You won the auction. The excavator is yours. Now the real work starts: how to prepare heavy equipment for transport so the carrier can load it, secure it, and move it without a last-minute scramble.

Heavy equipment transport prep is not busywork. Wrong height, a bucket left wide, a non-running unit nobody disclosed, or a muddy yard the RGN cannot reach will delay pickup, change the trailer, or push you into permitted territory you did not budget for. This guide walks you through a practical equipment transport checklist — measure and document the machine, handle fluids and attachments, shoot condition photos, clear site access, and tell us whether it runs — so Logi Transports can quote and dispatch the right deck the first time.

Need a plan for your machine? Call (864) 791-5644, email quotes@logitransports.com, or use the quote request form.

Why heavy equipment transport prep matters

Federal and state size-and-weight rules set the legal envelope your loaded combination has to live inside. Per the FHWA commercial vehicle size and weight program and 23 CFR 658.17, Interstate maximums include 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, 20,000 pounds on a single axle, and 34,000 pounds on a tandem. On the National Network, width is 102 inches. There is no federal height limit; FHWA’s compilation of state laws notes that state height standards generally range from about 13.6 to 14.6 feet (FHWA Report to Congress).

Florida — our home base in Sebastian — caps legal height at 13 feet 6 inches inclusive of load under Florida Statute 316.515. FDOT’s oversize/overweight guidance likewise flags permit territory when width exceeds 102 inches or height exceeds 13’6″ on state highways (FDOT “When Do You Need a Permit?”). That is why accurate travel dimensions matter before anyone books a flatbed, step deck, or RGN.

Prep also protects the iron. Loose attachments, raised booms, and undocumented damage create claims fights. Carrier securement for heavy wheeled or tracked machinery that individually weighs 10,000 lb or more is spelled out in 49 CFR 393.130: accessory equipment must be completely lowered and secured, articulated machines must be restrained against articulation, and the unit needs a minimum of four tiedowns restraining lateral, forward, rearward, and vertical movement — affixed near the front and rear or at manufacturer mounting points. Your job is to put the machine in a transportable configuration so the driver can finish that securement safely.

Measure and document the machine (specs drive the quote)

Guessing dimensions is how you get a “cheap” flatbed quote that becomes an over-height RGN job on load day. Measure the machine in travel position — boom lowered, blade or bucket as you intend to ship it, ROPS or cab as it will sit on the deck.

1. Operating weight — Use the manufacturer plate or known operating weight, not a dry shipping brochure number. Counterweights, filled fluids, and pinned attachments all count toward axle loading against that federal 80,000 lb GVW ceiling.
2. Length, width, and height — Tape the widest and tallest points in travel position. A wide bucket or dozer blade can push you over the National Network 102-inch width even when height is fine.
3. Year, make, model, and serial / VIN — Helps us confirm specs and paperwork at auction yards and jobsites.
4. Attachments inventory — List what stays on the machine vs. what ships separately (buckets, rippers, thumbs, forks, blades).

If you just bought at auction, Ritchie Bros.’ buyer checklist is blunt: confirm specs and weight, arrange shipping before load-out, and have your release ticket and bill of lading ready. That same discipline applies whether you bought at a major sale or from a private seller — see our notes on best heavy equipment auctions for planning the logistics around a win.

Fluids, attachments, and ROPS: put it in travel configuration

This is the core of prepare excavator for shipping work — and it applies to dozers, loaders, and compact track loaders too.

