4 Machinery Sliders ( Single Direction Set)

Each Single-Direction Machinery Slider weighs 1.3 lbs (0.59 kg) and measures 11-1/2″ long × 8-1/4″ wide × 3/8″ thick.

A reinforced 1″ × 1″ bumper sits on top of the slider plate at the front of the machine support area. The machine’s column, leg or other appropriate support point rests on the 7″ deep × 8-1/4″ wide support surface behind the bumper. As the machine is pushed or pulled in the intended direction of travel, the machine support point bears against the reinforced bumper, helping keep the Machinery Slider positioned beneath the load as the machine moves.

The bumper is an important part of the Single-Direction design because the slider is not mechanically attached to the machine.

The Single-Direction Slider is intended primarily for machinery moves where the load will follow an established path rather than repeatedly turning or changing direction.

Typical applications include:

• Moving industrial machinery along a generally straight path
• Machine installation and removal
• Moving production equipment within a facility
• Loading and unloading machinery
• Moving equipment on and off trucks
• Moving machinery across dock plates
• Moving machinery into or out of shipping containers
• Moving transformer cores and other heavy components
• Machinery moves with limited overhead clearance
• Applications where the additional height of conventional wheeled machinery skates or dollies is undesirable

When a machine must frequently turn, move laterally, reverse or change direction, a Multi-Directional Machinery Slider may be the better choice.

One of the biggest differences between a Single-Direction Machinery Slider and a conventional wheeled machinery skate is height. The Single-Direction Machinery Slider is only 3/8″ thick, so the machine support point sits only 3/8″ above the floor.

This extremely low profile can be valuable when moving tall or top-heavy machinery, passing through restricted-clearance areas, entering shipping containers or working beneath overhead structures.

Keeping the machine close to the floor also avoids adding the additional wheel, roller and frame height associated with conventional machinery skates and dollies.

Every machinery move still requires proper consideration of machine weight, weight distribution, center of gravity, support points, floor conditions and the method used to move and control the load. For a full breakdown of tip-over physics and sizing math, see our Questions & Answers page.

Machinery doesn’t always move across a perfect concrete floor. Industrial facilities can have cracked concrete, expansion joints, gaps, worn or damaged floors, floor transitions, uneven areas and other small obstacles and irregularities.

The Single-Direction Machinery Slider incorporates a 1/2″ beveled edge designed to help the slider transition over floor irregularities rather than meeting them with a square vertical edge.

The ability to cross a particular crack, gap or obstruction will depend upon the load, floor condition, size and shape of the irregularity and other conditions of the machinery move.

Real machinery-moving conditions matter. When a machine is very rigid and the floor contains a low spot or other irregularity, a Single-Direction Slider can gradually move somewhat right or left beneath the machine support point.

The machinery-moving crew should therefore observe the position of the sliders throughout the move and reposition a slider when necessary.

This is an important distinction: “Single-Direction” does not mean the slider mechanically forces the machine to travel in a perfectly straight line. It describes the intended direction of movement and the way the reinforced front bumper helps retain the slider beneath the machine as the load moves toward the bumper.

The Single-Direction Slider is designed primarily for movement toward its reinforced front bumper.

When the direction of travel is reversed, the machine support point moves away from the bumper. Depending upon the machine, load, floor surface and friction between the machine, slider and floor, the slider can potentially move out from beneath the support point.

For machinery-moving jobs requiring frequent reversing, turning or multidirectional positioning, consider a Multi-Directional Machinery Slider, which uses a captured machine support point to retain the slider during direction changes.

For machinery movers searching for a non-metallic alternative to conventional steel machinery skates or dollies, Machinery Sliders offer a fundamentally different design. The Machinery Slider itself contains absolutely no metal — no metal wheels, no metal rollers, no bearings, no axles, no metal frames, no mechanical moving parts.

The slider is manufactured from a high-performance engineered plastic resin and moves by sliding across the floor rather than rolling on wheels or rollers. This also makes Machinery Sliders lightweight and easy for machinery-moving and rigging crews to carry, position and handle.

Machinery Sliders are intentionally designed as a wear item. The bottom surface of the slider travels directly across the floor. Through normal use, that sliding surface will gradually wear.

