Need HELP or advice on shipping vehicle!

[Sarge]

So, I was on E-Bay a couple of days ago and saw this Gamagoat. It was stunning! Without too much prior planning I bid on it and won. Oh Crap! Did I mention it was stunning. So, anyhoo, it is in Phoenix and I am in Austin. I would very much like my Gamagoat to join me in Austin.
Any advice or help on shipping it would be much appreciated. I do mean ANY advice! I have even considered driving it 1000 miles home, but that's sort of risky. What does a small tractor/trailer rental cost? I have a CDL.
-Sarge

 

[WillWagner]

Look around your local area for a heavy duty tow service..the guys who tow truck, busses, etc. They mosy likely have a Landoll trailer. It's a big roll back designed to carry big vehicles. 1000 mi, is that RT or one way? Does the goat run?

 

[Sarge]

Hello Will, yes the goat runs fine. I'm not sure it would run fine for a thousand miles though. It's 1000 miles one way. I have used a Landoll before, they are fantastic, but maybe overkill for this job. Also, I'm pretty cheap and looking for a cheap solution. I do appreciate your advice. The reason I didn't post pics is because I'm on a super slow dial up.
Thanks!
-Sarge

 

[WillWagner]

Will it fit on a regular roll back like the size for a regular car/truck? I think I remember seeing a pic here of one on that kind of truck...I forget his name, he drove the Gamma Goat to Aberdeen and he just floated it in his pond. See if your local Ryder truck rental has a rollback they rent. I can relate on the dial up!

 

[papercu]

shipping

According to the book it's about 19 foot long and 7 foot wide, and has a curb weight of 7,300 lb. I would think a 1 ton and a trailer to match would do nicely. Wayne

 

[jasonjc]

RE: shipping


A 3/4 or 1 ton and trailer would work. Or try to find a hot shot hauler they use 1 tons.

 

[bugei]

RE: shipping

sorry about kinda off topic. my bidding hand was "twitching" on that rig! what a cool looking setup, CONGRATS on your new rig!

 

[CCATLETT1984]

RE: shipping

well one of the guys up here in MI drove his all the way to aberdeen and back without any issues, and thats around 1000miles each way for him. Although we were in a group and could help if there were issues.

 

[Sarge]

RE: shipping

Well, thanks to the above advice, I found a website called UShip.com that uses hot-shot haulers. I had never heard of a hot-shot hauler before. I have put out my shipping request and am waiting for replies. As far as using a 1-ton and a trailer, if I had one, I would already be on the road. I will also now check U-haul and Ryder for pricing. Thanks for all of the advice so far, it has been very helpful. KEEP IT COMING!!!
-Sarge

 

[Polverone]

Sarge,
Kevin (Desert Deuce) is in the Phoenix area. Maybe he'd be able to help you with some logistics.

 

[Sarge]

Well, now it's nut cutting time. Gawd, that expression makes me cringe. Today is Friday the 6th of July, on Sunday me and two buddies are off to Phoenix. One of my buddies owns a one ton diesel dually and a 22' trailer. All those years of helping people move stuff with my various trucks and trailers, now I'm on the receiving end. Now I realize just how much those people relied on me. Kind of a weird feeling. We plan on swapping drivers (all 3 of us have CDL's) and sleeping in the back seat. I will post photo's when we return. So here's the dumb question of the day, how do I attach photo's?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Good luck on the trip. You will have a good time.

 

[Gamagoat1]

Glad youre not going to try and drive it. There are a lot of U-joints under the Goat and untill you're sure of their condition it's a better choice. The center differential, the transfer case and front and rear diffs are used NOWHERE else. The trans is a GM.
It's best to give it a good check. It's really a great vehicle, nice ride and real NOISEY>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[pfarber]

I drove my Ram 1500 from PA to AZ to get my Jeep. Most fun I had in a long time. Talked on the cell phone most of the way (Free LD after 7pm) and driving through AZ in the middle of the night with nary another car on the road is spooky in a cool sort of way. Got out and just looked at the sky a couple of times.

On the way back must have shadowed a freight train 100+ miles.. doing 70! He'd blow his whistle.. I'd honk back... dumb kid stuff but made the miles go by.

No one seems to take long road trips just for fun stuff like MV's anymore

 

[acetomatoco]

Sounds like a fine adventure...and plenty of help is with you...the Goat is a handful to drive...especially on wet roads...fer sure... good for you...

