Tractor moving a semi trailer

[DmansPadge]

I also kind of read through this thread quickly. I would think the full size backhoe would do the job. And I don't believe even a large skid steer would lift as much as a full size backhoe?

 

[rutwad]

The full size 'hoe will lift more. Once you get it close to position, you may even be able to place it with the 'hoe which would take virtually no head-room.

 

[polo1665]

No worries fellas. As said I am changing the parking configuration. I have a neighbor with an excavator but it will tear up the place so I have decided to park them where it will be easy.

I am very grateful for the advice, you all have been a big help.

Hey Damifino, I never thought of that. My other neighbor has a HUGE skid steer - the biggest one CASE makes. Brilliant. All the power I need, easy in, easy out.

Thanks everybody.

Wow, nice neighborhood. Check down the street a little, maybe someone's got one of those dual rotor Chinook freight helicopters. That would do the job.

 

[jimmyj]

Ha ha ha

Yes, we are knee deep in equipment around here. The skid steer guy and the BH guy both say they will come if I need them. They both say they will help me "for free" but I always offer some compensation for jobs that take their good time - even if it's free dinner of BBQ steak or something. Now all I have to do is wait for the ground to dry and firm up.

I will take a photo summary when this takes place. Thanks for all the tips everybody.

 

[rutwad]

Ha ha ha

Yes, we are knee deep in equipment around here. The skid steer guy and the BH guy both say they will come if I need them. They both say they will help me "for free" but I always offer some compensation for jobs that take their good time - even if it's free dinner of BBQ steak or something. Now all I have to do is wait for the ground to dry and firm up.

I will take a photo summary when this takes place. Thanks for all the tips everybody.

Did you get it moved?

We have a refrigerated truck body, (insulated I should say since refrigeration equip. has been removed) that we are looking to get rid of. Last week, we moved it using a backhoe. The box is approx. 24'-26' long and had about 10 inches of plywood stacked in the front of it. It's quite a bit shorter, but it's insulated. I don't have a clue as to it's weight, but the Cat. managed to drag it without breaking a sweat .

 

[jimmyj]

Update for you all.

I got a 26 foot fibreglass truck body instead of the trailers. I traded the trailers for some landscape rock because they were just going to be too big and nasty to get down back. The truck box is awesome, leakproof, has a translucent roof and is already full of stuff.

The CK30 worked like a charm to clear the site. Took out a few trees, dug a big, levelled it off - got to play with all my attachments. Then we backed the truck in, cut the box bolts off, chained the box to a tree and drove the truck out from under the box. The box is now set up on some blocks about a foot off the dirt and the FEL had enough oomph to push it around or lift a corner to level where necessary. I'll take some pics today and post them.

Now all i have to do is level a few ruts in the field from the truck and it'll be good as new (better in fact!).

 

[radioman]

awesome, you got a solution that works for you.

 

[alchemy]

I think this old thread is worth reviving aside from the fact that I am also having the dilema.
First of all, I think these trailers are alot heavier than originally assumed in the thread. I just saw a common 28' semi box trailer with aluminum outer siding and plywood walls that actually said "12,200# empty weight." Figure lifting one end with the pivot near the back that is still quite a load.
I need to be able to move one around myself occasionally except mine is 45' and I was thinking maybe 17,000#. Difference is I do have room for a semi tractor to move it but the cost and hassle to get someone everytime is going to be a pain. The equipmeent I have now that I was throwing into the "consideration box" are 2 1/2 ton and 1 ton dumps, a 33K# FL curtanside box truck, an 8000# outdoor forklift, regular size tractors, a 2 axle lowboy trailer. May have forgot something. I'm wondering that if I don't get it up on wheels at 4 points to just pull it around the only option with what I have is to mount it on the 2 1/2 ton dumps or the FL 33K somehow. All methods seem like quite a venture.

 

[bcp]

I'll find a way to keep them as "non permanent" even if I have to set them on banana peels and slide em along when the inspector flies overhead.

Paint the roof to match the surrounding color, then paint a top view of your tractor on the roof of the trailer.

Bruce

 

[alchemy]

Paint the roof to match the surrounding color, then paint a top view of your tractor on the roof of the trailer.

Bruce

You guys are "creatively nuts" :laughing: but I like that kinda thing myself

 

[David_Kb7uns]

I would look into a converter dolly and move it with a tractor or the dump truck with a pintle hitch. Where you getting the air for the brakes?

David Kb7uns

 

[alchemy]

I got it moved. Hired someone with a regular size case back hoe. It stretched it's limits since the back wheels of the back hoe were off the ground most of the time and had to slide the landing gear "lightly." That trailer is a 45' with a GVWR of 60,000 and and GVR2 of 19,000. The 19,000 has to be the empty weight. It also had about 2000# of stuff in it. I released the brakes by installing a simple valive and air hose fitting then charging from my compressor, shutting the valve, then removing the air line from the compressor. I initially had both lines tee'd from the valve but the back hoe guy said just one releases and the other actually applies pressure when driving so I ended up only needing to pressurize 1 line. We had to switch the lines til we found which one released the brakes. I connected the valve to the heavy nylon or plastic 3/8 line that goes to the the air holding tanks near the axles using just a peice of air line and hose clamps after I unsrewed the line at the compression union. Just one pressurization of 120PSI held plenty long enough and the brakes are probably still released several hours later.

Belive it or not, I had to move it away from a dock and park it somewhere so I could get another truck to the dock to unload a 7500# forklift I just bought. I tried the forklift on it later just testing it and it lifted the trailer with no strain as high as I wanted even at idle speed. I think even smaller hard tire 5000# forklifts would lift it easily.

 

[alchemy]

confirmed! I later moved it easily with the 7500# outdoor forklift (4 wheels in front) while it had 3000-5000# of stuff in it near the tongue (front). Again, this was a heavier 45' trailer. That even moved it alot easier than the full size case backhoe. A 3000-5000# forklift would probably also work as long as you had traction. Even though the traction was good enough to "skid" it without releasing the brakes, the brakes were released using one charge from an air tank with one 100-120 fill and a shut off valve installed for when the air tank is removed. There is only one of the two lines you pressure. If you pressure the other line it actually puts the brakes on.
I was moving on fairly flat ground and didn't use a chain. Once you release the brakes you want to consider the trailer could get away from you and to assure that can't happen. A chain would work but if it was set wrong and the trailer started rolling it could flip you.