Has anyone built a custom big wheel attachment? I ask because it looks so simple and cheap compared to what they charge.

It's not worth it to save $50-$70 unless you are the type that is already a welder and fabricator. The attachment isn't that expensive IMO.

Might be helpful for others so I measured my landing area as well
Ordered my Escalera from Zach a few years ago - best pinball investment ever
I moved 40 games in a single day using 2 batteries and swapping out to the charger
The Escalera didn’t miss a beat (man I did!)
—-
I’m up 18 total stairs with landing at top
Before I finished I had the framers knock out an extra 17” of space BEYOND the landing to give me room for the Escalera - thank goodness I did as it now allows me the room to make the turn
I bought the MS-60 in order to make sure I could make the turn on the landing

Landing is 44” x 43”
Extended area is 17.5” but I only “use” about half that as I have artwork hanging on the wall

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When using the pinball plate on the forks, do the machines rest on the plywood edges (the wood with the cabinet art), or do the machines rest of the particle board bottom? Sometimes i do not trust those particle board floors, I've seen them bust out before.

Both. Front is on plywood, back rests on bottom. I use a piece if 1x3 at the end of the plate (once slid under) to distribute the weight on the plywood sides. I did pop a cab speaker mounting plate off the board once due to the pressure applied on the bottom. Used 1x3 since then. It was a STTNG.

Are any of the accessories like the extended toe plate, big wheel attachment, or the step detection system really required to use one of these for hauling pins up and down a straight set of stairs? I know they offer more ease possibly but they are expensive and would be happy with just the standard lift. Also what is the best size, the 66” or 72”? Thanks.

The big wheel attachment is not for the stairs, it’s for rolling over grass or rough pavement. Even on a good surface, however, the big wheels make it much easier to move the escalera. I don’t have have the other things you mentioned, but I don’t think the toe extension plate is needed. not familiar with the step detection.

None of these are needed if all you need to do is move games up and down stairs. Practice with no load a few times up and down the stairs. When you do use it to move a game, be prepared for the shift of balance as you go up or down. These are a god-send.

66” or 72”? Both are the same price. Probably more leverage with the 72”. If anyone has one for sale in the Denver metro LMK. Thanks!

My big wheel attachment is on the cart 100% unless I am going up/down stairs.

I would pay BIG $$$ for a powered big wheel attachment that would also auto break when going down hill.

If you can fit the 72" in whatever you need to haul it in I would strongly recommend it as it extends up past the front of the game for more leverage and easier use of the control switch. I bought the shorter one so it would fit next to a game in the back of my smaller SUV and it works well but the added length would be better.

I have the one with the removeable lift attachment so mine is 66”.

I have pretty much all the attachments including the electric forklift. I’d say the order of usefulness is as follows (for me anyway):
Additional retractable Straps (2)
Forklift
Big Wheel
Step edge detection
Pinball plate (for forklift)
Large toeplate
Regular lift plate(forklift)

I have had a few incidents where the dolly bounced through a few steps out of control. The step edge brake is so awesome but so stupidly expensive. However in the end I decided a few hundred for that was better than thousands in damage to either the house/stairs/game if I lose control on the steps.

Step edge detection looks awesome!

I am amazed how well it works TBH.

I did my due diligence and found no info on the following questions:

Has any one found a better switch set up other then the toggle?
I find that I'm compromising my grip on the handle to get a finger on the toggle.
Plus the toggle is way too stiff for me, my finger gets numb half way up the steps.
I'm thinking of a double push button, or a trigger with a direction switch.

Is there any way to convert a 60" model to a 64" or 72"?

The smaller ones should just be different sized side rails - but the 72" has more deltas because it's rated for heavier weights. I've never heard of any conversions (tho I'm sure the company could sell you parts).

If you are sweating your grip, you probably aren't balancing the load very well.. it should not take a lot of effort from you to hold the cart.

Of course it's just a simple electrical switch so you could rewire almost anything you wanted in there, but I've never heard of any interest in upgrading it.

Sounds to me like the 60" length is causing you to reach too far under the load making it harder to handle? Might be better to try to sell yours and just find a bigger one.

I have the 72" and dislike the weight of it, but I can see how the 60" could possibly be short enough to cause different challenges..

Yeah, seems like 66" is about perfect when it comes to regular appliance dollies. The rails cover the full length of the game, and give you a extra to work with at the top. But it's still not so tall that it's hard to work with.

I imagine an escalera would be the same way, but maybe even more so.

I am just about ready to buy the 60" version.

Is there any reason I should not pull the trigger?

I have 5 brick steps and then 12 carpeted steps. A straight shot.

The only concern I have: Are there any safety issues using this? With one person pulling and one spotting, if there is a failure (battery, slippage on the carpet, something breaks) what can happen? I have not heard of anyone getting hurt, but just curious.

