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On Contractor Talk, one of the HVAC guys was considering buying something called a, "Gantry Crane", which I checked out on Google and have never seen before.
If you are not familiar with them as I wasn't, here is a link.
http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/..._tripod_cranes/gantry_and_tripod_cranes.shtml
Here is my solution for less than $ 200.00
I have moved many Roof Top Units on top of Restaurant roofs, which can be extremely crowded,
You can buy my RTU Moving Kit for about $ 20.00 for materials and about $ 200.00 for the crank handle A/C Jacks I bought from a roofing supply house. I would have to go in the back of my shop to get the brand name of the manufacturer though.
Ingredients:
2 8-12 foot long 2" x 12"s
1 (or more) length of 6" PVC schedule 40 piping
Your own Sawzall and a long blade
Mixing the ingredients:
Cut multiple 12" wide sections off of the PVC pipe
Disconnect all gas and wiring from unit
Place cut sections of PVC next to the length sides of the units curb, keeping enough clearance so they will not bump into the curb
Lay both of the 2" x 12"s on top of the PVC segments
Set up both sections of the crank up HVAC Jacks on the smaller width sides of the unit, using the extension pipes that come with the kit in necessary
Insert one set of jacks on opposite ends of the unit and crank the unit up just enough for clearance over the prefab curb
Once unit clears the curb, gently push the rear of the unit until the rear-most section of PVC is no longer under the 2" x 12"
Go to the front of the 2" x 12" and insert that same discharged section of PVC under the leading edge
Repeat as necessary
If there is an existing gravel roof surface that you are concerned about dispersing the weight onto, forcing the gravel to harm the roofing material, then I would suggest picking up about 4 pieces of 4' x 8' x 2" thick isocyanurate insulation board and 2-4 sheets of plywood to lay on top of the insulation while movement is being achieved.
Best results are obtained on a white thermoplastic roof membrane with a bright sunny day\, while you are wearing sun glasses and have applied adequate amounts of the properly rated SPF sun tan lotion.
I have some really cool photos of us doing just that on a job one time, many years ago, where the Souther Boy PM thought all of us Chicago contractors prices were so high, that there must have been some Payola going on to get the job from the previous PM.
He figured he would F**k with us in his own little way.
It didn't slow things down for even a total of one man hour, once I concocted this little roof top apparatus.
After that, I asked him how he was going to get the units back on the curbs, since the crane was long long gone for several days by then.
We saw eye to eye from that point on.
I'll try to see if I can remember to find and scan those photos in next week. The job was from around the early 90's, when I did it for the first time.
Ed
If you are not familiar with them as I wasn't, here is a link.
http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/..._tripod_cranes/gantry_and_tripod_cranes.shtml
Here is my solution for less than $ 200.00
I have moved many Roof Top Units on top of Restaurant roofs, which can be extremely crowded,
You can buy my RTU Moving Kit for about $ 20.00 for materials and about $ 200.00 for the crank handle A/C Jacks I bought from a roofing supply house. I would have to go in the back of my shop to get the brand name of the manufacturer though.
Ingredients:
2 8-12 foot long 2" x 12"s
1 (or more) length of 6" PVC schedule 40 piping
Your own Sawzall and a long blade
Mixing the ingredients:
Cut multiple 12" wide sections off of the PVC pipe
Disconnect all gas and wiring from unit
Place cut sections of PVC next to the length sides of the units curb, keeping enough clearance so they will not bump into the curb
Lay both of the 2" x 12"s on top of the PVC segments
Set up both sections of the crank up HVAC Jacks on the smaller width sides of the unit, using the extension pipes that come with the kit in necessary
Insert one set of jacks on opposite ends of the unit and crank the unit up just enough for clearance over the prefab curb
Once unit clears the curb, gently push the rear of the unit until the rear-most section of PVC is no longer under the 2" x 12"
Go to the front of the 2" x 12" and insert that same discharged section of PVC under the leading edge
Repeat as necessary
If there is an existing gravel roof surface that you are concerned about dispersing the weight onto, forcing the gravel to harm the roofing material, then I would suggest picking up about 4 pieces of 4' x 8' x 2" thick isocyanurate insulation board and 2-4 sheets of plywood to lay on top of the insulation while movement is being achieved.
Best results are obtained on a white thermoplastic roof membrane with a bright sunny day\, while you are wearing sun glasses and have applied adequate amounts of the properly rated SPF sun tan lotion.
I have some really cool photos of us doing just that on a job one time, many years ago, where the Souther Boy PM thought all of us Chicago contractors prices were so high, that there must have been some Payola going on to get the job from the previous PM.
He figured he would F**k with us in his own little way.
It didn't slow things down for even a total of one man hour, once I concocted this little roof top apparatus.
After that, I asked him how he was going to get the units back on the curbs, since the crane was long long gone for several days by then.
We saw eye to eye from that point on.
I'll try to see if I can remember to find and scan those photos in next week. The job was from around the early 90's, when I did it for the first time.
Ed
