Mini ex on 1 ton flatbed dually towing 16’ dump trailer as first big setup opinions???

Dead Cottonwood

Dead Cottonwood

Location
Wasatch Front
Long time lurker first time poster. Been in business for four years and am currently operating with a 3/4 ton and a 16’ utility trailer dumped by pull off. Prune/removal ratio is around 70/30 and renting skids, cranes, dumpsters, etc on large removals. Am looking into getting a small loan for equipment. Was thinking a 1 ton gas big block engine flatbed dually to haul a small mini ex and tow a dump trailer. I like this option as the I will have the ability to load and haul all material including big wood available in one mobile unit. Just looking for some input on the feasibility and practicality of this setup opposed to any others.
Thank you
 
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Dead Cottonwood said:
Been in business for four years and am currently been operating with a 3/4 ton and a 16’ utility trailer dumped by pull off. Prune/removal ratio is around 70/30 and renting skids, cranes, dumpsters, etc on large removals. Am looking into getting a small loan for equipment. Was thinking a 1 ton gas big block engine flatbed dually to haul a small mini ex and tow a dump trailer. I like this option as the I will have the ability to load and haul all material including big wood available in one mobile unit. Just looking for some input on the feasibility and practicality of this setup opposed to any others.
Thank you
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Non cdl is much preferred
 
Welcome, that sounds like a great setup especially for saving your back schlepping wood. Good possibility for subbing out the wood moving part for chipper-dump truck outfits too. What specific brands and age are you thinking for gear?
 
I recently bought an older 1 ton (F350) with a gas 351, 8X12 foot flatbed to compliment my forestry package bucket truck. It's been great for hauling the mini and other attachments and gear. It's not uncommon to load it with logs when the other truck gets full and if I keep the logs to 8 feet long or shorter I can still fit the mini on the truck without going back for it. Unloading is quite easy with a cant hook. Occasionally I will haul brush on it, either 8 or 12 foot lengths depending on the mini, and strap them down with under the bed ratchet tie downs and then I'll pull the brush off later or unload with the mini since it does not dump. On ocassion for the right job I will install a chip box on the back, for areas that my larger truck cannot get to, this chip box is 8'X8'X4' and it handles it completely full with the mini on the deck and a 12" chipper towing behind it with no problems.


Things I would change if I could, is really just adding a dump bed (flatbed dump) and 4 wheel drive. 4 wheel hasn't been an issue yet, but it may be in the future.

I thought I wanted diesel but to be honest the 351 has done everything I've asked it to. I can feel my chipper behind it when starting from a stop on a hill, but otherwise its does great. I'm also very glad for the 12' bed, often times an 8' bed wouldn't be enough for how I use it.
 
The mini ex will have a very slow travel speed. Think about a wheeled loader (avant, giant, one from @TopNotchEquipment ) or ditch witch sk1050 instead. If you have a low hinge pin height, you'll have to roll off the dump like I do to get the full capacity of a larger can (mine is 16 yards, towed by a modified rear axle E350) on removal day, but I see that you might not need that with your truck size. I like the 16 yard can for pruning because I don't have to strap down the stray branches. I usually leave the can on the trailer to load pruning debris, by hand. If you have a chipper then, of course, a big can is not needed for pruning.

I'd really focus on getting the equipment unit travel speed faster, particularly in reverse, unless your job sites are travel-less.
 
Oops, just remembering that you are upgrading to a larger truck... Get the biggest dump you can manage.
 
colb said:
The mini ex will have a very slow travel speed. Think about a wheeled loader (avant, giant, one from @TopNotchEquipment ) or ditch witch sk1050 instead. If you have a low hinge pin height, you'll have to roll off the dump like I do to get the full capacity of a larger can (mine is 16 yards, towed by a modified rear axle E350) on removal day, but I see that you might not need that with your truck size. I like the 16 yard can for pruning because I don't have to strap down the stray branches. I usually leave the can on the trailer to load pruning debris, by hand. If you have a chipper then, of course, a big can is not needed for pruning.

I'd really focus on getting the equipment unit travel speed faster, particularly in reverse, unless your job sites are travel-less.
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Thank you for the good input. The mini ex speed is an issue but it would mostly be used to load staged brush next to the trailer. I am leaning towards the ex over a mini loader because of the lift height, reach, and ability to swing. In the future I would definitely put a chip box on the truck and tow a 12”. The truck is a 93 Chevy with auto trans and the 454 with 121,000. I like the iron bull dump trailers with 3’ sides Not sure on the mini ex, the main concern is weight. I’d like to keep it under 4000#.
 
