How to move and transport an 80 gallon compressor?

-
E

ESP47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
2,639
Reaction score
1,682
Location
Sacramento, CA
I'm looking at a decent deal on a vertical 80 gallon compressor on craigslist and the specs for the compressor read that it's 600lbs. I have no access to any sort of forklift, tractors, pallet jacks, pulleys from the ceiling or any equipment like that.

Anyone have any ideas of how to get this thing on to the truck and back off of it at home? I'll probably only be able to get help from one friend of mine but he's about twice as strong as your average person so that'll help a bit. I'm thinking maybe remove the motor and pump and then try and muscle the tank in the truck and just leave it laying on its side? Still that's probably going to be somewhere close to 400lbs so I'm not even quite sure if that's doable since my truck is a Tacoma Prerunner. Any ideas? You guys are a heck of a lot more creative than I am when it comes to this stuff.
 
use a cherry picker... rent one if you dont own one.

Use tie downs to secure it to front of truck bed and tighten them as you get the compressor further into bed.
 
Yea, a cherry picker is a good idea. I have a tractor I could use to help ya but thatd be alot of work loading and unloading. and drive time. lol
 
I bought both my HF cherry pickers off CL for about 75--80 bucks. One was a little heavier duty than the other. Man, LOL I can't operate without heavy riggin'
 
Put a moving blanket in the truck, set the compressor upright about 2' from the tailgate. Have a friend help tilt the compressor, using the tailgate as a fulcrum and then slide in as its laying down. This way your only lifting a small amount of the weight.
You will want to drain the oil first of course.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Put a moving blanket in the truck, set the compressor upright about 2' from the tailgate. Have a friend help tilt the compressor, using the tailgate as a fulcrum and then slide in as its laying down. This way your only lifting a small amount of the weight.
You will want to drain the oil first of course.
Click to expand...
That's how my son and I got my 800# gun safe out of the truck. A heavy duty hand truck, myself, son and friend, the safe went up six steps, through the front door and into the closet. I still make do even when I have access to heavier equipment.
I don't like making a big project out of things. just git'er done !
 
Just took a job on at home similiar.Found 1900's steps(4) piled in backyard on craigslist.Found a tombstone installer with boom truck.The two largest two steps were granite and marble landings 2 ftx4ft 9inches-est 1000 lbs each.Moved 7 miles with 2 guys.Installation $200 and lunch.Four hours work.I suggest compressor loaded on side in truck with rear 4 x4 thickness higher .(in rear closest cab.)Raise tailgate end with floor jack and 4x4 to pick up 2 inches.Put rollers made width of load from pvc ,copper,or steel scrap.Roll it slowly with helper to ground.It will take a helper to balance and long flat pry bar.Good luck as i recently looked at those compressors and decided to get 26 or 30 gallon upright for same reason,Finally stay clear of copper lines and fittings,Good luck.Joe
 
Penske often rents trucks with lift gates. Renting a truck for one day won't cost much and it will make life a lot easier.
 
Suprised its 600 lbs.
45 gallon drums full of oil are easy to manage. Tip it onto tailgate and shove it on.
With pump off it will be easy.
Drain water out of tank,could be half full,you never know.
If its a horizontal tank type, that changes everything.
 
I made what looked like a ladder with 2x10's with some rungs underside to hold it together just a couple inches apart. Slid my compressor off the tailgate and down the chute so to speak. Once I got it to the bottom, I tilted it upright and walked it into place in my garage.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Put a moving blanket in the truck, set the compressor upright about 2' from the tailgate. Have a friend help tilt the compressor, using the tailgate as a fulcrum and then slide in as its laying down. This way your only lifting a small amount of the weight.
You will want to drain the oil first of course.
Click to expand...
I'd take the tailgate off. Tacoma's are weak.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Put a moving blanket in the truck, set the compressor upright about 2' from the tailgate. Have a friend help tilt the compressor, using the tailgate as a fulcrum and then slide in as its laying down. This way your only lifting a small amount of the weight.
You will want to drain the oil first of course.
Click to expand...
Done this many times, easier than you think, may not need help, I didn’t when I got my compressor.


Alan
 
Tooljunkie said:
Suprised its 600 lbs.
45 gallon drums full of oil are easy to manage. Tip it onto tailgate and shove it on.
With pump off it will be easy.
Drain water out of tank,could be half full,you never know.
If its a horizontal tank type, that changes everything.
Click to expand...

JEES, just let the air out of it.
Do you know how much 80 gallons of compressed air weighs? :D

I can't imagine 600lb for an 80 gallon compressor unless it was maybe made in the 1920's.
 
Use a winch, come along or some other lever action drag and winch it right up the ramp of your buddies trailer that he uses for his zero turn mower.
 
Stuffed mine in with cherrypicker.

Me and the wife alone. Course I transported it with the Dually and trailer.

4D50CDAF-3D2B-4C70-8F2E-A13D4A6074EA.jpeg


A085F6A4-FD3B-4A77-8B0E-4C8508F9AB46.jpeg
 
I keep mine on a pallet. It's been moved a few times and I take the high road and beg, borrow, or steal a Box Truck with a liftgate.... Pallet Jack action on this project and makes it eazy peazy. As JD says they are top heavy and if it starts to go you won't stop it.... Not the ones I have moved anyway. But I like the safe way out.....

JW
 
SLOPAR72 said:
I keep mine on a pallet. It's been moved a few times and I take the high road and beg, borrow, or steal a Box Truck with a liftgate.... Pallet Jack action on this project and makes it eazy peazy. As JD says they are top heavy and if it starts to go you won't stop it.... Not the ones I have moved anyway. But I like the safe way out.....

JW
Click to expand...

I got the bright idea that I was gonna walk my new 60 gallon Quincy off the pallet when I got it home. I could have run on one leg with the bulls at Pamplona and not got mashed near as bad...lol. :realcrazy:
 
Thanks fellas I think the rental truck with the lift gate is going to be the easiest way to go about it. I went out in the garage the other day and there's a puddle of hydraulic fluid under my cherry picker so that's probably a no go at the moment.
 
Agree on VERY top heavy.

Agree on "drain the oil" (but remember to put it back in)

I made skids for mine out of 4x4 and 2x4 stock about 30" (same as pump and motor shelf).
Made it MUCH easier to deal with the top heavy factor and to "walk" in order to move it by my self.
Also easier to operate drain.

I've spent my entire life figuring out how to do "two man" jobs with only one man.

My Dakota R/T is low, so the "tailgate fulcrum" is a bit easier for me.

IIRC I used ratchet straps and a cement set 4x4 garage door frame to winch it back upright after getting it home and installing the skids. Now I can walk it pretty much where ever i need it including onto a 5x8 lawn equipment style trailer.
 
Listen to what these guys say about top heavy. I listened to someone else who said I should be able to walk it off the pallet. Well, that top heavy ***** went right over on me, and pinned me against the wall. Took some creative thinking to get that thing off of me.
Take the motor, and pump off. Go to HF, and buy a new cylinder. BE CAREFUL!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top