# Hoisting generators



## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

WronGun said:


> Apparently , people are too lazy to order their own generators.
> 
> Seeing as I have 6 Generacs at the shop awaiting for installation dates I’m looking for equipment to jack them up into our trucks then back down. I’ve seen a few options , just looking for some feedback. I can’t afford to lose anyone due to a back injury.
> 
> ...


You could rent a cube van with a lift on the back. Deliver them all in one day. 

We've got 23 generators to do. They're already sitting on pads and we are booking to February for ours.

We don't deliver them though the Koehler salesman does.

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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

We use a fork lift to get them loaded and ramps on the jobsite to take them off the truck.

Here's a system a dealer up Rochester, NY sells to other dealers. 

Go here and scroll down to view video.

http://generatorliftcarts.com/ 

Go here to see pricing.

http://generatorliftcarts.com/store/?category=NoCategory


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

You need Yoda.

BTW, you'd be AMAZED at what you can do with an inclined plane.

Also, if you're a REALLY CHEAPO EC... slap a sheeve at the front of your bed so that you can tug loads up an inclined plane -- and vice versa. An inclined plane also permits you to usually deliver the gen-set (anything) over the curb and quite a ways towards your objective.

The scheme is to shift such loads without tearing up the ground// grass.

"Ask Jeff Williams" is a micro-scale gold miner. (Arizona) he cobbled up a VERY clever micro-scale 'rail road' and powered winch so that he could muck-out his mine. It's based around paralleled round pipes. ( GRC ) and other common materials. The beauty of his system is that it stores flat -- indefinitely -- and does not entail Big Bucks. You don't need rentals. Your need is strictly to drop loads to cast-in-place concrete pads -- or some such.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

I’m talking about portables. 

Standbys I get delivered to site..... for now

I have 8,000 and 10,000 generacs and they are pretty heavy, usually people buy their own but it seems this year people want us to do everything which is fine because I mark them up and sell them every accessory under the sun along with it. 

I was looking at something like this which seems practical for the number of generators I’m delivering.










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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

flyboy said:


> We use a fork lift to get them loaded and ramps on the jobsite to take them off the truck.
> 
> Here's a system a dealer up Rochester, NY sells to other dealers.
> 
> ...



I just bought one of their Generac/Kohler carts. Waiting for delivery. I have them forked into the van and slide them out, put a cart on them and set them in place. I have a set of ramps for the portables.


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

WronGun said:


> Apparently , people are too lazy to order their own generators.
> 
> Seeing as I have 6 Generacs at the shop awaiting for installation dates I’m looking for equipment to jack them up into our trucks then back down. I’ve seen a few options , just looking for some feedback. I can’t afford to lose anyone due to a back injury.
> 
> ...


I hope the quality of Generacs has improved for you. We used to get tons of call backs on them.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

They make engine hoists with wheels, Horrible Freight has a foldup one for $179.00 that would be too bad for limited use, IDK if better made are available without spending a fortune.












WronGun said:


> I was looking at something like this which seems practical for the number of generators I’m delivering.[/IMG]


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

They make that type of hoist that gets attached to a normal tow hitch, looks like an easy way to do it. But then you have to remember that the hoist itself needs to be put into the bed and that weighs over 100lbs.

With that said, my 70+ year old father and the guy at Home Depot had no problem lifting his Generac GP8000e into his bed and my father and his neighbor had no problem lifting it out of his bed. For 6 of them I would just get some males employees.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

jelhill said:


> I hope the quality of Generacs has improved for you. We used to get tons of call backs on them.


Most of the time there has been call backs for ones I've seen is neglect. Never used or maintained. Valve adjustment, oil change, the usual stuff and a new carb. I have one 10kw in the garage that needs a new motor. That's the first one I've seen with a major repair. They need to be run regularly and have fuel stabilizer, fresh fuel etc.


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

WronGun said:


> Apparently , people are too lazy to order their own generators.
> 
> Seeing as I have 6 Generacs at the shop awaiting for installation dates I’m looking for equipment to jack them up into our trucks then back down. I’ve seen a few options , just looking for some feedback. I can’t afford to lose anyone due to a back injury.
> 
> ...



