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Unimog, Crane and Shipping Containers

11K views 18 replies 7 participants last post by  AdamHarward 
#1 ·
So, I've been wondering do you think a Unimog with a crane on it (U500) would make a good transport to move shipping containers (Specifically the 20'). Empty of course. The shipping containers weight 4,850 lbs. dry.

If you guys have any pics or input I would really appreciate it.
 
#2 ·
Adam,

Are you talking lifting and resetting, or lifting on to the back of the Unimog?

As far as lifting, with the right crane mounted, there shouldn't be a problem getting a setup that will handle the empty weight of a 20' container mounted on a U500.

If you plan to transport them with the Unimog you would need a trailer or quite a bit of frame extension as the frame is only about 11 feet long behind the cab on a U500.

Cheers,
Ben
 
#3 ·
Ben I was thinking lifting on to the back of the Unimog but that makes sense if you have an 11' bed a 20' container doesn't exactly work.

So if you had a trailer for those of you with crane experience would that be feasible to have a mounted crane on the Mog and then load the container onto the trailer?

I know each crane has it's specs but from what I gather the further you get out the less you are able to lift and I'm not sure if by the time you get out to a trailer you would be able to lift a 20' container.
 
#4 ·
I have had a couple of mogs with Hiab 550 cranes on them and if loading heavy stuff onto a pulled trailer we would just unhook the trailer and set the items on with the truck next to the trailer. this may be too much work depending on the frequency of your use though... This crane was not on a mog, but we had a folding crane on a tandem axle L9000 ford that had a lifting capacity of 6K at 30', so I would suspect that the lenght would be enough to do the job mounted on a U500 and loading on an attached trailer. I will see if I kept any reference to the model of that particular crane and post it if I can find it.

Cheers,
Ben
 
#5 ·
Adam,

Yes, the further out you go the less a crane will lift. So, the further out you need to lift from, the bigger your crane will need to be. The bigger your crane is the more it weighs, and the more space it takes up when folded.

How close can you position your U500 and trailer to the container?

Could you put the U500 between the container and the trailer?

How high up in the air will you need to get the container?

Capacity wise a Palfinger PK19000 (which weighs just under 6,000 lbs) should work fine. These will pick up 7,500 lbs at 18 feet from their pivot point and all(?) have booms that extend to about 25 feet.

The nice thing about the Palfinger PK19000's is that their legs rotate 180 degrees, so they don't hang down and limit ground clearance when not used.

Most cranes don't have this feature and this can be a big issue (I'm currently wrestling with just this problem on a Hiab crane for an SBU).

Hiab have a very informative website showing their current models, and there is a firm in Florida (www.transporttech.net) that is most knowledgeable and helpful.

Another forum member (ehi@attglobal.net) bought a PK19000 in 2008, so I imagine he would have a well informed opinion about its suitability for picking up containers.

Best regards,

Steve
 
#6 ·
M1022 dolly

Government Liquidation has ISO container mobilizers occasionally. This one sold at the minimum bid price of $150. 2330 - Trailers at Government Liquidation If it were not over 2000 miles and $1500 shipping away from me I would have bid on it. The hydraulic cylinders are pumped by hand or by air pressure. The M1022 can handle 8x8x20 containers loaded up to 7.5ton. The limit seems to be the tires which could hold up to 18,000 lbs. The M1022A can handle 9'6x8x20 containers, has a kit that allows loading onto a 4' trailer and can handle a lot more weight. Bigger price tag I suspect. Documentation is available online.

Hope this helps.
Paul
 

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#7 ·
If you are going to be slinging TEU's around, take a look at what the ancillary gear is going to run you.

I would check out tandemloc and look at the pricing on lifting gear. They do offer dolly carts with tow bars.

TANDEMLOC - Container Mobilizing Table of Contents

What do you plan do do with these containers and a U500?
 
#12 ·
Great site. Wish they posted some prices. I have heard in the past that container casters were extremely expensive. Fine if you are in the business of moving them all the time but not if you have to move it every once in a great while.
 
#8 ·
Koolmoose, if I'm understanding the utilization of that unit correctly, it's basically a specialized folding container chassis with not much else to it?

Adam, you're not in the container industry too, are you? We move most all of ours around with deck trucks, with the exception being the specialized dual crane tandem that we have. That unit has one crane directly behind the cab, then a space for the 20' container, then another crane at the opposite end. You chain to the bottom corners and you can deliver directly to either side of the unit. The downside is that the ground has to be pretty much level and you need ~20' of width to get a unit into place. This unit is capable of lifting ~20,000 pounds or so though, so it works great for loaded units as well as empties.

