Looking to buy a forklift, couple questions

[The motor guy]

I'm going to look at a fork lift tomorrow. Obviously since they weigh about 10k pounds I'll need a flatbed wrecker to load it up. Can I agree on a price and then arrange a tow truck to pick it up at a later date? Would the seller be okay with waiting a couple days for me to setup a wrecker to come by and then I just pay him once the wrecker guy is about to load it on the truck? Or should I just do the whole transaction all in one visit and have a wrecker come out then? It's about an hour drive 50 miles or so. Not even sure yet what that costs, but I guess a wrecker company doesn't really need notice. The main issue is the bank isn't open on a Sunday, so that's why I would need to wait until a week day.

 

[Nick1994]

It all depends on the person you're buying it from.

Find out how much it costs to have it towed on a tow truck. Might make sense to do it yourself and rent a trailer. Here's a company that rents trailers. They have a 20' tilt deck that might work. Of course you'd need proper strapping of some sort with chain binders, they might have them.

https://www.nationwidetrailers.com/--Trailers-For-Rent-In-Houston

 

[The motor guy]

I don't think it would be more than 3 or 400 dollars. I would think you would need chains to hold a forklift and I don't want to get involved with strapping it down. I'm sure the chain binders themselves would be 200 bucks.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by Nick1994
It all depends on the person you're buying it from.

Find out how much it costs to have it towed on a tow truck. Might make sense to do it yourself and rent a trailer. Here's a company that rents trailers. They have a 20' tilt deck that might work. Of course you'd need proper strapping of some sort with chain binders, they might have them.

https://www.nationwidetrailers.com/--Trailers-For-Rent-In-Houston

He also needs a class A license to pull that much.

 

[Kruse]

I realize Texas is a state that doesn't have the tight rules of some other states. (I lived there for 10 years, don't criticize me for that comment) That being said, and as a former forklift mechanic, you really need to take a class on how to operate a fork lift.
There are some quirks and tendencies that a fork lift has that need to be addressed. Plus, your insurance company might look at you a little more favorably if you ever have an accident with it.
You WILL tell your insurance agent that you now have a fork lift, won't you?

 

[4WD]

.

 

[Food Scientist]

Not sure how the government can enforce someone having a license to drive a forklift. I wouldn't worry about getting one, they are easy to drive.

 

[eljefino]

I'd call the biggest wrecker company in town. The one with cranes that upright overturned 18-wheelers. They won't be too much more expensive than a guy with a 1-ton rollback but they'll be professional. Call them ahead of time so when you make your offer you can say "oh yeah Gerry's can get it out of here tonight."

 

[The motor guy]

Can I make a deal then arrange payment and pickup later in the week? Or do I need to pay him today and leave with the forklift today?

 

[RhondaHonda]

Originally Posted by Chris142
Originally Posted by Nick1994
It all depends on the person you're buying it from.

Find out how much it costs to have it towed on a tow truck. Might make sense to do it yourself and rent a trailer. Here's a company that rents trailers. They have a 20' tilt deck that might work. Of course you'd need proper strapping of some sort with chain binders, they might have them.

https://www.nationwidetrailers.com/--Trailers-For-Rent-In-Houston

He also needs a class A license to pull that much.


Why? It doesn't say CDL required for the tilt deck trailer and he'd be under 26k. I'd have a towing company move it since you don't have the binders. Just call them an hour or two before you go to get it and I'm sure they can meet you there to pick it up. Agreed on not needing a forklift license, not much too them and use common sense when operating/working on one.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted by eljefino
I'd call the biggest wrecker company in town. The one with cranes that upright overturned 18-wheelers. They won't be too much more expensive than a guy with a 1-ton rollback but they'll be professional. Call them ahead of time so when you make your offer you can say "oh yeah Gerry's can get it out of here tonight."


I don't really feel comfortable leaving the forklift there and the seller with his money honestly.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
Can I make a deal then arrange payment and pickup later in the week? Or do I need to pay him today and leave with the forklift today?


Why don't you call and ask them? Every company is a little different and unless someone that works there is a poster on here, we'd all be guessing.

Is it a LP, diesel or battery fork truck?

 

[Strokenmerc]

It will depend on the seller, but you could fill out a BOS with a small deposit to hold until pickup. That will mean you would need to go back to finalize the deal when the tow truck makes the pick up. I would rather be there when the pick up is made to verify it is the same unit in the same condition.

 

[Leo99]

Ok, I'll be the one to ask. What are you going to do with a forklift?

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by RhondaHonda
Originally Posted by Chris142
Originally Posted by Nick1994
It all depends on the person you're buying it from.

Find out how much it costs to have it towed on a tow truck. Might make sense to do it yourself and rent a trailer. Here's a company that rents trailers. They have a 20' tilt deck that might work. Of course you'd need proper strapping of some sort with chain binders, they might have them.

https://www.nationwidetrailers.com/--Trailers-For-Rent-In-Houston

He also needs a class A license to pull that much.


Why? It doesn't say CDL required for the tilt deck trailer and he'd be under 26k. I'd have a towing company move it since you don't have the binders. Just call them an hour or two before you go to get it and I'm sure they can meet you there to pick it up. Agreed on not needing a forklift license, not much too them and use common sense when operating/working on one.

Federal regs say any trailer with a gvw over 10k requires a cdl unless it's an rv trailer then 15000k. The 26k only applies to the power unit.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted by Leo99
Ok, I'll be the one to ask. What are you going to do with a forklift?


Lift/move heavy things... I suppose some people may drive them down to the nail salon, but that's what I use them for.

 

[gman2304]

ICBW but it seems to me that the seller and a towing company can definitively answer all the questions you have posed here when they open for business in the morning.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
Can I make a deal then arrange payment and pickup later in the week? Or do I need to pay him today and leave with the forklift today?

Is the seller on this board and this is how you're communicating with him ? Be sensible, no one here can speak for this seller ! As many people have said, ask the seller.

 

[JC1]

+1 on asking the seller. Some people online aren't playing with a full deck.

IMO I would be doing everything at one time. Have you gone to see this forklift and try it out or this is a good deal and you are trying to line everything up before someone else buys it?

Did you ask the seller if he knows anybody locally that can deliver it for you?

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by SVTCobra
Not sure how the government can enforce someone having a license to drive a forklift. I wouldn't worry about getting one, they are easy to drive.


OSHA might disagree with you. I do know that an OSHA forklift inspector who has been trained by Barney Fife can start handing out $10K fines if somebody has modified the forks, put a hole in the forks or narrowed them with a cutting torch.
As far as being easy to drive, they are. But there are also a few hundred videos on Youtube that show forklift accidents where the driver also thought they were easy to drive. I also knew a a seasoned fork lift driver who nearly drowned driving one. (Try explaining that to your insurance company) The last place where I wrenched on them a class was required by all 200 employees of the company and nobody wanted to take the class. The instructor of the class was giving out a pass to anyone who could answer a few simple fork lift driving fundamental questions. Nobody got a pass.
I don't have a dog in this fight and Motor Oil Madman probably won't be inspected by OSHA....unless he has an accident with somebody else. I really couldn't care less if the OP takes a class or gets a license to drive a fork lift. I just mentioned it because I doubt he had thought about it.