Looking to start a thread to see how everyone gets their racks to the job site and how much work you do on them pre-delivery to the job site.

Curious how much you do prior (for example do you install install fixed items that install with rack screws, or do you install items that can slide around during transport like AVR's, blu-ray's, apple tvs)

Then I am curious how you transport them. Do you lay them right down in something like a transit van (this could be a problem with equipment like AVR's shifting or getting marked up) or do you use a bigger box truck and keep them upright (which could allow you to install all components in the rack prior to delivery and wire as much as possible offsite).

I pay a mover to take it from my home office to the jobsite. They transport it upright and deliver right to the equipment room. Small price to pay for the convenience of not haveing to deal with delivery. Most my racks are completely assembled when delivered.

We've wired up the rack and then removed AVR's and loose gear for transport, just leaving the wire in place. Then put the gear back in when the rack is in it's place.

Custom shelves and clamp kits keep everything in place for us during transport

Can you elaborate on the clamp kits, especially for smaller items? How, for example, would you keep a Roku in place during transport?

Depending on the job, size of rack and location of equipment location.
If a loaded rack can be easily transported to the final location, I try and do as much as possible.
We use rack shelves for the equipment when we can, like for receivers and amps. But take out the small devices.

For smaller racks, sometimes it's no difference.

Perf shelves and zip ties.

Assuming most of you are talking laying these things down in a van like a transit, promaster, sprinter?

Only thing tall enough for rack to sit upright is something like a 15' uhaul box trucks for racks 30+U and taller. I actually had one of those awhile back I bought used. Wish i kept it.

[Link: middleatlantic.com]

I used to build racks in the shop and move them later. After a while I decided it was too much of a pain in the ass with little benefit.

We switched to a pickup and smaller van.
Day to day, just don't need a large vehicle and paying for all that gas etc.
So pickup for racks, prewires, and over 65" TVs.

Generally install all, zip or velcro smalls, remove heavies like amps for transport.

I've found it kind of a pain in the ass transporting large tv's in a pickup. The tie down points are just too low and tvs wanna fall over. Since most of these TV manufacturers say not to lay the TV flat and keep them upright in transport that makes it tough in a pickup. Find a van a much better option for Big TV's

Larger builds are done offsite. That way I can work on them at my leisure during slack time versus 7-3 M-F.

The advantages are numerous. Everything from trash management to having a larger stock of parts/pieces to having fabrication ability right there (I have welder, plasma, drill press and a crapton of other tools in my shop).

I can also do preliminary programming, firmware and such offsite.

Really big projects I will typically rent a box truck with a liftgate for delivery. I try to coordinate that with display delivery to maximize the value of renting the truck for the day. Racks are typically transported loaded, I usually use zip ties, double sided velcro or the like to hold little streaming boxes and power supplies. Larger stuff gets rack ears, clamping shelves or RSHes.

Thanks for that.

On the general topic, I do not do offsite builds on a regular basis, although I am convinced that doing so is the right way to go. I think ideally the entire rack should be fully built and smoke tested offsite.

We put everything we can in the rack at the shop and wire and test. The small racks go in the vans. If we have many, or larger racks that won't fit in the van(s), we rent a box van for delivery.

We have also hired a moving company for theater seating, and/or large racks that are difficult to get to the equipment closet.