Peter Murray has been following the blogs... And says: "Hello Brian, against the recent selection of 'house moving' pics from Rod NZ - you asked - "why does the trailer need to lift so high"? The attached 'house' pic might answer that. In Australia and parts of NZ we have what are referred to as 'high set houses'. Also called - as 'standing on stumps", "stilts", "legs', 'posts', 'blocks' to name a few." (I've also heard them called 'Queenslanders, Peter - BLB) In Australia they're normally found in the hotter northern parts and were designed as a means of natural cooling (long before words like - climate change, environmentally friendly, energy efficient etc were invented). It was just bloody hot and the old timers knew how to make their lot a tad more comfortable - by allowing the air to circulate under the house cooling was achieved. You will also note another Aussie invention - the wide open verandas that surround the enclosed living area. Again a means of catching any cool breeze and a shaded place to relax or even sleep in the hotter times. The attached photo shows a very old version - and to move/shift one of these the trailer has to lift quite high to reach the building!"
Peter also sent me this shot from 1966 of an ACCO(right or wrong Pete?) "showing how house moving used to be done over here. Using either a single or dual 'jinker' set up. Note in the photo the jinker axles are ex-drive axle banjo housings and probably a rear section of truck chassis and its suspension - for the running gear!" Now click through here for a classic Ausie heavy haulage job - and with more jeep dollies than you can shake a stick at...!
Peter continues with this shot from 1973: "In recent times you've included photos of the modern 'heavy lift' rigs - like 950hp primemovers and huge multi axle floats. Here are some shots of a 1970's version! 2 F Model Macks moving something heavy. With (at best) 250hp at each end of a 7 rows of 8 - axle float."
Peter adds: "I have no idea what the 'thing' on the back actually weighed - but would guess at 'bloody heavy'. Considering this was a time when operators only added more axles when it was thought absolutely necessary - and not just to satisfy any 'weights and measures' type regulations. Peter R Murray. " By my counting Peter that's two jeep dollies in action!
That one is an AACO, Australian A Line Cab Over and you almost had a pie there Brian. The stilts also kept the house out of floodwaters and made it a bit harder for snakes etc to wander in.
Single window mesh grill no step could be an ACCO 180 even with the IH badge lower corner 64 on ????