Shipping Container Dolly Systems from 5-Ton DynaDolly to 60-Ton JUNG Sets, Compared by Capacity and Terrain

A loaded 40-foot container weighs up to 67,200 lbs. You need to slide it 200 feet across your yard to clear space for an incoming delivery. No crane on-site. Your forklift tops out at 10,000 lbs, and the forks are too narrow to get under the container floor without risking a buckle. The tilt-bed truck that dropped it off left an hour ago.

A shipping container dolly solves this exact problem. Two steel-frame units with heavy-duty wheels lock onto the container’s bottom corner castings, and a forklift, tug, or pickup truck tows the whole assembly wherever you need it. No lifting. No crane operator license. No scheduling a flatbed return trip.

Here is how to move a shipping container on-site with a dolly system, which models handle which loads, and what they cost.

How a Container Dolly System Works

Every container dolly system uses the same basic mechanics. A front steerable unit and a rear straight-line follower bolt to the container’s four bottom corner castings using twist locks. These are the same ISO-standard fittings that secure containers on ship decks and in stacking configurations.

The front unit includes a tow bar with a towing eye. You attach that eye to a forklift, yard tug, or truck hitch. The rear unit tracks in a straight line behind the front, keeping the container stable through turns.

The twist locks rotate into the corner castings and lock under spring tension. Before towing, you verify each lock is fully seated by checking for the visual indicator (a colored tab or pin position, depending on the manufacturer). One incomplete lock and the container can shift mid-move.

A full set of shipping container transport equipment like this replaces the need for a crane, a licensed operator, and the 1,500 per mobilization that comes with them.

JUNG Container Dollies: 14-Ton to 30-Ton German-Engineered Systems

JUNG dominates the heavy-duty end of the container dolly market with three capacity tiers that cover nearly every on-site scenario:

14-ton set (28,000 lbs combined capacity): Handles empty 20-foot containers and lightly loaded units. An empty 20-footer weighs roughly 5,070 lbs (check the exact tare weight with our container weight guide), so a 14-ton set has significant headroom for partial loads.

20-ton set (40,000 lbs combined capacity): The mid-range workhorse. Moves loaded 20-foot containers and partially loaded 40-footers. Most yard operations where containers carry equipment, materials, or inventory fall into this range.

30-ton set (60,000 lbs combined capacity): Built for fully loaded 40-foot containers. At 60,000 lbs, this set handles near-maximum gross weights for standard shipping containers. For reference, a loaded 40-footer maxes out at 67,200 lbs per ISO standards, so operators hauling at or near max gross should verify actual container weight before committing.

What separates JUNG from generic container moving dolly options is the wheel technology. JUNG’s patented JUWAthan+ polyurethane wheels are furnace-baked for a specific blend of elasticity and hardness. The result: they roll over small obstacles, cracks, and uneven pavement without the flat-spotting that destroys standard nylon casters within months of outdoor use.

JUNG offers both indoor and outdoor configurations. Indoor models run lower-profile wheels suited for warehouse concrete. Outdoor models use larger-diameter JUWAthan+ wheels designed for asphalt, gravel, and packed earth.

Pricing: A complete JUNG set (front steerable + rear follower) runs $5,000 to $15,000+ depending on capacity tier. The 30-ton sets sit at the high end. For yards moving containers weekly or more, the payback against crane mobilization fees is typically under 6 months.

DynaDolly: DOT-Approved Highway Towing with a Pickup Truck

The DynaDolly, formerly sold as the “Texas Come Along,” takes a fundamentally different approach than JUNG. Where JUNG systems stay on-site, DynaDolly is a shipping container mover that converts to a gooseneck trailer, roll-back trailer, or dump body.

Capacity: 5 to 15 tons (10,000 to 30,000 lbs), depending on the model. Best suited for empty or lightly loaded containers.

The standout feature: DOT approval for highway towing. You can hitch a DynaDolly to a standard pickup truck, load a container using the built-in jack stands and attached winches (no crane needed for loading), and tow it on public roads. The compact design keeps the turning radius within normal truck specs, so you are not fighting a wide-swing trailer through intersections.

