6 Machinery Situations Where You Need to Hire BTR’s Heavy Duty Towing Truck

Heavy-duty trucks are muscles needed for safe and efficient machinery towing. Machines are the lifeblood of businesses in construction sites and industrial areas. Without them, projects delay and standstill may occur at high costs. Even though one uses them carefully, it is never easy to move these huge assets for relocation or repair. 

You might need a powerful towing truck to guarantee safe and legal transfer of your investment. But again, what specific capacities these truck can handle? Most businesses have no idea. Different tow trucks are made to carry different loads. 

In this blog, Brisbane Towing and Recovery will tell you about 6 machinery scenarios where you will be required to hire our heavy-duty towing truck. Once you finish reading it, you will be in a position to know whom to call for the job.

Here’s quick version for those in rush: 

Frequently Asked Heavy-Duty Towing Truck Questions

For what machinery can I hire heavy-duty towing truck? 

Heavy-duty towing trucks are all about safely transporting industrial and construction equipment. Some examples are: 

• Forklifts
• Excavators
• Bobcats (skid steers)
• Scissor lifts
• Boomlifts
• Tractors
• Road rollers

Who to reach for a heavy-duty towing truck? 

Consider hiring Brisbane Towing and Recovery for reliable and efficient heavy-duty machinery transport. We got team of highly experienced operators, top-notch gear, and specialised vehicles that ensure your machinery is moved safely and securely. 

For What Machinery Can I Hire Heavy-Duty Towing Truck?

Here, we have prepared a list of light machines that can be towed using our services in Brisbane: 

Forklifts

Forklifts are the workhorses of warehouses and construction sites. However, their specialised design make infamously difficult to transport safely. They have a high centre of gravity and unbalanced weight distribution as a result of the counterbalance at the back. 

Should a forklift malfunction, you cannot just hook a chain to it. You risk knocking it over or inflicting serious damage to the mast and carriage. Heavy-duty towing trucks are required to carry it, especially a tilt-tray or flatbed model. 

They enable machinery to be either winched or driven up safely. Keeping the heavy counterweight in balance over the axles to be transported. Here are some tips to consider when getting forklifts towed in Brisbane: 

• Secure mast: Keep the carriage in place by chaining the mast to it. This will help you avoid swaying or swinging during transport.
• Lower forks: Make sure that tines have been brought down to the ground so that the centre of gravity is as low as possible.
• Chock wheels: Immediately after loading, chock the wheels so that they do not roll during the securing process.

Excavators

A massive piece of engineering, usually over 10 tonnes. People in Brisbane use excavators to dig and carry heavy loads as opposed to driving up the highway. You must be thinking, “Why not drive them?” Because rubber tracks may break easily when on hot bitumen. 

Also, these machines lack suspension and lighting required for road travel. You might need a heavy-duty towing truck with the capability of carrying heavy tonnes. Brisbane Towing and Recovery employs specialised trailers and ramps that can fit in the ground clearance of the excavator.

Your machine can be loaded without bottoming out or damaging the track system. Here are some tips to consider before loading your excavators:

• Clean tracks: Clean up tracks prior to loading. Remove mud and debris from them. This way, you can avoid slipping on the ramps.
• Lock boom: Chain the boom, stick, and bucket to the main chassis to prevent movement.
• Travel mode: Position the cab at the back of towing trailer if instructed. Ensuring all the safety pins are locked.

Bobcats 

Also called skid steers, Bobcats are small and powerful in nature. Their heavy weight and small footprint, however, destabilise them when towing. Because they are commonly used in narrow and muddy areas, retrieving them becomes a task for a truck with massive pulling force and four-wheel drive capabilities.

An average tow truck usually gets entangled in an attempt to access a stalled Bobcat at a construction site. Our super-heavy-duty towing trucks can reach difficult terrains and winch the Bobcat to a tilt-tray safely. 

Here’s how to ensure safety while transporting skid steers:

• Empty bucket: Always tip the bucket to empty any dirt or water. This will also go a long way in decreasing load weight.
• Engage parking brake: Double-check if parking brake is in a locked position and hydraulics are depressurised.
• Tie-down points: Utilise only the manufacturer’s recommended tie-down points on the chassis. You can avoid bodywork being crushed.

Don’t forget to check these resources as well: 

Winter towing tips

Vehicles that can be flat towed

Booking storage container towing services 

Farm machinery towing and transport challenges 

Machinery towing in Brisbane

Scissor lifts

Next up on our list are scissor lifts. Tall, heavy and unbelievably heavy at the top, these are one of the worst machines to move around if not handled properly. They, even when at the bottom of stowage, behave like a big sail as if they are caught by cross winds that can easily turn a normal trailer. 

Since a scissor lift is heavy equipment, it would need special expertise in securing high-centre-of-gravity loads. To keep machine firmly fixed to the bed of the heavy-duty towing  truck, BTR installs a set of industrial straps and chains to anchor it at several points. This makes sure it does not sway or shift on the road.

• Reduce stages: Make sure that the scissor mechanism is completely, fully lowered and safety pins are hooked up.
• Protect the guardrails: Pad the guardrails or use soft straps prevent bending or scratching the finish.
• Check base: Check the wheel chocks. See if they are tight. Also, make certain the base frame is even with truck bed.

Boomlifts

Boomlifts pose a special challenge due to their long arm and articulating jib. These cause a vast weight to hang in the air. Balancing of this overhang is important when a boomlift is to be relocated, whether due to a breakdown or relocation. 

Unless the weight is laid on the tow truck in a perfect manner, rear part of the truck may be pulled off the ground or boomlift may slip forward. Heavy-duty towing truck team at BTR understand physics of this leverage. We fit the machine in such a way that the load is evenly distributed across the axes of the truck. Thereby, providing safe braking and handling.

• Align superstructure: Rotate the turntable so the boom is directly in the middle of the chassis. Not on the side.
• Retract fully: Before loading, all boom sections must be retracted and jib folded up.
• Hydraulic safety: Relieve hydraulic pressure in the system to avoid accidental movement of boom during transportation.

Tractors and rollers

Agricultural and construction giants like tractors and road rollers are not designed to be speedy but rather to provide raw power and traction. Their enormous weight, which is usually heavier than vehicles you see every day on roads, requires heavy towing with a high GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) rating. 

Why, you ask? Because wheelbase of the tractor is very large and in most cases, clumsy. Rollers, on the other hand, are very dense and heavy. In case these machines fail, they will paralyse an entire project. Brisbane Towing and Recovery employs low-bed trailers and strong winches to retrieve these huge assets. 

We make certain that a huge weight is lifted without breaking axles or wheels of the machine. What measures do we take? Here are some:

• Disengage PTO: To avoid spinning of the shaft when towing, see if the Power Take-Off (PTO) has been switched off.
• Wide load awareness: Pay attention to the fact that some tractors are wide and may demand pilot cars or special permits.
• Axle chaining: Secure chains directly to the tractor’s or roller’s axles and not the body itself to prevent structural damage.

Hire Heavy-Duty Towing Truck in Brisbane

There you go! 

We discussed type of machines that can be carried on a heavy-duty towing truck in Brisbane. As you noticed, this equipment requires more than just a standard truck move. Attempting to move without the right gear is a risk you can’t afford. 

Whether you face a breakdown on-site or need relocation, having towing professionals on your side is non-negotiable. Brisbane Towing and Recovery is ready to handle heavy loads on your behalf with precision and care. 

Don’t let machinery issues stall your progress. Call us on 0438 155 555. Trust our experts to get the job done right!    

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