Heavy freight, explained properly
An attachment does not arrive in a van. It arrives on a pallet, on the back of a 53-foot trailer, and how well that goes depends entirely on decisions made when the order is placed. This page is the whole process: what it costs, what you need on site to receive it, and what to do in the two minutes before you sign the driver’s paperwork.
LTL freight is not a parcel delivery with a bigger box
Less-than-truckload means your pallet shares a trailer with other shippers’ freight and gets handled at terminals along the way. That is why it is affordable and why it needs your attention: every transfer is a chance for a forklift to catch a cutting edge, and the carrier’s liability is settled at the kerb by a signature, not afterwards by a phone call.
Get the delivery right at quote time
- Is there a forklift or a dock? If not, request a liftgate, and confirm the attachment is inside the liftgate’s rated capacity.
- Can a 53-foot trailer physically get in? A residential street, a gated yard or a tight jobsite means limited-access, and possibly a smaller truck.
- Will someone be there? If the answer is “depends on the day”, book a delivery appointment.
- Ship to the yard, not the jobsite, unless the jobsite has someone able to receive and unload. Jobsite deliveries are where redelivery fees come from.
- Consolidate. Several attachments on one shipment is nearly always cheaper than several shipments, and it is one delivery to be present for instead of three.
Inspect before you sign: this is the whole game
The bill of lading is a legal receipt. Signing it clean says the freight arrived in good condition. Damage discovered after a clean signature becomes concealed damage, and concealed-damage claims are the hardest kind to win.
- Count the pieces against the BOL before anything comes off the truck.
- Walk the freight. Look at the cutting edge, the ears and the pin bores on a bucket; the housing and hose ports on a hammer; the locking mechanism on a coupler.
- Photograph it on the truck, before it is unloaded, with the trailer visible.
- Write the damage on the BOL, specifically. “Damaged” is nearly worthless; “bent cutting edge, right-hand corner, banding cut” is a claim.
- Refuse structural damage outright. A cracked weld or a distorted mounting ear is not a cosmetic issue and should go back on the truck.
- Call us with the BOL number the same day.
Two numbers, not one
“When will it get here?” is really two questions: how long before it leaves the warehouse, and how long it is on the road. The ranges below are indicative planning figures for LTL freight, not a guarantee: confirm both numbers on your specific order before you promise a crew a start date.
| Order type | Typical time to ship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-stock attachment | Next freight pickup, usually 1–3 business days | Confirm stock at order; ask us to hold it if you are pricing |
| Built to order / custom width | Quoted per item | Build time is stated separately on the quote |
| Southeast transit | 1–3 business days on the road | From Charlotte; shortest lane we run |
| Midwest / Northeast transit | 3–6 business days on the road | Terminal transfers add a day or two in peak season |
| West Coast transit | 5–8 business days on the road | Cross-country LTL; plan the crew around it |
| AK / HI / offshore | Quoted individually | Leaves the LTL network: ocean or air |
Transit ranges are general LTL planning figures for this lane, shown for orientation. Your quote carries the numbers that apply to your order.
Straight answers
Do you ship free?
Orders over $750 ship freight-free within the continental United States. Below that threshold, freight is quoted to your delivery ZIP. It is a real cost that varies by distance, weight and whether the destination is commercial or residential, so we show it rather than bury it in the item price.
Where do you ship from, and where do you ship to?
Everything ships from our warehouse at 1200 Quarry Row, Charlotte, NC. We ship to all 50 states. Alaska, Hawaii and offshore destinations are quoted individually because they leave the LTL network and move by ocean or air freight.
Why is my bucket coming on a freight truck instead of a parcel carrier?
Because of weight and dimensions. Parcel carriers cap out well below what an excavator bucket weighs. A mid-size digging bucket runs several hundred pounds, and a 22 t-class bucket can exceed 2,000 lb. Anything in that range moves as LTL (less-than-truckload) freight on a pallet or skid, which is a different process with different rules than a parcel delivery.
Do I need a forklift to receive delivery?
For most attachments, yes: a forklift or a liftgate. A standard LTL delivery puts the freight at the back of a 53-foot trailer at dock height and expects you to unload it. If you do not have a dock or a forklift on site, ask for a liftgate at the time of quoting; adding one after the truck is dispatched costs more and delays the delivery. Very heavy attachments can exceed a liftgate's capacity, in which case a forklift or a machine on site is the only option.
Will they call before delivering?
Only if a delivery appointment is requested. Commercial addresses with a dock typically receive without notice during business hours. Residential and limited-access addresses need an appointment, and that is worth requesting. An attempted delivery nobody was there to receive usually incurs a redelivery fee.
How long will it take?
Lead time is two separate numbers: how long before it leaves us, and how long it is on the road. In-stock items ship quickly; built-to-order and custom-width attachments take longer and quote their own build time. Transit within the Southeast is typically a couple of days; cross-country LTL is usually the better part of a week. Ask for both numbers when you order. A quote with only one of them is not telling you when the tool is on site.
What do I do if the freight arrives damaged?
Note it on the bill of lading before you sign, and be specific. A signature on a clean BOL is your statement that the freight arrived intact, and it is very difficult to walk that back afterwards. Write what you see: bent cutting edge, torn crate, gouged paint. Take photographs before the truck leaves, and refuse the delivery outright if the damage is structural. Then call us with the BOL number.
Can I collect from the warehouse?
Yes. Call ahead so it is staged and you are not waiting on a forklift, and bring a trailer and straps rated for the weight. Our dock is a few minutes off I-77, so allow for rush-hour traffic on the way in.
Get freight quoted with the tool
Send the delivery ZIP and tell us what is on site to unload with. You will get the landed number, not just the item price.
