Sprayers
John Deere 4940 Sprayer - Complex Containerization and Riga Handoff
Meridian Freight dismantled a John Deere 4940 sprayer of approximately 14-15 metric tons, with about 300 components removed or managed, for a 40-ft high-cube container: the cab was lifted off so the fuel tank could be reoriented, then reinstalled, and custom steel skids were fabricated. The sealed shipment moved through Chicago and New York to Riga.
| Equipment | John Deere 4940 sprayer |
|---|---|
| Route | Chicago – New York – Riga – Kazakhstan |
| Container | 40-ft high-cube container |
| Weight | About 14-15 metric tons |
| What Meridian did | Lifted the cab off with a telehandler, reoriented the fuel tank and fabricated custom steel skids to draw the chassis into the container |
The shipment
At approximately 14-15 metric tons and with about 300 components removed or managed, the 4940 required substantially more preparation than smaller sprayers. The fuel tank was too wide to pass through the container in its operating orientation and sat beneath the cab. The team lifted off the cab with a telehandler, removed and reoriented the fuel tank, then reinstalled the cab for transport. Custom steel skids were fabricated so the main chassis could be drawn into the 40-ft high-cube container in a controlled manner. A three-person crew worked a 15-hour day as the scheduled truck waited. When the safe loading sequence could not be completed that evening, Meridian stopped the operation and rescheduled the truck rather than rush the final placement. Loading was completed in daylight the next day. A minor roof-component issue identified during loading was addressed by obtaining a replacement component and including it in the container before dispatch. The sealed shipment moved through Chicago and New York to Riga. No reassembly was performed there; the disassembled sprayer was transloaded to the dealer's European truck. The onward carrier later damaged the hood after Meridian's Riga scope had ended. Meridian nevertheless assisted the dealer after delivery with locating a replacement used hood for a future shipment.
What Meridian did
- Lifted off the cab with a telehandler, removed and reoriented the fuel tank, then reinstalled the cab for transport.
- Fabricated custom steel skids so the main chassis could be drawn into the 40-ft high-cube container in a controlled manner.
- Stopped the operation and rescheduled the truck rather than rush the final placement.
- Completed the loading in daylight the next day.
- Obtained a replacement for a minor roof component identified during loading and included it in the container before dispatch.
- Assisted the dealer after delivery with locating a replacement used hood for a future shipment.
Transport particulars
- The sprayer weighed approximately 14-15 metric tons.
- About 300 components were removed or managed, so the 4940 needed substantially more preparation than smaller sprayers.
- The fuel tank was too wide to pass through the container in its operating orientation and sat beneath the cab.
- A three-person crew worked a 15-hour day as the scheduled truck waited.
- The sealed shipment moved through Chicago and New York to Riga.
- No reassembly was performed there; the disassembled sprayer was transloaded to the dealer's European truck.
From Meridian Freight's project archive. Published · Updated
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