Need Help! How to haul a street sweeper without wheels to recycle yard?

Hello,

I got a call today from a guy that wants me to haul away a big heavy street sweeper. I have no experience with hauling heavy stuff like this and I will have to pay someone to do the transport because I only have a smaller truck and trailer. Im going to get the vin number, make and model to see if I can find some specs on this and to see how much it weighs. I need to determine if it will be worth it to pay someone to haul it for me to the recycle yard. The recycle yard is only 5 miles from where I would pick up the street sweeper. The street sweeper doesnt have any wheels and the guy I talked to mentioned that he is in the towing business and since it doesnt roll he cant haul it away. I plan on getting the pink slip in order to do the transaction. I dont have a driver's license for driving semi trucks so I would have to pay a driver and for the use of the truck. I will ask if I can drain all of the fluids at the pick up site so that I can haul it straight to the recycle yard. Here are my questions:

1. What type of truck should I be looking for in order to haul the street sweeper ( flat bed, full size semi, etc.)?
2. How would I go about lifting the street sweeper on to the truck (remember the sweeper does not roll)? Would I need a big fork lift or a big tractor? Or just a special type of truck.
3. Do you think it will be worth it for me to pay someone to transport it or would I be paying more than I would probably get from recycling it?

Any feedback would be much appreciated and I hope to get this task done as quick as possible to make my client happy.

thanks!

Just hire a tow truck driver with a rollback. They should be able to winch it right up on there and if its only going 5 miles I wouldnt think it would cost ya more than $100 to get the whole job done.

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Originally Posted by PartTimeScrapper

Just hire a tow truck driver with a rollback. They should be able to winch it right up on there and if its only going 5 miles I wouldnt think it would cost ya more than $100 to get the whole job done.

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Do you think the winch would be enough? Like I said the vehicle does not have wheels and I was researching it a little bit and I looked at the weight for one street sweeper and it weighs 17,000lbs. I will have a better idea about the specifics when I go tomorrow, I just want to be prepare and know what to do when I get there. The guy I talked to made it sound like a tow truck wouldnt be able to get the job done.

I would say call a couple towing companies. Most of the ones here in denver have different trucks for different jobs. You would be surprised how resourceful a tow truck driver can be when it comes to hauling stuff. Just because it doesnt have wheels doesnt mean they cant jack it up and get dollies under it to drag it up onto flatbed.

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Originally Posted by PartTimeScrapper

I would say call a couple towing companies. Most of the ones here in denver have different trucks for different jobs. You would be surprised how resourceful a tow truck driver can be when it comes to hauling stuff. Just because it doesnt have wheels doesnt mean they cant jack it up and get dollies under it to drag it up onto flatbed.

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Well I hope that you are right because $100 sounds a lot better than something like $1000 for a big semi.

LIke I said calla couple diferent companies and ask to talk to a manager. Let them know what you got and what you need I bet they would be glad to come take a look and give you a bid.

I had a guy move a 40 foot shipping container for $195. He drove 20 miles. Picked it up, then drove another 15 to drop it off. He had a 40 foot tilt deck with a massive winch.

Might try calling guys who move/deliver shipping containers.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...tainerhaul.jpg

I agree with the comments above about calling towing companies. I worked for one a few years back and we would move about anything, and deat alot with stuff that didnt roll anymore. Most people with wreckers will have some dollies or other axles of some sort for moving stuff that the axles have been damaged or never had them to begin with. If you arnt on a tight schedual and they can come get it sometime soon when they are a bit slower that may help the price.

Sorry everyone for posting something before introducing myself, however I saw this thread and figured I may be able to help another member out.

Mrsamsonite I am a wrecker driver for my full time job and thought id tell u that 17000lbs is too heavy for your normal everyday flatbed. Usually the max is somewhere along the lines of 10k or 11k. Usually a heavy duty wrecker company will have a lowboy or even better a landoll which is what was in the above picture.

I would cut it up personally.

Not sure what it was called, but I've seen a tow truck that pulled the tractor of an 18-wheeler. This one though had a flatbed on it so it could move tractors that had been wrecked so bad the wheels didn't roll.

