Millrite Moving Methods?

[pontiac428]

See which US model has the same chassis, and just order a Curt or Draw-Tite bolt-on frame mount hitch for it. They're really not expensive, and Amazon ships big for free. I put them on everything, even cars, because they're great for mounting bike racks. A bumper mount hitch is for very light loads and is only meant to project an air of both sport and utility to others who see you on the road. Your vehicle is not a 1-ton, but so what, the Millrite is 1300 lbs. That won't be too much tongue weight for your Toy, and is even below the 3,000 lb trailer limit, so you could legally drive it without trailer brakes. That makes it cheaper, brakes are a good idea, but I'd be more concerned about having enough air in the tires in terms of magnitude. If you work out your loading and unloading situation, there are a lot of trailers out there that will fit your vehicle's capacity as well as the weight of the mill. The drop trailer requires a commercial vehicle because it can carry a much larger load than you are planning. Your truck will haul that mill just fine. How many people do you see hauling four motorcycles or a pair of jet skis with a full Toyota SUV? Those loads weigh as much as your mill.

 

[Ischgl99]

I mounted a hitch when I had a 2008 Honda Pilot, it bolted to the underside of the frame to preexisting holes and I had to remove some sort of attachment point. My current Pilot comes without a hitch, but is set up to have one installed with a section of the bumper that gets removed to fit the hitch, your Toyota might be the same. Do a YouTube search of your vehicle model and trailer hitch and see what others have done. There might be a simple solution that will allow you to use your truck.

As for trailers, my local Tractor Supply rents trailers. They are utility trailers, so not as good for moving machinery, but if you have one local, it might be an option.

 

[Dave Bonzo]

A bumper mount hitch is for very light loads and is only meant to project an air of both sport and utility to others who see you on the road.

So, fun bit of trivia: the ring isn't mounted to a bumper. That's the main rear crossmember. Here's a better picture or two.

Pictured: 400kg of... something.

Pictured: From the underside. It's...oh, maybe 12ga C-channel?

That little gap in the boxing, inboard of the two bolts... that's the access point for the welded nuts that allow the ring to bolt on. It's roughly the same arrangement as the old 40-series...and those were sold here, so I'm hoping that one of those hitch plates might be an option. All of them basically replace the ring with an identical mounting point, albeit with a receiver tube.

Your vehicle is not a 1-ton, but so what, the Millrite is 1300 lbs. That won't be too much tongue weight for your Toy, and is even below the 3,000 lb trailer limit, so you could legally drive it without trailer brakes.

No, it's definitely not a wonton, but I'll say this: the Toyota 9" rear is a stout axle...and the 1HZ doesn't complain about moving things at low RPM. I've always thought it would be a good tow rig as long as it's kept within its class.

That makes it cheaper, brakes are a good idea, but I'd be more concerned about having enough air in the tires in terms of magnitude. If you work out your loading and unloading situation, there are a lot of trailers out there that will fit your vehicle's capacity as well as the weight of the mill. The drop trailer requires a commercial vehicle because it can carry a much larger load than you are planning. Your truck will haul that mill just fine. How many people do you see hauling four motorcycles or a pair of jet skis with a full Toyota SUV? Those loads weigh as much as your mill.

You make a good point. Brakes would be nice; the Toy has four-wheel discs but I've never seen a factory brake setup that was as good as a properly-adjusted trailer brake. I'm not too worried about it on flat land, but I wouldn't want to haul something down the back side of the Cascades without a good idea of how to stop.

Gonna make some calls to the 40-series dealers and see if they can at least give me a bolt pattern; if it's close, I can make it work.

 

[pontiac428]

I bet you'd much rather spend your equipment moving budget on outfitting your own rig with the hitch conversion parts and a brake controller than renting a gas hog that you have to return when you're done.

Tilt-bed trailers are popular with small heavy equipment businesses and landscapers. The bed tilts so you can drive up onto it, past the balance point it returns to deck level. They are in the right class for both your vehicle and the mill. Using a toe jack and blocks, you can easily get the mill onto a pallet jack. Then you can winch/come-along the pallet jack with the mill on it up the tilt ramp. I envision it being a one-man job unless something goes... yeah, bring a friend or two.

 

[Dave Bonzo]

I bet you'd much rather spend your equipment moving budget on outfitting your own rig with the hitch conversion parts and a brake controller than renting a gas hog that you have to return when you're done.

You'd be correct about that. This being said: I've had two downright laughable conversations with online trailer parts dealers, now; they have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about when I tell that 1) it's a Japanese vehicle, and 2) that it's a very similar crossmember to the 40-series. One even told me that they don't stock any hitches for LCs while I was looking at the list of LC hitches on their website.

I sent a few inquiries to some Toyota/LC parts suppliers; hopefully, they'll get back to me. I may be able to buy something and make it work, or modify it. If I had my larger welder on hand this would all be over in very short order.

Tilt-bed trailers are popular with small heavy equipment businesses and landscapers. The bed tilts so you can drive up onto it, past the balance point it returns to deck level. They are in the right class for both your vehicle and the mill. Using a toe jack and blocks, you can easily get the mill onto a pallet jack. Then you can winch/come-along the pallet jack with the mill on it up the tilt ramp. I envision it being a one-man job unless something goes... yeah, bring a friend or two.

