Hot Rod Forum banner

How to move a 660 pound compressor?

13K views 38 replies 20 participants last post by  matts37chev 
#1 ·
I wanted to order a new compressor for the garage. The unit I want weighs 660 pounds.

The question I have is when the tractor trailer delivers this to your house how do you move it from their truck to your garage and then move it to the location inside the garage that you want? 660 pounds is a lot of weight.
 
#29 ·
How To Move Heavy Loads By Hand

Hey Hotrod, While other methods here will work, I'm quite surprised that nobody mentioned pipe rollers. Cut about 4 pieces of pipe(3/4" or bigger) about a foot wider than the pallet. Use pinch bars or crow bars with a small block to lift up on one side and put a pipe roller under the pallet. Push it on the first pipe, then add another, push more, add another until you get at least three under it. As the last pipe rolls out the back, move it to the front. Repeat until you get it in place.

If the compressor is not on a pallet, two men can walk a compressor with a tilt and twist movement left, right, left, right, till you get it in place. When I was young I worked for a service station equipment company and we moved gas pumps, compressors, etc. by hand, using these methods. The mechanic/electrician I worked with was 5' 3" about 160#, I was 5' 8" about 140#. The tricks he taught me back then, came in handy in later years. I've used pipe rollers to maneuver electrical switchgear that weighed tons. He used to tell me, whats smarter, you or this piece of wood? or whats smarter, you or this chunk of iron? Ha Ha, He was a trip. God rest his Soul. olnolan
 
#30 ·
Funny Story About Top Heavy Compressors

While typing I remembered a funny compressor episode. About 15 years back, I caught a good sale on a 60 gallon upright at Home Depot. I went to get it in my truck. Store employees loaded it with a forklift into my truck then disappeared into the store. When I realized I only had one piece of rope in my toolbox to tie it down, I asked for some rope to secure the load. The guy pointed at a box of poly rope at the door(about 1/8" stuff). So I proceeded to double and triple this rope up and tied the compressor down from all my bed rings and stake pockets using about 200 ft. of rope. It looked like a spider web. :rolleyes: :mwink:

When I got home, my nosey neighbor came to see what I had bought. He laughed at my tie down job, Ya think you got enough rope on it? I explained about how easy a top heavy compressor would turn over and how dinky the rope was. :pimp:

So, he decides its a decent compressor and goes to get one the next day. I see him pull in with his new compressor on his trailer laying horizontal. I walk over to help him unload it and realize the pallet is smashed all to pieces and the compressor is all banged and scraped up. The pressure switch is broken off flush with the tank, one tank foot is broken off, the flywheel cover is hanging down torn to bits, the flywheel is bent, etc. etc. etc. :sweat:

I say, what, you bought a damaged one? He says, no, some idiot cut in on me on the highway causing me to have to nail the brakes and the compressor flipped. I say, Man, it sure did alot of damage when it fell over. He says, Well, it didn't appear too bad it the rear view mirror but it got alot worst when the compressor passed up my truck! :( :mad: :sweat:

I just shook my head, didn't have the heart to tell him he should have used more rope. :mwink: olnolan
 
#33 ·
The only way that I have found for me to move my 60 gallon vertical tank compressor safely by myself is to take the motor and compressor off and move the tank where I want it and then remount the motor and compressor. Sounds like a lot of work , but the last time a buddy and I loaded it in the back of a pickup assembled we almost put us both in the hospital . Assembled, once it starts to tip, it's gone, unless you are quick .
 
#37 ·
move compressor

sqzbox said:
Better yet, Jalapeno peppers, re-fried beans, 6 pack, get behind the compressor, strike a match, and.....Get the picture?

Bet you could push that sucker 3 blocks NO PROBLEM. If you don't laugh at this, there's no hope for you. :D :D :D
I have a lay down, I was just out there it's eight feet long, with a two piston compressor, I just put the forks on the bobcat, pick it up and put it in place.
I did laugh at sqzboxs method, but you had better remove the belts first, you might melt them. :rolleyes: :mwink: :eek:

Bob
 
#38 ·
So I had to unload mine from the back of my truck. My neighbor had a front end loader on his tractor but it wasn't wide enough to fit under the pallet so we took a welder, some scrap steel and made a makeshift forklift on the bucket of his tractor. Ground them off when we got done.
 
#39 ·
aminga said:
So I had to unload mine from the back of my truck. My neighbor had a front end loader on his tractor but it wasn't wide enough to fit under the pallet so we took a welder, some scrap steel and made a makeshift forklift on the bucket of his tractor. Ground them off when we got done.
its pretty common around here to have an extra piece of plate welded to my hand truck.
i just hang it in a couple inches from the end, and only put a couple of 2" beads on it so when you are done with the extension, you only have to lift it up and wiggle it back and fourth a couple of times and its off.
then, just 30 seconds of grinding off of whats left of the welds
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top