your opinion for small tree care service truck

[Frax]

This is what we have. All of it. Two crews. 2 F450 chip trucks and 2 6" Bandits. Whatever we do gets done with this. No log trucks, no grapples, no loaders. Anything that has to get moved, we move it by hand. Also a pickup and a flat bed pickup for planting and fert and such.
Once in a rare while we hire a crane which makes things very sweet.


2011-11-01 07.57.53 by altacal, on Flickr

We don't have the really huge trees of out east but still, removals are always physical days.

 

[TheArborMan]

Variable. Whats with the ventrac? I used to work at a country club with them.. reminded me of all the 12 hour mowing days I sat on that thing. Would have never guessed anyone would be using them for tree work? Do you use it for lawn and snow?

 

[southsoundtree]

[ QUOTE ]
This is what we have. All of it. Two crews. 2 F450 chip trucks and 2 6" Bandits. Whatever we do gets done with this. No log trucks, no grapples, no loaders. Anything that has to get moved, we move it by hand. Also a pickup and a flat bed pickup for planting and fert and such.
Once in a rare while we hire a crane which makes things very sweet.


2011-11-01 07.57.53 by altacal, on Flickr

We don't have the really huge trees of out east but still, removals are always physical days.

[/ QUOTE ]


Are you moving and loading wood by hand into the chip trucks?

 

[JeffL]

Steiner/ventracs were awesome machines. I spent quite a few years on a course as well. Those things ate up hills!

 

[TheArborMan]

Ya mowing hills was fun. The course I was at was in a floodplain so there were hills everywhere. Mowing and listening to the radio was so relaxing.

I got off topic. I'm going to go with an enclosed trailer instead of a service truck. That way I can haul around all the gear + have space for my dingo and grinder.

My current setup is.
f550 10' schodorf chip box, bandit 90 chipper

f350 towing 16' dump trailer with 4' sides. In the trailer dingo with branch manager and pallet forks. For removals we also put the carlton 7015 grinder in, just barley fits.

On big removals we have to load the wood, go dump, come back and get the dingo and grinder, then back to the shop. This winter I'm buying and outfitting a 16' enclosed trailer for all the gear, saws, tools ect. This will also hold the stump grinder and dingo. When spring hits I'll get the third truck, probably used f650 with 14' box. This will pull the dump trailer and be used for extra chips, logs.

I think with this setup 95% of my jobs can be completed with only one trip to and from the jobsite. We will also have huge capacity to do multiple small/medium jobs in one day without having to dump/return to shop and get the grinder, mini and other tools.

 

[Frax]

[quote

Are you moving and loading wood by hand into the chip trucks?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Or, preferably into one of the two pickups.

I have to admit something too. Men are faster and smarter than women in the field. Why do I say this?

Because if I'm on the ground I NEVER remember to grab the saw fast enough to do limbing and bucking. I always end up humping the effing rounds into the truck while the guys run the saws. I gotta get my act together. ...sheesh!

 

[Variable]

Hi Arborman, The Ventrac is an awesome machine! I bought it for turf work, but it converted really well to tree work when I moved in that direction.

I posted more in the rant and rave forum: Rant and Rave