Hauling a Cat 390....

[WorldwideRental]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience hauling one of these big boys ? I need to know what equipment i need, man power, how long, etc..... I have to haul a 390 from Colorado to Wyoming in a few weeks and i have to put a team together, from tear down, transport, and to put it back together once it gets to the jobsite. Its a big production from what i'm told. if anyone could help me out, i would appreciate it !!! Thank you !!!

 

[johndeere123]

Ive never seen a 390 moved, but I have seen a volvo 700 moved. We put the bucket, stick, and weight on one truck and then put the body on a lowboy. Took about 4 hours to load if I remember correctly. Just had a service truck for tools and the machine loaded all of the components by its self. Not sure of the machine weight or regulations in your area, but you may need to remove the boom with a crane.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

I'm not sure what you need in CO and WY. Here in CA we move my 375 by removing the bucket and unpinning the stick. It maxes out a 9 axle, and the trucker tells me it is near 175,000# that way.
I would say worst case you pull the bucket, stick, and counterweight, and maybe have to slide the tracks in to the narrow position and possibly remove catwalks as well.

Base machine is around 200,000#. Remove the counterweight at 27,000#, the stick at +/- 11,000#, and the bucket at around 12,000#, depending on size and that gets you to 150,000#. You will probably need 2 additional loads, unless you can get over 80,000 with a reduceable load. We can't here. Besides, with 2 loads you will have no problems with catwalks and misc items. You may need to pull the stack, I'm not sure.

If you can't haul 150,000#, then you may have to pull the boom as well, that drops another 20,000#, +/- If that is the case, then you will need a crane at each end, and a fair bit of extra time. Hopefully you don't have to go that far.

For time, 2 guys with the right tools and attitude can do it in a day on each end even if it is their first time. After doing it, it should be about a 4 or 5 hour job. Having it clean is helpful, especially to slide the tracks in. They can be tough, but all the work is pretty basic, just large parts.

 

[buckfever]

Talked to my buddy who is a mechanic for a heavy highway co. and he said when they move a PC 650 (not sure if there close in size) that it was a all day job. simple to take the bucket, counter weight, and stick off but sliding the tracks in takes a long time. He said it wasn't hard just took time loosening and re-torquing all those nuts.

 

[JTL]

When we move or 385,s ;one is B the other a C, and we have moved them all over the western United States with the exception of California. Anyway we pull the boom, stick and bucket off as well as the counterweight. The counter weight and stick go on one 3 axle step deck pulled by a 4 axle tractor, along with the catwalks, the parts bin we pack around with each one; new teeth, new hoses etc. The boom and bucket on another rig set the same way. You need to slide the track frames in, unless you can find a 10 foot wide lowboy, best to do that with the machine in one piece so you can pick each side off the ground with the boom, and use a forklift or loader to slide them in.
The base machine gets loaded on at least 11 axles. When we use our own lowboy, its a 4 axle tractor, pulling a 3x3x2 Aspen.
We use at least a 40 ton crane, a 60 ton is best to pull apart and load/unload and put back together. 2 guys that know what they are doing can have it ready to dig in less than 8 hours. Usally only takes about 6 to tear it down.
You'll need some good size blocking and a forklift for pushing and pulling pins. Make sure you have caps and plugs for all the hydroloic lines, some good size prybars, come heavy duty come-alongs and some big hammers. You will also want a tourqe multiplier to re-tourqe the track frame bolts.
Hope this helps!

 

[johndeere123]

Do you have to slide the tracks in? Here we just walk it over a 8'6" trailer and block up the centre like you would on a rail float, or use a rail float.

 

[JimBruce42]

When we used to own a 385bLME, the boom, stick, bucket, and counterweight came off, and the fuel tank had to be almost empty to get it on a 2x2x2 beam trailer. On a beam, we were able to keep from removing or pushing the track frames in. Course that's on the east coast, not sure how different the rules are on that side of the country. From what I have heard, with the right guys (and a crane) it would take about a day to break down and prep for transport, then another day to assemble. Good luck.

 

[JTL]

Do you have to slide the tracks in? Here we just walk it over a 8'6" trailer and block up the centre like you would on a rail float, or use a rail float.

I think it depends on how wide the track pads are. I don't know what ours are, but on an 8'6", it lacks about a half inch on either side to do that. We have hauled it short distances with them slid out, using the outriggers. Washington State considers it a reduceable load though, since it takes less than 8 hours to reduce. Crazy laws from state to state!

 

[WorldwideRental]

THANK YOU GUYS !!!!! You just made this girl's job a whole lot easier !!!! Thank you again for all the information and knowledge ! I know were going to need to haul on 3 trucks because of the weight. But I have a better idea of what I'm going to need. Thank you again !!!! :thumbsup

 

[JTL]

THANK YOU GUYS !!!!! You just made this girl's job a whole lot easier !!!! Thank you again for all the information and knowledge ! I know were going to need to haul on 3 trucks because of the weight. But I have a better idea of what I'm going to need. Thank you again !!!! :thumbsup

I see you're in Grand Junction. Get ahold of Henderson Heavy Haul if you need transports. We use them quite often to move our iron around. Their good people.

 

[WorldwideRental]

I see you're in Grand Junction. Get ahold of Henderson Heavy Haul if you need transports. We use them quite often to move our iron around. Their good people.

Henderson Heavy Haul is on my list for companies to use. We also use Girardi's and I know where going to use them because they have a crane. Which we will need to tear down the machine and then build it back up. Thank you for your help !

 

[johndeere123]

You only need the crane if you have to take the main boom off. If you only need to remove the stick and counterweight, the 390 can be loaded without any additional machines.

 

[WorldwideRental]

We do have to take the main boom off, so I was told that I will need a crane. I wish I could be there to see this whole production.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Moving to Wyoming you might want to try Energy Transportation as well. I am sure they will be on your list.

 

[JTL]

By the way, do you know whos getting the 390, or where its going?

 

[TurboBarrier]

You're very lucky that you only need 3 trucks! In Massachusetts we also need to remove the tracks to move it legally! A crane is the safest way to remove the boom but I've seem them removed with a Cat 345 Excavator of bigger! Hope the move went well!

 

[john1066]

This can easily be moved in 6 hours. 3 to tear down and 3 to set up with 3 guys 2service trucks and a loader it is 4 loads tracks on a 50 ton lowbed stick and counterweight on 3 axle drop deck machine on the beam and bucket on a flatbed truck.