Moving a car with no suspension

It's about time to start converting my e46 touring to a 3.0 6 speed.  I have a parts car to pull all the larger parts from for the swap, this will include the brakes & axles.  So I will need to be able to move it with no rear trailing arms, the front wheels will be able to stay on the car.

I have tried using 5" plastic coated casters on 4x4s for my 260z & even with 16 of them they flat spot & get hard to move quickly.  So what other ideas are available without spending a large amount of money.  It should only have to move on concrete but will need to go down an incline to get out of the shop.

This is what I used when I had to do that.

https://www.amazon.com/TUFFIOM-6000LBS-Capacity-Vehicle-Upgraded/dp/B0CW2KZ3R7/ref=asc_df_B0CW2KZ3R7?mcid=12131febb70b3833b8d0d5f15292f9d7&hvocijid=12111665136080421769-B0CW2KZ3R7-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=730434177080&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12111665136080421769&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010531&hvtargid=pla-2281435179058&psc=1

Or, use some 4 x 4 and attach some large rubber tire castors to it?

Where is it going when you move it out of the shop? Are you keeping it around, or is it going to the scrapyard? In other words, is this a move it once or a move it indefinitely kind of ask? 

I move stuff like this around on the cheap HF car dollies. If I need a flat surface to sit on a frame rail or something, I use some pieces of wood on top. Works great as long as the ground is relatively flat and paved. Dirt would be more complicated.

I've made 4X4 "sleds" for many a project hulk to great success. 

Get 3 or 4 lengths of PVC pipe in 3 or 4" diameter to really make rolling it around easy.

Here's what I built recently using some Amazon casters rated at 500 pounds each and some 4x6s and 2x4s. Used lag screws to bolt it to holes in the K-member. Worked fine on concrete but collapsed instantly off pavement.

I just use HF 4 wheel dollies. If it is just a shell, a couple of them under the rockers will handle it.

Moving my E46 coupe shell around the shop with no drivetrain, and no suspension was precariously done with 2 furniture dollies and some CMU's and pieces of wood. One under front subframe, one under trunk floor. Rolled around fine, but a little 'tippy'. 

Would get it to wherever I needed it and then put jack stands back under it at factory Jack points. 

I have a trailer axle that I picked up for free.  I found some free 4.80-8 trailer tires and wheels that hold air (for a while) and I just screwed the whole thing to a 4x4 that I can screw or strap to the chassis for moving stuff around.

Pretty handy for other things too, like moving a big log.  I used it to move a shed once.  It's pretty clutch.

If the front wheels are staying on I'd just use one HF vehicle dollies under the diff. You might have to make some sort of cribbing to hold it securely.

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-1500-lb-capacity-vehicle-dollies-67338.html

Since the front wheels will be on the ground no worries about it tipping over. You could go the extra mile and put two vehicle dollies under the front wheels for extra maneuvering capability.

I do NOT recommend placing jack stands on vehicle dollies to move a parts car. I was young, I was stupid, I was lucky.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I have a trailer axle that I picked up for free.  I found some free 4.80-8 trailer tires and wheels that hold air (for a while) and I just screwed the whole thing to a 4x4 that I can screw or strap to the chassis for moving stuff around.

Pretty handy for other things too, like moving a big log.  I used it to move a shed once.  It's pretty clutch.

I have the same  small trailer axle , I welded a couple brackets on it so that it mounts to the VW bug spring plates  when you do not have a VW transaxle . It just happened to be the same width as a stock VW bug ,  I can pull it on and off the trailer  and push it around the yard.

I bought these from Harbor Freight to move a shell. Although claiming to be good for 1000lbs each, they were insufficient for an NA Miata. Just a warning.

This is the setup I used on my 260z hoping it would keep it high enough off the ground to work on but be easily movable, the wheels flat spotted within a month making moving it a 3 person job.

I should only need to stay on concrete but the plan is to push it back into the shop once the swap is complete & install the 2.5 parts in & pass it on. I got the car cheap but I think it's too nice to send to scrap.

Caperix said:

This is the setup I used on my 260z hoping it would keep it high enough off the ground to work on but be easily movable, the wheels flat spotted within a month making moving it a 3 person job.

I should only need to stay on concrete but the plan is to push it back into the shop once the swap is complete & install the 2.5 parts in & pass it on. I got the car cheap but I think it's too nice to send to scrap.

I would probably look for a trailer or mobile home axle on CL/FBM/etc for cheap.  If you use rubber casters like that then you could roll it on those and when done moving it slightly jack up the lower 4x4s and put a piece of 2x6 near each caster so they're off the ground and don't flat spot.  I know, it's extra work, but it beats flat spotting the casters and trying to move something heavy on tiny square wheels.