Picking up a 4 post lift with U-Haul car trailer.

Looking for some assurance here. I have to pickup both of my new 4 post lifts from the distributor tomorrow. They are 22 inches wide and 17 feet long and 1800lbs each. They say I can load these into a U-Haul car trailer and not a flatbed. It’s a 400 mile round trip and I am not  looking forward to getting sent packing at the depot  

Does anybody  know how wide each of the rails are. Has anybody done this recently. Nobody locally has a long enough trailer. They are all 14 foot flatbeds and delivery to the house is almost 1.2k and will take another half a month. 

Any my other options I am not thinking of. Other option is to get a 20 foot box truck and just load it that way. I am much more comfortable doing it that way but getting them off the truck is a four person job instead of using my cherry picker. 

When I got my 4 post lift (Greg Smith Equipment) on an open car trailer they recommended putting 4 4X4 to go across to both runways and loaded them on that.  I don't know how the uhaul trailer is and if you could do something like that or not.

What about calling a wrecker company with a rollback. You might be able to unload it by tilting the bed and sliding it onto some 4x4s. 

Not sure how much they would charge but it would be lot less than 1.2k

I haul car trailers seem to be made to carry M1 tanks. I don't have one to measure but I can't imagine a scenario where a transfer facility wouldn't let you leave with the package attached to whatever you felt like picking it up with.

If it's a 14 foot flatbed without a front, you can probably just hang it a foot off either side.  You can also probably take hte package apart on the trailer/in the truck when it comes time to unload it which makes it a lot simpler.

This is my Bend-Pack on my 16" trailer:

Open car trailer is the way to go, even if the ramps hang off the back a little.  Thats how I carried mine.  I routinely go and pick up 22 foot lengths of roll cage tubing on my 16' open triler.  I can get two or three feet up by the tongue of the trailer but a good 4 feet always hangs off the back.  Just tie a red flag on it if it hangs over.

In reply to wearymicrobe :

As I recall the UHaul car trailer has at least 4 crossmembers between each of the tracks, so I think you'll be fine. 

I would bring a ton of tie downs though and axel steps if you have them. The u haul trailers use tire straps so unless what you are hauling has 2 front wheels you will need to arrange your own strapping points.

In reply to codrus :

That looks about what I was expecting. There is no way I am getting two of those on a car trailer without a flatbed. Alright I am calling around to see if I can get a 14 plus footer. 14 will not pass the overhang rules we have here but a 15/16 will just fine.  

Thanks guys. Now who wants beer to help me install these things. 

wearymicrobe said:

Thanks guys. Now who wants beer to help me install these things. 

If I were within (reasonable) driving distance, I'd be signing up for that. I think I'm going to be making the same offer once springtime rolls around.

codrus said:

 

This is my Bend-Pack on my 16" trailer:

Which Bend-Pack lift is that?

Here are the dimensions of an older model Uhaul Car transport:  

Dimensions
- Outside width: 8' 3"
- Outside height: 3' 6"
- Tire size: 14" wheels
- Loading ramp length: 5'
- Loading ramp width: 16"
- Trailer length: 19'
- Treadplate length: 12'
- Treadplate width: 17"

From a Pirate4x4 thread that led me Here 

Woody said:

Which Bend-Pack lift is that?

It's an HD-9ST.  The ramps are the longest component and what drives the length of the overall package.

20 foot box truck today got it done. Four hours of work getting it off the truck manually because the loft gate was broken. 

They are are not kidding about having a forklift at the other end. Holy berkeleying E36 M3 was that a pain. I ended up with a 9000lb four post and a 11000 two post that actually fits under a 10 foot ceiling. It even works with the special post adapters I have for the viper so I will feel more comfortable with it in the air. 

Also so crazy lady next door called the cops again and my wife about the noise I was making at three in the afternoon. My wife’s response is not fit for this forum and I love her for it. 

Had and to go with the two post and not a second four post due to height of the Cadillac and a few other cars I have. I can do serious suspension work though on the race cars now at standing height and that gives my poor old back a lot of help. 

I just have a MaxJax but it's still awesome compared to crawling around with jack stands. Good job getting it done! Good luck with the neighbor.

May many beers later, also a sandwich or two. Gets rolled into garage tomorrow on the wheels.

The two post I have do do some framing work to get it upright that happens tomorrow as well.

Also it leaks a bit oat one of the joints so I need to figure out why.

So it is installed. Plus I got the two post up and installed. Its like living in the future. It is just so so so nice to not be on the ground.

Sweet. 

I was going to ask if the lift goes all the way up without contacting the garage door rail but it looks like the car would hit the ceiling first, so nevermind. Congrats on the install!

Vigo said:

I was going to ask if the lift goes all the way up without contacting the garage door rail but it looks like the car would hit the ceiling first, so nevermind. Congrats on the install!

It will go all the way up to the stops but yeah car hits first. You can lift other things on it but since I want to build a gettocet next I have a feelingvits just going to have a miata strapped to it while I do dirty things to it with a sawsall.

Nice garage :) 

What are you running for flooring?  Vinyl or "real" PEI 4 or 5 tile?

It is vinyl came with the house. 

I am going to peel it back and paint it as soon as I can find a place to store the cars for a week without it costing me 2K.