thats also good info - i looked around for a bit this morning and those trailers start above $10,000 so that option is out the window

Installing a lift gate on trailer might be worth doing if you haul enough.

would need a counterweight?

I would go with removable outriggers, like in the pict.

Would something like this work for you? Possibly be cheaper than a box truck and be multi use for your future endeavors.


Edit: skip to 10:00 to watch it work

i love this. could be cost prohibitive, but will look around for pricing

I did make a business card if this service is of any interest to someone around the East Texas area

I don't get it...

Are you worried about shearing the bolts that hold the ramp to the trailer? because that ain't going to happen with only 2,000 lbs. Those bolts better be thicker than 3/8" on a dual-axle trailer.

Is the ramp made from expanded metal? If so, just weld some plate steel over it or replace the expanded metal with plate. Going to be slippery as hell if it gets wet, but a relatively inexpensive fix and you can continue using a pallet jack.


My trailer's previous life was for a asphalt paving company that rolled the motorized compactor tractor over an expanded metal surface and angle iron frame....fairly certain that it'll hold.

the gate that is currently on that trailer is ~4feet long. when its dropped the forklift has a hard time loading each pallet and the forklift cannot go up the gate. when unloading, the forklift cannot reach the pallet. i tried a pallet jack the other day and the jack didnt have the clearance to pick up the pallet then make it down the ramp. if it were able to make it down the ramp, im still concerned about handling 2000 pounds of unsecure load going down an inclined surface.

so, i just took the ramp off altogether to make it easy for loading and unloading for a forklift, which up to this point has been 95% of customers. id like to figure out a solution to throw on a ramp really quick of some or have a trailer that can unload the pallets for a customer that does not have the ability to unload at their location.

You need something like this except smaller for your utility trailer. It is used to haul septic tanks and drop them in the ground.



Oops. Didn't see the gantry trailer above.

You need a box van with a power lift gate and pallet jack if you really want to grow your customer base to include shops and restaurants that may not have handling equipment. Otherwise, I would just focus on your customers that do have the means.

I know a guy who has made millions selling water and that is what he uses for customers who do not have the means to unload. Check out some of their stuff. These boys push a lot of water through industrial plants up and down the Houston Ship Channel. Such a simple business model that him and his team have capitalized on big time.

https://baytownice.com/

TommyGun said:

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You need a box van with a power lift gate and pallet jack if you really want to grow your customer base to include shops and restaurants that may not have handling equipment. Otherwise, I would just focus on your customers that do have the means.

I know a guy who has made millions selling water and that is what he uses for customers who do not have the means to unload. Check out some of their stuff. These boys push a lot of water through industrial plants up and down the Houston Ship Channel. Such a simple business model that him and his team have capitalized on big time.

https://baytownice.com/

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Agree with this for the long term. My dad brother had a business for about ten years cleaning and bagging corn for deer feeders. They delivered to a bunch of grocery stores in Austin. My brother did the delivery. He started off hauling it on a gooseneck flatbed pulled by an F250. They eventually moved up to a box truck with a lift gate and pallet jack.

this is great info! thank you

If the customer doesn't have the ability to unload at their location, figure in the box truck and pallet jack rental in your price for that particular job.

Lift with your legs.

I'd buy a deck over 1) no side rails so you can load from the side 2) versatility for your business as it grows

Check out this one which has a tilt deck on it as well so you could slide things off the back worse case scenario.

https://pjtrailers.com/trailers/t8-deckover-tilt

Ribeye-Rare said:

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Quote:

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Any help would be appreciated

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Since you said any, here goes --

{This assumes that buying a new delivery rig is out of the question}.

If the customer has no forklift, charge an extra $20.00/pallet and bust the shrinkwrap on the pallets while they're still on the trailer. Have your pallet jack on the ground already, place a spare pallet on the pallet jack, re-stack the bottles on the pallet, run a quick wrap of shrinkwrap around the new stack, and pull the water into where it needs to go.

Yes, a helluva lot of work. And, if $20.00/pallet doesn't cover it, up the price. Give your delivery guy half of that for each pallet he handles like that.

To haul the pallet jack (if it doesn't leak when tipped), just turn it sideways on end and drag it up on your trailer.

And, set out a tip jar. I think accepted practice is to seed it with $20's and $50's first.

Remember, you said any. ;-)

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This, except does the customer who doesn't have a forklift even want it palletized? Delivery guys for the big beverage distributors just stack flats on a hand truck

On another note, do you have any vending machines yet?

i do not, but i have looked into doing that. my biggest hang-up was how do i find a business to let me keep a vending machine on their property and what that relationship looked like

I think everything i know about vending machines i read here https://texags.com/forums/57/topics/3185842/replies/62894131#62894131