Moving A Hot Tub

[paxthar]

Hello All,

Well I will soon be starting my used hot tub adventure. I am just wondering how many buddies I need to bring to pick this tub up off the ground to load it onto a trailer. Is it ok to just strap it down with tie downs for transport? I am going to be taking it to the local Arctic Spa dealer to give it a once over for $75 bucks, figure it's money well spent. Should be doing this in the next week, will let everyone know how it goes and what is the fallout of the checkup.

thanks

Rob

[Roger]

Hello All,

Well I will soon be starting my used hot tub adventure. I am just wondering how many buddies I need to bring to pick this tub up off the ground to load it onto a trailer. Is it ok to just strap it down with tie downs for transport? I am going to be taking it to the local Arctic Spa dealer to give it a once over for $75 bucks, figure it's money well spent. Should be doing this in the next week, will let everyone know how it goes and what is the fallout of the checkup.

thanks

Rob

Me and my partner do it by ourselfs most times by tipping them up on there side (equipment side down) and then tipping it down on the trailer parked next to it. But every situation is different. If the trailer won't go next to the tub, or the tub is under a deck or on a deck??? We use a johnson bar to get it started and some wood shims to give us room for our fingers, then you would be suprised how using the weight of the equipment will actualt help you to lift the opposite side up onto a blanket. Then a spin if need be or back the trailer up next to it, or we have a little folding one we use in tight spots to move a tub to a driveway. Then gently lower it down on its bottom again unto the trailer. If the trailer isn't low enough this can be the trickiest part as it may want to kick out and off the trailer. Make sure the trailer is just the right distance from the tub before you tip it back down.

Lift with your legs......LOL

[BigDfromTN]

Hello All,

Well I will soon be starting my used hot tub adventure. I am just wondering how many buddies I need to bring to pick this tub up off the ground to load it onto a trailer. Is it ok to just strap it down with tie downs for transport? I am going to be taking it to the local Arctic Spa dealer to give it a once over for $75 bucks, figure it's money well spent. Should be doing this in the next week, will let everyone know how it goes and what is the fallout of the checkup.

thanks

Rob

Go to you tube and search for Hot tub moving.

Lots of good info there. A lot of methods for different situations. Roger has given good advice about the tipping. You can watch this being done on some of the you tube videos and it really works.

As for the weight question my best guess would be about 1,000 pounds.

Do your research FIRST (as you are doing). When I moved mine, I used two big 3"(i think) wide straps to strap it down to the trailer. Worked great on the 150 mile ride back home. Where mine was there was no way to get a trailer to it. We had to tip it, slide it, twist it, then pull it up a steep grade to get it to the trailer. After that it was all gravy. I did borrow an idea from a couple of places on the web and made my own "Spa Sled" out of a 4x8 sheet of Polypropylene. Bought it at Cadillac Plastics for about $75. Rounded up about 4 friends and did the job. One of the friends had a 4 wheeler with a winch we used to pull the sled up the hill. Worked out great and no one got hurt! We could have done it with less folks but all help was welcomed and when done, the beer needed as payment was not drastically different.

Plan each phase out ahead of time and be prepared for problems. Plan out the wiring removal and how to take care of the wires left behind. You may want to also get the GFCI breaker out of the main panel (If so equipped). I did this and replaced it with a 220 volt lower amp breaker to fill the spot and keep it all safe. Be sure if you can to get the sub-panel that goes outside. This can save you money when you get it home and have it wired.

Remember SAFETY is a key factor all the way up to the time you get it running and jump in. (Wiring included!)

Check back and let us know how you make out.

Don

[pkillur]

Hello All,

Well I will soon be starting my used hot tub adventure. I am just wondering how many buddies I need to bring to pick this tub up off the ground to load it onto a trailer. Is it ok to just strap it down with tie downs for transport? I am going to be taking it to the local Arctic Spa dealer to give it a once over for $75 bucks, figure it's money well spent. Should be doing this in the next week, will let everyone know how it goes and what is the fallout of the checkup.

thanks

Rob

Go to you tube and search for Hot tub moving.

Lots of good info there. A lot of methods for different situations. Roger has given good advice about the tipping. You can watch this being done on some of the you tube videos and it really works.

As for the weight question my best guess would be about 1,000 pounds.