A lot of guys use a Tommy lift.


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

Tommy Gate


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

splatz said:


> They make engine hoists with wheels, Horrible Freight has a foldup one for $179.00 that would be too bad for limited use, IDK if better made are available without spending a fortune.


They make one like that, that attaches to the bed of a pickup or open utility box. The propane companies use them.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I remember a thread a few years ago about Spitz lifts. 

For portables or standbys we use ramps most of the time. Its not that big of a deal to wheel portable generators up ramps into the back of a truck.


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Try one of these, or something similar. They are easy to install, and if you changed the gambrel out to a hook, you're laughing..

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/1129...MIpI2XgZX83gIVlP_jBx3opARgEAYYASABEgKdmfD_BwE

or if you need a bigger one..
https://www.amazon.ca/MaxxHaul-7023...ocphy=9047915&hvtargid=pla-568683155946&psc=1


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Used wheel chair lift of CL


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

A few years ago I bought a boxer/dingo It is the ****. Diggs holes,trenches, moves trailers around and unloads trucks.


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

Don't do enough to merit purchasing anything so...



At the shop:
I made some forks out of strut for my front end loader. :thumbsup:



At the site:
I hand 150 to this nice polish fella and his 2 friends and the 4 of us lift it off the trailer and onto the pad.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

A hitch hoist may work for what you're doing:



https://www.cabelas.com/product/VIK...VtR-tBh0pIAavEAkYAiABEgJGa_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

What is wrong with a set of ramps? These portables not have wheels?


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

we use a pick up with a lift gate. Use a pallet jack at our shop to move around....then once we are on site we use cut up ~4' lengths of 1-1/2" PVC as rollers to push generator into position. have some blocks of wood and a jack to get around obstacles or to put on PAD. Takes 2 men usually.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

WronGun said:


> Apparently , people are too lazy to order their own generators.
> 
> Seeing as I have 6 Generacs at the shop awaiting for installation dates I’m looking for equipment to jack them up into our trucks then back down. I’ve seen a few options , just looking for some feedback. I can’t afford to lose anyone due to a back injury.
> 
> ...


I hope you guys are making plenty of money on those things. 
Here we don't have NG, the prices are openly advertised for the generators and the installed are priced like service changes. And, we have to have a slab and a gas guy.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Southeast Power said:


> I hope you guys are making plenty of money on those things.
> 
> Here we don't have NG, the prices are openly advertised for the generators and the installed are priced like service changes. And, we have to have a slab and a gas guy.




I don’t know about anywhere else but I make an absolute killing on generators. 

Not just on the installs , but I go to the clients house with brochures and sell them the generator (standby and portable), cord , offer them 3 or 4 optional accessories. 

This week we have a couple generator only sells. 

We drop it off , set it up with oil and gas and done, and yes I sell them the gas at a markup also. 

As I’ve mentioned before in other posts I will try to sell everything to the customer and they can just sit inside and sip their hot cocoa. 

This is the norm in highly affluent areas surrounding my blue collar town. 

We’ve done 4 in the last couple weeks that are on the same exact street.... neighbors just spreading the word....


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

The latest two I have been working on, the gas guys provided the digging crew and all I had to do was the electrical for the generator. They dug for and set the underground tank, trenched and set gas lines and dug my trenches for conduit in a day. Inspection happens and they come back next week, back fill, finish the piping and fill the tank. So much easier. Not always that easy though.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

nrp3 said:


> The latest two I have been working on, the gas guys provided the digging crew and all I had to do was the electrical for the generator. They dug for and set the underground tank, trenched and set gas lines and dug my trenches for conduit in a day. Inspection happens and they come back next week, back fill, finish the piping and fill the tank. So much easier. Not always that easy though.




My plumbers do this too but I have a guy we call the “trench warrior” that I use most 99% of them time for trenches over 10’

He does them by hand up over 100’ and they are the cleanest trenches I have ever seen... he lays tarps down alongside of the trench for the backfill. Customers have even complimented on the trenchwork alone !


