Had a question for those more familiar then myself in the matter. I was looking at a GMC 7000 dump truck today, its in really good condition and a nice price. But it has a issue for me, it was used for a debris truck for a roofing company with a 14' dump bed, but its bed is a lighter weight with removable sides one with only a super light hitch for hauling a chipper or something. I was looking for something to move earth and gravel with and haul backhoes and such on it. Is it possible to change out the bed to a bed thats suited for gravel and such? and What would it cost to get a proper pintle hitch welded on roughly? Don't have pictures as I wasn't thinking it would be a working option when I saw it due to the problems for what Im looking for but thought of it later on. Thanks for any thoughts
A 14' body on a single drive will be really easy to overload with dirt or gravel. But you could line the floor with some AR plate and keep the low sides, just learn to load it properly. The longer wheelbase would be good towing an equipment trailer. A pintle plate shouldn't be too expensive at a reasonable fab shop. I usually get about $600 plus parts and materials for a medium duty truck.
I am currently building a 86 7000 into a grain hauler, will have a 14' grain box with 4' steel side panels where I could more than likely overload the crap out of it. Was originally going to swap to a Five Yard basically 8'x7', 5 Yard steel dump box off a junker we own but that will stay where its at. 5 yds at 2200 average pounds a yard is a lot for one of these, make that wet sand and can hit 3200 lbs a cubic yard, get rowdy like I do and mound it tall and that five yard has seven to eight on it. If you are going to add a pintle do it on no less than 5/8" steel plate, back braced into the lower flange of the frame, the plate itself should be sectioned INTO the frame channels to weld it for stability, that and install a BETTER six mount bolt, spring buffered pintle not the cheap dog everyone has one four bolt. Will work but I do not appreciate chancing fate. My grain wagon will get a similar hitch to what you are buying, a 2" receiver for towing basic trailers NOT backhoes on floats.
I have a 1983 GMC 6000 with a 14' grain bed with 4' sidewalls with dump. I'v used it for many years as a dirt hauler. Just need to know how to load it and when to stop. I always try to limit the load to around 5 ton and keep in center of the bed. I installed a pintle hitch using 1/2 steel plate and welded it directly to the two frame rails and also added diagonal bracing from the bottom of the frame to the plate. A normal 5 yard steel dump bed would be great if that's all I was going to haul was dirt, but this truck is used on the farm for many different loads and sizes. Just have to be mindfull of the load.