moving concrete pads

[woody]

I have bidded on and may win some pre formed concrete pads 14ft x 4ft x 4in. the place that has them said they will load them on my 7 ton trailer. now my problem will be unloading them, my tractor will only lift 1000# I have several ideas but would like to hear yours.

 

[texasjohn]

rent equipment to unload at your place and put in final location. I think trying to offload yourself is dangerous and will break the pads in the process.

 

[PILOON]

Load them with 3-4" logs/saplings between layers so that you could roll or slide them off.
Your big problem however will be that the undersides will not be as slick as the topside and I question as to how you will be able to bed them in the new location. Also if the slabs are not armored many could be broken from handling.
Your best bet might be to cut slabs into 7 foot lengths making damage less likely as well as easier to handle.
Good luck, have fun.

And drive slow, bumps in road jarring the load could cause 1/2 the load to arrive in pieces.
(moving free patio slabs did that for me, 2/3 arrived in pieces)

 

[Gary Fowler]

Even at 7 foot length you will still be overloaded if it is standard weight concrete (150# per cubic foot) at 1400 lbs. With 14 foot pieces, 2 is all you can carry at one time and it will be hard to transport them with roller logs under them without breaking them. I think if you loaded them with the smooth side down, you could slide them off gently without too much damage to them or your trailer by putting down some plywood on your trailer deck. Going to be iffy anyway you go with it unless you have them in a frame that can be lifted with a crane. Cost for that would exceed the cost of the concrete. There is only about a cubic yard in each slab so it is worth about 150 bucks for the material minus forming and finishing cost. I am thinking that unless they are free, it would be a cost prohibitive endeavor to try to move them.

 

[2458n]

What are you building with them? I enjoy projects like this, but I see problems with leveling etc.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Each pad is 18 cu ft, 2/3 of a yard, about 2000 lbs. I think you could skid them. See this thread for how I use a plywood sled to move heavier rocks than that:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/268353-lovely-weather-sleigh-ride.html


I'd put 16' pieces of 2x lumber between them when loading so you can slide them apart. Leave spaces so when it's time to take them off the trailer you can put another set of pieces between them to act as skids. Position the trailer so the ends of the skids are where you want the slab to be, pull it off the trailer with the tractor. With a B26 your 3PH lifting capacity is over 1600 lbs, you should be able to lift one end to pull the skids out.

 

[Egon]

Flat topped dirt ramp the height of trailer , skid them off.

Chances are good they will break on the trailer on the way home if the ride is rough.

If they make the trip you just may break then if you skid them around and in the placing.

The best way to transport them would be on edge and then have the proper sized equipment to handle them at home. ( spreader bar & nylon straps or clamping hooks and a cherry picker ):thumbsup:

 

[woody]

Ok guy’s thanks for the replies and ideas, first thing is I did win the bid and at 58 bucks for five pieces I think I did ok. I will be moving them with a 7 ton trailer and a GMC with a duramax and Allison. I recently put in a storm shelter and I will be using these for the walkway and retaining walls going to the shelter. What I don't use there will be at my shop, I will dig out and place beside my existing drive. The pads are preformed and have loops in them to be able to move around with proper equipment of course. Right now I am thinking maybe build a dirt ramp and back the trailer up to it and drag them off. If my tractor fel with the forks on will pick up one end I believe I can handle it.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Loops? Then it's a piece of cake.

I like the dirt ramp better than my idea of skids to get them off the trailer, but it would have to be a pretty high pile depending on the number you have stacked.

I would chain the second one to the trailer with the loops when pulling off the top one so you only get one at a time.

How much can you tilt the trailer? Could you lift the front enough so that the rear touches the ground?

 

[woody]

the trailer has a drop on the rear and I may be able to use the ramps instead of dirt, may have to skid from top of stack to the floor of the trailer. Alot depends on what I see after it is loaded.