Locks for truck boxes?

[SkwerI]

Unless you get a rear mount bucket with a 2000 lb winch. Then the weight can surprise you.

But I can see why this setup isn't commonly used for treework. Way too much potential for abuse. I beat the crap out of it as an owner/operator, I couldn't imagine what an employee would do to it when the boss is out of sight.

Back to the topic at hand- To locate the exact latches on the blue truck I ended up calling the manufacturer of the truck body. I'm sure I paid too much but they were very helpful and were able to look up the exact latch assembly based on the truck serial number. I think the T latches would be much cheaper as well as easier to locate aftermarket without having to go through the manufacturer.

 

[Cobleskill]

Have you lubed the hell out of it? I have been using chain and cable lube after penetrating oil. The c+c lube really lasts.

 

[sotc]

bleh, who wants to get dirty opening a box?

 

[Cobleskill]

You wipe it down after you lube the linkage! These guys on an ultralight site were discussing preventing corrosion between dissimilar metals. I suggested anti-sieze and they said do you know what a mess it makes. You wipe it off and then clean your hands off. You can't do much mechanics without getting dirty. It washes off.

 

[stehansen]

They also sell some dry graphite powder as a lock lubricant at my local NAPA.

 

[Jonseredbred]

I find dropping the pins and pulling the pins to be a pita with a forestry unit, maybe I'm lazy that way. No way I'm doing that every night in my own yard.

Squish, part of your daily safety check is to run the booms from the ground before you get in them, so pulling the detent and raising the box while you are doing the preflight shouldn't be that much of a PITA:roll:

Otherwise, just give the latch a tack weld on the inside against the nut and it will relieve that loose and sloppy feeling.

 

[squisher]

Not the same. I raise the lower and upper slightly while up on the headache rack, give my boom a quick visual and away I go. I'm the only one who runs my boom and I grease/service/inspect it. Constantly, it's my life.


And I have lubed the locks right up just with 3in1 household oil though.