- Location
- central texas
What's the easiest and least expensive way to convert my truck into a chip box that dumps? If its possible I would also like to have some storage space.
converting truck into a dump truck
- Thread starter jodystreeserv3
- Start date
- Location
- Pukalani, Hawaii
what kinda truck??? have you researched bed inserts? do you want the whole bed to dump or add an insert to the bed.
our work truck is a chevy 3500 V8 with an after market hydraulic dump system. they take your bed off, install the components, then put the bed back on. ours has the dump switch in the cab.
the advantage is, it's lighter then a bed insert and it costs less and you get more gas mileage.
the disadvantages we have found is, your limited to the beds hauling capacity and you need to build custom walls on the truck bed to allow for higher capacity of chips.
i can give you some links to the dump inserts im talking of if you want.
our work truck is a chevy 3500 V8 with an after market hydraulic dump system. they take your bed off, install the components, then put the bed back on. ours has the dump switch in the cab.
the advantage is, it's lighter then a bed insert and it costs less and you get more gas mileage.
the disadvantages we have found is, your limited to the beds hauling capacity and you need to build custom walls on the truck bed to allow for higher capacity of chips.
i can give you some links to the dump inserts im talking of if you want.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Start looking on Craig's list to find a used unit.
I think that you'd have more capacity by getting rid of your pickup box, install a hoist unit on the frame and then add a flatbed deck. Build a box in the middle for chips and tool cabinets down both sides.
When I built a behind the cab, cross frame tool box on one of my 2 ton trucks I made the prototype using plywood. This allowed me to make adjustments to the design before I made the real one out of sheet metal.
I think that you'd have more capacity by getting rid of your pickup box, install a hoist unit on the frame and then add a flatbed deck. Build a box in the middle for chips and tool cabinets down both sides.
When I built a behind the cab, cross frame tool box on one of my 2 ton trucks I made the prototype using plywood. This allowed me to make adjustments to the design before I made the real one out of sheet metal.
- Location
- Pennsylvania
http://www.piercesales.com/Items.aspx?code=DUMPKIT&key=cat
I have no personal experience with them.
I have no personal experience with them.
- Location
- central texas
It's a dodge 1500 hemi. I researched bri mar inserts. It will cost between 4 & 5 thousand to do it. I wanted to see if I have any better options. That sounds like a good idea tom. I just need to find a good priced flat bed.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
In a half-ton truck, you should consider selling your truck and getting a heavier-duty truck with a dump. I think you'll find that putting money into a dump for too light of a truck will end up costing you more in the longer term.
A cheap way to help with the burden of unloading could be a Loadhandler. There have been some thread-talk about them.
Somebody built a box in the middle of the bed for chips, and had storage in the side areas. The box was the width of the LH tarp. This makes it a lot easier to use than if are going for full width, due to the "locked load" that happens with the wheel wells.
I overloaded mine and broke one plastic bracket (locked load) and too much gorilla grip.
A smooth bottom, such as without a grippy spray-in bed liner would be good, or if you have a spray-in liner, you can put a nylon tarp under the loadhandler sheet.
Also, if you find that the LH can't unload your whole box, find out what depth it can handle, then when you get that deep, lay a tarp in the box, and blow more chips on top. It will slide off with the additional chips, then use LH.
If you are chipping into your bed now, and unloading with pitchfork, you can change up to a tarp/chip/tarp/chip/tarp/ chip sandwich. Pulling about a foot of chips at a time is very quick and feasible with two people.
A cheap way to help with the burden of unloading could be a Loadhandler. There have been some thread-talk about them.
Somebody built a box in the middle of the bed for chips, and had storage in the side areas. The box was the width of the LH tarp. This makes it a lot easier to use than if are going for full width, due to the "locked load" that happens with the wheel wells.
I overloaded mine and broke one plastic bracket (locked load) and too much gorilla grip.
A smooth bottom, such as without a grippy spray-in bed liner would be good, or if you have a spray-in liner, you can put a nylon tarp under the loadhandler sheet.
Also, if you find that the LH can't unload your whole box, find out what depth it can handle, then when you get that deep, lay a tarp in the box, and blow more chips on top. It will slide off with the additional chips, then use LH.
If you are chipping into your bed now, and unloading with pitchfork, you can change up to a tarp/chip/tarp/chip/tarp/ chip sandwich. Pulling about a foot of chips at a time is very quick and feasible with two people.
