TKK Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 So ive been using a 14x4 heavy duty trailer and added a warn 2500lb winch. It was doing great but id have to.lay the machines down. I want to upgrade. I went to see a 7x14 new dual axle trailers with brakes. Some have the two small ramps and one has like a 4ft ramp, however way too steep. I wanna be able to move 6-8 machines at a time. Does anyone know of a liftgate for a utility trailer? Or anyone.know if I could.make like a 6-7ft ramp, strap on the dolly and winch them.in? I want to transport these standing up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 You can get a liftgate from Tommy Lift that could be mounted to a trailer. I have seen this before and the widest gate they make for this is 91" wide or 7.58 feet wide. For a 7' wide trailer you would need their 86" wide gate. You can get this with a 42" deep platform and then you'd need to have the power cable run from your truck battery to the liftgate. You might also have to have a loop style locking construction ball for the tongue to hook to so the tongue won't come loose as you put weight on the rear of the trailer. One good thing about this is you could always relocate the liftgate to a flatbed truck if you needed to. Talk to a local truck upfitter or search for Tommy Lift or Tommy Gate in your area for someone who sells and installs them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 It sounds like the perfect system, but I cant find any trailers online with a liftgate. I was thinking of using the winch somehow maybe with pullies could posibly load the machine.on ramp then pull it up straight with the winch and then.just roll it.in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Hard to picture this but what if I put two tall posts on the end and the.front with a pulley and a cross bar. Winch cable goes over the first bar then over to the end one, then.I hook line into the rear ramp ledge, push the Machine on the ramp then.winch it up the ramp would level to the deck then.just dolly it in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I think you would need to buy you a box van with a liftgate on back to move such machines or buy you a trailer like Roger Morris, that would be the safest way without hurting yourself. I move my machines with a utility trailer and I only move two at a time for safety. I leave the snack machine standing, with cold drink machine laying on side, with two straps on both machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 You won't find a trailer with a liftgate unless you are extremely lucky. They are one-off builds and you would have to build your own. The trailer that Roger has actually lowers to the ground and is ideal for this as you can simply roll the machines onto it, strap them down, raise the trailer hydraulically and drive off. Trailervator is one manufacturer name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Is that the blue one? I dont want another box truck as I have to.pay insurance and its expensive. I was even.looking at the flatbed trucks but I think a trailer would be best as your lower to the grouUnd. My 14x4 is great for 2-3 machines tho o want to be able to move more if I had to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashman Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 When your moving drink machines laying them down how do you stand them back up, four people ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 No, me and a buddy. Usually we will slide it to the ledge, teeter it and bring it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 When your moving drink machines laying them down how do you stand them back up, four people ? I cut some 3/4 inch pvc and use them like rollers and roll machine to edge of trailer and stand them up , so i have no scratches on side of machine. Same thing when I load a cold drink machine, put pvc pipe just far enough on trailer and push machine onto trailer and just roll it where I will strap it down. Must take out pvc pipe from under machine, before strapping. That is the way I move my cold drink machines. If i'm setting machine up with drinks that day I will take out deck and install it at location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkhusker Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'll have to get some pics of my trailer. I have 16' x 77" tandem axle with a 4' ramp gate (1/8" steel). It has drop axles so it sits considerably lower than the standard trailer. I had it built to my specs about 4 yrs ago. If I remember right, all in all was about $2200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoom Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Despite some reservations from this board, I found a used escalera (google it) dolly with the forklift attachment for $500 and am very happy with it. Roll it to the back of the trailer like a normal machine dolly would, crank it up 18" and either roll it forward onto the trailer or back the trailer up under the machine. Since you already have another machine dolly, you leave that one on the trailer for moving the machine once it is on the trailer and use the escalera to move machines to the trailer and put them on. Make sure you get a trailer that has a removable ramp/back gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 U guys have any pics? Laying them down sucks because it grips on the wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfdogs Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I priced out a couple of drop deck trailers today. JLG (who bought out triple L trailers) brand. Single axel 4500 lb capacity was roughly $7500. Tandem axel 7000lb capacity was roughly $9700. Add $1500 for shipping!! As I was talking to the rep, one of his coworkers mentioned a nearby equipment rental place has a drop deck trailer that they rent. I swung by there and sure enough, they rent the trailer for $60 a day. Beats the heck out of 10 grand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I was renting a drop deck trailer from Home Depot for 1 and a half years until the day came that they were replacing it and offered it to me for 900 dollars. I am now the proud owner of my own trailer. