# Transporting large rock over distance



## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

As I have posted earlier, I am building an MTB training track on the campus of my middle school for my team to train on. 
I am working on getting some large rock from the desert to add features to this trail. 

On another occasion, I successfully hauled out a 400 pounder. I used a high-lift jack and an incline plane to get it in the cab (I didn’t want to rolling around in the bed). That was difficult, it damaged my interior, and it was dicey having it next to me as I drove out.

I am wondering about using a 2 wheel car dolly. The capacity is there for larger rocks, the lower height would facilitate loading and unloading and would keep the center of gravity low while traversing rough terrain. 

I’m concerned about potentially damaging the dolly, but it seems that can be managed with careful calculation of the weight of the rock, blocking the rock to avoid point loads on the trailer, securing the load well, and judicious driving. 

If you have first-hand experience doing something like this, I would really like to hear about it.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Why not get some delivered from the hard rock cafe?


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

They make and rent small motorized wheelbarrows just for this purpose. Cement hauling too. Maybe the local big box store/tool rental place wants to be the " sponsor" ? You put a 400 lb rock next to you in the truck?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

What about getting a bunch of small rocks, and sticking them together?


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

^^^ Bored today I guess? OC might be good for you.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

leeboh said:


> Bored today I guess?


That obvious, huh?

Seriously though, call a construction company. All sorts of sizes of rocks are used in construction. If you ask the right person, say it's for a school etc, maybe you'll get some nice guy to send a truck by and dump a load of big rocks. Maybe even give you some timber too, you could build some features and name the trail after the construction company. Bit of sponsorship? Think laterally.


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## DeadGrandpa (Aug 17, 2016)

Your methodology is all wrong. Bring the kids to the rocks, not the rocks to the kids. But if you insist on hauling boulders, use ratchet straps to hold the cargo in place with the main point being to hold it when you apply the brakes. You won't likely accelerate so fast that they escape out the back.


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## DaveVt (Jun 13, 2005)

Ball Cart. 2 dudes can easily move 500 pound rocks.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MIq4PS4tmX3AIVBa_ICh0AcwWkEAQYBSABEgI5n_D_BwE
Great trail building tool. Also haul your kit and cooler. Worth every penny.
Years back my buddy and I built 120 feet of turnpike in 2 weeks though a swamp. We harvested and moved hundreds of stones between 200 and 800 plus pounds (mostly the lower end of that range), some long distances up to 1000 feet through the woods....off trail. This cart plus 2 rock bars is a very capable kit.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

The rocks are 30 miles away so a powered barrow might be a bit slow .

Yes, I put this rock in my cab. Seemed reasonable at the moment, seems kinda reckless now. I'm pretty pleased with how the carving came out though. Here it is doing it's job a the trail marker for Johnnie Walker trail.









I'm always looking for donations to support the team and I will ask that the dolly use be donated. Lots of people say they want to help/donate, but the reality is it takes time and effort and sometimes you just gotta do it.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

Mr Pig said:


> What about getting a bunch of small rocks, and sticking them together?


Concrete, I like that idea. LOL


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

DeadGrandpa said:


> Your methodology is all wrong. Bring the kids to the rocks, not the rocks to the kids....


I know, right! It would be great if we could do that every practice. We try to get out to the desert once a week.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

DaveVt said:


> Ball Cart. 2 dudes can easily move 500 pound rocks.
> https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MIq4PS4tmX3AIVBa_ICh0AcwWkEAQYBSABEgI5n_D_BwE
> Great trail building tool. ...


Cool! That would make getting rocks to the dolly easier and then when they're at school, it looks like a great tool for placing them on the trail. Great suggestion Dave, thanks!


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Let's see, top speed for the power wheelbarrow, 4 mph, yup, kinda far. Work on that donation idea. What if you had say concrete rubble from a construction site?


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

look up 'stone boat' on the internets


It's how I move tons of rock

but a boat is maybe not for a 30 mile drag


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

You may want to verify the legality of harvesting stone on what I presume to be public land. I'd seriously look into getting a delivery of rock/stone donated.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

leeboh said:


> Let's see, top speed for the power wheelbarrow, 4 mph, yup, kinda far.


We could do it as a relay/road ride LOL.



> Work on that donation idea. What if you had say concrete rubble from a construction site?


I have a county contact and military contact both have said they think they can help getting material donated and maybe labor and equipment, we'll see if they come through.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

127.0.0.1 said:


> look up 'stone boat' ...


I've used a wood version before. Simple and effective.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

life behind bars said:


> You may want to verify the legality of harvesting stone on what I presume to be public land. I'd seriously look into getting a delivery of rock/stone donated.


very true. landscaping companies would make bank if they could just roll in any old place and grab stone, and gravel pits and quarries would go out of business...they could just roll to the desert and haul out rock.

methinks you have violated law. public land 'rock hounding' is acceptable up to 25 pounds a day and a 250 pound maximum limit for the year. after that it's big fines

it would be far cheaper to go to a quarry and buy some chunkulage


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

Rent a dump trailer ($80-180 per day). Load rocks with a machine, hand dolly, etc. Medium sized dump trailers can carry 5-6 tons of material when paired with a 3/4 ton heavy duty truck.

I've used this $30 600lb rated dolly to move a few dozen large boulders (some around 900lbs). Added two extra wheels to help on soft ground and keep the tires from bottoming out. With 2-3 people & rock bars helping to load it worked pretty well. Ended up bending the handle a little trying to lift the big rocks with just the dolly. A more stout unit would obviously be better and they run 3-4 times the price.


Depending on your location, large boulders can be pricey if buying a significant quantity from a quarry. Going rate in our area is $125-200/ton which yields 3-5 descent sized rocks. Not much naturally occurring rock in our area though.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Could you find some rocks that are not so far away? Maybe put an ad in the paper. Maybe someone has some rocks that they got for Chrismas but don't really want?


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

aero901 said:


> I've used this $30 600lb rated dolly to move a few dozen large boulders (some around 900lbs). Added two extra wheels to help on soft ground...


Love those extra wheels!


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