Hot Rod Hand Truck Basics
Our Hot Rod Hand Trucks Basics information and video will show you how to use the HRHT efficiently and with out injury. Be sure to comment or send us your…
Read More
The Hot Rod Hand Truck
The Best Way To Lift A Water Heater
The Hot Rod Hand Truck is the best way to lift a water heater, hands down! The consensus in the plumbing industry used to be that lifting water heaters with your back or with two people is nearly unavoidable. As a rule, plumbers are used to bear-hugging or somehow physically lifting/leveraging a water heater to get it where we want it to go. Up until now, it was the only way.
The Hot Rod Hand Truck & Strap Kit was created to help deal with the task of lifting of water heaters and has succeeded very well. It’s a versatile, durable tool kit designed to handle most of the problems that a plumber encounters when he/she has to move, lower or lift residential tank water heaters from platforms and out of pans.
Ergonomic Design For Perfect Control
Ergonomically designed to cradle a water heater for control, stability and comfort. The included Strap Kit, allows any plumber to secure and effortlessly handle water heaters during removal and installation, virtually eliminating the chances of dropping or damaging the tank. Once the old water tank is removed, the new water heater can be placed into position without any stress or straining on the back or knees.
Zero Maintenance Design
Durable polyurethane tires on steel wheels offer a no-flat design with less rolling resistance and require zero maintenance compared to standard dollies with typical pneumatic tires.
The Right Tool For The Job
From new in the box to on the job, owners of the Hot Rod Hand Truck recognize the value of having the right tool for the job, at the right time.
Interested in learning more? Watch as we demonstrate how easily and effortlessly it is to lift and move water heaters on our Water Heater Lifter Channel on YouTube.
When you’re ready to buy, just head over to our Hot Rod Hand Truck Product Page for complete ordering, price and shipping info.
Watch The Hot Rod Hand Truck In Action
Just A Minute Of Your Time Please
Local Installer Using The Hot Rod Hand Truck For The First Time
A Word of Thanks..
Many people are involved in the production and testing of the Hot Rod Hand Truck. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We’d like to thank the following local plumbers and professionals for their tremendous efforts and expertise in helping us take the Hot Rod Hand Truck from conception, to making it available to plumbers everywhere.
- Mike A.
- Gary C.
- Jim C.
- Pat J.
- Josh K.
- John M.
- Max R.
- Mike M.
- Jeff M.
- Anne S.
- Greg H.
- Jeff S.
- Jesse P.
- Mike P.
Thank You for all your help!
A Word From Our Customers
Thank You For Building This Amazing Tool!
I have been playing with my new hand truck for a few days now. I am very happy with it, this is exactly what I have been looking for and so far is amazing. You told me there was going to be a bit of a learning stage and you are correct. All of the water heaters I have are not elevated, they are at floor level with gas lines and other obstacles in the way, plus being in a small closet next to a furnace. I am still in the trial and error stage figuring out the best way to shoe horn them in and out. I watched several videos but have not found any specific to my situation. When I get this mastered I will try to post a video that might help someone with similar issues. If you do know of any videos that I may have missed please let me know. I will also be showing some of the local Plumbers how amazing this product is once I get it mastered. I will also be reaching out to other National Parks to spread the word as well. Feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything from me as well. Thank you for building this amazing tool, my back and I thank you more than you will ever know!
Steve Lange – Maintenance Mechanic for Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde, Colorado
From A Water Heater Warranty Technician
I’m a water heater warranty technician. I repair and replace water heaters everyday. This hand truck is a game changer. I always work by myself and this makes my jobs so much easier. I wish I had the Hot Rod Hand Truck 20 years ago.
Bernard Ferreira – Noah’s Plumbing
San Jose, California
This Is A Real Game Changer!
This is a real game changer! It makes handling a water heater an easy process and I would highly recommend it to all of the plumbing contractors that work with water heaters! Thanks Dave for realizing working with water heaters should not be a back breaking task!
Mike Velleca owner of Velleca Plumbing
New Franklin, Ohio.
Service and Repair for 10+ years on a portfolio of 1500+ residences, and over 30 as a service and repair plumber, I used water heaters by the semi full. Can attest there is less weight/stress against the body using this solo than two manning a heater into or out of place. This is brilliant, and used properly will save a lot of backs, and dead lift labor.
John Hubbard of California
The Hot Rod Hand Truck Will Make Your Life Easier And Safer!
I own a plumbing company, I am a 1 man company and do every thing my self. These special water heater dollies are perfect for every water heater job! I bought one, Im 59 years old, I have been lifting water heaters the old fashion way, (dead lift with all pressure and weight on lower back) for years, I have a good strong back BUT, I know one day I will not be able to lift a water heater any more so I was looking for a alternative and found a few on the internet but they had major flaws or too complex or too heavy. I found this water heater dolly and as soon as I saw him removing and installing Water heaters in all sorts of situations and obstacles, I had to get one! I did and I have used it and it does get some getting used to but its all about balance and leverage, I have not even felt any back pain, strain or even a pulled muscle , Love it and Would recommend it to anyone but you need to practice on old water heaters first , it will make your life easier and safer!
Eric Lee
Lee Plumbing LLC, Arizona
read more
After Installing 2 Water Heaters The Hot Rod Hand Truck Paid For Itself!
I have been a plumber for 20 years and some jobs require installing water heaters. In the past I struggled putting them in place and was looking for a safe, easier way to place them! I ran across a UTube video titled “The right way to lift a water heater.” A guy named Dave Smith was a using a custom made hand truck which he called “the hot rod hand truck!” So I bought one! With the help of Dave’s UTube video and some practice I now install water heaters without breaking my back!
After installing 2 water heaters with “The hot rod hand truck” it paid for itself! I cannot understand why plumbers install water heaters any other way! It’s a great investment!
Thanks Dave for saving my back!
David Eddy- Anytime Plumbing Inc, Las Vegas, Nevada
A Conversation with A Customer-
Eric W: When you’re watching the video before you make your purchase,
it’s a little sketchy because you don’t know if it’ll be as easy
as Dave makes it look.
Dave Smith: Do you actually think it’s as easy as I make it look?
Eric W: Yes! It is for me and I was on my back hurt, for 3 weeks.
I mean if you can’t put in a water heater, you can’t be a plumber!
Eric Wood – Plumber
read more
“I bought one of the first, if not THE first, hand trucks that David sold in Feb, 2015. I have done this job several times over the years but usually with some help. This time I was in a situation where I did not think another guy would be of any help because of the narrow alcove the old water heater was in. I studied David’s videos until I was comfortable with what he was doing. There are a lot of subtle things he does that make it possible for one man to maneuver a large heavy object. One thing that was helpful to me was that once I removed the old water heater I could use it to practice lifting it with the truck and putting it back in place- and accurately placing it in the new drip pan. In short, I installed my water heater and since then I have used the truck to help another friend put in a water heater. I am 74 and not nearly as strong as I once was, but I could easily replace a 40-gal water heater with David’s ingenious hand truck.”
David Clark – Retired
read more
Blog
The Best Way To Lift A Water Heater
The Hot Rod Hand Truck is the most capable tool out there for residential water heater installations and repairs. It’s a custom tank dolly that leverages the size and weight…