Making a multi-useful dumo truck/chipper box

[Goose IBEW]

I've spent the past 2 weeks making my 1987 C70 dump into a much more useful tool. It started life as a mason dump and at some point the previous owner welded up the fold down sides. I have wanted to open the sides back up for some time now and add pockets to allow for some taller sides. The mason dump side is 18" tall with a board in it and the bulkhead is 3' 6". I made pockets out of some 1/8" steel diamond plate, tall ones on the front and short ones on the rear. Milled some 2x8 nominal bull pine for the sides, now they are as tall as the head board.

For chipping duty I framed a top out of 1.5" aluminum angle and am sheathing it with 1/2" cdx plywood as this is what I had laying around. The top will be removable for standard dump truck duties. It will also raise my chip carrying ability from 8 to 14 yards and hopefully allow me to chip in a much neater fashion. 14 yards of chips should be around 10,000lbs bring the truck right to its 22,000lb gross wt.

 

[Goose IBEW]

Just about have the dump truck ready to go back out to work. I am hoping that the chip box will tidy things up a whole bunch. The estimated capacity went from 8 to 14 yards. Fully loaded should be very clost to the 21,200lb gross rating of the truck. It seems a bit tall for a chip box at 6' 6", we will see how it goes.

I have to line the vent at the roof line with some wire mesh to keep chips from escaping as well. It seems like it will have enough airflow, I will get to see it in action next week.

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[4x4American]

nice prject

 

[Goose IBEW]

I estimate about 12.5 yards, just over 6,000lbs. The truck isn't even using the overload springs yet. I expected the chips to be blown clean to the roof, guess my chipper isn't all that powerful. It is 6'6" from the deck to the top of the enclosure so I am assuming that is a bit taller than most arborist boxes. I am quite pleased with the outcome, still need eye bolts on the roof to remove enclosure when its time for dump truck and plow duty.