Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

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RockHard13F
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Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by RockHard13F » Mon Apr 09, 2018 4:08 pm

Those of you who move armor via flatbed, how expensive and difficult is it to move one of your tanks as a civilian? Do you need special highway permits and such? How prohibitively expensive (not an exact number, just generally speaking) to move something like a T-55 from California to Virginia?
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by Cal.Bar » Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:41 pm

Well, let's do the math. When I bought my Willys (ONE TON), I had it shipped from IN to CA. Cost = $1,300.00 (closed cabin move)

T55 = 36 tons. So..... even with outside accomodations, I would think CA to VA would be between 10 and 30 times that. (no?)

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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by Sugar Bottom Farms » Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:27 pm

Moving a tank cross country is not a problem for a civilian, There are lots of trucking firm's that can do it.
Expect it to cost you in the neighborhood of $4.00 to 6.00 dollars a running mile.

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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by jdmcm » Mon Apr 09, 2018 10:22 pm

It depends on the armor, some is over width which requires special permits, even pilot cars in some states and the hours in which it is allowed on the highway can be restricted. Also the weight of the tank will determine how many axles you need, will you need to add a "jeep" up front or a booster in the rear. Some tanks are so heavy the state may require the load to be reduced which can require turret removal and transport on a second trailer. So depending on wether you are transporting a Stuart or a Conquerer the price will vary greatly
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by tankanic » Tue Apr 10, 2018 5:37 am

we recently moved an m18 (over width) across the country. cost about 9k. Cheaper moving from west to east than east to west.
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by David_4x4 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 5:40 am

Use to spend $1500-$2k for round trip of a M113 from central Texas to South Louisiana or central Mississippi.
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by RockHard13F » Tue Apr 10, 2018 3:47 pm

Thanks for the responses all. Very helpful. :D
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by DDTrustee » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:08 am

There are truckers always looking for loads....flatbed loads are more rare than van trailer stuff but there are a lot of flats running around the country without loads.....However, a tank usually needs a drop deck trailer that can keep the CG low enough and load short enough to go under overpasses. Overwidth as someone mentioned is more than 102" I think you can run without a pilot car but with flags and overwidth signs on front and rear up to about 115". M18s are 108" and so can move with overwidth signs. Max loads by weight at around 83,250# including trailer tractor and load. that's for and 18-wheeler......more weight requires more axles....think triple axle trailers etc.
If you have your won trailer renting a tractor is easy.....get a M172A1 for up to 25 tons....from M18s on down. the trailer is 113" wide so the M218 tracks are inside of the outer edge of the trailer. Yep, tis overwidth but no one at a weigh station in the west had a beef with it being pulled by a military tractor..trailer is civvy licensed with current DOT safety inspection. Paid $125/day and .28 a mile for day tractor; slightly more for sleeper. Figure 4-5 miles/gal for a modern tractor. Paid $6,000 for a one way from Grand Junction CO to Edgewood, NM recently..about 400 miles for a overwidth 100,000# Leopard II $4-$6 a mile is about right for a Sherman....more than 60,000# and the price per mile will start climbing. Oilfield haulers are more accustomed to heavy, wide loads - and can break the price because they run empty one way a lot.
Go to a load broker or load board .... give it lot sof time to arrange and you will likely find a trucking gong your way. M2CW
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by Austringer » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:24 am

I moved a M113 from Calf to Atlanta for 2500. Used a broker.

Now that it's here, I have a 12ton trailer to move it on, so my costs are wear and tear plus fuel. Pulling the M113 or the V100, I'm getting about 12-14 MPG as long as I'm not gunning it and taking it slow at about 60-70mph. An exhaust brake is a must! I'm pulling with a Dodge 2500 LWB with double disk clutch, banks brake, tuner/programmer, pryrometer, firestone airbags (put 3000 lbs in bed) and complete banks aftermarket intake with extra large inter-cooler. Gotta watch the EGTs going up hills, don't want to get more than 1350 degrees for more than a min.

As long as you get your electric brake controller set (get a nice high end one that is progressively programmable), I've had no problem controlling or stopping the load. I know hot shotters who are running up to 30k behind theirs with the right mods.



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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by Augdog1964 » Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:25 am

I have a T-55AM2 in Richmond IN I'll sell you... and it was save you a bundle in fees.

Moving my LEO from CA to Indiana was 22,000...

Moving a T-55AM2 to you should be about 6k.

I've moved tanks all over the world.
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by HMVYoungster » Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:25 pm

Call Allen at Freight Center. He moves lots of stuff for us at about the best rate avil. Fuel is going up so are rates.
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Re: Moving Armor on the highway...how expensive is it?

Post by RCASSIN » Tue May 01, 2018 1:46 pm

$1300.00 to ship a scout car, 11000 lbs, 500 miles last November.
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