 

[KaiserM109]

I am the proud new owner of a Kaiser M109A3 shop van, well almost. I have a glitch to take care of on the EUC, then I have to get if from Ft. Riley, KS to Denver, CO.

This truck is exactly like one I got a speeding ticket in in the middle of a combat zone in Viet Nam in 1968, even the manufacturer. I wish I had kept that ticket!

I don’t have anything more than the VERY BRIEF description of it. I don’t even know what year it is, but it has 23,000 miles, no sheet metal damage, no visible rust, the dash is complete, all seats are there and in good shape, all tires/wheels are on and holding air, all glass is good. Even the back steps are with it. The general shape indicates to me that it has been maintained. There was no statement about the engine, or the drive train. Lacking good info, I set my bidding cap low and won it.

I need some advice. I have a bid to haul it the 500 mi. for $2800. The advice I would like is about roading it home. Is it likely to start for me in the surplus yard? Would I be foolish to put it on the highway without getting a look at bearings, brakes, seals etc.? What sort of trouble might I expect? What should I take with me for roadside fixes? If I have tire problems, what kind of tire wrench do I need? I doubt that any tools are with it.

Mike, how would you like to take your 5 ton wrecker on a 1000 mi. road trip? I live about 20 mi. straight north of you. We gotta get together! How close are you to the Boy Scout Camp?

God bless America and those who keep it strong.

 

[Gamagoat1]

It would be fun, no doubt, however, real expensive.
It would be best to ship, expensive yes but cheaper than fixing on the road.
I'm East of Elizabeth, not too far from Pleasent Vally Scout Ranch.

Try calling Redhawk Global
1.886.411.4295
They trucked my 816 here from Mass. for not too much more than your bid. Maybe they can do it cheaper.

 

[nf6x]

Sarge: Congratulations on your Gama Goat, and I hope you like it a lot! I'm looking forward to seeing pictures someday. I guess it's too late now, but I moved my own Gama Goat (which I no longer have) on a roll-back wrecker once, and it did fit.

KaiserM109: $2,800 for 500 miles sounds awfully steep to me. When I won my first M109A3 out of a DRMO auction in Barstow, CA, I think it cost me something like $300 to have it hauled a hundred miles or so to Chino, CA, on a commercial wrecker (front axle lifted, both rear axles rolling on the road). Granted, that was from a towing company in a fairly rural area near Barstow, and I bet I would have paid a lot more if I had used a company located in a more densely-populated area.

If I were you, I'd get a few more quotes. A friend's wife, who has to ship heavy stuff all over the place in her job, recommended to me to always get three quotes for any truck shipment, because the quoted amounts can vary over a 2x or more range, and it's not always the same company or driver who gives the best quote. If the truck is running then a detachable gooseneck trailer will work; if you use a Landoll trailer, then it doesn't matter whether the truck runs or not. For a 500 mile trip, I'd prefer to tow the truck with all wheels off the ground, or else check the tires, wheels and bearings carefully before the trip. And pull the driveshaft, too, of course... any commercial towing company should pull and re-install the driveshaft for you as part of the job if the truck's wheels are going to be rolling on the road.

Personally, I like to tow a new truck home (especially one straight out of GL with an unknown history) and then check it out at my leisure. Other folks can be a lot more adventurous than me...

 

[bugei]

kaiser109

i had a simular dilema, m35a2 450 miles away, bend oregon to reno nevada. fortunately, i had friends who could get it preped and put a few miles on it before i made my trek. i am unbelievably glad to say, i made the round trip with only one minor issue a flat on an inner dual on the first rear axle, $28 patch at les schwab and we were on the road. the trip was a BLAST, and as pfarber said, it was a great trip, "kid stuff", but will always be part of my mv saga. NO REGRETS. i had pre insured the vehicle so i had state farm and towing, that would have been something to see, huh?

we took alot of tools, sleeping bags, mre's, some oil and other fluids, a bunch of tow stuff, straps, chains, etc. and a really positive attitude. and that was it. 12 mpgs 55 to 60 mph. YAHHHH HOOOO.


btw, after i got back, i got a quote for $850 to do the 450 mile haul, so $2,800 seems a bit agressive. www.uship.com. this was the guy who finally offered to do the shipping. http://directory.uship.com/ranger5183/ if that helps you out at all

 

[jasonjc]

Yes $2800 sounds real high. The wreaker company that I use charge $3.50 per mile or about $1,000 less than your qoute. Ill be go there soon to get mine.