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainor5251 Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I got a manual winch drop deck for $900 used, I need to have the rails raised and some more hook points welded on. My next trailer will be xtra high dual axel enclosed trailer between 18'-20'. Of course got to get a new truck to pull it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Piks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Piks! here's mine. http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/gallery/album/103-anderson-vending/ John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkhusker Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 OK, so I finally got a couple of pics of my trailer. Now let's see if I can get them to show up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Does the forklift selfpower itself up the ramp with a machine on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainor5251 Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Piks! Heres mine http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/gallery/image/1283-drop-deck/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoom Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 It won't climb a ramp. The one I got does have the stair climbing feature on it, but I haven't used it. It is a forklift, so it lifts the machine up, then slides it forward onto a trailer. The key is having a trailer with a removeable ramp or back gate because the base of the forklift needs to slide under the trailer. A pic really isn't going to cut it so look at this youtube video for the basic idea. BTW, not sure I would be comfortable with a machine as high in the air as they have the safe in the video. If I had to go that high, I would drive the truck out from under it rather than moving the forklift. However, most trailers are 18" off the ground and that type of height is pretty comfortable. The Escalera also has attachments that allow you to break the machine over and rest it on a second set of wheels like a dutro, or a big set of rubber air filled tires that are great for rough surfaces. I can post a pic of that in a bit. Again, I know others with far more experience here don't care for this machine, but for someone who is not planning on growing big enough to own, or doesn't want, a box truck with lift gate - this is a pretty good option if you want to move your own machines. I was also looking at the trailer/ramp/winch route and just felt more comfortable with the trailer/escalera approach. Now that I've written all this, I am thinking you were asking arkhusker that question...oh well. Link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlEDs1Eyl0Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkhusker Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Whiteroom, mine is just a pallet jack, not a forklift, so I think he was asking about your escalera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Whiteroom, mine is just a pallet jack, not a forklift, so I think he was asking about your escalera. I was asking about that Yale unit you have - I own a Powermate, similar to the Escalera. The tricky thing with these machines is that when you lift any machine high enough to reach a pickup bed you need to have some means of keeping the vendor upright or the whole works will flip off onto the ground. I use a come-a-long with a cable but this is sketchy at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojorhino Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 It won't climb a ramp. The one I got does have the stair climbing feature on it, but I haven't used it. It is a forklift, so it lifts the machine up, then slides it forward onto a trailer. The key is having a trailer with a removeable ramp or back gate because the base of the forklift needs to slide under the trailer. A pic really isn't going to cut it so look at this youtube video for the basic idea. BTW, not sure I would be comfortable with a machine as high in the air as they have the safe in the video. If I had to go that high, I would drive the truck out from under it rather than moving the forklift. However, most trailers are 18" off the ground and that type of height is pretty comfortable. The Escalera also has attachments that allow you to break the machine over and rest it on a second set of wheels like a dutro, or a big set of rubber air filled tires that are great for rough surfaces. I can post a pic of that in a bit. Again, I know others with far more experience here don't care for this machine, but for someone who is not planning on growing big enough to own, or doesn't want, a box truck with lift gate - this is a pretty good option if you want to move your own machines. I was also looking at the trailer/ramp/winch route and just felt more comfortable with the trailer/escalera approach. Now that I've written all this, I am thinking you were asking arkhusker that question...oh well. Link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlEDs1Eyl0Y Since your Escalara is a stair climber shouldn't you be able to back it up to the trailer & use the stair climbing feature to climb your machine onto your trailer? That is assuming you don't have a ramp attached to the back of your trailer & the trailer is not too high off of the ground. After thinking about it some more . . . Even if it was too high off the ground . . . Why not just build a couple of heavy duty steps out of some 2 by 4's (that you can use when needed) & walk it up the steps on to your trailer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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