Thanks

You should definitely pull the trigger. I got my money's worth just the past week moving a pin out of a guy's basement, and then moving old furniture out of my mother's basement. And yes...there is risk because you MUST practice with it before putting a huge load on it. Depending on how narrow the stair treads are, you'll have to adjust the vertical angle of the Stair Cat so that the lifter feet don't slip off the edge. That takes a little getting used to so that you can eyeball any stairs and approximate how much you can tip it back without taking the express route down.

Good luck with it...you're gonna love it! (And I hope you're getting it from Zach at Flip'N'Out...he was wonderful when I got mine!)

What beelzeboob said ^^^^^^^^

I still get an occasional 1-step slippage but it's rare. I move all my games in/out by myself with no spotter. I will get a spotter for my P3 when it arrives however since it's well over 400lbs.

I did splurge on the "Step-edge-detection" (SED) system. My back is problematic, and it just gives me that extra safety factor when moving the games.

I have the removable forklift version and although more expensive, I've used the forklift feature almost as much as the stair climbing feature. I use the forklift to set up/break down my games (getting the legs on), moving them in/out of their spot with the pinball plate, as well as lifting my ATV, lawn mower, snow blower, etc, up to eye height to work on them (Forks can lift 1200 lbs).

well.. it's moving nearly 400lbs of stuff.. there is always some element of safety in question

The biggest issue people have with Escaleras is getting used to the lurching when the climbing feet push off the step at the start of each cycle. This is not difficult, it just takes getting used to.. the load will pull away from you while climbing steps momentarily at the start of each step as the load shifts. The more angled the load is, the less this lurching will hinder you (as your center of gravity will be further back).

The second biggest risk is coming off the step because the foot slipped or was not fully on the step in the first place. If this were to happen, the biggest problem is the weight moving/pulling on you and controlling it vs having it rip out of your hands. The cart would likely just fall back to the lower step, so only dropping like 8".. which is not a huge deal. The problem is the lack of control which could lead to a runaway. This you minimize by 1) ensuring you are all the way back against a step (technique) and 2) if there is concern about the step shapes/materials.. test run first. You'll find going down harder than up for this reason of finding the edge... but don't fear... if you are short, the cart can go down like a normal appliance cart on runners. Going TOO far really is the main concern (this is what the step edge detect add-on aides).

Coming off the step is really the primary risk, but it should not happen unless you are doing really sketchy things or are haphazard. Safety would tell you, if this happens, sacrifice the load, not yourself... and don't have people below the load.

For that reason, you really don't need/want someone pushing because you never want anyone underneath your load. Inexperienced people will find a second person helpful because of the extra set of eyes to see where you are on steps and to provide some aid (from the side!) if the lurching were to catch you off guard. The second person is really a comfort factor, they don't help much for the actual work portion.

Battery won't fail except run out of juice.. and that you know long before it goes to zero. Then it's more of a heavy appliance cart
The lifting chains are beefy... the climbing feet do wear out over time.. replace the rubber feet when they start breaking up.

I move games all the time by myself with mine... I only really need a second person more for what I call 'tilt patrol' to make sure the load doesn't tip over sideways when going through the uneven yard. When it comes to climbing... they don't add anything once you are familiar with how the tool operates.

Just run it up and down your steps without a load to get used to it. You might have issues with dirt/grease on the carpet steps depending on the carpet material. you might find the stick-on plastic runner construction crews use helpful.

Adding a spotter is a dangerous proposition IMO. If you drop that shit do you really want your buddy or SO trying to catch the 300lbs with momentum going who the fuck knows where? I'm like fuck this game, if it falls that's on me don't risk getting hurt.

Exactly my approach, I ask everyone to stay the hell away.

This is correct and I forgot to mention it. NOBODY should be below you on the stairs. After spending 4 months restoring my AFM, my buddy was taking it down the stairs to the basement and lost the handle about 3 steps from the bottom. I was standing at the bottom and it tipped forward and caught me in the chest. Luckily I braced myself in time and didn't fall--and also stopped the machine from getting damaged--but I had a bruise across my chest for weeks. I was lucky, but if he had let go any higher it wouldn't have ended so well.

How does the step edge thing work? What’s the ballpark price on it?

I should probably contact Escalara about this, but I have left my hand truck with the forklift outside in the cold for a couple weeks. Everything is fine, but now it just feels more rough using the forklift up and down.. like its grinding metal on metal
Are we supposed to lube it up once in a while with grease?

Here is the official video giving a great upclose demonstration.

Wow, that's a brilliant design.

Yes and I love it on mine. Also helps with avoiding slippage back down on the way up the stairs.

What Flinnibus said ^^^^^^^^

Go with the 64". The extra 4" will help with the lurching.

I have the step edge detector thingie. I does work but, I can never remember how to use it before its two late

I took a newly delivered CCrLE down 10 flights of stairs today on my own. I can tell you practice makes perfect with the Escalera!