If I could only have one truck and it couldn't be a tilt deck, I'd have a crane and trailer setup with a LARGE crane mounted at the back of the frame towing a 20 ft tandem dual axle trailer with container locks. Rigging and unrigging would be a pain though, IMO.

Cheers,

Corey
 
#11 ·
Koolmoose, if I'm understanding the utilization of that unit correctly, it's basically a specialized folding container chassis with not much else to it?....
Cheers,

Corey
It does not fold. It is two separate units which are coupled together for unloaded transport. You separate them and mount a detachable caster wheel to mount each end to the container. Long air brake and light cords are provided so you have air brakes, lights, turns signals for highway transport at 50mph. The pictures below are the newer M1022-A1 which is far more advanced in that it has a small diesel engine to run the hydraulics and many handy features that the older M1022 does not. You may have to wait quite a while for one to come up on GL.

For my needs these are far better than the commercial container dollies that are designed for flat ground and low speed and of course quite cheap. You can move a container on unprepared surface at 15mph or on road at 50mph. But.. they are heavy at over 5000lbs and the book says you need 4 people to rig. It really depends on how you want to use them.

A movable front hitch like jekran made would be needed if you ever want to back a container for any distance.
 

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#9 ·
@Koolmoose thanks for the link to the dolly. So that dolly is it mainly for just moving short distances or could it be used to move them say 100 miles or so? I'm looking at the pics trying to figure out how that thing works. Am I right in assuming it's two different ends that hook up to the ISO?
@ACAD_Cowboy In regards to what I'm doing with ISO's and a U500....I'm trying to justify a U500 for a project I'm doing. I'm not going to be moving them offroad or anything really cool like that. I know there is probably better equipment to get the job done but you know when you've got the Unimog bug you find yourself thinking of ways to justify one with what you are doing.
@MiniMan thanks for the info. I'm not in the container business but I'm looking at a project that would require fairly regular moving of modified ISO's and exploring the idea of U500 with a trailer? I've seen the trucks with cranes on each end that lower the ISO's down. My application would be somewhat different as I'm only going to be working with 20's and they will be empty.

Thanks again for all the information. I love this forum such great help.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hey Adam,

I think I remember reading on your blog/website something about your love for U500's. While a deck truck is likely the ideal piece of equipment, if you're trying to make a U500 fit the bill, I would go with a large rear mounted knuckleboom crane with an inexpensive tandem axle trailer with container locks.

Keep us in the loop, which-ever way you go.

Cheers,

Corey
 
#10 ·
Sadly, you'd probably be best served by a roll back if it's just transport of empty units. I get the feeling you are thinking about a lowboy trailer and a knuckle crane, pull up, off load and turn around. Could do the same thing with a UD or Fuso cab-over too.

TANDEMLOC - Lifting Products - Self Actuating Container Lift Spreaders



Food for thought on the load handling side. The autoloc snaps into the eyes on the corners and gives you a centered 4 corner lift.
 
#13 ·
Yeah Tandemloc makes a whole range of very smart ISO container equipment and the biggest D-rings in town.

The lack of pricing is aggravating and I never have the time to submit a quote, mostly because I know I won't be buying and don't want to waste someone's time.
 
#15 ·
'Originally Posted by AdamHarward View Post
@Koolmoose thanks for the link to the dolly. So that dolly is it mainly for just moving short distances or could it be used to move them say 100 miles or so? I'm looking at the pics trying to figure out how that thing works. Am I right in assuming it's two different ends that hook up to the ISO?'


The dolly, like so much military equipment is designed to convoy material in forward areas. As such, they are typically overbuilt to stand extremes of all kinds, weather, time, rough terrain, abuse. You could drive one of these across the country and on backroads.

You are right about the hookup. The tech manual here BEFORE USE - CONTINUED details the process starting with uncoupling two which were towed in train. Note that they don't want you to tow two loaded dollys in train unless they are empty.

I think you can set up a search on GL for NSN 2330-01-167-7262 and they will email you when one comes up for auction.
 
#18 ·
Koolmoose, not sure who you're getting the locks from, but we retail the double locks for $85/pc. Made of steel, so weld-on as needed.

Adam, depending on where you're typically going to be unloading, a tilt deck trailer could do the trick just fine too. All you need is a foot of overhang (which you can do, given they're empty) and then you drive out from underneath the unit. A U500 might be overkill for that, but at least it'd give you the opportunity to get that toy in the stable.

Cheers,

Corey
 
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