One ton opinions

fall_risk

fall_risk

Participating member
Location
Philadelphia
What do you think about new one ton pickups? Make, engine, transmission, fuel, dump, toolboxes? What has worked for your business? What about contract climbers? As a daily driver? As a light or spare chip truck? I'd value any input, especially about make and drive train.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
I've liked my 350 with Ez-dumper. I bought it as my sole truck in 2011 (had a '97 prior). It has been a chip truck, wood truck, dump truck and now tows a dump trailer with the skid steer (most wood goes in the truck now). It was very apparent (quickly) that it was too small. It was constantly overloaded, but I couldn't afford to have a work truck and a everyday driver. Since I bought the 550 it is still a work truck but it sees much less punishment as its previous duties are split between two trucks now.
If I were starting over I would do it again though, as there is no better way to grow. I'm currently looking for another 550 to take even more stress off the little truck.
The pick up:
2011 f350 11,500 GVW w/12,000 pound hitch
6.7L Power stroke diesel (12.5 mpg towing)
6 Speed auto
8' Ez dumper (no tool boxes)
Good spare chip truck, trailer towing, hauling wood form mid size jobs.

The chip truck:
2008 F550 19,500 GVW
6.4L PS Diesel (5.7 mpg no mater what you do)
I think 4 speed Auto
9.5 foot southco chip box W/L pack
Great chip truck (especially when upgrading from the ez dumper), towing dump trailer is tight but can be done. The tool boxes saved me 45 min a day or more from loading and unloading equipment.

The WANT: (will have to wait a couple months at least)
'97-'02 or '08-new F550
Diesel
Auto
10-12' Flat bed dump
Tool boxes would be nice too

You should come down and visit sometime and see our little operation.
 
I have a 2016 Chevy 2500, extended cab with 6.0 gas, 9,000GVW, Truck Craft Dump insert (lighter than most inserts) with chip sides. 11-12mpg average. I removed the rear seat and made a shelf, with storage above and below. It is just used for the business. I keep all my gear (except saws) in the truck all the time. I am a small outfit, wife is my groundie when needed and have no other employees. I wanted a single rear wheel truck for getting in tight places, less overall cost and maintenance, and parking along small streets in town. I'm over 50 and don't plan on expanding, I also have a portable sawmill and the truck works great for that as well. A wider (DRW) truck would make backing more difficult with less visibility for my small chipper and sawmill. It works for me, and I think its a great way to start out, when you expand you still have an already set up, second light duty rig, as stated above. My daily driver is a Chevy 1500 and that works for pulling the flatbed trailer, dump trailer or stump grinder when we need a second truck or my tractor onsite to load logs.
 
fall_risk said:
What do you think about new one ton pickups? Make, engine, transmission, fuel, dump, toolboxes? What has worked for your business? What about contract climbers? As a daily driver? As a light or spare chip truck? I'd value any input, especially about make and drive train.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
A one ton diesel van has been an awesome addition to my fleet. I pull my dump trailer and mini with it. I leave everything in the van and don't have to do the gear and tool shuffle each night and morning. Pulls trailers like a 3/4 ton truck would. Best part of it is, they are cheap! A clean, well maintained used one ton van can be found for around 5 grand in my area. A similar pickup would run at least 15, but more than likely would need to spend 20k. I'd skip the pick up and put the money you save towards a dedicated F-550 sized or larger chip truck. For a contract climber I feel a van makes even more sense.

As far as new trucks go I've been looking but just haven't pulled the trigger on one yet. I've owned primarily diesel trucks my whole life but I just can't justify the added expense of the newer diesels. They are a lot more expensive initially, to maintain, and especially to repair. The advantages of the newer diesels over a gasser are not as strong as they use to be either. I'm not brand partial and feel that Chevy, Ford, and Ram all have competitive offerings in the one ton gassers. If you decide to go diesel hands down get a Ram with the Cummins and Aisian trans, do not get the other auto.
 
Do you have a bulkhead for safety and security?

Do you use a roof/ other rack for fuel?

I used to have a company E-150.
A hitch-mounted cargo platform carries fuel.

It was nice.

Heated gear compartments rock for drying. A power inverter and small electric fan would help.

It's fight-the-damp season in the PNW.
 
southsoundtree said:
Do you have a bulkhead for safety and security?

Do you use a roof/ other rack for fuel?

I used to have a company E-150.
A hitch-mounted cargo platform carries fuel.

It was nice.

Heated gear compartments rock for drying. A power inverter and small electric fan would help.

It's fight-the-damp season in the PNW.
Click to expand...
There is a full bulkhead primarily for security. I keep a saw fuel can and bar oil in the back. I keep a ladder on the roof rack.
 
