Tree Work Vehicles

[davidwyby]

@BIGTWIG dumb question, do those big boys dump? Or how do they unload with the grapple back there?

 

[Matias]

I have seen quute a few of those style trucks unloading with the grapple. Seems lame to me, but I see it enough that it must work out for some folks.

 

[BIGTWIG]

@davidwyby

You unload rear mount trucks with the loader.
It’s SOP. Grapple trucks are fast, and it’s not a time consuming deal.

@Matias

Grapple truck beds can be twice as long as dump truck beds. Think about the height it would take for a 25’ box to dump, then the inconvenience of dodging overhead hazards and your in possession of a very high COG.

Then realize that you’ll need to swing the loader out of the bed and have your outriggers down to dump 50+ yards of brush. You can’t exactly drive away to clear the tailgate with your boom out and outriggers down.

 

[Matias]

@davidwyby

You unload rear mount trucks with the loader.
It’s SOP. Grapple trucks are fast, and it’s not a time consuming deal.

@Matias

Grapple truck beds can be twice as long as dump truck beds. Think about the height it would take for a 25’ box to dump, then the inconvenience of dodging overhead hazards and your in possession of a very high COG.

Then realize that you’ll need to swing the loader out of the bed and have your outriggers down to dump 50+ yards of brush. You can’t exactly drive away to clear the tailgate with your boom out and outriggers down.

I never hung out to watch, but they seem to go quick enough. I never thought the math for dumping that long of a box. The 'walking' trailers that empty 50 yards of soil in one go might work for chips, but I don't think any chipper could fill it.

 

[Brianmcc]

A few of our trucks

 

[Luzl78]

A few of our trucks

There’s alot of tree machinery overhead there.

 

[Jehinten]

I have seen quute a few of those style trucks unloading with the grapple. Seems lame to me, but I see it enough that it must work out for some folks.

Almost all rear mounts unload with the grapple as mentioned above. Depending on the debris that is loaded, you can unload quite quickly. Mostly brush and not worrying about the leaves and twigs in the bottom, I can unload in 5-7 mins including outrigger travel time. A full load of logs can take a few more minutes as you sometimes have to pick a few out to make room for the grapple to get a full grab.

It seems longer than the time to dump a trailer, until you consider the time to open the doors, back up further, dump, pull forward... and the real time savings is the quantity of debris. Cubic volume alone my truck bed is equivalent to 3.5 16' trailers with 3' walls. Consider the amount that you can crush and compact and it probably closer to 6 trailer loads.