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    How much does the entire load weigh?
    This obviously has to be known in order to even start planning a move.

    How will the load be lifted the necessary amount to clear the height of the equipment dollies / skates?
    Methods for getting the load "up" can include:

    Is the weight distributed equally across the load?
    It may be necessary to allow for the load being heavier/lighter on one side/end or the other by using machine dollies / skates with heavier or lighter load capacities on the respective sides/ends.

    How many points of contact are necessary when the load is resting on the machine dollies / skates?
    Depending on the weight of the load, the length/width of the load, and the rigidity of the support structure under the load, it may be necessary to use 3, 4, 5, or 6 (even more sometimes) of contact to give the load the proper support and stability while resting on the machinery skates / dollies.

    How much force will be needed to move the load once it is resting on the equipment skates / dollies?
    Once the load is on the machine dolly / skates, there must be sufficient means to move/maneuver the load.  For lighter loads, as a rule of thumb, one person can move around 2 tons on a smooth, level, debris-free surface.  As the weight of the load increases, it will take significantly more manpower (usually forklifts/ power pushers/ wenches) to successfully move and maneuver heavier loads. Please keep in mind that once the load is moving it must be STOPPED as well so please use extreme caution when tackling a moving project.

    How much maneuverability is needed to guide the load into the desired space?
    The ability to turn/ rotate the load (space constraints) after it is resting on the machinery dollies / skates must be evaluated, because the different styles of equipment dollies / skates available and the configurations in which they are placed will provide varying ranges of maneuverability.

    Technical Considerations

     
    How much pressure is exerted on the surface of the floor?
    All of our  machine dollies / skates use the same size roller that is 3.25” in width and 3.25” in diameter.  At any one time a load will “compress” the rollers to have a footprint of approximately 1 to 1.25 square inches per roller (As the weight on the machinery dolly / skate increases, the deformation or flattening increases).  It is then a simple calculation to divide the total number of rollers into the total amount of weight on the equipment dolly / skate to figure out the pressure exerted on the floor by each roller.  We have provided a convenient chart that shows the pressure exerted by each of our equipment dolly / skate models when loaded to the maximum weight limit.

    Pressure Calculations at Maximum Loads


    Can I use the machine dollies / skates on a rough or uneven surface?
    This is a hard question to give a “blanket” answer to but we will attempt to offer some guidance. The rollers are designed to not mar floors and as such are fabricated with a polyurethane material. So, use over a rough but level surface should not affect the usefulness of the machine skate / dollies. However, over time it may tend to pit and deteriorate the surface of the polyurethane rollers. If, after a period of time, the roller’s surface becomes too damaged to work effectively we stock plenty of replacement rollers.

    Sometimes this question is asked in reference to a floor that has excessive cracks. The first thing to keep in mind is that the rollers are only 3.25” in diameter. As such, any crack or hole in the ground wider than a normal concrete expansion joint can present problems. These can be overcome by rolling the equipment skates / dollies over such areas at an angle which will keep the line of rollers from all “dropping” into the crack at the same time which will have the effect of bridging the crack. Another solution is to fill the cracks with an acceptable filler of some sort to even out the transition area or to use “thin” metal plating to bridge the excessive crack.

    Another area of concern that comes up is abrupt changes in elevation of the flooring such as a crack in concrete flooring where one side of the crack has “heaved” up forming a ledge or a quick change in grade like a ramp. Our equipment skate / dolly systems are designed for low clearance so that loads do not have to be raised very high in order for the machinery skates / dollies to slide underneath. Consequently the steel frames run very close to the ground so steps should be taken to use plating, fillers, etc. to overcome abrupt ledges in the flooring. Also, anytime a ramp is to be used, it must be a fairly gradual ascent so that the rollers have room to contact the ramp before the frame gets wedged with the ramp.

    Please give us a call to discuss any questions you may have about a potential move or the use of our heavy equipment dolly / skate systems.  We have a mechanical engineer on staff to assist you with the more technical issues if necessary.