Platinum for not validating a county permit number.
 

jonno634

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Garfield, WA
Occupation
Farmer
Its a Witzco trailer... side unloading is not really on my list of things to do, I’d rather unload on the state highway and track in. Once I get unloaded and off of the highway, I am also getting off of the county road and getting into the field. Just no good access this time of year.
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,869
Location
North Carolina
Getting hung up, tipped over, or a ticket. is gonna be expensive. I've had to call the HP twice to get equipment out to the highway. It went very well with the HP there to control traffic.

HP and closing one lane is a sure thing and less expensive than the risk you'll take otherwise.
 

jonno634

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Garfield, WA
Occupation
Farmer
I made the corner loaded just fine, had a little room to spare. I unloaded on the gravel road and I turned the truck around out in my field (empty) and got stuck. I appreciated all the suggestions. I should note, the gravel road is a dead end, so it’s a road to nowhere.
 

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DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,424
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Good to know can make corner, now just got to work on the bottomless field!!.

Nice looking machine, should work on that hub cap oil leaker some.
 

jonno634

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Garfield, WA
Occupation
Farmer
Good to know can make corner, now just got to work on the bottomless field!!.

Nice looking machine, should work on that hub cap oil leaker some.
Caps actually fixed... but it hadn’t made it to the pressure washer yet.
 
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