If you've purchased a forklift for personal or business use, you need to figure out how to get it to your home or place of business. In most cases, you can't just drive the forklift down the road, so you have to figure out alternative forklift transport. To ensure your forklift gets to its new home in one piece, here are some tips to help you.

1. Don't Use a Regular Trailer Without Double Checking Weight

If you have a trailer to transport landscaping tools, other vehicles, or almost anything else, you can think about using it for your forklift. However, before loading the forklift, always check the weight capacity of the trailer and the weight of the forklift. Surprisingly, in spite of their often compact sizes, forklifts are particularly dense, and they tend to weigh more than many cars. As a result, your forklift may not be safe on a standard trailer.

2. Consider a Tractor Trailer

A commercial-grade tractor trailer may work for transporting your forklift. For easy loading, you may want to hire a rollback trailer. Also called a tilt trailer, this trailer has a ramp that you can use to easily drive the forklift onto the trailer. In some cases, you may be fine with a flat bed trailer, but you typically can't load a forklift from the ground. Instead, it needs to be on a raised dock. For instance, if you're buying a forklift from a factory and they have it in a warehouse, you can drive a flatbed trailer up to the loading dock of the warehouse, and then drive the forklift onto the trailer. When you get the trailer to your home, you will need a makeshift ramp to unload it.

3. Tie Down Forklift Tightly

Regardless of the type of trailer you select, you need to ensure the forklift is tied down tightly. You may want to check the laws in your area to ensure you meet all the hauling requirements. You can use a mixture of chains and tow ropes to tie down your forklift.

4. Anchor Forklifts in Enclosed Trailers

If you move your forklift in an enclosed trailer, you also have to secure it so that it doesn't bump and jostle around the trailer. If the trailer has internal anchor points, you can thread ropes through those and then secure the forklift. Alternatively, you can use wedges of wood or other materials to block the forklift from moving.

5. Consider Hiring a Forklift Transport Professional

So that you don't have to hire a trailer, worry about having the right license, or deal with other hassles, you may want to consider hiring a forklift transport professional. These individuals can provide you with a reasonable quote, and they're generally insured so if something happens you don't have to worry about suffering a financial loss. In most cases, you can't say that about moving your forklift on your own.