How would you………

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Hypothetical situation: you have a piece of property that is uneven ground and you have a 40′ conex (empty) sitting on it. Your goal is to move it to a different location a couple hundred yards away through the brush, not necessarily a straight line journey. Assume that trees, stumps and the like are not an obstacle but depressions, slopes, uneven terrain, etc. are. You can only use hand -tools including Hi-lifts, pulleys, ropes, jackstands, etc…anything except a Bobcat, forklift, frontloader, or other vehicle.

How would you do it?

I know there are trucks you can mount under either end of a conex to put them on wheels but that is mitigated somewhat by the uneven overgrown terrain. Assume no more than three or four people to work this task.

Suggestions?

ETA: a portable 12v winch is an option in this scenario. Something that can be carried in, along with a couple 12v batts.

47 thoughts on “How would you………”

  1. Empty it. Trucks under the front to raise the front end (kind of like a travois) then pulleys to drag from anchor to anchor. Needs time and patience. Could be done with one person. But boy would it take time.

    Or a helicopter. Guessing $8,000 to $15,000 grand but it is fast and relatively easier. $ makes great lube.

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  4. Hand tools? Perhaps rollers made from logs. RR tie tongs, two man tongs to handle and place them. A good industrial come along or three, the 25 dollar specials won’t cut it. Add in a chainsaw. May have to build cribbing piers/posts and timber decking for the depressions (Later usable firewood). Of course pioneer tools, pick, shovel crosscut saw and axe.

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    • I’m adding to my post by replying here

      I forgot, make a bridle for between the front corners . If you can’t keep it from being ruined by dragging, then whatever you use, use something that is so far beyond the load that it will not give up. Tying a burlap bag with rags in it to the end of the line that is connected to the load will keep the line from flying if it snaps. Drape a blanket over the line, anything that eats the energy of a loaded line becoming Suddenly Unloaded.
      Witnesses only at a safe distance and winch operator needs to be aware of which way things could go and Don’t Be there.

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    • The use of logs/telephone pole will work. If you have time why not weld up a “car like dolly” instead of putting the wheel on the dolly you would jack up the box and slide the dolly under it. Ditto for back side. Steering would be an issue but could be over come

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  5. We moved mine with 6inch poles & chainfalls. Only moved in maybe 50yrds but it worked. That was many years ago, now I would hire someone to do it.

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    • Yep. Recent experience.
      Cut 12+ 10′ 4-5″ trees. Lay them out in front, reserve a few to place under the box. Farm jack to lift the front half, place poles. Same to the back.
      Now use a couple of tow straps through the locking holes on the bottom to make a harness. Come along, 12v winch strapped to a tree, or winch on an ATV to get her moving. Rinse and repeat. Bring lots of gatorade.

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  6. Can shortened telephone poles or round fence posts be used to roll it into place via a come-a-long ? Ancient peoples long ago moved heavy objects, but they had more personnel to get this done.

    We moved a much smaller 8′ x 8′ box from property entrance to eventual site location (caliche base, perimeter set on square railroad tie rails) about 100 yards away. A lawn tractor provided the hauling power. Jacks hoisted box corners into place, then timbers inserted underneath it (Scary as **** !) This box is simply used as lawn equipment – fence tool – bagged feed storage that can be secured.

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  8. Truck on the ass end.
    Coupla Badass batteries on anything you can drag.
    A winch you can secure to a stump/ tree. Blocks and tackles and soft winch line. Watch some off road recovery YouTubers. The equipment is tough and not Stewpid money.
    Chainsaw, shovel and some 4X4s, smooth the path in front, let it slide up the wood,so it’s not plowing dirt. You might be ahead with trucks in front, too, depending on how lumpy the path is.
    You might have to mount the winch to a plate with legs to drive in the ground and a collar to tighten on a tree. You can use chain and a bolt, through the chain. Fat chain, so you can use a good enough bolt to keep the winch on the tree.
    A high mounted winch lifts the box and pulls it.
    It also wants to break the tree over.
    Where people are is very important.
    The Triangle of Death didn’t get that name for no reason.
    Using the soft winch line instead of cable is Much safer if something breaks.

    Not seeing the problem, that is what I would want to try.
    Barring someone showing up with a helicopter.

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  9. Roll on logs or pipes like was done with stones for pyramids. This is a simplistic idea, jacks, come alongs, chain hoists, shovels, picks, bars, & much manpower will be needed as well. Good luck 👍🏻

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  10. Get the illustrated book MOVING HEAVY THINGS by Jan Adkins for ideas. Clear your path of brush and obstructions. Find a person with draft horses? Bonus- If possible, wait for snow and put empty conex on sled to decrease friction

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  11. I once got a jeep unstuck using an idea from a Louis L’Amour novel (Sitka).

    Shear Poles: lash two poles at the top, in my case pine trees, straddling the load, leaning in the opposite direction of intended travel. Attach a heavy rope to the lashing point at the top. Apply a force in the direction of travel (in my case another jeep). When the poles approach the apex, the load is lifted and travels forward as the shears move in the direction of intended travel. Rinse and repeat. In your instance I might use two sets of poles, positioned fore and aft, working in conjunction while tied together at the top with the single pull rope.

    Another option might be a gin pole.

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  12. Contact your local PODS. In person if possible. The thing they use to move the pods can handle empty 40’ conex. They moved my pod over terrain like you describe with ease. Big wheels, high off the ground, controlled by hand unit with wire attached to pod mover. For what OPSEC reasons, you might need the “I’ve used more $50 bills than .50 ammo to solve problems.

