I just bought a gun safe. The safe is in a cardboard box and the whole thing is bolted down to a skid. The store is willing to put it on my 4X4 pickup with a forklift. The truck is HIGH. How am I going to get the thing off my truck? Its 500 pounds+. Maybe it would be easier if I rented one of those tilt-back utility trailers. I suppose I could tilt the trailer and slide the skid down to the pavement but I really don't want another fee. Hoping someone will have an idea.
moving gunsafe
- Thread starter Oldboy
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trueblue1776
Member
three big guys should have no problem with your safe
JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone
Member
I bought a safe last year. And my friend bought one just like it this fall. Both transported in my 4x4. If it's a 24 rifle type with shelves on one side, then just under 500 pounds or so, you can lay it on it's backside in the bed of the truck. (I did it on a sheet of plywood). Once home, it's not too difficult to slide it still in the cardboard out the bed. Take your tailgate off else it might be too much weight for it when slung open. I slid mine out and tilted it down to the ground. (I'm 5'8" and all of 155 pounds. In good shape with a bad back.) Standing up on the ground, open the door and unbolt it from the pallet. Then tilt/walk it off the pallet. Helps to have a friend with this part. Moving it, I rented a refridgerator moving dolly/hand truck with straps. It took two of us to get our safes down in our basements. If you don't have stairs where you're putting the safe, think of it as moving a heavy freezer. If you have more than a couple steps/stairs, IT's A B!T($!
-Steve
-Steve
P95Carry
Moderator Emeritus
Try for a trailer - it will be easier. Mine came exact same - cardboard and bolted to palette.
It was delivered on a truck and I manouvered my truck and trailer out to it. The tail lift got it down to a level where we could manhandle it onto trailer bed - and it is one of those (from Home Depot) with a drop down rear ramp idea.
Got my wife and step son involved then and - I manouvered trailer back to office shed such that I could drop tail ramp to sit on shed floor thru the double doors.
Then found way to move it was sliding on some scrap sheets of 1/4" OSB - nice and slippy. Hardest was getting it safely off palette!
Plenty of muscle will make it easier and yeah - do try and borrow a trailer. If you have to move it a lot inside and awkward deal - use some strong straps to go under it - then it can be ''inched'' along slowly to final destination.
Best of luck - it'll be great once it's there!
It was delivered on a truck and I manouvered my truck and trailer out to it. The tail lift got it down to a level where we could manhandle it onto trailer bed - and it is one of those (from Home Depot) with a drop down rear ramp idea.
Got my wife and step son involved then and - I manouvered trailer back to office shed such that I could drop tail ramp to sit on shed floor thru the double doors.
Then found way to move it was sliding on some scrap sheets of 1/4" OSB - nice and slippy. Hardest was getting it safely off palette!
Plenty of muscle will make it easier and yeah - do try and borrow a trailer. If you have to move it a lot inside and awkward deal - use some strong straps to go under it - then it can be ''inched'' along slowly to final destination.
Best of luck - it'll be great once it's there!
Valkman
Member
Um, buy from a place that delivers? 
I've had 2 safes delivered but when I sold my old one it was about the same as yours and a few guys had no problem moving it. My one now is 1200 pounds and it's staying with the house.
I've had 2 safes delivered but when I sold my old one it was about the same as yours and a few guys had no problem moving it. My one now is 1200 pounds and it's staying with the house.
AK103K
member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2002
- Messages
- 7,610
If you dont have access to help, a rental box truck with a lift gate will help, whether you pick it up with it, or just use it to off load it from yours.
Another item that is really user friendly is a piano dolly. It is really meant for moving upright pianos, but works great for moving safes, even when loaded. I just used one to move mine around while the house was being carpeted. Its composed of two small trucks that go on either side and strap around the safe. Then you step on a lever on each side and the safe is raised on casters and can be rolled around. If you need to get it in the house up over a step, you'll need to make a ramp of some sort though, you cant tilt it like a normal hand truck.
They do make hand trucks with a set of fold up casters that allows you to move it around like a dolly. I brought my safe home from the store with one I borrowed from them. It worked, but is awkward when you go to use it like a normal hand truck when it comes to getting it in the door and up over that short step most houses have. (its a might scary then ) Also make sure its rated properly for weight, the second one I rented when I moved was supposed to be rated for 1000 pounds, but collapsed when we were moving it, damn near breaking my arm in the process and flattening the truck.
Moving safes is definitely a big pain in the ass, and a couple of big boys helping sure goes a long way. Just be careful and sane about it when you do it and nobody will get hurt. Most likely.
Another item that is really user friendly is a piano dolly. It is really meant for moving upright pianos, but works great for moving safes, even when loaded. I just used one to move mine around while the house was being carpeted. Its composed of two small trucks that go on either side and strap around the safe. Then you step on a lever on each side and the safe is raised on casters and can be rolled around. If you need to get it in the house up over a step, you'll need to make a ramp of some sort though, you cant tilt it like a normal hand truck.
They do make hand trucks with a set of fold up casters that allows you to move it around like a dolly. I brought my safe home from the store with one I borrowed from them. It worked, but is awkward when you go to use it like a normal hand truck when it comes to getting it in the door and up over that short step most houses have. (its a might scary then
) Also make sure its rated properly for weight, the second one I rented when I moved was supposed to be rated for 1000 pounds, but collapsed when we were moving it, damn near breaking my arm in the process and flattening the truck. Moving safes is definitely a big pain in the ass, and a couple of big boys helping sure goes a long way. Just be careful and sane about it when you do it and nobody will get hurt. Most likely.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Had you asked earlier, I'd have said "Buy from a place that delivers." They know what they're doing. My safe is 960 pounds empty. Two guys delivered it. They stuck it on a flat dolly and had a winch to control it as it came down the ramp. Fortunately, we had a walk out basement. They got the thing into the house and located where I wanted it lickety-split. They know what they were doing.
