Need to move an 800+ pound concrete slab.

[Hughman]

I'd start with a jackhammer and make ten 80 pound slabs out of it.

 

[scaredychicken]

I'd use chain, not cable. Edges of concrete slab may cut individual cable strands.
On this old farm, which used to use horse power, I found a number of 4" diameter dowels about 4 feet long, which I believe were placed under heavy objects. As the heavy object was moved off of one dowel, it was place in front of the heavy object, to be used again in the move. Probably 3 or 4 dowels at any one time under the heavy object.
If you have a centered hook on your FEL, I think you'd not have a worry about torqueing something. Chain that slab. You may not be able to lift it, but you can diminish the weight on the ground as you drag it to the new location.

Good Post

I'd be a bit concerned that chains might dig into the edges of the concrete though. Cables I agree, may not survive. The other option might be several heavy transport straps. I like the idea of the dowels /logs. There may also be a way to put some wheels under the slab once lifted ... corner by corner.
I think that I would check out what an Equipment Rental Centre in your area would have or suggest, even as rollers etc. Then decide.
If you know somebody with a Tilting Deck Truck (moves vehicles, shipping containers etc) that might also be an option to get under it ... if space permits. All the best with a solution.

 

[bcp]

Need two round wood fence posts, cut in half to make 4 rollers. Or DIY with logs.

Some boards to make a corner protector, nailed in an L-shape lengthways.

Floor jack, chain, cable, strap, or rope.

Dig a hole, insert floor jack, lift, insert rollers. Put the corner protector on the far side. Wrap a chain, cable, strap, or rope. Pull to new location, replacing rollers as they come out.

Bruce

 

[Cougsfan]

Too bad you can't ask the Egyptians who built the pyramids. Their slabs were a whole lot bigger and they didn't even have tractors!

 

[bdhsfz6]

rebar and mesh only keep the broken pieces together AFTER the slab breaks.

Why is it used in concrete bridge construction? Is it just to make cleanup easier after the bridge collapses?

If rebar doesn't add structural strength, why is it used at all?

 

[3Ts]

Concrete is strong in compression, but not in tension. The rebar handles the tension part of stresses.

 

[3Ts]

As for "levelling" the ground under the slab in the new place. I've moved slabs before, and close to the size you plan to do. The easiest way I've found to level the ground is to put the slab in place and put it on blocking so there is some space between the ground and underside of the slab. Then take a stick in the shape of a "T" and run it all around under the slab so that the ground is the same distance from the bottom of the slab everywhere. This should get you close enough that the remaining imperfections won't matter.

 

[woody]

Got good idea's already and if you were close to where I live I would run by one day and move it for you. Maybe someone close by has a bigger tractor with forks.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ Got two that could/would, but this is a very narrow area on soft ground with a bit of a slope. No where for anything bigger to maneuver.

 

[Cycledude]

moved a concrete slab a little bigger than yours last fall using front forks, but my tractor is bigger. It wasn’t very difficult getting it leveled in the new spot. But in your case wanting to set it into a perimeter of cement blocks will probably make it much more difficult, would probably be much easier to just pour new concrete and save the old slab to use for something else.

 

[ovrszd]

Too bad you can't ask the Egyptians who built the pyramids. Their slabs were a whole lot bigger and they didn't even have tractors!

Or TBN to consult.

 

[ovrszd]

Why is it used in concrete bridge construction? Is it just to make cleanup easier after the bridge collapses?

If rebar doesn't add structural strength, why is it used at all?

CalG explained that simply and accurately. All concrete cracks.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't know how the Egyptians managed without TBN.

 

[ovrszd]

I don't know how the Egyptians managed without TBN.

I've found there is a ratio that moves toward success or prohibits it. This ratio is the amount of time spent doing the task versus the amount of time spent thinking/talking about it. The project will move that ratio a bit. But in the end the doing part completes the task.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

CalG explained that simply and accurately. All concrete cracks.

I poured a 32' x 60' for one of my barns and used fiber and steel , kept a sprinkler on it for about 12 hours a day after the first 48 hours for about a week and cut an expansion joint at the center length ways and cross ways and it hasn't cracked yet, but it may anytime, but it's made 16 years.

 

[ovrszd]

I poured a 32' x 60' for one of my barns and used fiber and steel , kept a sprinkler on it for about 12 hours a day after the first 48 hours for about a week and cut an expansion joint at the center length ways and cross ways and it hasn't cracked yet, but it may anytime, but it's made 16 years.

Have you looked closely inside your cuts?

I cut my shop into 10ft squares. Filled the cuts with expansion caulk so it would be easier to clean. No cracks anywhere on the surface. But I can't see in my cuts. If/when it cracks it will be in the cuts.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Have you looked closely inside your cuts?

I cut my shop into 10ft squares. Filled the cuts with expansion caulk so it would be easier to clean. No cracks anywhere on the surface. But I can't see in my cuts. If/when it cracks it will be in the cuts.

Maybe I should re-phrase, there are no visible cracks on the surface or sides of the slab , there easily could be cracks inside of my expansion joint cuts, I anticipated that on the very end and side of my slab where my cuts ended that it would crack all the way to the bottom of the slab but it hasn't as of yet.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I'd use chain, not cable. Edges of concrete slab may cut individual cable strands.
On this old farm, which used to use horse power, I found a number of 4" diameter dowels about 4 feet long, which I believe were placed under heavy objects. As the heavy object was moved off of one dowel, it was place in front of the heavy object, to be used again in the move. Probably 3 or 4 dowels at any one time under the heavy object.
If you have a centered hook on your FEL, I think you'd not have a worry about torqueing something. Chain that slab. You may not be able to lift it, but you can diminish the weight on the ground as you drag it to the new location.

My great grandpa moved a big house 1/2 mile using mules and logs. Then they lived in it. It was big one.

 

[bdhsfz6]

CalG explained that simply and accurately. All concrete cracks.

No argument there. Perhaps I should have said "break it in half" instead of just "break it" in my original post. A cracked slab held together with rebar may still be useful whereas one that is broken completely in half may not.

 

[Helogabals]

We are using those things to move heavy metal

This one is 6 tones

That will not help OP, as those rollers work only on hard surface.

To equalize weight long round bars has to be used. Like fence posts



Another "lazy option" worth to try is would be to put that thing on some sheet, try to lift one end with 3p and then try to pull it then as sleigh.

To not spoil cables and that slab, put between cables and concrete old thick textile. Like old jeans, towel, anything like that