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I was thinking mini skidsteer as I read and commented earlier, a skidsteer is what I haul on my flatbed. The only way I'd see using an excavator on the job is if the ex stayed by the trailer for loading and not being used to travel to the backyard for hauling debris.

I'd think in the right situation (lots of room to work) an excavator could be ok at hauling debris by reaching out to full extension and grabbing debris, then rotating towards the street drop it then swing back for more. Essentially moving the whole pile in one sitting before driving closer to the street to repeat the process. This would cut down on the number of trips at a slow speed and reduce lawn damage by making one trip.
 
Jehinten said:
I was thinking mini skidsteer as I read and commented earlier, a skidsteer is what I haul on my flatbed. The only way I'd see using an excavator on the job is if the ex stayed by the trailer for loading and not being used to travel to the backyard for hauling debris.

I'd think in the right situation (lots of room to work) an excavator could be ok at hauling debris by reaching out to full extension and grabbing debris, then rotating towards the street drop it then swing back for more. Essentially moving the whole pile in one sitting before driving closer to the street to repeat the process. This would cut down on the number of trips at a slow speed and reduce lawn damage by making one trip.
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Yeah a mini skid may be the way to go. Just needs to be able to lift up and over dump walls and be able to pack brush down in the trailer
 
Lumberjack said:
I've been using a mini ex for almost on 7 years. Bought the first one used with an open cab... used it for 10 months and traded it in for a new, cabbed excavator. The cabbed excavator has ~1020 hours on it now.

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Nice! I was thinking an excavator like this terex in the link below.

Terex TC16 Mini Excavator Specs & Dimensions :: RitchieSpecs

View updated Terex TC16 Mini Excavator specs. Get dimensions, size, weight, detailed specifications and compare to similar Mini Excavator models.
www.ritchiespecs.com www.ritchiespecs.com
 
I've never used an excavator that small.... I can't say for certain, but I think I'd rather have a mini skid than a mini excavator that weighs the ~same as a mini... the mini will lift more.

I'm also very partial to Kubota with their KTAC insurance.
 
Dead Cottonwood said:
Yeah a mini skid may be the way to go. Just needs to be able to lift up and over dump walls and be able to pack brush down in the trailer
Click to expand...

Cutting the brush once it's in the trailer is really the best way to compact brush. If you go with a low profile trailer vs a deck over you shouldn't have any trouble getting over the sides, of course the height of the sides makes a difference. Also when loading a dump truck I open the tailgate and load from the back and push material forward since I cannot load over the sides.
 
20191028_095045.webpIf you get creative you can get around your lifting capacity as well. I couldn't budge this log (pine roughly 40" diameter and 5 feet long) while trying to lift it but I was able to fill the trailer by rolling them up the ramps.
 
Jehinten said:
Cutting the brush once it's in the trailer is really the best way to compact brush. If you go with a low profile trailer vs a deck over you shouldn't have any trouble getting over the sides, of course the height of the sides makes a difference. Also when loading a dump truck I open the tailgate and load from the back and push material forward since I cannot load over the sides.
Click to expand...


It depends on the situation.... It has been a long, long time since I've made it a habit to cut down brush in the container/trailer/bed. Processing the material as it comes out of the tree and packing it with the excavator works better for us.


We fit this ~105' pine in a single 30 yard container.
 
Dead Cottonwood said:
Yeah a mini skid may be the way to go. Just needs to be able to lift up and over dump walls and be able to pack brush down in the trailer
Click to expand...

My next big purchase will most likely be this Dingo, and it seems to meet all your needs (under 3000 lbs, hinge pin/lift up to to 81", 1000+ lb. lift capacity). Dealer quoted me $31K new and 48 months 0% financing until the end last month, but says that usually occurs at least 2x/yr.

Toro Dingo® TX 1000 Narrow Track

New Models Pride Landscape Supply Parlin, NJ (732) 721-0554
www.pridelandscapesupply.com www.pridelandscapesupply.com
 
I was thinking the same thing as americanarborist. With a single axle truck you can get into yards without any more damage than a mini ex when its dry. Don't have to make a return trip after dumping to pick up the mini ex. Cdl required would be one downside.
 
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