Idea for a small chip truck, any thoughts?

[Merle Nelson]

Ahh...it sounded like a good idea at first. I have a 1990 F350 single that has made a lot of money. I continue to use it often even though I just bought a new Ram 5500. I would like to always have a 350 single in my market - beefed up dump insert here. About 6 yard chip capacity.

 

[Stumpshot]

I rather like the metric system -- very clean:

It also removes the necessity for using common or vulgar fractions at all. The decimal nature of the metric system is one of its great benefits. Decimal currency and decimal measurements have proved to be one of the greatest legacies of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington

I always thought that if it was rigorously taught in the school system (as the primary, with imperial equivalents as the secondary bi-lingual-type system), it would be doable to convert over in about ~40 years (2 generations having it as the primary system). As it is, our equipment is mixed standards, so we're having to cope with mm sockets & wrenches daily anyway.

 

[treebilly]

That’s one thing I’ve noticed on Vermeer, more so in the older models. A great mix of metric and standard sizes. Our old 1800 and first 2100 had a mix on the same part. Really pissed me off when taking things apart. The worst was the bottom feed roller housing. It seemed like they used whatever nuts and bolts they had laying around the shop.


Back to what Johnny mentioned. I think I’d scrap that idea and look for an aluminum insert and add airbags to the suspension. Or just keep an eye out for a decent used dump.

 

[SkwerI]

Following Billy's suggestion on airbags- I may be able to help you out.
A year ago after buying my 1997 F450 dually I bought air bags for it. I purchased this kit- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CFRZWO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 plus the stainless steel lines- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0754HS13C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The issue with the kit is that it requires a minimum of 9" clearance between the frame and the inner tire, my truck with duallies only has 7.5" of clearance. I waited too long before opening it and was past the return window so it sits on the shelf. I suspect there's not a lot of difference between the frames of our trucks so I suspect it could be installed on your truck with only minor modifications (drill an extra hole or two).

If you're interested shoot me a PM.

 

[Jonny]

Yes, I believe I'll get a real dump truck.
It just looked like a chip box already and cost slightly less than a new dump insert.
I'm pretty sure the 5' width is too narrow for a single rear wheel truck anyway, so then gotta improvise fenders, then it'd really be ugly. So around 2700$ to buy it, but probably closer to 3500$ once it's in place, plus cost of truck. I can do better with a dually stake dump.

I really appreciate the advice guys, thanks.

 

[frans]

EVERY single person i have met who did this quickly talks about the modifications they had to do to make it work.
In my opinion you can have a small chip truck, but you cannot make a small truck into a chip truck.
Hauling trees or chips is hard service on a vehicle...

Sorry to be a nerd but.... There is an event horizon, or critical tipping point where a smaller truck no matter what the mods, is unable to service the loads.

 

[flushcut]

Single rear wheel chip trucks can develop the death wobble while driving under load on the hwy...

Interesting. I would love to know why.
I'm not saying you have the answer but it just seems odd to me. I have carried many heavy loads in my 3/4 ton at speed and have had no issues. Now that I think of it there wasn't a chipper or trailer in tow on any of these occasions so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[Raj]

Many backweighted trailers, yep. Never in a truck myself. I'd like to hear more.

 

[flushcut]

I have had the displeasure and terror of a poorly loaded trailer twice never again, knock on wood.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I guess we don't need to ask!!!

 

[Tree09]

We would get loads of gravel and such at the gravel yards with that 250. It would wobble like you wouldn't believe. We were very seriously overloaded, and only doing about 45, but it was a struggle to keep it on the road.

 

[Stumpshot]

Done that in an older F150. Can... you... say... fish... tail...? Going down the road like a sidewinder!

 

[Tree09]

It seriously feels like you only suggest where to go, the truck does the steering

 

[Bermy]

Ooookaayy...I have my Isuzu D Max, with additional height side boards...8'6" x 6' x 2', full to the top that's about three yards, give or take, with some logs thrown in and all our tools, plus towing my chipper that is just over a ton, the D Max handles it all just fine. (we do have beefed up aftermarket rear suspension...SAX Suspension) Driving 75kms home fully loaded, at 90-100kms an hr, no problem.

 

[frans]

Its really about the height of the load. Load a single wheel up to the cab height and beyond with fire wood or chips...and you get the wobbles.
Not so much with duellys
The first thing a tree guy does with a high sided dump bed is load it up its just a tree guy thing, its in our genetics lol

 

[Bermy]

No wobblies on my truck, must still be within load range.

In Bermuda we have a phrase 'Portagee Load'...most of the landscapers are of Portuguese heritage, and mate...they can LOAD a truck!! I learned from the best of them, get in the back with a sharp machete and chop and stomp on everything as it comes up, pile to the boards, then shove branches down the sides as stakes and keep going. Trim it all around the edges when you're done for no overhang, bung a tarp over the top and off to the dump...

 

[ruel]

One of the companies in my area runs exclusively single wheel 3/4 ton pickups with dump inserts and wooden sideboards up over cab height. Probably sends out 3-4 crews a day, all gear in the bed... Been around for 30+years.

It might not be ideal, but it's definitely a setup you can run as a successful business (at least in Maine)

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've worked on crews like that - it sucks.

 

[Stumpshot]

In Bermuda we have a phrase 'Portagee Load'...most of the landscapers are of Portuguese heritage, and mate...they can LOAD a truck!! I learned from the best of them, get in the back with a sharp machete and chop and stomp on everything as it comes up, pile to the boards, then shove branches down the sides as stakes and keep going. Trim it all around the edges when you're done for no overhang, bung a tarp over the top and off to the dump...

Had to apply that method when working in Mobile, Alabama. The 40' crane (GMC TopKick, under CDL) was a dump bed with low sides. But no chipper, so we diced stuff up as small as we could, stacked it, and made sure there was no overhang. Then off to the tip.