My new $7,500 baby: 98 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 cummins 12v diesel, dually flatbed dump, 4x4. 148,000 miles, new trans with 10k on it. Only thing that sucks is its an auto.
I went back and forth between diesel van pulling a dump trailer, service bed truck with the mini in the bed, and what i really wanted - a flatbed dump. I kept searching local Facebook and craigslist markets until I found something I thought might be nice and I think I scored. The bed on this thing is huge! I plan to make some ramps work to load mini or stump grinder on the bed.
I guess my point is that I looked at a lot of crap, and was real close to settling on that crap, but I'm glad I held out until I found a preferable make/ model and talked them down below market value.
PS If I was JUST contract climbing I guess I'd want a sweet diesel van. The ability to haul trailers and equipment would no doubt add value and reduce difficulty for you if you could rent equipment and tow it to the site for extra contract cost. I won't hardly work without a mini now. I haul everything we cut so the versatility of the flatbed dump got me, and i have the bucket truck lock boxes with dump bed rod locks to keep my gear safe.
 

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atothec said:
My new $7,500 baby: 98 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 cummins 12v diesel, dually flatbed dump, 4x4. 148,000 miles, new trans with 10k on it. Only thing that sucks is its an auto.
I went back and forth between diesel van pulling a dump trailer, service bed truck with the mini in the bed, and what i really wanted - a flatbed dump. I kept searching local Facebook and craigslist markets until I found something I thought might be nice and I think I scored. The bed on this thing is huge! I plan to make some ramps work to load mini or stump grinder on the bed.
I guess my point is that I looked at a lot of crap, and was real close to settling on that crap, but I'm glad I held out until I found a preferable make/ model and talked them down below market value.
PS If I was JUST contract climbing I guess I'd want a sweet diesel van. The ability to haul trailers and equipment would no doubt add value and reduce difficulty for you if you could rent equipment and tow it to the site for extra contract cost. I won't hardly work without a mini now. I haul everything we cut so the versatility of the flatbed dump got me, and i have the bucket truck lock boxes with dump bed rod locks to keep my gear safe.
Click to expand...
Looks like a good deal! That truck will do a ton of work. I'm a big fan of flatbed dumps and their versatility. Their ability to quickly change them into what you need at the time is priceless.
 
atothec said:
My new $7,500 baby: 98 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 cummins 12v diesel, dually flatbed dump, 4x4. 148,000 miles, new trans with 10k on it. Only thing that sucks is its an auto.
I went back and forth between diesel van pulling a dump trailer, service bed truck with the mini in the bed, and what i really wanted - a flatbed dump. I kept searching local Facebook and craigslist markets until I found something I thought might be nice and I think I scored. The bed on this thing is huge! I plan to make some ramps work to load mini or stump grinder on the bed.
I guess my point is that I looked at a lot of crap, and was real close to settling on that crap, but I'm glad I held out until I found a preferable make/ model and talked them down below market value.
PS If I was JUST contract climbing I guess I'd want a sweet diesel van. The ability to haul trailers and equipment would no doubt add value and reduce difficulty for you if you could rent equipment and tow it to the site for extra contract cost. I won't hardly work without a mini now. I haul everything we cut so the versatility of the flatbed dump got me, and i have the bucket truck lock boxes with dump bed rod locks to keep my gear safe.
Click to expand...

SWEET RIG!!
 
atothec said:
My new $7,500 baby: 98 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 cummins 12v diesel, dually flatbed dump, 4x4. 148,000 miles, new trans with 10k on it. Only thing that sucks is its an auto..
Click to expand...
Almost identical to my chip truck. Same colour. Mine is a 1999 with a stick.
Kinda wish it was an auto so my son and the kids I hire could drive it
I made a removable aluminum in chip box to go on the dump bed. Then I replaced the drop down steel sides ( it was a landscape dump box ) with custom made drop down removable aluminum ramps so I could load the mini skid steer into it.
Fantastic truck, but always overloaded. Looking for a Dodge 5500 to handle the capacity. They are pricey so I'll keep using little red until I get a deal.
 
