Prep Heavy Equipment for Shipping
Read invaluable information on how to prep heavy equipment for shipping. We are a heavy haulers company located in South Florida.
The easiest part of shipping your heavy equipment is connecting with the right company to transport it for you, especially if you have found a reputable company that understands the process of transporting heavy equipment.
Keep in mind that every transport company has the experience to transport heavy equipment. And because they lack the knowledge of transporting heavy equipment, then they will not be able to advise you on the prepping process that has to take place before your equipment can be shipped. That’s why you need to make sure that you choose a company like ours.
Ready to prep heavy equipment for shipping? So, you’ve scheduled your transport. Your transport company has given you a pickup date and time, and now you have to prep your heavy equipment for shipping. This may seem a bit daunting, but it is actually easy to do if you know what needs to be done. Keep in mind, when you select an experienced company, they will be able to provide you with all the details of how to prep your heavy equipment.
We would suggest you follow these suggestions to make sure that your heavy equipment is ready to be transported and that it is guaranteed to reach its destination in a timely and safe manner.
- First, check the owner’s manual. If you decided that you were not going to read the owner’s manual when you purchased the equipment initially, now is an opportune time to do so. All owner manuals or service manuals will have clear instructions on how to prepare your heavy equipment for shipping. It is important to know what fluids need to be emptied and what wires need to be disconnected.
It will also give you instructions on how to secure moving parts of the equipment. In some instances, you may have to remove certain attachments before transport. Also, some of the newer equipment may require you to disconnect the cables to the alarm or the battery. - Second, remove store, or cover any parts of the machinery that may be damaged during travel. You have to consider high speeds and weather conditions when doing this. Most heavy machinery isn’t made to travel at highway speed, so this step is extremely important. Also, you may also want to consider some additional measures like rust-proofing prior to transport.
This is mostly useful if you are transporting your equipment overseas. When you transport heavy equipment on a ship, it is usually exposed to rain, wind and saltwater spray while on the open deck of a cargo ship. You should consider plating, galvanizing or painting the equipment before transport. Each has its own advantage and each one offers a different level of protection. Keep in mind that doing nothing to protect your equipment prior to transport may cause corrosion of the components of the equipment, including the frame itself. This time of corrosion can affect the functional ability of the equipment. - Lastly, make sure you inspect your equipment prior to transport. You want to make sure that your equipment is delivered in the same condition it was in prior to transport. This is important because there is a small window of opportunity to file an insurance claim after your equipment has been delivered. Before you sign off on the delivery paperwork of your equipment, make sure you fully inspect your equipment. Signing the paperwork before inspection will cause you problems days later if you decide that you need to file an insurance claim with the transport company.
Transporting heavy equipment is not the same as transporting regular vehicles or smaller equipment that requires less effort. Transporting heavy equipment is a very complicated process and it is much more expensive than transporting vehicles. Keep in mind that because there are so many external factors and risks, there takes more planning before the actual transport to make sure that it is done as safely as possible.
If you follow these two steps, your heavy equipment will be ready in time for the pickup date and will arrive at the drop-off location safely and sound!
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