Forklift Help

Jgoal55

Active member
So soon enough I'll be taking delivery of a brand new 9ft long Reef Savvy aquarium.

The tank will be going on the second floor and I need a forklift to get it up there and through the double doors of the balcony.

Any ideas/suggestions on who to call / how to make this happen?
 
So my dad owns a sand/gravel company and when he repaired trucks he had an old fork lift. So I'm not sure this relates to modern lifts but it might.

One day I was goofing around picking up and old engine from a dump truck and I got it to around 6 feet in the air and the thing tipped forward.. engine fell off the left and left pretty sizable hole in the concrete floor.

I'm not sure how much a 9 foot long glass tank weights.. All I know is it will weigh a lot. If its over like 1600lb you might need a crane to get it up 10-12 feet.
 
Thanks all. Called a Tool Rental place today and that's exactly the machine they recommended. I'll ask for the extended fork. That's a great idea because I was hoping to be able to lift the tank to the second floor with the tank on the fork, front to back.

As for tipping forward, that's why they recommended that machine...lol. The lady told me I could use a regular forklift if I wanted to have a glass covered driveway!!

This particular shop did not offer operators so I am going to call some others tomorrow. No way I trust myself to operate that thing.

Oh, tank is 8ft long by the way, not 9. Not that that'll make much difference.
 
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Just so you know, the machine will weigh over 15,000 pounds and cost over a grand for the day. So think about what you will drive it on. It might create problems if you have pavers. Also, think about how you will attach the tank to the forks. It is not something a novice should probably try. To get it to not slide on the forks, you would have to strap it pretty tight. I would ask Felix for his thoughts. I am sure he has installed one before like this.
Just trying to help
 
http://www.onesourcerental.com/specs/genie_gth-5519_specs.pdf

shows weight at 9800 pounds, max weight lift at full extension 4400 pounds
was building a retaining wall in my back yard with one
1 week rental with delivery and pick-up was 275 dollars(doesn't count fuel), I re-fueled it my self, they wanted 8 dollars a gallon

and the tank would be delivered on a long pallet...leave it on the pallet until you get it threw the double doors
 
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At 10 foot extension and 10 foot in the air, it will hold 2,000 lbs. That is not a lot of reach out of you have plants. I am used to larger telehandlers. Mine weighs 26,000 lbs. Just trying go point out things that might not be thought of
 
Just so you know, the machine will weigh over 15,000 pounds and cost over a grand for the day. So think about what you will drive it on. It might create problems if you have pavers. Also, think about how you will attach the tank to the forks. It is not something a novice should probably try. To get it to not slide on the forks, you would have to strap it pretty tight. I would ask Felix for his thoughts. I am sure he has installed one before like this.

Just trying to help



Yeah. Good point. Luckily it's a solid concrete slab right up to the balcony. Don't even need much extension as there is no railing yet either.

Tank comes on a pallet so it'll stay fixed on that until it's in.

Felix actually doesn't have much experience with second floors....I asked. He says the few of his tanks that have gone up to second floors have been up north.

http://www.onesourcerental.com/specs/genie_gth-5519_specs.pdf
1 week rental with delivery and pick-up was 275 dollars(doesn't count fuel), I re-fueled it my self, they wanted 8 dollars a gallon

and the tank would be delivered on a long pallet...leave it on the pallet until you get it threw the double doors



$275?!? For a week?!? Where'd you rent? Which machine? I was quoted $675 for a single day.


At 10 foot extension and 10 foot in the air, it will hold 2,000 lbs. That is not a lot of reach out of you have plants. I am used to larger telehandlers. Mine weighs 26,000 lbs. Just trying go point out things that might not be thought of


The tank only weighs a few hundred pounds so weight won't be an issue. And I don't need much extension really as there's nothing in front of the balcony and there is no railing yet which makes it even easier height wise.

It's going into the doors on the left.

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Call sunbelt rentals. As they are a construction equipment rental company and have several different sizes of telescoping forks lifts.
 
That machine would work for you. They are pretty simple to operate. When it comes in, depending on my schedule, I could come and operate it for you, but you could probably play with the machine for 5 minutes and figure it out.
Dan
 
You also may want to call a crane company. A boom truck is small and fairly cheap. If they do it on a second run there is no minimum. Probably run about $300 total to pick it up. We use
Precision Crane
954-914-1998
 
Purchase a professional "Mover's Dolly" & place it on the balcony. You'll be able to slide the tank/pallet off the forks & onto the dolly, once it's up on the 2nd floor. Then you can wheel the tank through the doors & into position for lifting. A good dolly will cost about $50 & well worth it. Wouldn't hurt to have a mover's blanket or 2, incase you need to slide the tank. They will protect your floors & the tank edges. Moved a number of pianos & safes this way some years ago. HTH & best of luck.
 