When we came to move, the moving company had FOUR guys working on moving it (yes, I emptied it first), and they were a sight to watch. Several times I was afraid I'd be making an insurance claim. They got it done, but it was obvious that nobody on that crew had ever moved a safe before.
When we came to move, the moving company had FOUR guys working on moving it (yes, I emptied it first), and they were a sight to watch. Several times I was afraid I'd be making an insurance claim. They got it done, but it was obvious that nobody on that crew had ever moved a safe before.
CAPTAIN MIKE
Member
Here's an Idea
Do what I did -- pay a little extra for delivery plus bolting it down in the exact location where you want it. No muss, no fuss, no broken toes.
Do what I did -- pay a little extra for delivery plus bolting it down in the exact location where you want it. No muss, no fuss, no broken toes.
I had the guys at the store lay it down on a blanket in the back of the truck, slid it off and let it down to the ground, got it off the skid, "walked it" through the door from the garage, put cardboard under it and slid it on the kitchen tile, then slid it on the carpet to the back bedroom. The cardboard under the safe slides pretty easily on carpet.
a1abdj
Member
As a professional safe mover, I always tell people that the prices we charge to move a safe are often less than the insurance deductable for an Emergency Room visit.
With that said, a 500 pound safe is very light as far as safes are concerened.
If you are going to move it in your truck, do as others have said, and have them lay it on it's back. When you get it home, you can slide it out and down. With one end in the truck, you will only have to support half of the weight...in this case 250 pounds. You and one other person should have no problem.
When it's time to take it off the skid, unwrap it and remove the bolts. Using a "back and forth" motion, walk the safe almost half way off the skid. Once you're almost to the tipping point, slowly tip the safe. Once the safe is on the ground, tip it further to a "perfect balance" so one person can balance it. Have the other person pull the skid out of the way, then slowly push it back upright with your friend "catching" the safe as it comes back down where the pallet once was.
At that point you can strap it on a dolly, and away you go. Be very careful if you're negotiating stairs, as that is the point you are mostly likely to hurt or kill somebody.
If you do decide to hire a professional, make sure they are a safe company. Safe companies screen their employees so that you don't get a muscular felon at your house, knowing where your safe is.
If you have any problems finding a professional in your area, let me know, and I can probably refer you to somebody.
With that said, a 500 pound safe is very light as far as safes are concerened.
If you are going to move it in your truck, do as others have said, and have them lay it on it's back. When you get it home, you can slide it out and down. With one end in the truck, you will only have to support half of the weight...in this case 250 pounds. You and one other person should have no problem.
When it's time to take it off the skid, unwrap it and remove the bolts. Using a "back and forth" motion, walk the safe almost half way off the skid. Once you're almost to the tipping point, slowly tip the safe. Once the safe is on the ground, tip it further to a "perfect balance" so one person can balance it. Have the other person pull the skid out of the way, then slowly push it back upright with your friend "catching" the safe as it comes back down where the pallet once was.
At that point you can strap it on a dolly, and away you go. Be very careful if you're negotiating stairs, as that is the point you are mostly likely to hurt or kill somebody.
If you do decide to hire a professional, make sure they are a safe company. Safe companies screen their employees so that you don't get a muscular felon at your house, knowing where your safe is.
If you have any problems finding a professional in your area, let me know, and I can probably refer you to somebody.
Not the direct answer to your question, but one average sized fellow moved mine in.
He had a nice electric-powered dolly that lowered the safe to the ground from his truck. He essentially told me to get out of the way, and he eased the safe out of the truck, over a step, and into the house like it was nothing. Put it in place without a second's difficulty. The dolly "power-walked" over the tailgate and step.
Best $100 I ever spent.
I'm not just telling you this to be a smart aleck. Maybe you can call the rental places around your town and see if you can rent similar equipment, perhaps for less than what I paid that fellow.
He had a nice electric-powered dolly that lowered the safe to the ground from his truck. He essentially told me to get out of the way, and he eased the safe out of the truck, over a step, and into the house like it was nothing. Put it in place without a second's difficulty. The dolly "power-walked" over the tailgate and step.
Best $100 I ever spent.
I'm not just telling you this to be a smart aleck. Maybe you can call the rental places around your town and see if you can rent similar equipment, perhaps for less than what I paid that fellow.
trickyasafox
Member
those zanottis look cool anyone own one? they seem like they'd be pricey. if the safe is going to your basement, i'd advise you don't do what we did, and that would be a slightly controlled slide down the flight of stairs with high hopes and a pocket full of dreams. it worked out, but i damn near pooped myself
FireBreather01
Member
If you do move it yourself just be VERY careful. I know of at least 2 guys that lived to tell of their broken (one shattered) arms due to their safes tipping over while they were moving them. Once they get going - get out of the way!!!
Ryder
Member
My safe weighed about twice yours. The dealer loaned me a ramp and a custom hydraulic handtruck free of charge. Lots of "how to" advice too. Thank goodness I listened! Took three of us to get it done
Its in the garage! I put one of those big thick 50# stall mats on the floor of the truck bed. The dealer loaded it with a fork lift and 3 of us got it on its back. Arriving home, the two of us could not scoot the thing off the mat! Pried up the end with a 2X4 and put a 3 foot length of 2 inch diameter conduit under it and it rolled right off. Almost a little too quick. So it really wasn't so bad. Thank you, everyone.
Ryder
Member
Way to go
I know the feeling. My ramp wasn't at a very steep angle but when the safe rolled off the end it the whole house shook.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Glad you got it in safely. Now stock her up!
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