I saw a few used tilt-beds for sale; also a couple of drop-deck models, but their five-digit price tags are putting them out of my reach.

And yeah, it's not a one-banana job...but it's probably gonna have to be, regardless.

 

[Dabbler]

The guys in my city are always moving lathes and mills. I moved a 15X60 Leblond lathe and a 9X49 BP mill with my GM sierra, no trailer using a gantry crane and moving it in parts. I used my homebuilt 5 ton gantry crane for it, though.

Some ideas from experiences here in the Great White North:

1) Many memorial companies that carve headstones have picker trucks that handle up to 2 tons. One of them here does machine moving on weekends. Flat rate $2590 in city and +.40 per kilometer to fetch from out of town. He's not a pro rigger, so you have to rig it yourself. He just warrants his crane and handling. You have to secure it yourself (he provides the straps, which are plentiful)

2) I moved a 14X40 lathe using a Home Depot trailer (not fancy) by using a 2 ton gantry crane for unloading - 4 hr rental was $130. A cheap 2 ton gantry crane (which is useful anyway) can be had for about 800$ CDN (or about $1.99 USD) Renting a 2T gantry can be done in big cities for about 40$ a day, I loaded it using a 2 ton come-along in this case.

3) I've moved a 4,000 lb Deckel mill with a Sunbelt drop trailer. and it went very well indeed. loading and unloading was easier than a higher deck trailer. Just a come-along for each direction, with some wood wedges and pipes for rolling.

4) if you get a big gantry crane, you can put the mill in the back of a bigger pickup truck. This is the safest way to transport it if you have a good tie down system in your truck, and you take the ram off (see below).

5) I would avoid using an engine hoist. I have 2 - a 2 ton that lifts to 8' and a monster 3 ton that lifts to 11'6". I wouldn't ever lift my mills with one. I don't consider it safe to do.

6) If you have an engine hoist, consider taking the ram assembly off the mill before moving... This can easily be done safely with an engine hoist, and makes the mill a *lot* less top-heavy. Loading the ram assembly into a truck or trailer can easily be done with an engine hoist. The base needs a stronger lifting device IMO. 2 ton engine hoists aren't.

7) I wish I were closer: I have all the toys, tools and misc stuff to move stuff...

 

[CluelessNewB]

When I bought mine I took mostly it apart. I was able to handle all of the parts myself other than the main base casting. (I'm not a big person) I used and engine hoist to load & unload the main casting into the back of by pickup. I had a couple of 2"x6" runners lagged to the bottom of the base and used rollers cut from EMT tubing to move it into my barn. Work slow, work smart. It hasn't moved in 4 years and I will be selling it soon, because of medical issues need to thin the herd!

 

[Dave Bonzo]

I moved a 15X60 Leblond lathe and a 9X49 BP mill with my GM sierra, no trailer using a gantry crane and moving it in parts. I used my homebuilt 5 ton gantry crane for it, though.

Got a link to a build for one of those? I need something along those lines, anyway, and I need one that I can fold up and store against a wall...or take apart entirely.

Some ideas from experiences here in the Great White North...

Good suggestions; thank you! I'm hoping that I might be able to find a trailer that's affordable and that'll let me use either the tilt-and-slide method, or the stop-drop-and-roll method. If not that...then I'm going to keep looking for similar options, and yeah, I can always phone it in if things become too difficult.

I wish I were closer: I have all the toys, tools and misc stuff to move stuff...

I wish you were, too! Moving and losing literally all of my social network has shown me just how useful it is to have friends in the area that I can rely on. We're on our own out here, so far.

Also, side note: I measured the Toyota's hitch-mount bolt pattern. Turns out that it's 1.75" by 3.375", which is pretty damned close to a NATO pintle hitch mount...so I might be able to get a ball-and-pintle mount and solve this in a much easier way than I thought.

When I bought mine I took mostly it apart. I was able to handle all of the parts myself other than the main base casting. (I'm not a big person) I used and engine hoist to load & unload the main casting into the back of by pickup. I had a couple of 2"x6" runners lagged to the bottom of the base and used rollers cut from EMT tubing to move it into my barn. Work slow, work smart. It hasn't moved in 4 years and I will be selling it soon, because of medical issues need to thin the herd!

That's good info; thank you! Wish I was closer to you; I'd help you get rid of it...or, rather, I would be writing this same thread asking for help in helping you get rid of it.

 

[Dabbler]

Got a link to a build for one of those?

No I designed it and built it myself. I modified it over the years as I needed it to work better, etc... I never made drawing s for it, with the exception of the side plates, which were waterjet cut locally.

You ca see a picture of it in post #1 at

Moving big equipment out of a basement...

Last year I bought most of the machines from a guy's basement machine shop. I also agreed to clear his basement of all machines, by taking them up the stairs. I thought I'd post a few highlights of that move, and answer questions about moving heavy equipment... These are the machines I moved...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[pontiac428]

I think you will find a suitable adapter for your 4-bolt pattern. I have done the same going back and forth between EU and DOT standards, adapters were available. You might try Amazon.jp in english to get what you need. Many global Amazon vendors will ship internationally.

I would not recommend a "NATO" pintle unless you have no other choice. That connection implies a 10,000 lb rating. Use a ball that matches your truck's capacity like everyone else, you don't want to explain any weird stuff to the highway patrol after an unneeded double-take.