• Lower and secure accessories. Federal cargo rules specifically call out accessory equipment such as hydraulic shovels: they must be completely lowered and secured to the transporting vehicle (49 CFR 393.130). Pin or cradle the boom and stick; do not leave a raised boom for “easy unload.”
• Restrain articulation. Articulated loaders and similar machines must be locked or chained so they cannot fold in transit.
• Remove or ship wide attachments separately when it helps. A bucket that hangs past the tracks can force an oversize width permit. Sometimes shipping the attachment on a second legal load is cheaper than permitting the whole combination — we will tell you which path wins after we see the numbers.
• ROPS / cab height. Foldable ROPS (when the manufacturer allows folding for transport) can drop overall height enough to stay under a state’s legal ceiling. Never fold or remove a ROPS in a way that violates the machine’s safe-use instructions; if it must stay up, measure it that way and plan the deck accordingly.
• Fluids and leaks. Top off or stabilize hydraulic oil per the manufacturer; fix active drips before load day. Carriers generally want fuel at a safe low operating level — enough to drive on an RGN if it runs, not a full tank that adds weight and spill risk. Follow the OEM transport chapter in the operator’s manual for battery disconnects, parking brake, and travel locks.
• Tracks, tires, and loose gear. Clear mud and trash from the undercarriage (yards and borders care about soil). Remove tools, fire extinguishers that are not secured, and any loose mirrors or panels that can vibrate off.

For machine-specific haul context, see our excavator transport and skid steer transport pages — prep steps are shared; deck choice still follows height, weight, and whether it drives on.

Photos and condition: your claim insurance before the truck arrives

Photograph the machine from all four sides, plus close-ups of existing scratches, bent steps, cracked glass, track wear, and serial plates. Timestamped photos (phone metadata is fine) create a baseline for the bill of lading. Walk the same photo set at delivery before you sign.

Write a short condition note: runs / does not run, known faults, missing mirrors or lights, and whether keys and codes will be on-site. Auction paperwork, title or bill of sale, and release instructions should be ready for the driver — especially at sale yards that will not release without documents.

Site access: the trailer has to reach the iron

A perfect prep checklist fails if the truck cannot get to the machine. Before pickup and delivery, confirm:

• Gate width and overhead wires or low trees on the approach
• Firm ground for a heavy tractor-trailer (mud, soft sand, and steep grades stop RGNs)
• Room to drop a removable gooseneck or stage ramps without blocking traffic
• Load-out hours at auction yards and plant sites
• Contact name and cell number for someone who can unlock gates and move other equipment out of the way

If the machine is deep in a pad with no truck access, say so early. We may need a local float, winch plan, or staging spot on pavement. That honesty keeps the quote honest.

Running vs. non-running: say it up front

Whether the unit starts and drives changes loading method, trailer choice, and sometimes cost.

Undisclosed non-runners are one of the fastest ways to get a refused pickup. Driveaway or power-only moves are a different product line than decked equipment — most excavators and dozers are trailer jobs. Tell us the truth about whether it starts before we book the truck.

When deck type matters (briefly)

Prep tells us the dimensions; dimensions pick the deck. In short:

• Flatbed — Legal height on a higher deck; side or crane load works.
• Step deck — Extra height clearance without a full lowboy well.
• RGN / lowboy — Drive-on or winch-on, lowest well, usual answer for tracked excavators and dozers.

Deck height plus machine height in travel position equals loaded height — and that is what you compare to Florida’s 13’6″ or whatever state you are crossing. For the full comparison of when each trailer wins, read RGN vs step deck vs flatbed. If the load will sit outside legal size or weight, you are in oversize load transport territory; we coordinate permits as part of the move rather than leaving you to memorize every state’s escort trigger. Cost context lives in our 2026 heavy equipment transport cost guide — prep accuracy is what keeps those planning ranges from blowing up.

Equipment transport checklist (send this with your quote)

You the client are our top priority here at Logi Transports — we would rather spend five minutes on this list with you than dispatch the wrong trailer.

Get your heavy equipment moving

CEO Benjamin C. Hall and the team at Logi Transports (Sebastian, FL freight broker MC-1636889 / USDOT 4230991) arrange legal and permitted heavy equipment moves nationwide. Learn how we work on Why Logi.

Ready to ship? Call (864) 791-5644, email quotes@logitransports.com, or submit the quote request form with your checklist specs. Send the measurements, photos, and running status — we will match the deck, flag permit risk early, and get your iron on the road.

We will take it from there.