Safe Moving Equipment

Safes are heavy and cumbersome. They are not easy to move. Burglary safes are reinforced with additional metal to protect the content from unauthorized entry. Fire safes are constructed with fire protection materials to prevent fire and heat from damaging the content. And, as a general rule, the more expensive the safe, the heavier it seems to be.

Selling safes normally carries two additional expenses besides the cost of the safe and any options or upgrades. These expenses are the cost to have the safe shipped to your location presale, and the cost to transport the safe to the end-user’s business or residence post-sale. In addition, there is the need to move the safes around once they are at your shop.

Suggestion: To lower presale costs, find out if there is a safe manufacturer in your geographic area. If there is, can you arrange with your locksmith distributor to accommodate factory pickup of pre-purchased safes?

The following article discusses some of the products available for transporting and moving safes. Transporting a safe involves a distance of miles. Moving a safe involves moving it around your shop or your customer’s residence or business, once the safe is at the location.

TRANSPORTING

There are many different types of equipment for transporting a safe. A safe can be transported using a pickup or a larger stake bed or box truck. Before considering transporting a safe using a pickup, it is important to know the maximum payload. The maximum payload is the amount of weight that can be added to the vehicle. To determine the maximum payload, you need to know the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Curb Weight of the vehicle.

The GVWR is the maximum allowable total weight a vehicle can have when loaded. The GVWR is the rated maximum a vehicle can carry including everything added including occupants and accessories. The Gross Vehicle Weight is often included on the door or doorpost tag.

The Curb Weight is usually the total weight of the vehicle having standard equipment and a full tank of fuel. The curb weight does not include cargo or occupants. Every year and model pickup and truck has its own GVWR and Curb Weight.

The difference between the GVWR and the Curb Weight is the Maximum Payload. For example, a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 has a GVWR of 6025 pounds and a Curb Weight of 4545 pounds. The Maximum Payload is 1480 pounds. That means that 1480 pounds can be added to this pickup, including the driver’s weight, passengers and any cargo.

I decided to eliminate the larger trucks as in many states, additional licenses, permits and fees are inflicted. In addition, larger vehicles can be required to stop for inspection at every weigh station.

The maximum towing capacity is the upper limit to the weight of a trailer a vehicle can tow. However, towing a trailer is also dependent upon the trailer hitch. Trailer hitch classifications should be respected when towing a trailer. The light duty Class I trailer hitch will accommodate up to 2,000 pounds. The medium duty Class II trailer hitch will accommodate up to 3,500 pounds. The heavy duty Class III trailer hitch will accommodate up to 5,000 pounds. The extra heavy duty Class IV trailer hitch will accommodate up to 10,000 pounds. A fifth wheel/gooseneck style of trailer hitch will accommodate weight greater than 10,000 pounds. Most late model trailer hitches have a label that indicates the duty rating of the hitch and the tongue weight capacity. Remember: The tongue weight can be 10 percent of a loaded trailer’s weight.

Is it better to use a heavy duty pickup and a liftgate, or a smaller pickup and a trailer? Most pickup- sized liftgates have a weight limit of up to about 1500 pounds. A trailer will need a parking place when not being used.