Hello, Im looking to build a service truck and dumptruck in one. I want to know if anyone has any ideas or comments on this. Im using a Ford f550 chasis with a dump body but I would like to use the space between the cab and dump by putting a few boxes and a small bench so I can haul tools and repair my small excavator and dozers and such. Im being a cheap arse and dont want to have to buy two trucks when I think I can use one for two jobs. Anybody have any ideas how I could make this work!? Thanks. Sort of like the picture included but I want to have a bench with a vise and a mount for small lincoln welder generator and a compressor. Some drawers would be nice.
Welcome to the Forums peterbuilt18!:drinkup Very practical concept that I have toyed around with as well, an all around truck that can accomplish many tasks and have what you need when you pull up to the job. First of all a little background is needed on what you do, as that would affect what you need.
how about buying a cheap 6x10' enclosed trailer for your service end of things that could have a welder, generator, work bench, tool boxes and anything else you need in it and when its ****** out you can work out of the weather. also the insurance and overall costs of a trailer is a lot cheaper than a second truck. the only down side is you can't tow it and another trailer with your machine on it unfortunately. but if you carry basic tools for every day common things in the truck then a whole set up in the trailer youd be set and not have to worry about taking stuff in and out of your truck all the time. also you could stock it with filters and oil for servicing on the job.
Thanks for the welcome and the reply! I do excavations on a large and small scale, and landscaping. I usually work with smaller excavators, bobcats, and such. I bring a small box of wrenches, socket drivers, and some basic tools, but when something breaks down or when a hydraulic hose breaks I have to go all the way back to the shop to get extra tools and the parts needed.
I thought about buying a trailer too. But as you said I cant haul two trailers. I sort of want to cut down on how many times I run to the shop a day because its adding up. Im thinking about putting some boxes bellow the dump on the chassis and then doing like the picture I included above but have a smaller box on one side to use as a bench. I was also thinking about having the boxes on the dump bed but Im not sure if it would keep the tools in the drawer when the dump goes up. Heres some pictures to help build an idea of what im thinking about.
Have you thought about jumping up a truck size, say to a Int 4300? You could get a truck that would normally carry a 16' flat but put a 12' flat with a pac rat toolbox like the one on the first truck and then a 1-2 flat area to mount a vise or carry hand tools. Have a head board on the flat bed dump with a small cab protector. You could also mount tool boxes to the frame under the 12' section of flatbed dump. That's what I have been kicking around. Personally I don't like the idea of the tool boxes mounted on the dumping flat bed not just the fact your tools will get jostled around every dump but if you use the dump much you will destroy the tool boxes.
Those boxes that raise with the dump bed look like a bad idea on many levels. It seems to me you could hang brackets off the frame that would hold the boxes for a much better setup. Something else you could noddle around with would be to create a 'slide-out/slide-in' arm to attach a workbench top or a vise or whatever. Basically, two squarish tubes where one is attached to the truck and the other slides in and out of the first tube. That's how the passenger side crane outrigger is on my service box, and those set ups can be very strong. When you need it, extend it, when you don't it's out of the way. The arm would create a base for any number of iterations you could think of.
Check into a Stahl Challenger utility body/ dump combo. I think it may fit your needs. Link http://www.stahltruckbodies.com/challenger-dump
That's one cool box. Ironically, our local quarry won't allow those type of beds to be filled using their loaders. If you want stone from them and have a box like that, or a pick up bed, you need to show up with your own loader or shovel the stuff in by hand. Been there done that. It sucks...
Just found out - we're getting one of these as a fuel/service truck........ And best of all I have a brand-new 789D chassis sitting in the yard on which to install it ............
Hey Nige fuel tank is empty on the job, can you have the guys swing buy and fill it up?:tong
Quit showing off Nige!
Pete18, We have a F450 w/ a 11 ft dumping landscaper box on it. We are trying to come up with some ideas to make it a service truck during the summer. We want to have boxes on the side and a fuel tank in the middle. I think we are going to make it on a frame and then be able to fork it out when not needed. We dont really have a need for a small dump, already have another one, but this truck has a plow on it for the winter time and it would be nice to lift it out for the winter time. Keep the ideas coming!!!