It looked similar to the one pictured above, but it wasn't articulated. It was similar to a normal flatbed wrecker - just on steroids.

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Originally Posted by waredu

Not sure what it was called, but I've seen a tow truck that pulled the tractor of an 18-wheeler. This one though had a flatbed on it so it could move tractors that had been wrecked so bad the wheels didn't roll.

It looked similar to the one pictured above, but it wasn't articulated. It was similar to a normal flatbed wrecker - just on steroids.

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Lowboy Trailer

Could be a Landoll. Landoll Corporation they make trailers for equipment hauling and the tow industry.

I wish I could get loads like that! I think a low-boy is your best bet. Or, if necessary, NASA Rents their Crawler for a few thousand an hour. :)

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/images/crawler.gif

So here is the update. I had a guy come out to let me know about how much and what type of truck he will need. He said it would take a landoll and guessed about $225 to move it about 5-10 miles to the recycle yard. That was if everything went smooth, no long lines or anything. It sounded like a good deal but, unfortunately I wasnt able to get a pink slip from the owner or a junk slip sign by a police officer.

So, Im going to cut it up into piece and haul it over. do you have any suggestions on the best way to cut up a car and the best tool to use?

here are some pic.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...8_105855-1.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...828_105904.jpg

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Originally Posted by Gravitar

I wish I could get loads like that! I think a low-boy is your best bet. Or, if necessary, NASA Rents their Crawler for a few thousand an hour. :)

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It looks like something the sand people used in star wars

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Originally Posted by mrsamsonite

here are some pic.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...8_105855-1.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...828_105904.jpg

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Your making a mountain out of a mole hill, that septic tank truck I towed into the yard had no tires on it when I got it. So I grabbed six on rims from the yards discard pile to mobilize the beast.

Most yards are eager to assist by loaning rims and tires.

I hear ya on the pinkie in Canada we are not required to have the owner sign off, its strictly cash and carry.

Someone give me a reality check on this. From what I see, I would say that thing doesn't weigh more than 8,000 pounds if that. Am I wrong? I think the Elgin Pelican type of sweeper might weigh in the 17K pound range. That thing looks like a modified HD truck.

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Originally Posted by JPete

That thing looks like a modified HD truck.

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I did not want to be the one to point that out
Looks like a 1 ton chassis with the sweeper unit
I give whats left of the truck to weigh in at 5 to 6K
Sweeper unit between 3 & 4K

Agreed. If that weighs 17,000 pounds or close to it I'll come over and haul it myself for free.

The factory the curb weight of that vehicle with the vacuum according to the factory spec sheet is 6100 lbs. Being it is burn out it will weight even less.

Link to factory spec sheet: http://www.nite-hawksweepers.com/dow...XLP_SpecsX.pdf

Any wrecker service or scrap yard in the area with a steel rollback truck should be able to drag that on with no problem even with no tires on the rear and the flat tires on the front.

If you are anywhere close to eastern Iowa I would come get it for you and show you how it's done.

Is there anything left in that vacuum system that would be worth taking out?

















Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.
Albert Einstein

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Originally Posted by KeyCityRecycling

The factory the curb weight of that vehicle with the vacuum according to the factory spec sheet is 6100 lbs.

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Wow, I was off a ton. That would be a $200+ mistake.
Thanks

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Originally Posted by JPete

Someone give me a reality check on this. From what I see, I would say that thing doesn't weigh more than 8,000 pounds if that. Am I wrong? I think the Elgin Pelican type of sweeper might weigh in the 17K pound range. That thing looks like a modified HD truck.

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Please keep in mind everyone what I said and here is my quote " I was researching it a little bit and I looked at the weight for one street sweeper and it weighs 17,000lbs. I will have a better idea about the specifics when I go tomorrow, I just want to be prepare and know what to do when I get there." I said this before I even saw the street sweeper Im working with. I never said I think the street sweeper in the pics is probably around 17k, just to clear that up

Due to paper work problems Im cutting the vehicle up. Here is where I am so far, I thought that id share my progress.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...829_145611.jpg

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Originally Posted by KeyCityRecycling

The factory the curb weight of that vehicle with the vacuum according to the factory spec sheet is 6100 lbs. Being it is burn out it will weight even less.

