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Key Factors to Consider When Renting a Float for Crane Transportation

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For construction companies, transporting heavy and oversized equipment can be a nightmare without the right means of transport. Enter floats. The pieces of equipment make transportation of massive machinery, such as cranes, a breeze for construction companies. If you have access to a float, then no transportation project is a tall order. However, you must consider some factors when hiring a raft. Read on.  

Condition of the Project Site

Due to the difficulty involved in transporting oversized equipment, most contractors spend a lot of time worrying about the safety of a route. Unfortunately, less attention is paid to the condition of a project site before the float embarks on a delivery trip. You might ask what the condition of a site has to do with your float hire. First, a float is massive in width and length, and since it is not your everyday piece of machinery, you must establish if it will maneuver a project site with ease. For instance, tight corners on the project site won't allow for easy maneuvering. Therefore, you might need to drive the crane to the project site once the float drops the equipment. Consequently, it increases the cost of a float hire. If there is enough room, a float will deliver the equipment directly to the site.  

Number of Axles

If you have ever seen a float before, you must have noticed the many tires on them. However, depending on the condition of the roads, different equipment manufacturers install varying numbers of tires. It ensures the weight on the float is well distributed. Unfortunately, additional tires are not enough, especially on routes that have numerous depressions and elevations. You need to hire a float that is fitted with more axles since it provides the float with additional leaf springs. The accessories offer better stability when loading and unloading the raft and also improve weight distribution. During transit, the machinery on a float remains stable even when there are sudden shifts due to poor road terrain.

Anti-Skid Surface

Rigging machinery on a float is mandatory for safety reasons, and every rental equipment service provider knows it. Therefore, the provider will offer all the necessary rigging materials for your needs. However, that will not count for much if the float's trailer top has a smooth surface since there will be less friction between the crane's tires and the float's surface. Less friction increases the chances of the crane slipping and causing an accident. Therefore, make sure that the float you rent has ridges all over the trailer top for a safer anti-skid surface.  


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