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## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

WronGun said:


> My plumbers do this too but I have a guy we call the “trench warrior” that I use most 99% of them time for trenches over 10’
> 
> He does them by hand up over 100’ and they are the cleanest trenches I have ever seen... he lays tarps down alongside of the trench for the backfill. Customers have even complimented on the trenchwork alone !
> 
> ...


does he charge per foot? or per hour? how much?


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Southeast Power said:


> I hope you guys are making plenty of money on those things.
> 
> Here we don't have NG, the prices are openly advertised for the generators and the installed are priced like service changes. And, we have to have a slab and a gas guy.




I also think advertised pricing is so scammy. I As a customer never pay attention to such things. It’s like finding for a new car that’s advertised for X amount of dollars than going to the dealer to find out it’s $4000 more. 


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

readydave8 said:


> does he charge per foot? or per hour? how much?




$6 per foot , I charge $11-$12


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Open pricing on generators is everywhere, especially on the internet. It is what it is and isn't going to change either. I'm talking the units themselves. If the customer is one who is all over this and beating you down on numbers, move on. There's plenty of work elsewhere at a price that'll suit you. The portable installs are fairly quick and easy. The standbys do involve some work and coordination of trades/inspections, don't sell yourself short.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

nrp3 said:


> Open pricing on generators is everywhere, especially on the internet. It is what it is and isn't going to change either. I'm talking the units themselves. If the customer is one who is all over this and beating you down on numbers, move on. There's plenty of work elsewhere at a price that'll suit you. The portable installs are fairly quick and easy. The standbys do involve some work and coordination of trades/inspections, don't sell yourself short.




Never understood this , there are so many variables.....

The last one i priced needed a 65’ trench how do you advertise these prices without knowing anything.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

WronGun said:


> Never understood this , there are so many variables.....
> 
> The last one i priced needed a 65’ trench how do you advertise these prices without knowing anything.
> 
> ...


Lots of fine print and exclusions.


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## 3rdUserName (Nov 23, 2018)

I thought 2 guys on a portable genny was ideal. We have had to have 1 guy have to move/load them himself a few times. That's not cool at all and if he declined I'm sure the company would send out another employee to help. So it comes down to load... or wait for help. But the only enemy of gennys with me are steps. Which a lift wont help with. Also that engine lift will not roll at all in a rocky parking lott or on anything besides very clean/flat/level asphalt or concrete. Its built for a shop. What did u end up doing?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Some 2x nominal lumber makes a nice slope on which one person can rock the generator up or slide it down.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

Cow said:


> A hitch hoist may work for what you're doing:
> 
> https://www.cabelas.com/product/VIK...VtR-tBh0pIAavEAkYAiABEgJGa_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Check this out ^^^^ It goes without saying, never compromise safety, but at the same time look to be as efficient as possible. Sending another guy/gal is not efficient and should only happen when safety is an issue. Which is rare in my experience, but there are always those exceptions. 



3rdUserName said:


> I thought 2 guys on a portable genny was ideal. We have had to have 1 guy have to move/load them himself a few times. That's not cool at all and if he declined I'm sure the company would send out another employee to help. So it comes down to load... or wait for help. But the only enemy of gennys with me are steps. Which a lift wont help with. Also that engine lift will not roll at all in a rocky parking lott or on anything besides very clean/flat/level asphalt or concrete. Its built for a shop. What did u end up doing?


There are all kinds of solutions out there. We only send one guy on portables. We load it on the truck with a fork lift and the electrician slides it off the back of his truck on 2x8x8 ramps. Never a problem. 









No forklift, no problem. Get one of these bad boys. This is a picture off Cow's link above. Use this to load and unload portables and other stuff, like transformers. 









Use this to roll around portables and material on. We've never had a use for this so we never bought one.









We have 3 or 4 of these. The first one I paid $500 for. They are up to $775 I think. I took the one I bought to my welder's shop and he made 2 or three of them for under $400 dollars each.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I used that cart this morning. Works well.


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