Carrying saws on dump truck for firewood cutting....how?

[04titanse]

Alright guys, I picked up a wood boiler for the house and I will also be putting my wood stove in the garage so I need lots of wood. I have been harvesting hardwood from a 25 acre property I have 110 miles from where I live so I have been traveling with the saws a lot.

Between the 3-4 saw I bring with me, gas, oil tools, chains etc I am seriously short on space. Forget about it if I bring a cooler or something. I know I need to get some under-body frame mounted tool boxes for chains, ropes and straps, but I need some chainsaw mounting options.

Its a 6.5' x 8' steel dump body and I fill it up to the top so I dont want to hang anything on the inside. I figure I either need to hang them on the outside of build a box for the top over cab section of the dump body. Its basically a 12"x 6.5' shelf over the cab.

Anyone have the same problem and figured out a good solution??? I attached a picture of the truck.

 

[GVF]

It looks like there is heaps of room under the tray in front of the rear tyres for a nice sized toolbox

 

[blades]

Small trailer. Likely cost less than a bunch of under mounts, or a big trailer so you can transport more per trip, say a 8x12 or so. I use a small trailer (4x8) most of the time because I can pop it off and walk it around to get in and out of tight areas. between the pickup and the trailer I can move almost a full cord depending on the type ( weight factors in of course) If I have unlimited area access I have a 16 ft, 5 ton unit. At 2k lbs for that trailer its not something you want to get stuck on a logging rd with.

 

[Blazin]

Build a box or a rack up on the dump body headboard? The best option would be the frame mounted tool boxes I'd say.

 

[Muffler Bearing]

Is that a 2" tow hitch on the back?

Or mount a 2" hitch to your front:

Wield one of these up in a larger size:


24x60 Cargo Carrier For 2" Trailer Hitch Receiver Surco Products Hitch Cargo Carrier 52018

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I like where Muffler Bearing is going with his idea but would consider a small gang box with a fabricated receiver mount. Now if you stop for fuel, breakfast, whatever, your equipment is going to be there when you get back. And would save bungie-in multiple saws, gas, oil, tool kit, and anything else you use. I bought a 2'x2'x5 Knack for a pickup years ago mounted behind the cab. Big enough for large tool boxes, winter carharts, sorrels, lunch boxes, and made a standard cab way more comfortable.

 

[stihly dan]

Is the dump a gasser? Man at 110 miles away, 220 rd trip, say 5 mpg, 45 gals at $4. Thats like paying $100 a cord and doing all the work. For that distance I would say get a big azz trailer. Evan if it is a diesel.

 

[04titanse]

Thanks for all the responses guys!!

I'll try and cover everything here, first things first I do have a 2" receiver on the back and I have a few trailers. The truck is a 460ci gasser, 4x4, 5 speed manual. I get 10 mpg empty and about 7-8 towing my 10,000 lb dozer on a 3,000 trailer.

If I tow a trailer its usually full with either a tractor or dozer so not much room for tools etc. Do you guys think putting s quickly removable box on the head board? A front reciever hitch with a carrier is a pretty good idea! I want to get under body boxes no matter what because I need somewhere to hold chains, straps and tools all the time.

It does cost me a significant amount of $$$ to get the wood, but it has lots of benefits. 1 I get "free" firewood, 2 I clean up and maintain the land and 3 I cut trails for hunting season.

 

[jrider]

Try selling that dump truck and getting a 12' stakebody. I almost bought a truck very similar to yours but held out and found a 12' stakebody on CL and I am very thankful I did. Mine will hold 2 cords thrown in loose. When I was pricing used dump trucks, both styles were in the same price range. I ended up paying $4500 for a '97 F350 with 105,000 on it - gas not diesel. If you look around, you should be able to find some similar and find a buyer for your current truck.

 

[04titanse]

Try selling that dump truck and getting a 12' stakebody. I almost bought a truck very similar to yours but held out and found a 12' stakebody on CL and I am very thankful I did. Mine will hold 2 cords thrown in loose. When I was pricing used dump trucks, both styles were in the same price range. I ended up paying $4500 for a '97 F350 with 105,000 on it - gas not diesel. If you look around, you should be able to find some similar and find a buyer for your current truck.

Its a good thought, but I am not interested in selling. The truck has only 50,000 miles and I just rebuilt the motor due to a failed oil pan. I bought it cheap and I move a lot of dirt, sand and gravel so I really need the solid dump and not a stake body.

 

[NDtreehugger]

google under body box.

I found an under body ladder storage, its made of 10 gauge steel about 7 foot long 4 foot wide and 2 foot high.

I welded a door on the end and just push everything in that I need, I use a pole with a hook to pull everthing out.

 

[dave_dj1]

A guy local to me cut's trees and uses a ton dump, his chainsaws are all lined up along the side boards. He made like a long scabbard type set up on the inside of the side board.

 

[ponyexpress976]

do a search for atv chainsaw carriers. those gizmos can be mounted just about anywhere....like on the wooden bed rail you have. If it were me, id go with the receiver up front and a basket/ locking toolbox combo.

 

[JeffHK454]

I've been gathering wood using my old 1 ton dump for a bunch of years and have yet to come up with good way to transport my tools.

It looks like you have a ton of room for boxes between the cab and the rear tires... unless the shadow is hiding something?

My truck is a old diesel Chevy with a 10' elec/hydro dump so it has double saddle tanks which kill my chance of running under bed work boxes. Hauling a trailer's never been a option for me because the truck weighs 7,500 lbs and after you toss in 3+ ton of wood it's used up all 175 hp of the millspec 6.2 V8. I also like to pull a splitter with me if the homeowners don't mind me busting it up in there yard...

Any room between the frame rails above the D-shaft? I have enough room to build a 26"x16"x36" box if I put a shorty exhaust on.

 

[PEKS]

Nice rig..

 

[LFEngineering]

I own a small part time custom fab shop. One of this summers "get noticed" projects was this custom swing out cooler holder designed for tailgating & camping. You could easily fab something like this & make all kinds of saw & tool mounts.

Shipping would be a pain, but I'd be happy to make one to your specs if you want.

 

[stihly dan]

Thats a nice set up. I think that could come in handy in many situations.

 

[terryknight]

I own a small part time custom fab shop. One of this summers "get noticed" projects was this custom swing out cooler holder designed for tailgating & camping. You could easily fab something like this & make all kinds of saw & tool mounts.

Shipping would be a pain, but I'd be happy to make one to your specs if you want.

that is pretty cool.

i just toss the saws on top of the wood. a bigger truck is always better

 

[Mac88]

Like this, only bigger. Get as long a box as you can fit between the cab and rear wheels. One for each side.

 

[terryknight]

here is what i was talking about though i know you fill yours up more than i did here

our other truck has two boxes (one on each side) about 4ft x 14x 14 but it is a 12 bed. prolly need to go smaller with a 8ft bed