{"id":454,"date":"2018-01-23T15:36:01","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T20:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/heavyhaulers.com\/Blog\/?p=454"},"modified":"2025-12-05T16:18:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T21:18:11","slug":"preparing-construction-equipment-transport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heavyhaulers.com\/blog\/preparing-construction-equipment-transport\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Your Construction Equipment for Transport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Preparing Your Construction Equipment for Transport<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Before you can begin preparing your construction equipment transport<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to select the trailer on which it will ride. You can prepare your equipment properly once you know which type of trailer it fits. Sometimes, to make your equipment fit on a less expensive type of trailer, you\u2019ll need to remove pieces from your machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Height usually is the problem. Flatbeds are about five feet off the ground. Most states allow you 13 \u00bd feet of total clearance. That leaves you with 8 \u00bd feet or so in height for your equipment, a little more in some states. Step deck trailers, which have middle sections that ride lower to the ground, offer maybe another two feet in clearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your load is too tall using a step deck trailer<\/a> for transport, you can gain more clearance by replacing the step-deck trailer with a lowboy trailer. You can get another foot or so in legal height by switching to a lowboy trailer. Lowboys cost more than step decks, so you only want to use a lowboy when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you know which type of trailer you\u2019re using, you can begin preparing your construction equipment for transport. Position any booms properly, retracting them so they don\u2019t affect height or length. Remove attachments that might make you oversized. In some states, it\u2019s illegal to ship your equipment with a bucket or scoop attached. Ask your transport representative for any special rules in the states your cargo will travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cat<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Avoiding Wide Load Designation for Your Construction Equipment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Only your largest pieces of construction equipment travel as wideloads. Off-road dump trucks, cranes, excavators, dozers, graders and scrapers \u2013 all are candidates for oversize designation. Most other types of construction machinery should fit within dimensional regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove attachments from bulldozers and wheel loaders to make them fit within regulations. It\u2019s often cheaper, and more efficient, to ship the attachment separately rather than travel as an oversize load. Tips for avoiding wide load designation include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n