How quickly a Machinery Slider wears depends upon factors including machinery weight, distance traveled, floor material, surface roughness, floor condition, cracks, gaps and obstacles encountered, and the conditions of the individual machinery move.

Instead of maintaining wheels, bearings, rollers or other mechanical components, the Machinery Slider should be inspected for wear and physical condition and replaced when it reaches the end of its useful service life.

The simplicity of the Machinery Slider is one of its major differences from traditional machinery-moving equipment. There are no wheels, rollers or bearings to lubricate, rebuild, service or replace. There are also no wheel assemblies adding additional height between the machine and the floor.

For machinery-moving crews, this provides a simple, lightweight piece of moving equipment that can be carried and deployed without the mechanical maintenance associated with conventional wheeled machinery skates.

Each Machinery Slider is capable of supporting approximately 10 tons under appropriate loading conditions.

Additional Machinery Sliders can be used when required to provide additional support points and distribute heavier loads. The number and placement of sliders should be based upon the machine’s actual weight, weight distribution, center of gravity, support locations, floor conditions and the machinery-moving plan. See our Questions & Answers page for the sizing math on larger moves, such as a 100-ton press setup.

Depending upon load and conditions, Machinery Sliders can be used on many surfaces encountered by machinery movers and riggers, including concrete, worn or damaged concrete, wood, tile, carpet, dock plates, and asphalt at reduced capability depending upon load and surface conditions.

The 1/2″ beveled edge helps the Single-Direction Slider transition across many of the cracks, joints, gaps and irregularities encountered on actual industrial floors.

The correct Machinery Slider depends upon how the machine needs to move and how the slider can be retained beneath the machine. See our full Machinery Sliders vs. Dollies & Skates comparison for more detail.

Single-Direction Machinery Slider
The Single-Direction Slider is only 3/8″ thick, weighs 1.3 lbs (0.59 kg), and uses a reinforced 1″ × 1″ front bumper. The machine support point rests on a 7″ × 8-1/4″ surface behind the bumper. As the machine travels in the intended direction, the support point bears against the bumper to help maintain the slider beneath the machine. It is best suited for machinery moves involving primarily one-direction travel.

Multi-Directional Machinery Slider — 1″ Pin/Bolt Opening
The standard Multi-Directional Slider is 8″ round × 1″ high, weighs 1.0 lb (0.45 kg), and uses a 1″ center opening for an appropriate pin or bolt. The pin or bolt captures the slider beneath the machine support point, allowing the machine to be moved and positioned in multiple directions.

Multi-Directional Machinery Slider — 4″ Machine Foot/Leveling Pad Recess
For machinery with a leveling pad or machine leg up to approximately 4″, the 4″ Foot-Pad Multi-Directional Slider weighs 13 oz (0.37 kg) and incorporates a 4-1/16″-diameter recess routed 1/2″ deep into the top of the 1″-thick slider. The leveling pad or machine leg sits inside the recess, retaining the slider beneath the machine while placing the bottom of the pad or leg only 1/2″ above the floor.

Machinery Sliders aren’t shown only in controlled product demonstrations. Our photo and video galleries contain Machinery Sliders being used by professional machinery movers and riggers on actual machinery-moving jobs throughout the United States. These real-world examples show Machinery Sliders working with different machines, floor conditions, clearances and industrial moving situations.

See Machinery Sliders on Actual Jobs — Photo Gallery
Watch Machinery Sliders on Actual Jobs — Video Gallery

Choose the Single-Direction Machinery Slider Set when the machine primarily needs to travel along an established path, minimum machine elevation is important, and the reinforced front bumper can be used to help maintain the slider beneath the machine.

Choose a Multi-Directional Machinery Slider when the machine needs to turn, maneuver, move laterally or repeatedly change direction.

For professional machinery movers and riggers who encounter both types of moves, combination sets are available with Single-Direction and Multi-Directional Sliders (8-piece set), or with Single-Direction, Multi-Directional, and Leveling-Pad Sliders (12-piece set) for maximum flexibility across different machines, support points and jobsite conditions.