Link to factory spec sheet: http://www.nite-hawksweepers.com/dow...XLP_SpecsX.pdf

Any wrecker service or scrap yard in the area with a steel rollback truck should be able to drag that on with no problem even with no tires on the rear and the flat tires on the front.

If you are anywhere close to eastern Iowa I would come get it for you and show you how it's done.

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good job, you got the right one. It is a night hawk.

I had it in my head it was gonna be one of these. Whatever they may weigh, I don't know.

http://www.publiquip.com/photo/Elgin-Pelican.jpg

Looks like a good start. Does it still have the cat? Is the sweeper hopper stainless?

Depending on how far you tear it down, the motor/trans/axle should bring a heavy iron price. My yard does.

EDIT
Just read the specs. Hopper is going to be steel, though they had a 304 SS option. Water tank is poly or aluminum.

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Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

I had it in my head it was gonna be one of these. Whatever they may weigh, I don't know.


Looks like a good start. Does it still have the cat? Is the sweeper hopper stainless?

Depending on how far you tear it down, the motor/trans/axle should bring a heavy iron price. My yard does.

EDIT
Just read the specs. Hopper is going to be steel, though they had a 304 SS option. Water tank is poly or aluminum.

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That is what I was thinking too but, when I got there it was different. All the guy told me over the phone was street sweeper.

Thanks and yes there were two cats with all of the honey comb in it. So, that definitely helped me. I believe the hopper is steel but I will double check, I know I saw rust on some of the parts but, not sure if the whole hopper is steel. I took one small load in already and got #1HMS price which was cool. It was at $270/ton, the highest that I have seen it at for a long time. Im trying to figure out about how much I should get for the motor and tranny, they are aluminum. I will try to get the motor, tranny, and most of the frame cut up and hauled away today. We'll see what happens.

According to the factory spec sheet the hopper is made out of 12 gauge mild steel, BUT stainless was an option so I would check it with a magnet.

Be careful about the oil too. The hydraulic oil reservoir capacity is 21 gallons and that is not including what will be in the lines. You sure don't want to have an oil slick in the parking lot where you are cutting this up. If you leave a big mess you will never get another call from this guy again.

You could sell the motor and tranny for "dirty motors" or if the tranny is not to badly burned a core buyer might be interested in it.

any idea what litre that engine is?? Chevy truck i assume

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Originally Posted by KeyCityRecycling

According to the factory spec sheet the hopper is made out of 12 gauge mild steel, BUT stainless was an option so I would check it with a magnet.

Be careful about the oil too. The hydraulic oil reservoir capacity is 21 gallons and that is not including what will be in the lines. You sure don't want to have an oil slick in the parking lot where you are cutting this up. If you leave a big mess you will never get another call from this guy again.

You could sell the motor and tranny for "dirty motors" or if the tranny is not to badly burned a core buyer might be interested in it.

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Thanks any idea what a motor and tranny like that go for?

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Originally Posted by 826ih

any idea what litre that engine is?? Chevy truck i assume

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If it is the same model that keycityrecycling posted, its a vortec 6.0 SFL V8

I just wanted to follow up on this thread and let everyone know how it went. This was actually my first vehicle that I have scrapped so, I felt good to get some experience. You probably wont believe me but, I actually cut it all down with a skill saw and a sawzall. Once I get a cutting torch and learn how to use it, things will go along a lot smoother. I definitely made a profit but, it was a lot of hard work. Here are some more pics.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...830_185947.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...904_134604.jpg

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Originally Posted by mrsamsonite

You probably wont believe me but, I actually cut it all down with a skill saw and a sawzall.

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WOW! Great work ethic with the "get it done with what I got". No doubt you have what it takes.

I'm impressed you wouldn't beleive all that stuff my little Dewalt sawzall has cut up...........Impressive you earned a "scrapper" badge with that one!

very nice not what iu was expecting i did a elgin streetsweeper last month weighed in @ 23400 lbs

for the record the back of that truck as it was was worth about $3k around here