pickup bed converted to dumper?

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Has anyone used one of the kits to convert your standard pickup bed into a dumper? Kind of curious about them for the price. But I assume the bed wouldn't be rigid enough for any real weight

Tom Dunlap · Mar 10, 2015

Do you mean the underbed hydraulic hoist?

Many years ago the guy that ground stumps
For me got one. The box didn't last very long. He ended up
Having a flatbed fabricated that lasted years. The hoist was strong enough and dumped lots of chips. Be sure to not overload or you'll
Be shoveling chips. The next thing that happens is the the electric motor, think of a starter motor, will burn up

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks tom that's what I was thinking. Just kicking around ideas

classictruckman · Mar 10, 2015

There was one I saw on the show Trucks 10-15 years ago that used a big air bag rather than a hydraulic hoist, seemed like a much stronger, simpler system.

classictruckman · Mar 10, 2015

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/20000726/press021474.html

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks just googled that myself but for twice the price and still having a flimsy bed its not worth it for me.

Tom Dunlap · Mar 10, 2015

Here's another idea.

Find a used hoist and mount it on your pickup.

Try using this:

http://www.car-part.com/

Kind of like Craigslist for used auto parts.

Even if you didn't find a pump/hydraulics that worked Northern http://www.northerntool.com/
or some other parts place could get you going with new.

Jeff · Mar 10, 2015

There's a treeguy around here with one. Hoist mounted under the factory pickup bed and had a custom aluminum chip box built for it. I've talked to him several times and he says it works great. I don't know if he had to reinforce the bed or not, but he did have to remove the rear bumper for dumping clearance.

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks Tom I'll keep my eye out and Jeff that's what my googling turned up I also saw a property management guy with this setup this fall (bumper removed) but all he ever hauled was grass and shrub clippings. I just thought it'd be a good idea to rig this up and put some saddle boxes and small box on my 1 ton pickup for a weekend warrior set up. Don't know if I want to invest the energy and time into it though.

flyingsquirrel25 · Mar 10, 2015

My uncle did this years ago... but reinforced it heavily to handle the firewood he was selling. The body lasted until the truck died (5 or 6 years) and he moved the hoist to another truck that had a flat bed. With all of the reinforcement he should have just built the flat bed and not had to deal with dumping around the wheel wells. Or just got a dump insert.

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Hey squirrel that's exactly the answer I was looking for. I already have a dump trailer to chip into for bigger jobs just looking for an easy way to run one truck. Looks like the load handler it is!

flyingsquirrel25 · Mar 10, 2015

TCtreeswinger said:
Hey squirrel that's exactly the answer I was looking for. I already have a dump trailer to chip into for bigger jobs just looking for an easy way to run one truck. Looks like the load handler it is!

Wait a minute now... dont be putting that conclusion on me

lol. I said Dump insert :birra:

! A Load handler is far from an answer for chipping onto

. We have a guy in my area that does that........ I hope you have a good shoveling arm and a lot of patience :muyenojado:

(he has a low cost helper from another country). No ill will toward a 4' wide tarp on a roller.
Dump insert installed was 2500 a few years ago, probably no more that 3k now. I would look into that for your body's sake. :tanguero:

TCtreeswinger · Mar 10, 2015

Haha no worries like I said I'm just kicking around ideas at the moment. if I could find a used dump insert I'd probably jump on it. At this point if I plywooded up the wheel wells and loadhauled it I could get about the same capacity as just slashing into my trailer with sides. I think I'll just keep trucking for now!

NickfromWI · Mar 12, 2015

I almost bought a kit a couple years ago. I was gonna put it on a f150 to make a tiny chipper truck. I can't remember the brand though. EZ Dump or something like that?

love
nick

NickfromWI · Mar 12, 2015

I think this was the one

http://ez-dumper.com/Dump-Inserts/Aluminum-Insert

love
nick

TCtreeswinger · Mar 12, 2015

Thanks nick I'm just not looking to spend that much. I bought the truck for 2500 my dump trailer for 3500 and c and d chipper for 1800 so a new dump insert is just out of the question. It's just a pain having to make two trips or run two trucks and once on site not being easily mobile.

classictruckman · Mar 12, 2015

Why don't you have a hitch welded to the back of the dump trailer and splice in a plug for the lights? Doesn't solve your onsite mobility problem, but will help with traveling to and from.

TCtreeswinger · Mar 13, 2015

Thought about it but in mn legally it can only be recreational vehicle in tandem. At least from what I have read. There is also a length restriction that I think I'd exceed. My dad (business partner) looked into it and said its a no go

classictruckman · Mar 13, 2015

Well I don't know much about mn law, but don't tractor trailers haul tandem trailers, even short ones?

Here in Ontario only commercial vehicles are allowed to haul tandem trailers with the exception of recreational vehicles.

TCtreeswinger · Mar 13, 2015

I just took a look for myself and its in a gray area. Combo can't be more than 45' long which is fine. I'm under that for sure. But it may make it cdl with weight of trailers in tandem and because I'm towing with a dot truck. Which also isn't a big deal since I have my class a but opens a new can of worms. I'll have to look into this further