Box Truck and loading heavy equipment.

[Cleantechsk]

I absolutely love my box truck but the main problem is loading equipment such as cimex/orobt, burnishers, etc? I know JIm Martin has an awesome crane type set up but curious what the rest of you are using? 10' ramps?

The height on my AT is 3'.

I currently work alone quite often, even though I can lift most items In I dont want to for fear of back problems down the road.

Your comments are greatly appreciated

 

[Dan]

Fold under lift gate. Maxon 1600 lbs. I just walk stuff on and off.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We have slide out ramps under the truck and a couple of different length ramps that are separate but they rarely get used. We use two man crews and the ramps are a hassle when pulling them out, almost need two guys just to roll them out. The folding ones work the best because they don't take up so much room but get the longest one you can buy. The longer ones will take some of the steepness out of the angle.

 

[The Great Oz]

If you want to spend the money a lift gate might be best for your use, but, even the fanciest slide-out ramp will be cheaper and won't be in the way when you don't need it.

If you decide on a walkboard remember that the cheapest ones are just the board and angle steel to slide the ramp on. As you drive, the tracks and board fill with grit so the board is always dirty and the ramp is hard to pull out. You'll have to wash board and tracks every time you wash the truck. The ramp will also have to be muscled into place against the back of the bed after pulling it out, something harder to do than you might think even if using a lightweight board. The advantage is the the board can quickly be taken out and used in other places, such as over a set of entry stairs.

If you think you'll use the board mostly at the back of the truck a walkboard system that has a closed box (clean) and carrier systen (support struts that keep the board from dropping when pulled all the way out), and has UHMW plastic 'glides' will be easy for even the wimpiest employee to handle. You can still remove the board from the carrier to use elsewhere, but it takes five minutes and a couple wrenches.

 

[clean image]

This was just important for me as I am constant loading and unload stone machines

My stone trucks have a floor thats 14 inch off the ground aft the rear wheels, so you can put nose of machine on there and slide on without lifting. Part of the box build

Otherwise an undermount lift gate, or a crane like Jim , or they make smaller lifts that fit in the van

 

[dealtimeman]

Most of the time we just man handle between two guys but by your self a cimex is a butch to load.