[OP]
Contributor
The grizzly site mentions that if you need lift gate delivery to contact the freight company. Has anyone done this? I'm going to be ordering a 12" jointer and I think I can get it into my shop once it is one the ground (palette jack and engine hoist) but getting it off the truck would be a problem.
If the company says, "sorry, we don't have lift gate trucks", I kind of screwed.
Member
i didnt request liftgate service, it just came that way. I had my tablesaw shipped to my office ( where I have access to forklifts and people ).
The liftgate was a pleasant surprise, palletjacked it right on my trailer ... maybe its luck ???
Member
It's been nearly a year since I ordered a 20" planer from Grizzly and I don't remember the specifics, but I had no trouble getting a lift gate delivery truck. Call Grizzly, explain your situation and see what they have to say. If they specify the freight company that will be used call the company and see about arrangements. All it will take is a couple phone calls and you definitely need to know this ahead of time. I imagine rather than miss a sale Grizzly will do something to get it to you how you need it.
And now for something completely different....
Contributor
I ordered a 17" bandsaw from Grizzly just a couple of weeks ago. When I called in my order, the sales rep asked if I wanted lift gate service. It was an extra $20. She explained without the service, it would be up to me to get the saw from the back of the truck. I opted for the lift gate service.
When the truck arrived, the driver lowered the saw to the ground using a lift gate, then wheeled it right into my garage on a dolly. Since I don't have a forklift or a dolly at my house, it was certainly worth $20 in my case.
Member
You can set it up for a lift gate truck but it could be an additional expense. You can also make arrangements to pick it up at the closest freight terminal where they will load it onto your truck/trailer. That is the option I took for my 19" Grizzly bandsaw as I need to watch the additional axpenditures on my shipping. I hope you get it worked out OK.
Barry
Learning to be a WoodWorker
Wanting to be a Wood Miller
I requested lift gate service when I placed the order. It was $20. This means at a minimum the driver will lower your purchase to the ground outside your home, most do much better than that.
My delivery (G0490X) was via FedEx. I explained that I lived on a small cul-de-sac in suburbia. The driver backed his tractor/trailer right into my driveway in such a way that the liftgate set my jointer down inside my garage. I tipped him although I had to fight him to take it.
Without the liftgate service I might have gotten the 150lb box down but, I never would have gotten the 400lb crate down in one piece.
Last edited by glenn bradley; 05-19-2008 at 7:38 PM.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Member
When I had my Griz 1023SL delivered I was easily able to arrange for lift gate service. I called the shipping company and it was an extra few bucks (around $35 or 40) for the service. I live on a tight private road so had to also ensure they sent the smallest truck they could that had a lift gate. Glad I did as they first had it loaded on a full size semi, which never would have made it.
Worked out perfectly since the driver was able to drop it right at my back door. Only had to overcome the threshold (walk in basement) and that was easy enough with a small hand truck and a second set of hands.
Contributor
call grizzly and get your order that way and ask for lift gate. Grizzly has contracts with most delivery companies that they get lift gate service for cheaper through them than you could by contacting the delivery company.
Well worth the money, and they have (in both of my experiences) helped move the tool right into the shop.
Grady - "Thelma, we found Dean's finger"
Thelma - "Where is the rest of him?!"
Member
Jim - I recently placed an order and received a Grizzly 12" jointer (G0609X - 1,059 lbs.) I called Grizzly customer service to place the order, rather than use the website, so I could ensure I arranged for lift gate service. Grizzly handled the arrangements with the trucking company.
Grizzly stressed that the jointer would be off-loaded from the truck and placed on the street at curbside. (Anything better than that is between you and the driver.) The truck arrived with a 40' trailer with lift gate. There was no way it could back up my narrow, curvy driveway.
The driver had to turn the crate 90 degrees to get it out of the truck, and we struggled to get that done. Finally, it was on the ground. We left it on his pallet jack, and I towed the crate up the paved driveway with my lawn tractor, and we got it into the garage.
From there, I was able to take off the crate top and sides, unbolt the jointer from the metal pallet base, and then lift it with a 2 ton engine hoist onto a dolly (3,000 lb. capacity) to get it into my shop (separate building with ramp to doors.)
I'm sure glad the driver let me tow his pallet jack up the driveway. I had thought my backup plan at the street was to use the 2 ton hoist to lift the crate onto the dolly, but the crate was large enough that I never could have lifted it.
Member
I had a similar experience with Grizzly and FedEx Freight. The driver lowered the jointer at the street, pushed it into my garage on a pallet jack and waited until I opened the box and crate to make sure that everything looked OK. It was a very good experience.Originally Posted by glenn bradley
Like was stated above, Grizzly only states that the tool will be dropped at the curb. It's up to the driver and carrier as to how far it goes from there.
Contributor
In addition to the above, talk with Grizzly and find out who is available in your area for your equipment delivery. Talk with them and make sure they have the lift gate and confim the size truck will fit your conditions, and that that particular size has a lift gate.
Had a delivery today, 800 pound toy. Only problem was that the pallet jack would not fit under the pallet, so it was back to muscle and levers to get the job done.
Member
If all else failed, hire an old boom style wrecker to come take it off of the back of the truck and set it on the ground. A fair amount of wreckers now are rollbacks but there are a few guys left driving boom wreckers.
Steve
Member
i had the same problem w/ pallet jack. We tilted the saw back, slid it under ... but I found that odd that the pallet jack wouldnt work.
Member
I *did* request the lift gate, because my experience with delivery truckers is that if you don't grease their palms, they'd rather sit in the cab and talk on the phone than help you move a big hunk of iron. (Big surprise, eh?)
The guy who delivered my band saw helped me move the box inside -- for free -- and scratched off the lift-gate charge on my invoice.
Your mileage probably WILL vary.
Deflation: When I was a kid, an E-ticket meant I was about to go on the ride of my life. Today, an E-ticket means a miserable ride.
Member
I just had a bandsaw and jointer deliverd to my house. I did not pay any extra for lift gate. I talked to my friend who deals with frieght shipping everyday, he told me you got a 50/50 chance of getting a driver who just wants the stuff off his truck and will get it off or you'll get someone who won't. I got lucky it was raining, it was his last delivery for the day, and the driver put it on a pallet jack dropped it to the ground and pulled it to my garage. On another note though unless i would have had a forklift i would have not been able to get the boxes off the truck anyway. The tools weighed about 300lbs a piece and were in cardboard boxes, if i would i moved the boxes off without the pallet underneath the bottom would have dropped out. So it may be worth the money just to be sure.
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