# Chevy Colorado Tree Truck?



## fastbub (Sep 11, 2007)

I know it is stupid or crazy or whatever. I am just looking for some ideas. I know this is not ideal but for now it is the way it has to be. I have a 2wd Chevy Colorado. 4cyl. I have been using it for a few months for my small tree co. It is just me mostly with a helper sometimes. I chip into it. I put what I could describe as a 1/2 chip box in it with a load handler on the tailgate. I have done as much as 2 1/2 yards of crabapple chips into it. It takes a bit of effort but I can unload those chips in about 2 minutes. So for a solo op it works OK.

Here is the situation. It struggles a bit but it gets the job done. I have loaded it with chips like I described above and towed my BC625 and Alpine Magnum stumpgrinder home. It is slow but ok. I have airbags on it to help with the sag. What I am looking for is ideas on how to make it a bit more professional looking so people don't doubt my ability to get the job done. I know it sounds silly, but people are sometimes reluctant to give me the job because they see my set up and it looks a little too much like the dreaded "guy with a pick-up and a chainsaw". My reasons for keeping this set-up for now is that it is my DD and is economical. I am only doing trees 2.5 days per week and don't take on large jobs. I have insurance and skills but want to stay small. My wife couldn't stomach a big truck payment nor do i think it is necessary.

Usually i think it best to buy the right tool for the job and that modifications are kind of a waste of money but in this case, it works for me now and i just want a decent looking rig and maybe a bit more ooooomph to roll it down the road. Waht do you think about a flat bed/ chip box out of aluminum for weight reduction and lower gears in the axle? I can do most of the fab/mod work myself. I thought about buying a cheap HD truck/dump truck whatever but I don't want to pay 2 insurances plus deal with the maintenance and repair of a cheap truck. I am short on time and need my truck to be ready to go all the time.


I know this is long winded but any ideas or input from people who have done this?


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## spacemule (Sep 12, 2007)

So, in short, you want to turn your little truck into a big truck but you don't want a big truck because it's not as efficient. Showing up with a small truck is not as professional as showing up in a home made small truck. Yeah, that makes perfect sense.


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## TDunk (Sep 12, 2007)

I was in the same type of situation at one time. I do alot of solo tree work, maybe 3 days a week. Plus my dad and I have a garage to run. I picked up an old '83 GMC 6000 with a 9' dump on it for a little bit of nothing. I did some good but quick body work on it and painted it (chipper too), fixed as many leaks as i could until winter time rolls around, so i look proffesional, and i don't have alot of money invested either. But i also did all the work to the truck mysef though too.


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## OTG BOSTON (Sep 12, 2007)

Wow spacemule what a helpful reply. How long have you been doing treework? :spam: 

BUB I hear what you are trying to do. The loadhandler is a great little device for what you are doing, I have one on my Tundra, love it.

I did tree work out of a dakota 4cyl for a long time, just stacked the brush in the back. Now I have an '03 Tundra that I built sideboards for, its amazing how much material I can get into it.

I have often toyed with the idea of putting a flatbead on it helpers in the rear springs, etc.

Don't worry about appearance too much I only do a couple of side jobs a week myself and word-of-mouth keeps me plenty busy.


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## spacemule (Sep 12, 2007)

OTG BOSTON said:


> Wow spacemule what a helpful reply. How long have you been doing treework? :spam:


Ask a stupid question. . .


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## OTG BOSTON (Sep 12, 2007)

no, that was a serious question. I don't believe you could climb your way out of a paperbag.


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## bruce56BB (Sep 12, 2007)

bub, do you know what gears are in it now? the 3.73 gears vs 3.42 could be the difference you are looking for. if you don't know what the ratio is go look at the build sticker in the glove box. build code gt4 is for the 3.73s and gu6 for the 3.42s. also, the locking differential is code g80.

i'm not sure there would any weight savings with an aluminum flatbed over the standard bed as the steel box is relatively light.
hopes this helps 
bruce


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## Pilsnaman (Sep 12, 2007)

Other then gears you are probably getting what you can out of the truck. No matter what you do, in the end it is still a 4 cylinder mini-truck. The only thing I would be worried about is how long your truck will last being overloaded so often. That is a lot of strain on the engine and rear axle, I have seen people break axles due to overloading. I do feel your pain on car payments and insurance though.


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## spacemule (Sep 12, 2007)

OTG BOSTON said:


> no, that was a serious question. I don't believe you could climb your way out of a paperbag.



I was referring to the initial post. The ad hominem is irrelevant.


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## CaseyForrest (Sep 12, 2007)

Ive got a Colorado and I dont think you are asking to much of the chasis with 2.5 yds of chips. Trucks rated payload is 1500+ pounds. You may be asking allot of your 2.8 though. Do you remember what you rear axle ratio is? I remember most of the 4 bangers to have 3.42. May want to take a look at 4.10 or 4.56 and since youd be swapping, go to a JY and buy an entire axle and make sure it has the locking rear.

I think if you are concerned about the appearance of your truck, fabbing your own bed wouldnt help. Unless you work in a welding shop where you have the tools and ability to make everything look manufactured, you may do more harm than good. There is nothing wrong in todays world with having an efficent vehicle.