The self-loading capability is a major differentiator. Jack stands at each corner lift the container off the ground while winches pull it onto the dolly frame. Two operators handle the entire process. For contractors who need to relocate empty containers between job sites, this eliminates the cost of a flatbed delivery every time.

Pricing: $3,000 to $8,000 depending on capacity and configuration. The trailer conversion feature means you are buying multi-purpose shipping container transport equipment rather than a single-function dolly.

Limitations: The 15-ton max capacity means DynaDolly is not the right call for fully loaded 40-foot containers. Stick with JUNG or hydraulic systems for those loads. DynaDolly excels at moving empty containers and lightly loaded units, particularly when you need to cross public roads to reach the destination.

Cheetah Towing and Hydraulic Self-Lifting Systems

Two other categories of container dolly system are worth knowing about, particularly for operations with space constraints or rough terrain.

Cheetah Towing System: A hydraulic lifting system that requires only 2 people to lift and place containers onto dollies. The key advantage is footprint. The Cheetah needs less space than a 10-meter flatbed, making it practical for tight yards, alleys between buildings, and congested dock areas where standard towing setups cannot maneuver.

Hydraulic self-lifting towing systems (manufactured by Pacific Marine and others) feature a hydraulic jack built into each wheel assembly. The jacks lift the container off the ground, the wheels roll underneath, and the whole assembly tows out. Capacities range from 10 to 40 metric tons. Pneumatic rubber tires provide the ground clearance needed for unpaved surfaces.

Pricing for hydraulic self-lifting systems runs $2,000 to $12,000 based on capacity. The lower end covers basic 10-ton units; the upper range gets you 40-ton systems with pneumatic tires sized for rough terrain.

Shipping Container Wheels: Types, Diameters, and Ground Clearance

The wheels on a shipping container dolly determine where it can operate, how long it lasts, and how much load it carries. Here is a direct comparison:

Wheel diameter directly sets ground clearance. A 3.3-inch wheel produces 6.6 inches of clearance. A 5.5-inch wheel gives you 11.8 inches. Pneumatic 18-inch tires on hydraulic systems clear obstacles that would stop any caster-based dolly.

For indoor warehouse use, nylon or composite shipping container wheels on 3.3-inch to 5.5-inch diameters work fine on sealed concrete. For outdoor yards with cracks, gravel patches, or expansion joints, polyurethane or pneumatic tires are the only realistic options.

Container Dolly vs. Forklift vs. Crane vs. Tilt-Bed Truck

Knowing how to move a shipping container depends on matching the method to your situation. Here is how each shipping container mover stacks up:

A shipping container dolly wins on repeated on-site moves. If you reposition containers monthly or more, the purchase cost pays back against crane or tilt-bed fees within a few uses. A 20-ton JUNG set at $8,000 replaces about 8 crane mobilizations at $1,000 each.

Safety and Container Dolly Weight Capacity Checks

Every move starts with a weight check. Match the container dolly weight capacity to the actual gross weight of the container plus its contents. Never estimate. Weigh tickets, shipping manifests, or a truck scale reading give you the real number. Refer to our container weight guide for tare weights by size.

Before every move:

• Verify all four twist locks are fully engaged. Tug each one to confirm it is seated in the corner casting.

• Check wheel condition. Look for cracks, flat spots, and bearing play. Polyurethane wheels develop visible crazing before failure; nylon wheels crack without warning.

• Confirm ground conditions. Level ground is ideal. On any slope, use wheel chocks on the downhill side and control movement with the tow vehicle at all times.

• Set maximum tow speed at 5 mph on-site. Up to 10 mph on long straight runs with clear sightlines.

• Keep personnel clear of the tow path. A shifting container on dollies has no brakes of its own.

For container dimensions and weight data by size, check our reference guides to make sure your dolly set matches the unit you are moving.

Get Your Container and Delivery Handled

Mobile Modular Portable Storage operates 30+ locations with storage container rental and containers for sale in both 20-foot and 40-foot sizes. Our experienced drivers handle delivery and placement, so you do not need to own a dolly system to get your container positioned correctly on day one.

30-day billing cycles save you 8.3% compared to the industry-standard 28-day billing. Quote turnaround is 1 hour or less.

Call 225-398-8176 or request a quote to get your container scheduled.