Business Perspective - Purchasing Tow Vehicle, Mini Loader, Dump Trailer

[hseII]

Thanks for all the replies and information! Let me try to answer and respond to some individual paints.


What Farmall? My old 1992 international 4200 or 4700? I thought the combo was well priced, I looked at literally every online post for "chipper truck" that I could find at the time. My diesel guy said it is rock solid. My last employer had an old pug mix dump bed international and while slow, man it will haul some logs. Cheap to purchase because they aren't the "coal rolling" trucks in county music videos.


The only problem with relying on people is that generally people aren't reliable. Craigslist for people to "come get this wood" or old sawmill guys, hell sometimes even grapple subs in the area. In the same line of thinking as squeezing a dingo onto my chip truck so I don't have to make another trip, ultimately I want to leave every job completely finished. That being said I could use a few local subs for grapple service and hold off on the bigger truck and dump trailer, so I could get a dingo asap. I feel like it would be nice to have on just about every job.


I would also like to know. I assume some smaller brake assisted trailer or something.


I agree and am slightly leaning toward a flatbed dump pulling a dump trailer. Then maybe we can add a small stump grinder to the mix, loaded on the flatbed, dump trailer, or mini platform. ideally no more than 2 vehicles need to go to any job. Rent large skid steer or excavator with thumb for any huge trees i may do and pull that equipment with the flatbed.

Again most of my work has been removing tricky branches and trees over homes, back yards, etc. Most of the trees here are pretty small really, <3ft dbh


You mean you've been modifying your chip bed truck for the space whereas mine came with the man cab?

Who told you I haul crack?

So no resistance to selling the tacoma.
Get a flat dump bed I can load equipment on while pulling a dump trailer, or a larger truck similar to my international. No votes for a "Pickup" style truck.
Go for the mini loader. Not to get into a big mini loader talk, but the preference seems to be "wide track" 42 inch? was told 90% of gates will be 40 inches or more. and BMG articulating grapple.

Old Ugly:

That was at the $3,900 Condition.

$5,000 invested.

I'll soon have +/- $7,000 in a dt466 powered S1900 with only 120k Miles.

I have a replacement hood already, & will be swapping out the remaining hoses & lines to get it up to operating condition.

The Platform is almost ready,
Then Paint.

I <3 Farmalls.


Everyone is born with 1 crack, & some folks, another one.

 

[Lumberjack]

Ffrd is Midsota's designation for a dump trailer with a platform.

 

[hseII]

Ffrd is Midsota's designation for a dump trailer with a platform.

I guess one would have to be from "MidSota" to get the translation...

Thanks Again Carl.

 

[tnttree]

Nice conversion Hsell

My truck platform picture collection

 

[tnttree]

Platform Trailers and other Ideas

 

[hseII]

Nice conversion Hsell

My truck platform picture collection

Bonus Points for Cabovers!!

 

[hseII]

Nice conversion Hsell

My truck platform picture collection

I like the rolloff idea too.

 

[tnttree]

That guy dumps that box with the machine in there.
have to have a nice level dumping yard

great Idea, but scary in a potholed - mucky dump site

 

[hseII]

I was referring to the Isuzu FRR with the Toro: that pic with the little Avant looks too be too much of a good thing.

What's the Benefit of dumping the loader too?

 

[hseII]

Hello My name is Andrew from Huntsville, AL. I started a tree service in March 2017 this year after working 5 or so years in the industry. I'm 29 and I've been a climber/ manager/ salesman for those 5 years. I decided to start small, use friends when I need labor, and use affordable gear except all of my climbing gear and saw which are all top notch. Fully licensed/ insured, etc.
I mostly do small/ medium removals up to 3 or 4ft diameter, stump grinding, pruning, debris removal.
My first large purchase other than climbing gear was a 1992 International 4000 series chip truck and 1995 Asplundh Whisper Chipper combo for about 10k. I've paid it off in about 1 month (profit after costs), and am now looking toward my next purchase.
I am selling my tricked out 4x4 tacoma and will hopefully get about 12-15k out of that. I need to have a truck to tow trailers and equipment.

My question - What would you buy if you needed a tow vehicle and something to deal with logs, and your total budget was about $20-25k

My current thought direction -
$10k full size pickup with gooseneck hitch, maybe dump bed
$3-5k Dump Trailer
$5-10k Mini Loader

I just started 2 months ago and do not have a 100% steady stream of work yet so I'm only keeping one main guy around and using laborers when we have a large amount of debris. We've been disking logs up and hand loading the chip truck, loading my offroad tacoma, etc. I think the mini loader would make the 2 man crew rock.

Thanks for any input and advice,
-Andrew

Andrew,

Update?