Depending on your location you can call Mhequipment. They rent any size forklift that you would need.

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Another thing to think of (i work for caterpillar and we carry telehandlers) most places wont rent it to you unless you have the right insurance. We require a million dollars of business general liabilty. We wont rent to home owners.

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If you local I can help you operate whatever lift you rent. I have used few different types working on aircraft. I recommend all tool rentals for best price and service


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In Miami (Dadeland Mall Area), I believe the Doral Sunbelt is your closest... (I work for Sunbelt.) The Genie 5519 almost always comes with solid tires, while the older JCB 520's come with air filled or foam filled larger tires for going over dirt/grass. Neither of these will come with long forks. A standard 5k forklift has the option of 6' forks, but they come with 42" forks usually. THe standard 5k forklift is concrete/asphalt only, dont even think of taking it in the dirt. Forklifts are very easy to operate, where people get into trouble is they forget the "finesse" that is required in operating any car, and they get in and floor it or they don't watch out for uneven ground. Everything you do in a forklift with a load on the forks, you take it easy. Also, if you're worried, a good ratchet strap securing it to the forks is great peace of mind. Also, look into the Genie SLC 18, it is a material lift, and you can rent 2 (one for each end). Cheaper option, manually operated lifts, and we've rented them for this purpose before. Again, a ratchet strap holding the tank to the forks is a good idea.
 
Call sunbelt rentals

Thanks. My local Sunbelt would not rent without a license to operate.

That machine would work for you. They are pretty simple to operate. When it comes in, depending on my schedule, I could come and operate it for you, but you could probably play with the machine for 5 minutes and figure it out.
Dan

If you local I can help you operate whatever lift you rent. I have used few different types working on aircraft. I recommend all tool rentals for best price and service

Really appreciate you both offering this! Thanks so much and I will keep you posted on when this will happen. When I go see the machine I'll take a look and see if I feel comfortable in it. If I do, I won't bother you at all. That said, the closest I've ever come to operating machinery is a Bobcat.

Maybe I'll spend sometime here for training: https://www.diggerlandusa.com :lol:

You also may want to call a crane company. A boom truck is small and fairly cheap.

Thanks for the idea. I just googled some videos of boom trucks and it looks like the load swings a lot. Is that always the case? I'd be freaked out if I saw that tank swinging 15ft in the air! lol

Purchase a professional "Mover's Dolly" & place it on the balcony.

Yup, this is exactly what I planned on doing. The stand will also already be in the house and I am leaving that on dolly's as well so I can move the tank around until I am ready to finalize set up.

Depending on your location you can call Mhequipment. They rent any size forklift that you would need

Thx. Will give them a call.

Another thing to think of (i work for caterpillar and we carry telehandlers) most places wont rent it to you unless you have the right insurance. We require a million dollars of business general liabilty. We wont rent to home owners.

Yeah, several places have told me no, but in Miami, you can find anyone to rent you something as long as you sign your life away. lol

In Miami (Dadeland Mall Area), I believe the Doral Sunbelt is your closest... (I work for Sunbelt.) The Genie 5519 almost always comes with solid tires, while the older JCB 520's come with air filled or foam filled larger tires for going over dirt/grass. Neither of these will come with long forks. A standard 5k forklift has the option of 6' forks, but they come with 42" forks usually. THe standard 5k forklift is concrete/asphalt only, dont even think of taking it in the dirt. Forklifts are very easy to operate, where people get into trouble is they forget the "finesse" that is required in operating any car, and they get in and floor it or they don't watch out for uneven ground. Everything you do in a forklift with a load on the forks, you take it easy. Also, if you're worried, a good ratchet strap securing it to the forks is great peace of mind. Also, look into the Genie SLC 18, it is a material lift, and you can rent 2 (one for each end). Cheaper option, manually operated lifts, and we've rented them for this purpose before. Again, a ratchet strap holding the tank to the forks is a good idea.

Thanks for all the feedback. Sunbelt went rent to me unless I have a license I was told. As for grass/dirt, luckily don't have to worry about that as it's a concrete driveway all the way up to the balcony.

Do you know how far apart the forks are on these machines? That's one specification I couldn't find. I'm wondering If I can place the tank front to back on the forks though I would need the extended forks for that.

I looked at the SLC 18 that you mentioned, but it seems that will only lift straight up and then we'd have to lift the tank off of it and haul it onto the balcony. Seems that would be really difficult to do given the weight.

I like the idea of the 5519 "extending" the tank onto the balcony where we could lower it onto the dolly's
 
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