Do your research FIRST (as you are doing). When I moved mine, I used two big 3"(i think) wide straps to strap it down to the trailer. Worked great on the 150 mile ride back home. Where mine was there was no way to get a trailer to it. We had to tip it, slide it, twist it, then pull it up a steep grade to get it to the trailer. After that it was all gravy. I did borrow an idea from a couple of places on the web and made my own "Spa Sled" out of a 4x8 sheet of Polypropylene. Bought it at Cadillac Plastics for about $75. Rounded up about 4 friends and did the job. One of the friends had a 4 wheeler with a winch we used to pull the sled up the hill. Worked out great and no one got hurt! We could have done it with less folks but all help was welcomed and when done, the beer needed as payment was not drastically different.

Plan each phase out ahead of time and be prepared for problems. Plan out the wiring removal and how to take care of the wires left behind. You may want to also get the GFCI breaker out of the main panel (If so equipped). I did this and replaced it with a 220 volt lower amp breaker to fill the spot and keep it all safe. Be sure if you can to get the sub-panel that goes outside. This can save you money when you get it home and have it wired.

Remember SAFETY is a key factor all the way up to the time you get it running and jump in. (Wiring included!)

Check back and let us know how you make out.

Don

If you don't have a trailer, or know someone with a little trailer, you could try an equipment rental place. Here in Denver I found 3 places that had spa dollies, and really we only needed the other 3 dudes when we had to do an end-over-end through my gate (in retrospect I should have just taken down the fence, but it was on a hill too...)

I would plan on you plus 3-4 other guys, it's going to be somewhere between 750-1200 pounds, but it's actually a lot more manageable than you would think!

[JerimiahR]

An 8 x 8 spa is probably somewhere close to 1,000 lbs. Actual weight will probably depend on how heavily insulated it is or is not, and other materials used in construction (frame type for example).

A spa of that size definitely CAN be moved/delivered with 2 men, but we usually do it with 3 just to be on the safe side. It's all about how you move it, not with how many or how strong.

[paxthar]

So I gathered up my 5 best buddies, rented a 8 by 10 foot flatbed trailer and went to pick up my tub. All we had to do was tilt it on it's side....slide it between a tree and a pile of dirt, put it back down on it's base and slide it up a four foot ramp onto a deck, slide it across the deck (about 25 feet), and slide it down another 3 ft ramp and onto the trailer. NO PROBLEM...hah. Thank Goodness my friends were there with me!! Got it to the Arctic Spa dealer, he said I got a pretty good deal, considering he just sold a 98 model for $4800, I paid $1300 with all the wiring and breakers. He said that it looked properly winterized and felt that the only issue I may have is whether or not the ozonator will work.

So my hot tub adventure begins....updates will follow.

Guess a little info may help. I bought a 2000 Arctic Spa Cub SS model, with a lounger and a "captains" chair if you want to call it. I live in Winnipeg Manitoba.

[paxthar]

Another question, has anyone ever replaced a base of a tub or reinforced it? This tub I bought had a chipboard base, and I am wondering if I can either replace the chipboard, or just put another layer of 3/4 preserved plywood over it and preserved wood around the outside edge of the base....

Thanks in advance...

[DK117]

Another question, has anyone ever replaced a base of a tub or reinforced it? This tub I bought had a chipboard base, and I am wondering if I can either replace the chipboard, or just put another layer of 3/4 preserved plywood over it and preserved wood around the outside edge of the base....

Thanks in advance...

I passed on a 2000 Arctic Summit as the base was rotten on 1/3 of one side. Otherwise it looked great. I'm very curious to responses here. I probably could have gotten a great tub, it was listed at $1800. I have friends with an Arctic Cub 2006 and they love it. Good luck!

DK117

[Roger]

Another question, has anyone ever replaced a base of a tub or reinforced it? This tub I bought had a chipboard base, and I am wondering if I can either replace the chipboard, or just put another layer of 3/4 preserved plywood over it and preserved wood around the outside edge of the base....

Thanks in advance...

If the bottom of the frame is solid tip it on it's side and overlay it with pressure treated plywood. Or a sheet of ABS plastic from your local plastic place (Sealey Plastics) It would be more work but you could remove the old one first.

[paxthar]

That's what I was thinking, if it isn't too bad, I could just layer it with some PT plywood and replace the edge boards with PT 2X6's or whatever.