Input From Debris Truck Operators Please

[Kottonwood]

Lots of great points brought up in this thread.

I think if you have a place to dump, and you already have a chipper set up, then the grapple is the obvious addition. It adds more versatility to your fleet and simultaneously allows you to run two crews or handle bigger jobs.

To address the dumping/ unloading issue I highly recommend a dump. I've never ran a grapple without one, but I'd imagine it'd get terribly annoying to unload that way. To address the issue of moving the grapple out of the way to dump, the obvious solution is a knuckleboom style, add to that air or hydraulically operated door and make it real easy to unload!

As far as the roll off debate goes, I think having both on one truck is a great solution. You do sacrifice payload, but the versatility is amazing, though I understand it's not for everyone, imo if I can have one reliable truck that does it all, instead of a few, then it'll save a ton of money in the long run!

As far as towing with your roll off, I find hook lifts to be far superior in that regard and in many other ways compared to the cable pull system.

For reference and inspiration check out my kboom hook lift in the treebay section, it's a very versatile truck and I'm planning on building a grapple for it too. Fyi I'm probably gonna take the ad down and keep that truck.... Contract work with that truck is just to good to give up right now.

 

[OasisTree]

To address the dumping/ unloading issue I highly recommend a dump. I've never ran a grapple without one, but I'd imagine it'd get terribly annoying to unload that way. To address the issue of moving the grapple out of the way to dump, the obvious solution is a knuckleboom style, add to that air or hydraulically operated door and make it real easy to unload!

Being able to dump is quite over-rated. A good operator can unload a truck in minutes, and keep in mind all of the extra weight you have in a box that can dump vs. one that doesnt need to. Also, because of the extra reinforcements, you lose about 6" at the bottom of your bed by having a dump box.

Also, I don't get why you would try to stay under CDL with any of these trucks for hauling weight. Why?

 

[Kottonwood]

Being able to dump is quite over-rated. A good operator can unload a truck in minutes, and keep in mind all of the extra weight you have in a box that can dump vs. one that doesnt need to. Also, because of the extra reinforcements, you lose about 6" at the bottom of your bed by having a dump box.

Also, I don't get why you would try to stay under CDL with any of these trucks for hauling weight. Why?

Totally agree on the cdl thing.... I don't even understand why someone would get a single rear axle.

 

[Kottonwood]

Also... wanted to add another fun point about hooklifts. I have seen hooklift bodies with everything from bucket lifts, cranes, and grapple bodies. You just need to have some hydraulic quick connects to your pto system. Really cool stuff is out there to make a single truck super versatile.

 

[evo]

A t-post into a grapple truck is nothing compared to a mistake with a chipper.

I love when i don't have to worry about gravel in the material.

I've wondered how small of a grapple truck is workable. Maybe a cab-over.

I have a lot of poor access customers, plus a mini to mov material close to the truck.

My friend had a F800 with a decent sized kboom and grapple, when accessible.

Small K-boom's on a dump bed are bad ass. I worked with one for 8 years, and the truck was on every job as it was also a chip truck. Most of the time we still chipped into it, but with a removable chip box roof we would sometimes load brush. This was the days before mini's were anything other than toys, but how I wish I had one if I did any bigger removal work. More so solo work!
The other cool thing was the boom had a small slow winch so things could be craned, but the winch speeds were VERY slow.
I fabbed up a battering ram, where we could push on trees...
Also we used the boom as a MA tag line. We would set a block down low within boom reach, and tied the tag line to the hook. Lift up on the boom, pulled on the load. Did the same as a zip line too..
The owner (aka the guy I worked for as the only employee for 8 years), would talk about his plans to get a super small car to lift in and out of the bed, so he could drive back to the shop for the winch truck. (that is a entirely different story)... But a mini to forward to the a K-boom instead or as a option would have been bad ass!
Now a grapple could be pretty cool, but I could see it being a pain in the ass too..

I don't have many photos, and far from a representation of all the applications. The up rooted douglas, was a healthy tree left as a tall spar. We uprooted it using the winch truck in lieu of a stump grinder. We pulled it over with a luff on a luff with the winch truck. The steel pipe was 36" and used (only once or twice in those 8 years) as a fulcrum to pop the stump higher out of the hole. Note the root pruning to make it work.

 

[southsoundtree]

What size of truck?

 

[evo]

What size of truck?

F-700 I believe.. no more than a 800. I think it was a ‘78