Windwalker said:
I have a 2016 Chevy 2500, extended cab with 6.0 gas, 9,000GVW, Truck Craft Dump insert (lighter than most inserts) with chip sides. 11-12mpg average. I removed the rear seat and made a shelf, with storage above and below. It is just used for the business. I keep all my gear (except saws) in the truck all the time. I am a small outfit, wife is my groundie when needed and have no other employees. I wanted a single rear wheel truck for getting in tight places, less overall cost and maintenance, and parking along small streets in town. I'm over 50 and don't plan on expanding, I also have a portable sawmill and the truck works great for that as well. A wider (DRW) truck would make backing more difficult with less visibility for my small chipper and sawmill. It works for me, and I think its a great way to start out, when you expand you still have an already set up, second light duty rig, as stated above. My daily driver is a Chevy 1500 and that works for pulling the flatbed trailer, dump trailer or stump grinder when we need a second truck or my tractor onsite to load logs.
Click to expand...
Do you have any pictures of this truck and the box you built for the insert? Thanks!
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
I've liked my 350 with Ez-dumper. I bought it as my sole truck in 2011 (had a '97 prior). It has been a chip truck, wood truck, dump truck and now tows a dump trailer with the skid steer (most wood goes in the truck now). It was very apparent (quickly) that it was too small. It was constantly overloaded, but I couldn't afford to have a work truck and a everyday driver. Since I bought the 550 it is still a work truck but it sees much less punishment as its previous duties are split between two trucks now.
If I were starting over I would do it again though, as there is no better way to grow. I'm currently looking for another 550 to take even more stress off the little truck.
The pick up:
2011 f350 11,500 GVW w/12,000 pound hitch
6.7L Power stroke diesel (12.5 mpg towing)
6 Speed auto
8' Ez dumper (no tool boxes)
Good spare chip truck, trailer towing, hauling wood form mid size jobs.

The chip truck:
2008 F550 19,500 GVW
6.4L PS Diesel (5.7 mpg no mater what you do)
I think 4 speed Auto
9.5 foot southco chip box W/L pack
Great chip truck (especially when upgrading from the ez dumper), towing dump trailer is tight but can be done. The tool boxes saved me 45 min a day or more from loading and unloading equipment.

The WANT: (will have to wait a couple months at least)
'97-'02 or '08-new F550
Diesel
Auto
10-12' Flat bed dump
Tool boxes would be nice too

You should come down and visit sometime and see our little operation.
Click to expand...
Interesting...Our 2015 f 550 w/v10 gas gets 5.5 religiously...towing a 2500 pound trailer and the 5100 pound stumper...90 percent of the time comes home loaded with wood or grindings...still 5.5 mpg.
 
craneguy1 said:
Interesting...Our 2015 f 550 w/v10 gas gets 5.5 religiously...towing a 2500 pound trailer and the 5100 pound stumper...90 percent of the time comes home loaded with wood or grindings...still 5.5 mpg.
Click to expand...

That's good to know. I'm still sorta looking for the "want" truck. I have been too busy to get to the dealership and have been wondering if the V10 gave any better fuel mileage than my '08... I guess not! Guess I'm back to looking at 70+k trucks! :)
 
I don't know about where you are but gas is a whole lot cheaper here than diesel. It'd take more than a mpg or two to make it worth it. Not to mention the initial purchase price and cost of maintenance on the newer diesels.
Fwiw my 97 4x4 7.3 5spd chip box gets 11-12 no matter what it's doing. Poor thing is almost overloaded before there's even any chips in the bed.
 
The good reliable diesel "want" truck doesn't exist anymore...buy a truck and dump it withing 5 years to get top dollar before it starts to rust to shit.. keep it for 10, you're rolling the dice...the diesels have lost their longevity, and the vehicle makers are using crap steel to try and keep costs down...i got a 98 ford and an 08 ford...guess which one isnt rottening out where it really counts.
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
I've liked my 350 with Ez-dumper. I bought it as my sole truck in 2011 (had a '97 prior). It has been a chip truck, wood truck, dump truck and now tows a dump trailer with the skid steer (most wood goes in the truck now). It was very apparent (quickly) that it was too small. It was constantly overloaded, but I couldn't afford to have a work truck and a everyday driver. Since I bought the 550 it is still a work truck but it sees much less punishment as its previous duties are split between two trucks now.
If I were starting over I would do it again though, as there is no better way to grow. I'm currently looking for another 550 to take even more stress off the little truck.
The pick up:
2011 f350 11,500 GVW w/12,000 pound hitch
6.7L Power stroke diesel (12.5 mpg towing)
6 Speed auto
8' Ez dumper (no tool boxes)
Good spare chip truck, trailer towing, hauling wood form mid size jobs.

The chip truck:
2008 F550 19,500 GVW
6.4L PS Diesel (5.7 mpg no mater what you do)
I think 4 speed Auto
9.5 foot southco chip box W/L pack
Great chip truck (especially when upgrading from the ez dumper), towing dump trailer is tight but can be done. The tool boxes saved me 45 min a day or more from loading and unloading equipment.

The WANT: (will have to wait a couple months at least)
'97-'02 or '08-new F550
Diesel
Auto
10-12' Flat bed dump
Tool boxes would be nice too

You should come down and visit sometime and see our little operation.
Click to expand...


What's wrong with the 03-07 550's?
 
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