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  13. YaKnow, A fellow with a drill and some bolts could mount the winch on the box, and put the batteries on it, too. But without something to pull on, it’s not going anywhere. Do you have things along the way that would hold fast with a winch dragging a box that week 8000 pounds?

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  15. With enough line, anchor points, snatch blocks and time, you could do it just fine. You’d need to reset your rig fairly often depending on the specific situation. It’d go easier if you could jack up each end and put some sort of rollers down (utility poles would work well) to make it a bit easier to pull. Or some sort of skids. It would certainly be easier with a vehicle with a winch though instead of a guy with a high-lift improvised as a winch.

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  16. Find a shed mover in the area. They have a motorized mule and dollies to move it with ease. Otherwise use the suggested methods above that include rollers, winches and come-a-longs.

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  19. I would lean more towards skids rather than logs to roll. My assumption is that between point A and B the ground is not smooth enough to roll a log with the weight of the conex. If no vehicles, then winch or block and tackle. Assuming no vehicle, no power, block and tackle and lots of rope, triple pulley or better and lots of time.

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  20. The budget answer is to roll it on poles using a winch.

    A PLS truck is an option. They aren’t going over any rock crawling trails but have some capabilities.

    Or if too rough of terrain for either of those rent a chinook.

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  22. Go to a junk yard and get two old (sturdy) hoods.
    Attach them under the front and use them for skids -cut a hole and chain them so they stay put- and you should be able to slide over most obstructions, and it doesn’t matter what they look like when your “there”.

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  23. Try and find a military fully articulated all terrain fork lift. They do have them. When I worked at the Fort we had two. They have places that rent them. Should be easy to find in your area.

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  25. I watched a video on these guys making a grain silo. They had a dozen or so jacks and would raise the base, they go around and put more pieces in at the bottom, then add another dozen jacks, and raise the whole thing, then rinse and repeat…

    Do you have any kind of wagons or garden carts? Maybe if you got 4 jacks, lifted it up, then put some kind of heavy duty garden cart under it on the four corners, you four guys could pull/guide it using those wagons to where you want; assuming it is empty.

    Wish I knew something tried and true, you do our community solid after solid and I wish I could repay you with a great idea. Best of luck,

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  26. Following. To think in a macro strategic manner for this problem, only if usage of vehicles or equipment is totally not possible, the above suggestions are solid. However at this stage in things, it would be safer, thus avoiding risks of injuries or damages, equipment-horsepower or outside assistance
    should be called in for the job. Safety and asset protection should be as important as cobbling together a low budget, low manpower- resources attempt at it. It can be done, but if money can be used to either speed the job up, or do it safely while you relax on the sidelines safely it would be wise and prudent. I totally pretend to be manly myself, knowing my pathetic limitations and skill sets, it would be sometimes best to hire in help or expertise, or not attempt sketchy things because my gut safety feelings says otherwise. Everyones mileage or situation varies, but an assessment with safety should be calculated into your decision making, especially these days. Being injured and in a hospital is not a good plan. You may no longer get good medical care in these days and thus be in another problem as well. There won’t be an aesop level of medical care available in your a.o. to tend to you after an oops, oh shit incident. You will get a dei incompetent or sub iq foreigner for your emergency medical care, so factor that into one’s equations during planning magyver type actions. Stay safer…. stay frosty.

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  27. Look up yard sled on Amazon and find a local plastics dealer. May have to come up with some caps or roll sheets if rocks come into play. Reducing the friction will open up options.

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    • this is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get ‘er done. Harbor Freight has 3/8” steel winch cable and the snatch blocks. Pick up some hydraulic jack(s), some cribbing and wooden logs for rollers and don’t be in a hurry.

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  31. 1. Find any heavy equipment contractors in the area, describe your goal, and ask them for proposals. Tell them right up front that you aren’t looking just to steal their ideas, that if they come up with the cheapest, safest solution, you’ll sign up. Almost certainly they will propose things you’d never think of on your own.

    2. The guys mentioning choppers got me to thinking. Every state — especially Alaska, I would think — has National Guard engineer units. I was in the Army Reserve, not the Guard, but we would regularly be used to set up and run field training exercises (FTX) to train/grade Guard units. It’s a long shot, but there might be an Alaska National Guard outfit with the right equipment, training and leaders who would take on your mission for training purposes. Yes, a long shot, but it won’t cost you anything to explore.

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  32. Some good ideas already mentioned.

    First, get the land as smooth as possible: Cut brush out, fill depressions as able.

    Rollers – got an old telephone pole? Section it into 9′ sections, roll the empty box. Don’t forget to have a method to keep gravity from taking over, if you’re going downhill at all. Tow with a truck, ATV, etc.

    No vehicles at all? Block and tackle – 600′ of rope in a 5:1 rig, Reset as needed. The Army used to train in vehicle recovery using just a big block and tackle, pulling 5-tons and armored vehicles’ out of mud bogs by hand.

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  33. Study how the ancient Egyptians supposedly moved heavy stuff (not counting the help from space aliens) and see if those methods might be appropriate, The OPSEC issue is scary on a lot of the other proposals, Just because I am paranoid doesn’t mean people are not out to get me,

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  36. Come alongs, slings, shackles and rollers either logs or pipe. And not cable come alongs chain. Probably two tonn minimum to reduce the cranking. It’s very do able just takes time. High Jack to get the rollers under.

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