Moving a Cab

[Ambaratur]

Hi all.

I was curious about how I should move a cab.  I am looking to buy a Donkey Kong and I may have to travel a couple hours from my house to pick it up.  I have a pickup truck and I wanted to know if I needed to keep the cab vertical to move it like a refrigerator or if I can lay it down on its back for transport.

If I move it vertical do I need to cover it with a tarp to protect it from the wind while traveling?

Sorry for the silly questions, but I don't want any unnecessary damage to occur because I was an idiot.

Thanks!

[bkenobi]

Depends...

My first MAME cab doesn't have the monitor or PC held down in such a way that it can be moved without disassembling it.  My second MAME cab can be moved without taking anything out.  HOWEVER, with the monitor installed, these guys are HEAVY! 

Cabinets that were put on route like the DK cab you are talking about should be able to be moved in any position (upright or laid down).  But, if they were modded by someone, things might not be fastened down as they should be.  As a result, you could end up with wires making contact during the trip (not necessarily a problem) that don't let lose when you stand it back up (potentially a problem).

Best bet is to check if everything is held tight in place before tipping it.  If you don't check, you'll find out quickly!  Good luck!

[leapinlew]

how I should move a cab. 

In America, cab moves you.

If they have guts, I move them upright wit straps, blankets, tarps, etc. It's much more difficult and requires at least 1 other person. If they are empty, or I don't care about the internals I can move them laying down and I can move them myself.

[Nephasth]

A furniture dolly makes moving cabs much easier too.

[Ambaratur]

Yep - I have a piano dolly and a furniture dolly so no problems there.  Just need to bring a friend with a strong back! 

[leapinlew]

Yep - I have a piano dolly and a furniture dolly so no problems there.  Just need to bring a friend with a strong back! 

Or! 2 friends with strong backs who don't mind being bossed around.

[CheffoJeffo]

Check that everything is secured before transport, inside and out. A loose coin, bolt (happened to me) or token can foul things up, not to mention an unsecured monitor.

[notroubleclubber]

i remember buying a cab for my uncle and then 3 of us (and we are all strong) trying to get it up 3 flights of stairs to his flat. That was 5 years ago and now hes thinking of moving..........im out that day!!!

[mgb]

Yeah it's definately important to make sure everything is secure before moving. It's always better to try and keep it upright. This will reduce the possibility of things going wron during a move. I have worked on a few machines where someone tells me, it worked great at the guys house where I bought it then I got it home and its dead. Of course that can still happen with keeping it upright but it lessons some of the chance.
When you get it home, you will be excited to get it up and running but first you need to go through and check it out. make sure a loose coin or bolt didn't fall across an electronic component during the move.
While transporting, it is a good idea to tarp it. You'd be surprised how many bugs will kamikaze objects like that during a long drive.

Good luck

[Ambaratur]

Thanks for all the great information.

I will keep it vertical, strap it well, and tarp it for protection.

Now all I have to do is find a good machine to buy!