Two Man Job?

BIL just bought a large gun safe that weighs 500 lbs and is looking for me to help him go pick it up at the store he bought it at this weekend and help unload at his house. Will have a dolley to help wheel into the house but most concerned about having to lift and lower from the bed of the truck into the ground without crushing a foot or throwing out a back. Do we need to recruit at least another person or is it not as bad as l think? Any tips on how we should approach this job would be greatly appreciated

I used the FEL. Get a pro to do it.

I would make sure its a good dolly. We moved several of them with an old appliance dolly no problem(haven't moved over more than a step or two of stairs though).

Getting into and out of the bed of the truck I would tip it against the tail gate then lift the bottom and push it in and take it out the same way.... sometimes a nice low to the ground 2wd 1/2 ton with a squishy suspension is a nice thing!

Can you back the pickup up to the slope in the drive way, then improvise a ramp to bring the dolly down? that would be much easier and safer.

If you have a plastic bed liner, do not leave tail gate down. If you have to remove a tool box to be able to shut tailgate do it.

That’s my advice.

Another way to lower it from the bed is for you and your buddy to put a heavy strap under the bottom. Lower it from in the bed while you are standing and can use legs, not your back. Used that method on mine and freezers with good results.

I had two buddies ready to help me. mine weighed like 560 I believe. We backed the truck right up to my porch steps which meant we had to go up 2 steps to get it on the porch(we used aluminum fridge dolly), had to make one turn and set it down basically half in the front door and half out. We sat it on 4 of the large furniture sliders (amazon) and one person could easily move it on carpet through the house. It was simple. I was way over thinking it.

Yes to the fridge dolly...if you try to use any ramps to get it out...be sure they are secure and will not slip off the tailgate...

I have moved mine 3 times with only 2 people each time. First time it was on the back of a flat bed 1 ton pickup. Luckily I had a tractor FEL to help get it to the ground. We walked it to the front door then up into the house. Put down plywood to the the place it was going. I walked it up onto a piece of carpet then slid it into place. Next two moves were from a trailer into the houses. One was a level move the other was a step down. Each time I slid it on carpet or walked it into place(on plywood). If it were me I would rent or borrow a small flatbed trailer this is lower or closer to the height you are moving it into. Slide it to the back of the trailer and bottom end onto the ground. Then stand it up onto carpet or your fridge dolly. It will be much heavier than you expect on the dolly...don't ask me how I know. Or you could just pay a safe company out of Houston to deliver it like a ranch owner I worked for had done.;)

be careful about putting that much weight on the tail gate

Agree'd with "CAST", get a pro. Drink a beer and watch him do it. My safe weighs 1100 lbs, and one man did all the work. Didn't take him but about 30 minutes from start to finish.

A lot of great advice on here as usual. Appreciate all the quick replies!

I feel like the story is being cut short here.

Straps rated to 800lb is BS also.

Not that bad, straps popped while turning on to a major road, slide right out. We stood it up right, backed up tipped it over slide it back in, and retired straps.

Most big fridges weight 300+, 500 pound safe is heavy but not unbearable, over 600 it starts getting rough.


Rent heavy duty dolly and invite some friends over, and f you have tile floors be careful

800lbs is a static load. Gravitational pull increase the force that safe put on those straps

Get a pro,,,thank us later. Ours is 700 pounds and I did drink a beer watching them move it.........well ok, 3 beers.

Another vote for pros moving the safe.
My safe man even came and moved it when I bought a new home, he even moved the refrigerator!

Two guys and a good dolly is fine. Moved several that way. Cardboard in the truck bed helps to slide it in and out and keep it from getting scratched up.

If you buy a Cannon TSC will give you a card with #s of pros. working w/TSC that will move it for about $150-$200(IIRC) each depending on distance...

I took the door off of mine, made it much easier.

I had mine delivered by the company I bought it from.
1 man showed up with a battery powered dolly he unloaded it and moved it within a couple of feet of where I wanted it he then used some pieces of dowel rods about the size of the rod for hanging clothes in a closet to move it in place and was none no problems no strained back and was gone in 30 minuets or less.