I’ve had spotters on previous moves, but some of the more recent posts convinced me that came with risk (like crushing @beelzeboob’s chest). Obviously, the heart was racing as I descended with a machine I waited 13 mos for, but all went well and confidence with the Escalera is growing. That said, it’s all about technique and moving slowly and carefully!

I’ve seen posts where folks are saying going down is more difficult that going up. I find the opposite to be true, that balance shift as you’re ascending takes some getting use to, for sure.

At any rate, it’s a game changer and highly recommended. Practice, practice, practice!

Back in the day, I lurched a STTNG out of a basement with a dumb assed hand cart. JHC, a MF heavy game! That was 20 years ago and I blew a nut doing it. My Escalera has saved my remaining nut (singular) multiple times since.

This one has been posted for a while. Escalera - Medford OR $500 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1129098481034143

I just bought the forklift version a few days ago, it came with a few of the good accessories.
Haven't used the electric stairstepping with a machine yet. How do you get over the sills of front doors? I have 1 step to make for the front door, but then I have small crevices where the front door sill is. Do the regular wheels (non big wheel attachment) roll over sills decently?

The small wheels don't roll too easily over them, but you just used the stair climbers and it'll lift the whole thing over the bump. Pretty easy!

Just a quick chime in as I have a ton of experience with these things and just saw this thread. My brother and I used to use an Escalera daily for moving heavy equipment in all sorts of horrible stair configurations. These things are the best. I'm considering getting one for home use just to give my neighbors a break ha.

We almost always spotted each other... But we also trusted each other 110% and knew how to use it properly. Just a little pressure from the downside makes everything easier and helps keep balance perfect. We never had any close calls.

I didn't even know that the big wheel option existed. If you don't get the big wheels you can just lay small pieces of plywood down through your path and go over those. You don't even need that many as you can bump them forward after you pass. This was easy enough that I'd do this again over the big wheels. Bonus is you also have the wood available to roll over inside the house too if you have nice floors to even out the weight.

These things sure are expensive now tho!

Big wheels are awesome. I use them all the time to jump door sills but also just moving the machine around. It makes the dolly sit at 45 degrees and no weight to carry at all while moving games.

Is my front door sill missing something? I would hate to use the stairclimbing pads on those thin raised metal risings, it would pierce right through the pads and damage them.

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It wouldn't be on the threshold. If you stop the wheels before you hit the threshold, then hit the down button, the pads will hit the floor in front of the threshold and lift everything just enough that you can push it over the threshold. You can also put a piece of pinball box cardboard over it to act as a ramp up and over the threshold. Make sense?

Yes. I raise my escalera from the outside porch onto that flat metal sill, then use the stairclimbing feet to catch the house floor tile that is beyond the threshold. I practiced and noticed the escalera begins rolling back down onto the outside porch when it is resting on the flat metal sill, so I assume I need to immediately use the wheel brake when I lift from outside onto the sill that way it does not roll back down onto the porch.

The easiest way to get over thresholds is to use the Big Wheels. Raise the Big Wheels up and into the room, push down on the handle to lift the smaller front wheels and roll into the room.

How do I keep the Escalera rested on that narrow metal flat sill while simultaneously putting on the big wheels? I have a 6" drop immediately outside my front door, so I'd have to remove my big wheels to come up to that sill beforehand.

Not sure I understand the question but let me try. If you are coming in then put the big wheels on before you get to the sill. Back up with the front wheels against the sill Tip it back and the big wheels should be in the house.
If you are going out then reverse the process. Basically you are pivoting over the sill

Thank you for helping explain. With the big wheels on, I am unable to get the Escalera to pivot at enough of an angle for the stairclimbing feet to catch anything up onto that sill. I only played with it for a couple minutes so I'll practice more tomorrow.

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You can’t use the stair climbing function with the big wheels. You should be able to just tilt back into the house with the weight on the big wheels.

Got it. When I picture that in my head, it seems like so much weight to try and pivot on the big wheels onto that sill all by myself. But it must be easier to do than I am thinking.

There's some decent leverage at the handles

About to pull the trigger on my own after borrowing one for some time. On the fence about the edge detection system (the one I’m borrowing doesn’t have it). For those that have it - can’t live without it? Or nice to have. My stairs are mostly carpet.

Could you live without it? Sure. I've had a few instances where without it I had 1-2 step skip/bounce. Happens when you land too close to the edge and the dolly drops to the next step down. It can start a chain reaction where you would bounce every step down until you hit the floor. Not a fun feeling as your are in for the ride. This is a risk every time you move something excessively heavy (think JJP, P3, etc) as you lean the dolly slightly further back to avoid getting pulled over on the way down. The increased angle puts the wheels really close to the edge as you do down.

Luckily in my case it was always at the bottom of the stairs. With the SED system this skipping has never happened. It's just a level of added safety especially if you always move your games alone like I do.

I recommend it if the price is acceptable to you.