Can You Ship a Forklift?

A forklift may have wheels, but highway police would probably frown on you trying to drive it down a highway, or even very far down a city street. This means you have to find a way to get it where it needs to be. Shipping the forklift is your only viable solution. Here are some basic things to keep in mind when shipping a forklift.

Flatbed Truck

Because of its weight, a flatbed truck is the normal means of transporting a forklift. Some companies offer shipping containers large enough to support the weight and height, but these are few and far between, making a shipping container a bit more expensive than a flatbed.

Security

Safety is the first consideration for shipping a forklift. A forklift is an expensive piece of equipment and you don’t want to have it damaged during transportation. In addition, if it isn’t securely immobile, it could roll off the truck causing, an accident in addition to being destroyed. Make sure:

• • You remove fuel before traveling.
  • Chains that secure the forklift need to be checked to make sure they can handle the weight of the forklift. Those meant to secure a car will not be strong enough.
  • The company providing transportation needs to have the full amount of the equipment covered in case of loss.
  • Back the forklift onto the transportation platform and lower the boom. Tilt the forks forward for added security. Place blocks of wood beneath the tires to keep them from rolling.

Weight Limits

Certain roadways have restrictions regarding the weight of vehicles that traverse them. When crossing states especially, you need to check any routes to make sure the combined weight of the transport vehicle and the forklift are within the legal limits or you could be facing heavy fines.

Professional Haulers

Your safest bet when shipping a forklift is to hire a company that has experience in hauling large equipment. When you call for price estimates, you will want to provide the hauler with the exact weight of your forklift and the size, especially height. Some questions you may want to ask before making your final decision are:

1. How much experience does the company have in transporting forklifts in general?
2. Are drivers trained in the proper handling of forklifts where loading and unloading are concerned?
3. Is your equipment fully covered by insurance?
4. Do they offer any deals where they may offer specials if you ship more than one item or if they offer shared transport with others who are shipping heavy equipment in the same area?

Illinois Lift Equipment sells a wide variety of the biggest names in forklifts. Our new and used inventory will enable you to find the exact forklift you need in order to do the best job possible. Call us for a quote today and you could be arranging for the shipment of your forklift by tomorrow.

Featured image Andrei Mayatnik on Shutterstock