29 replies to this topic

[guywithvan]

cheers for the help people,will give budget a ring on mon and see what size vans they have.still think sticking it on the roof of the renault traffic would be funny .

[Dog]

Can u not hire a trailer?

[guywithvan]

Can u not hire a trailer?

i could borrow one (plant trailer)but i havent a tow bar on my van!

[Dog]

Ahh nuts, thats a problem then

Any mates that have?
I'd of thought it'd be better put on a trailer than in a Van.

[guywithvan]

Ahh nuts, thats a problem then

Any mates that have?
I'd of thought it'd be better put on a trailer than in a Van.

when i was a kid my old man used to transport my moto-x bikes on a trailer,you'd be supprised how many times someone hit that trailer!(it did have lights).personally think it would be safer in back of van as i rarely tow anything myself!.

[Dog]

Thats fair enough.

I'd personally try and make a big "skate" for it, so at least if you do have to shove it on a tail lift, you can put it on and off with ease.

[guywithvan]

Thats fair enough.

I'd personally try and make a big "skate" for it, so at least if you do have to shove it on a tail lift, you can put it on and off with ease.

already done that,it's on a frame i made out of 2"box section with trolly wheels on!could always tow it back on that but then it might get damaged!.

[sazal]

If its not got to go far, you might be able to find a recovery place that will take it, but it might be a bit expensive, dunno though if it would be cheaper than hiring a van!!

[minimental]

when i had to move my bare shell 4-5 of us lifted into the back of a renault traffic pickup fitted a treat!

[Ethel]

rental companies have pick ups for the building trade, you may even find one with a hoist. If you're not going too far I reckon you could negotiate a cheaper price with an independent recovery service as long as you went with timings to suit them.

[Dan]

I have to say I agree with Ethel, I think a pickup would be better. I can't imagine that getting it into or out of a box body van by man power alone will be easy. There won't be enough room to get people comfortably at each side and be able to lift properly. You'll have to be in the van and climb down the lift with it or as above rig something onto the lift to hold it or hold one end which is asking for trouble. When I've had shells delivered in the past they have arrived on a Transit pickup, it's pretty easy to lift a new shell from the sides while standing on the road and walk it off the back. It would be really easy to drop it off an overloaded, bodged tail lift especially if it's on tiny castors fitted to a frame. As I said before, how much do you value the shell? I think a trailer or a pickup will be best simply for getting access to lift. Van shells are quite a bit heavier than saloon shells. I load big, heavy expensive things into trucks and vans all the time and the old half on half off the tail lift trick is not something I would like to do with anything that is easily damaged especially if it's on castors.

[998dave]

he's already said he can use a forklift, how about front on the tail lift, back on the fork lift, gently bring up together and push it in with the fork lift too?

Dave

[Dan]

He only has the forklift where he's picking it up from. As I said before, lifting it with the forklift would be easy, getting it out again without one not so much. You would just lift it entirely with the forklift though, not half and half. You don't do that with forklifts.

In the end you'll probably find it's really easy however you do it, but there's always the chance of something going wrong.

Edited by Dan, 03 December 2007 - 12:15 PM.

[Jammy]

I've done this before, albeit with a Clubman (same width, just not as long). To be honest I found it pretty easy getting it into the van. There was myself and two other guys, we lift it to the van, then stuck the front end on the tail lift, on two tyres. Have one or two guys at the back end lifting the rear of the shell as the tail lift goes up, then slide the shell along on the tyres til the back end is on the tail lift. Stick some more tyres under the back end and keep sliding. You'll need a few tyres for this, or at least something that will bare the weight of the shell and make it easy to slide. A pallet on castor wheels might be a good idea. I found there was just enough room to get down the side of the shell.

I might add this was pre-restoration stage, so I wasn't too worried about it getting a bit scratched or dented.

[guywithvan]

pleanty of idea's there people,when i do pick it up i'll get some pic's to show how i went about it,just to let you know i value my van shell highly and if i did'nt think it was safe i would'nt do it.i've already had someone reverse into my 81hl shell and dent a newly fitted wing! .