What Is the Load Capacity for Heavy Duty Dollies?

When it comes to moving heavy loads yourself, there’s no better method than the dolly.

Heavy duty dollies are mainstays of warehouses and factories, and their load capacity is just one reason. They are must-haves for any business that requires the transportation of heavy, oversized objects.

That said, not all dollies are the same. A traditional small load dolly, such as the kind you would use for transporting luggage, is not the same as a one you would use for carrying 1,000 lbs of machinery.

Heavy duty dollies specialize in carting around extra heavy loads, such as machinery. Even still, the overall load capacity of these dollies varies from dolly to dolly.

Here is everything you need to know about the maximum load capacity of heavy duty dollies and how to pick the right one for you.

Types of Heavy Duty Dollies

Dollies are not a one-size-fits-all type of commodity. When choosing one, keep in mind:

  • There are several different kinds of dollies available. Choosing the one that carries the most weight may not be the best option for you or your business. While the load capacity of a dolly should factor into your choice, there are other things you need to think about before choosing a dolly.
  • You must also consider what you need to transport, where you need to move it, and the conditions of the area where the move is going to take place. For instance, if you’re moving something very long and narrow, such as a beam, you wouldn’t need the same type of dolly you’d use to move around a piece of machinery.
  • Because there can be so much variety in the type of object you need to move, there’s no one answer for the kind of heavy duty dolly you should use.

In general:

  • When choosing a dolly, you must consider where you need to move it. If you need to transport a piece of machinery around corners, you shouldn’t get a dolly that only runs in straight lines, and vice versa.
  • You also need to think about the type of terrain your dolly will be navigating. A smooth shop floor is one thing, but rough terrain—like gravel—could require something designed to handle bumps and cracks.

Maximum Load Capacities

Generally speaking, all heavy duty dollies can carry thousands of pounds of equipment—and that’s per skate.

Before selecting a dolly, you should know the exact weight of the items you need to transport. Exceeding the overall load capacity of your dolly could damage it, as well as the item you were using it to move. That said, the carrying capacity of heavy duty dollies runs from 1.5 to 100 tons per dolly skate, depending on the type.

Here are some sample load capacities for dollies we offer:

  • Our rigid tilting utility skate model JD-3 can support 1.5 tons, while the UM-HD-30 can hold 15 tons.
  • The CS-12K from our compact swivel skates line is a kit that can support six tons. The kit features four of our CS-3 skates, each of which can support 1.5 tons.
  • Alternatively, the CS-20K comes with four CS-5 skates, each of which can support 2.5 tons, which allows the entire kit to support 10 tons.
  • The HM-25 from our structural moving skates line can carry 25 tons per skate, while the HM-100 from the same line can support 100 tons.
  • We also offer a series of custom skates and modified skates, which allow you to design the best system to suit your needs.

By evenly distributing the weight of the item you’re moving over several dollies, you can increase the load capacity of your dollies.

Choosing a Heavy Duty Dolly

Dollies are a necessary piece of equipment for hundreds of different kinds of enterprises. Even so, before you invest in one, you want to make sure you’re going to get one you can rely on to carry even your bulkiest loads.

If you’re not sure which is right for you, contact us. We can help you find the right dolly for your needs. We offer dozens of different skates, many of which can be customized to meet your specifications.