Setting up a dump truck for treework.

[rahtreelimbs]

I have a good friend who is going to be purchasing a 1 ton dump for tree work. I need some suggestions on how to go about setting up the dump box for chips. Welding and fabricating is not a problem. He just wants to get the most room that he can, setting it up sort of like a forestry body. I know that buying an actual truck with a chip box would be the best bet, but, he wants to buy new and a 1 ton dump seems ( at least at this point ) to be the best bet.

 

[Tim Gardner]

Make sure the top goes all the way to the gate. If you don't you will not get the box full without having to use a pitch fork. Point the chipper bonnet up as far as you can so the chips will hit the top near the gate. This will fill the box completely. We built one with a half top so we could load logs with a cable but could not get as much chips in.

The gate needs to swing to the side or be removable. If it folds down like a pickup truck it will spread the chips out in a longer pile when dumping.

 

[ORclimber]

I have a 1 ton dump and wish I had more storage space for gear. A 3'x3' through box isn't enough. Underbelly tool boxes would be good. A ladder box would be good for pole pruners/rakes, and a ladder to the top of the chip box for orchard ladders would be nice. Make sure the chip box is bolted to the truck frame, not welded, and has plenty of support when lowered or the trucks frame may break.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Great, these are the kinds of suggestions that I have been looking for. Let me add that it was his original idea to build off of/modify the existing dump box. His main concerns are something that covers the whole box ( not a tarp ) and something that looks professional. Let me know if more info is needed in assisting me here. Thanx, Rich.

 

[treeclimber165]

Make the front wall of the box extra thick, or line it with a sheet of plywood on the inside. Otherwise you will have visible divots in the steel over the cab after a couple months.

 

[Menchhofer]

When I had a 1 ton we made the mistake of making the bed a little larger than normal. Sure, I could haul more chips, but the bed was much heavier and with the chips the poor truck was almost always loaded to capacity.

A bed could be made with mild steel, aluminum, or even wood. I have seen a few excellent looking trucks with the bed made out of wood. Mild steel would be heavier. The comment of using plywood inside where the chips fly is an excellent idea. Been doing that for a while. I would check the gwr of the truck and calculate how much the bed will weigh with chips.

Also, as you stated, do not use a tarp. It only gets in the way, comes off and the UV rays destroy it in a few years.

 

[Pacific]

If your going to use this truck for double duty a standard dump truck plus a chip truck make the top half removable so the truck can be machine loaded when hauling gravel. The second thing I would get a 11-12 foot box a 8 foot box is too short I personally wouldn't have a truck with a 8' box.

The sides on the truck shouldn't be any higher than 4 feet tall from box floor to the top too tall the load gets too high and you can roll the truck over dumping the load

It would be expensive but aluminum upper structure would be the way togo even light steel is heavy you could add 1000lbs to the truck using steel. You can use plywood but that doesn't last that long and it can be heavy also and its a maintanance item keeping things painted.

Hoist selection on the truck the best is a telescoping post hoist it lifts the most and gives you the best dump angle and gives the box more stability when dumping. The steeper the dump angle the better you don't want tobe prodding at a stuck load with a pitchfork with the box up and all of a sudden it lets go and buries ya.

Truck selection what type of 1 ton are you looking for if you only need a 2wd go for a F-Superduty or a 3500HD Chevy both 1.5 ton trucks. I own F-Superduty trucks and theres no comparision they can out work a standard 1 ton anyday I have had 9000lbs of gravel on my truck with no problems.

I know of a chip box all set up with a subframe hoist and power pack it come off of a F-350 Ford 4x4 its forsale but one catch its in B.C. Canada.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I think that my buddy is going to go with a 2wd. Either a Ford or Chevy. Probably a standard transmission. The talk of late is rearend gear ratio. Probably 4:10's or 4:56's. This truck will see some highway use. Any input?

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

If he is going with 4.11 or 4.56 is the truck gonna have a 5 spd in it cause without a overdrive that thing will be singing a tune at 65mph..I have found that a 3.73 is a very good all around gear to use..Just food for thought..I would like to hear some more info on setting up a 1 ton dump as I have been thinking about doing the same but I'll be using a 1985 1 ton GMC 4x4..Any more info would be appreciated.



Rob.

 

[treeclimber165]

4.10 (or 4.11 depending on manufacturer). If you go any lower on the gearing, highway speeds will not be easily obtainable. I had a '79 F350 boom truck with a 4.10 rear end and top speed was about 68 mph. I never used first gear except for puttering around on a client's lawn.

 

[treeman82]

Why not just go and buy from Southco? Their prices are MORE than reasonable. Check out their 1 ton set-ups www.southcoindustries.com

 

[DDM]

I ran 1 Tons for about 2 yrs I still use one for Logs & Have 2 for sale. I bought a Bucket truck with a chip box and hardly ever blow chips in it But the few times i did spoiled me.I found a good deal on a Ford F-600 Chip dump with a 8.2L detroit. It gets better Mileage than the one tons Costs about the same theres tons of storage in it . and will haul anything you put in it or hitch behind it. just my 2 cents.

 

[treeclimber165]

Here's a picture of Dave's chip truck. He did get a decent deal on it and it's a lot more efficient than a 1-ton truck.

 

[DDM]

That was before the Winch.