 

[tnttree]

I was referring to the Isuzu FRR with the Toro: that pic with the little Avant looks too be too much of a good thing.

What's the Benefit of dumping the loader too?

Ha, the machine is chained down in the front compartment

 

[atothec]

Still going strong. Have been using a friend's tractor to come load large logs the width of my chipper truck when necessary. About to post my off road truck up for sale and start looking for either another "Farmall" international diesel dump truck or a flatbed/ dump retired grain truck or similar. Will also be looking for at least a 14k lbs capacity dump trailer.

Things I'm looking at as of right now:
BMG grapple for sale for $1,900 (half of brand new is $1300 so hopefully they'd go down to at least 1,500)
Dingo mini loader with 800 hours in good shape for $9,000
Ditch Witch sk500 with honda motor and 300 original hours on entire machine for $12,000

I would guess 75% of my jobs could benefit from having the mini loader on site, and many could be done with myself and one basic ground helper. Until I start advertising and have weeks of work backed up I don't mind doing mostly everything, and prefer the quality control of doing it myself, but I can't lift logs into my chip truck or drag multiple tree's worth of branches.

So, still moving toward a loader and a multi purpose truck to pull trailers and other specialty equipment.
Probably going to try to go out to JAMBO too

 

[atothec]

Here are some progress updates..

I purchased a TX425 Dingo with 840 hours, bucket and cultivator attachment. I'll probably sell the cultivator, which lists new for $6,500, and hopefully get $2k or so.

I was able to get a brand new BMG shipped to me for $2,400. I like it, but it deadheads (stalls out) past full open or close. Getting some great use out of it.

Lift Platform - I met a 70 year old welder who took on my project and is barely charging me anything for the work, mostly just materials. I should end up with around $500 total in the conversion. Steel plate bolted down with custom U bolts we made out of steel blocks and all thread. I beams under the plate for extra support. No welding to the frame. Legal width in AL is 102", my dingo with BMG is 100- 101" so barely legal there.

Missing link now is log management. Most jobs I can't justify a $300 grapple load for a couple logs. Still leaning toward dump trailer but can't decide if I should pull it with a low dump bed truck or a used 40ft boom.
Budget is around 10-15k right now.

Whatcha think?

 

[atothec]

Update - platform is finished and usable!
Also a slight correction - that man is 79 years old!!! He made everything completely from scrap and stock metal. He told me I don't owe him anything but I'm going to insist he takes money and some gifts.

Some key points before I can get some pictures in the light:
Steel platform with I beam supports on the loading side. Custom U bolts attaching to frame, no frame welds. Stopper to easily mark loading position. 100.75" total width (102" AL legal limit). 4 attachment points made from ratchet binders (only thing not custom made up). Custom made 10' ramps with a kick stand support in the middle. Custom ramp hooks to load ramps on the side of the dump bed.
Lots of pictures to come tomorrow.

 

[hseII]

Update - platform is finished and usable!
Also a slight correction - that man is 79 years old!!! He made everything completely from scrap and stock metal. He told me I don't owe him anything but I'm going to insist he takes money and some gifts.

Some key points before I can get some pictures in the light:
Steel platform with I beam supports on the loading side. Custom U bolts attaching to frame, no frame welds. Stopper to easily mark loading position. 100.75" total width (102" AL legal limit). 4 attachment points made from ratchet binders (only thing not custom made up). Custom made 10' ramps with a kick stand support in the middle. Custom ramp hooks to load ramps on the side of the dump bed.
Lots of pictures to come tomorrow.

High 5!!!

Down the road, plan on a headache rack for the cab & rear window: expanded metal does good for the window.

Your Truck is Nice!!!!!!


What Part of Alabama?

I'm sure you've mentioned, but I've forgotten.

 

[atothec]

High 5!! Your Truck is Nice!!!!!!


What Part of Alabama?

I'm sure you've mentioned, but I've forgotten.

Thanks man, I'm really proud of the dingo platform.
I'm from Huntsville Alabama, focusing my business in Madison AL

 

[hseII]

Thanks man, I'm really proud of the dingo platform.
I'm from Huntsville Alabama, focusing my business in Madison AL

I believe your rig, along with a solid chipper, will do most of what's needed.

Nice Rig.


@luckydad.

 

[ROYCE]

Thanks man, I'm really proud of the dingo platform.
I'm from Huntsville Alabama, focusing my business in Madison AL

Nice job man!! I read this thread and was happy to see your progress. I think you made a good choice on this. I now like the idea of one of the dump trailers with a platform to flu behind this tuck. On that platform you can have a stump grinder. Now one truck and one guy can get Grinder, dingo, and a place to load the grindings to the job site.