Do you have any type of company lettering on your truck? How about a new paint job so the appearance looks more professional?

I think you are on the right track. Start small, and eventually youll be able to afford a work dedicated vehicle. Or something dual purpose that can handle a load better.


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## computeruser (Sep 12, 2007)

There is a company, the name of which escapes me at the moment, that makes aluminum flatbeds and bodies for minitrucks. They mostly go on Toyota and Nissan trucks, in the style of the Toyota Hilux and the other not-in-the-US minitrucks used elsewhere. I think that this would be the way to go in the long term, though the up front cost would probably exceed the cost of a good used fullsize.

I do feel your pain, though. I've done trees and other work, towed chippers, etc., with my Jeep Wrangler and it's tough to be able to get any serious work done when you're regularly operating at the capacity of your vehicle.

And for what it's worth, next week my Jeep is going in for a trans rebuild at 67k miles...


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## fastbub (Sep 12, 2007)

Thanks for all the input. I am not actually trying to make it into a "real truck" or have the best of both worlds. It is simply efficient and cost effective right now and it already does the job. I am just looking to improve it a bit. I think the gearing will be the key. I have been pulling my chipper with no problems and even with a load of chips. It does it but I would like it to do it a little better. I have magnetic signs. They are pretty sharp. I think vinyl on the truck might look better and give me more options. As far as the bed goes, I can fab up a bed that looks "manufactured" or professional, not sure if it is necessary or not. Sometimes it gets a little crowded with the chipper, a bed full of chips, saws, rakes, shovel, stump grinder etc. I was thinking a small arbor body would give more storage room but not necessarily more chip capacity. The Load Handler concept works really great! If i fabbed an arbor body or stake-body, I would make my own HD version of it instead of a dump. Light, simple and it works. If I made on out of steel with some pillow blocks I think it would work great. Right now it handles all the work I can/want to do in a day by myself.I am just looking for some ideas to improve it. It is the only thing I don't like 100% about my set-up right now.


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## Husky137 (Sep 12, 2007)

The new and improved body might be asking a bit much in the weight department,no? I think you might be disappointed with the already overtaxed performance.


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## mckeetree (Sep 12, 2007)

A chevy Colorado????? Man it is time I just get out of this business and let you guys have it.


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## fastbub (Sep 12, 2007)

mckeetree said:


> A chevy Colorado????? Man it is time I just get out of this business and let you guys have it.




Huh? You should get out of the business in Dallas because my truck sucks in NJ?


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## clearance (Sep 12, 2007)

Colorado? That sounds pretty new, get rid of it and buy some old Chevy with a full floater and a V-8, they go forever, easy to fix. Example-1980 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive, 8200 lbs gvw, you can LEGALLY put 3000lbs on it and go. Pick up a nice one cheap, think about it.


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## CaseyForrest (Sep 13, 2007)

mckeetree said:


> A chevy Colorado????? Man it is time I just get out of this business and let you guys have it.



Wow!!!

I would think you guys would encourage your own. Why does what he use as a truck dictate the level of his professionalism?

Also...whats wrong with the Colorado as a truck? Surely you must know something because you are equating that truck to something a drive by tree guy would use.


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## CaseyForrest (Sep 13, 2007)

clearance said:


> Colorado? That sounds pretty new, get rid of it and buy some old Chevy with a full floater and a V-8, they go forever, easy to fix. Example-1980 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive, 8200 lbs gvw, you can LEGALLY put 3000lbs on it and go. Pick up a nice one cheap, think about it.



Thats the way I would have steered him also. But he said he cant afford two vehicles, and his current truck is also his DD.


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## fastbub (Sep 13, 2007)

clearance said:


> Colorado? That sounds pretty new, get rid of it and buy some old Chevy with a full floater and a V-8, they go forever, easy to fix. Example-1980 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive, 8200 lbs gvw, you can LEGALLY put 3000lbs on it and go. Pick up a nice one cheap, think about it.



I have/am thinking about it but the downsides are plenty as well. If you live in Jersey you know that insuring one vehicle is a hardship let alone 2. The mileage on those trucks is terrible and I drive to my other job 20 miles one way and school 25 miles one way all week. My house and property that I operate out of is small. I essentially have a one car garage for my equipment and enough room for my wife's jeep and my truck in the drive. Street parking is not available. So if I am to compromise, the truck is better at what it does most of the week, and a little less than I need 2 days out of the week. I feel the pluses are outweighing the minuses at this point. 

Again I am just looking for a bit of advice on what might improve it a little, I am not looking for it to replace a big truck, just be a bit better of a small truck. Of course my dream is to have an NPR or Isuzu cab over diesel and a 12" chipper and a full time groundman someday but that day is only coming with careful spending now and hard work.

Thank you to those who have given me some helpful tips and ideas. I had no idea this thread would get so much traffic!


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## woodchux (Sep 14, 2007)

I think you should look into beefing up the brake system. Bigger rotors etc... 
Also think about getting electric brakes on your chipper and whatever else you might be pulling. 
I'd hate to hear about you running into or over something.


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