[super95awd]

So my new VF-2 is to be delivered on Monday. I have someone experienced to do the rigging for me but I just need to source a forklift. None of the rental places around have anything with forks longer than 4ft but I found an aquaintance that has a 20,000lb lift with 6ft forks. I see on the installation PDF that 8ft forks are required, but based on my math and how far they recommend the forks to stick past the base casting, 6ft forks should work. Can anyone confirm that 6ft forks will work? Thanks a lot!

[Geof]

With 6' forks you may not be able to lift it from the sides or front but lifting from the back should be okay. If the forks do not protrude past the casting when you come in from the back you can cheat a little by putting a length of flat bar long enoguh to span the width of the casting across the forks. When doing this it is a good idea to strap the top of the machine back to the forks for extra security.

[Delw]

no offence but unless you know exactly what your doing or your buddy knows exactly what he is doing, or you have more money than god. DONT DO IT.
Hire a real rigging company. cause if you drop it its not covered under warrenty or insurance.
the worse part of the whole ordeal is lifting it off the truck then setting it on the ground. lifting 2-3 off the ground no biggy but 4-6 feet off the truck one screw up and you lost 100K that your still liable for.

more than likely the machine is in the middle of the bed so your going to need 8foot forks to get it off the truck unless you have a way to slide it.

Btw 6" work fine for a 2009 vf2ss from the front (youll have 3 extra inches) unless they changed the sheet metal as I just measured mine.

from the back its no problem at all. 5 footers will work from the back.

Delw

[gizmo_454]

I am really surprised that your HFO did not recommend a rigger for you. They can be a bit pricey, but they know what they are doing. They will also be insured. I am not sure where you are located, but we deal with Kandler Tool based out of Kalamazoo, MI. They are first class. Their equipment is top notch, and they are very professional. Kudos to the fellas that successfully got our VF2SS in the 93" tall garage door opening and under the 93" high beam that runs down the center of the building!

Really, though, think about it for a minute. You spend 60K to 100K+ for your new "baby". Do you really trust an aquaintance with a forklift to handle that machine? Or do you call a professional? Do what you will. I will not take that chance!

DON'T SCRATCH THE PAINT!

Mike

[super95awd]

Well, just for an update, as of yesterday the machine was set in place! We ended up using a 40k lb fork truck with 8ft forks and skates to get it into its final home. Everything went well. Now I just need to get some power to it and we'll be set!

[Kool Parts]

That's always a relief to get it "home"
Pictures when is up and running. :cheers:
Gary

[Machineit]

Well, just for an update, as of yesterday the machine was set in place! We ended up using a 40k lb fork truck with 8ft forks and skates to get it into its final home. Everything went well. Now I just need to get some power to it and we'll be set!

Ya, I think that forklift will handle it.

[john1965]

Forklift is great help for lifting heavy loads I am agree that of you need HFO it is bit pricey for you.Your forklift is quite good you can operate it if you have more knowledge on it you can carry your machine buy using your own forklift.

[CaboWaboKJB]

My new VF-2 will be delivered on Monday.. I just skipped right to hiring the riggers.. They charge about $250.00 and they're insured. Piece of mind..

[underthetire]

My new VF-2 will be delivered on Monday.. I just skipped right to hiring the riggers.. They charge about $250.00 and they're insured. Piece of mind..

Smart man. I've seen twice now customers drop machines. I've also seen the riggers drop machines. Difference is, customer drop, machine never really right again, rigger drop, customer still gets new machine.

[super95awd]

I would have been all over the idea of hiring riggers at $250. The quotes I got locally were more in the $2,000 range.

[haastec]

All depends on your skill, comfort level and what you are willing to risk.

To each their own.

[Machineit]

I have moved machines up to 40 tons. I have moved probably 150+ machines. I have done things with forklifts that would amaze people and maybe now get me thrown in jail!

I have balanced 10 ton machines on the tips of three small forklifts to have trucks back up under them.

Had one machine arrive on truck that was supposed to be on the back of the truck so we could get two lifts under it and when it arrived it was in the middle. Had to put about 1000 pounds of metal on the back of the small 7000 lb lift and take the 12,000 machine off of the truck with the back wheels bouncing off of the ground. Then back it up soooo slowly and get it on the ground without it tipping forward into the truck. Don't think I actually breathed for 5 minutes. The truck driver walked over to me afterward and said, "That's the most amazing thing I have ever seen!" I laughed and he said "No, I'm serious!"

Don't want to do it again!

Just remember that it is not knowing how to use a forklift that counts. It's knowing physics and what happens when things move-----! Friction properties, load centers, and centers of gravity, etc.

I never dropped or damaged a machine, but I have repaired the ones I have watched others drop.

Unless you know all of this, I don't care how well you know how to drive your forklift----------Hire a rigger! They have insurance!

Mike

[double a-ron]

$250? Did you forget a zero? The last time I hired a rigger was to move my 10 foot press brake from one wall to another. Cost $2000. Didn't even level it.

[CaboWaboKJB]

I would have been all over the idea of hiring riggers at $250. The quotes I got locally were more in the $2,000 range.

Whhaaatttt ?? Shipping from California to Michigan cost just a little more than $2000. The local riggers here charge $140. per hour for their forklift, and really mine is about a 15 minute job at most. Lift it up, the truck drives out, lower it to a few inches above the ground, drive it in 40 ft inside the building, set it down - DONE. I think they have a $250. minimum charge.

[CaboWaboKJB]

$250? Did you forget a zero? The last time I hired a rigger was to move my 10 foot press brake from one wall to another. Cost $2000. Didn't even level it.

Nope.. Didn't forget any zero's. A friend of mine bought a VF-2 from another shop 50 miles away. For them to go take it out of that building, load it on their truck, haul it 50 miles, unload it into his shop and set it cost him about $1200.

[double a-ron]

My neighbor just sold his milltronics. His rigging cost to put it on the truck was $1800. It's because of the insurance. Has to be. What city are you in? Everything in Miami is expensive so I can understand a little difference in price, but over a grand?

[CaboWaboKJB]

My neighbor just sold his milltronics. His rigging cost to put it on the truck was $1800. It's because of the insurance. Has to be. What city are you in? Everything in Miami is expensive so I can understand a little difference in price, but over a grand?

Northern Michigan. Maybe it's because our riggers don't have much else to do, or yours are just screwing you. Really, even if it took an hour, who the hell makes $1800 per hour, even with insurance costs. Back when I lived in Detroit we had to move a VF-3 across town ( in 1994 ), and the whole move cost around $950. But that was 18 years ago, I'm sure the costs would be more today.

[double a-ron]

There you go. You live in the real world. The answer to every problem in this city is: SUE! SUE! SUE!

Everyone here is either a doctor or a lawyer, but that doesn't matter because the doctors work with the lawyers.

I would guess your riggers probably also have, oh I don't know, skill? Maybe they don't assume a 40% chance they're going to drop it? When 10 guys show up with a forklift older than I am, and all but the lead guy made it to this country yesterday on a floating door, you have to assume their insurance company is giving them the shaft. I would.

[CaboWaboKJB]

Yeah... When they show up here, there are 2 guys. The lead guy has been there every time that I have seen a machine moved in the last 15 years. The only questions they have before they come is which forklift to bring - The 8 ton or the 22 ton. And what time to show up.. They're all business when they show up, and I have never heard of these guys dropping a machine. There are others in the area that have dropped em' though.