Can you tell us what for tools your planning on taking with you in the truck and how often you use the dump bed? How much or what you haul and what it weighs normally. From what I see and its only one opinion by the time you get some tools, boxes and a dump bed and something in it, I'm wondering how much anything you'll be able to carry in the dump bed? I'd agree with CM on this one, maybe a larger truck to mount everything on. I"d opt for a dump trailer and carry my tools on the truck at all times, but I don't know what exactly what you need to carry for tools. I know its another trip but all that mounted on a ford F550 might overload you pretty quickly and not be able to carry much in the dump bed. As for only needing the basic tools, I started out that way too, now my international 4900 single axle is overloaded and I still need more room. Most 350/450/550's are always overloaded from what I see, I was also wondering how much fuel you need to carry on it as well, 100 gallons or more, less what?
Here is what I typically carry. I dont always have to haul everything everyday if my machine is already on site. 5 ton Kubota mini http://www.ceunbound.com/pix/blog/3-25-10 Kubota 2.jpg Trailer http://www.trailersforless.com/loadtrail/bc-12s-page-4-A-t.jpg I carry 2 diesel cans A few rakes and shovels in the bed. What im looking to carry is as follows, Lincoln gas driven welder generator- http://assets.lincolnelectric.com/assets/global/Products/K2707-2/140x140.jpg Dewalt 4 gallon compressor- http://www.blackanddecker.com//ProductImages/PC_Graphics/PHOTOS/DEWALT/TOOLS/LARGE/5/D55153_1.jpg Ingersoll rand impact wrench- http://ingersollrandimpactwrench.or...02/Ingersoll-Rand-Impact-Wrench-2115TiMax.png My wrenches ,sockets and screw drivers, hammer and ballpein, hydraulic hoses, 16 ton bottle jack. All I can think of but thats another question I have, What are some tools I would defiantly need to work on equipment in the feild? Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and questions, comments. Keep them coming :notworthy
By the way, very nice rig you got there Nige !! Hopefully we can both get some ideas from this biggrader.
does that little dewalt compressor have enough balls to run an impact?
This one is on Iron Planet now. Is this what you had in mind?
Peterbilt, everything your asking is personal preference, everyone wants something different, I personally want to always have my tools with me no matter where I go, fuel, greasing, air, air tools and can handle most anything in the field, along with lasers, tripods, receivers, and a whole lot more. I can't imagine me ever getting all I need in less than a whole truck bed, and I'm always needing more room. I carry a lot of fuel with me, but I'd stay under 110 gallons of fuel per tank to avoid a hazmat endorsement
Hey Randy, I have hazmat endorsement so I do not worry about it, but my impression was that it was anything over 1000lbs, not per tank. The per tank makes more sense though, it seems every time I read the DOT stuff I end up more confused than when I started!
Oxbow, welcome to dealing with the dot, if you call, your never going to get the same answer twice either. My insurance company has told me it's something like 115 or 118 gallons but to be safe stay under the 110 mark, you not only need an endorsement, but the vehicle has to be placard, carry the paperwork and then my insurance goes up about 800 bucks a year, but I can carry up to about 7, 100 gallon tanks of fuel and avoid the whole problem, I've been told they are working to change this ......................again, so who knows in the future. Also a lot of quarries wouldn't let me in if my vehicle was placard for hazmat without added paperwork and grief so I just stay under the 110 gallons per tank and everyone's happy as of today, tomorrow I'm sure they'll decide something else. Every year I have to sit through the hazmat updates and have the expert dot people explain it to me..........which translates into, what did the dot change that I was legal to do last year that they deem I can no longer do this year. On a side note, if you read the dot book and it makes sense, quit drinking, sober up and then read it again, I"m sure it'll be back to normal again confusing as ever with more interpretations than a you can count.
I have a 600 gallon ex military tank that I can haul out to a job and have it filled there. What is frustrating is that even if the tank is empty, unless it has been purged, I cannot legally haul it without HAZMAT. I think I will drink and not read the dot book! As long as I am not driving everybody is happy that way.
Yes sir Oxbow, thats what im looking for pretty much. I have my class 1 and 3 ( that's what it is around here). Just wondering if you need your air license to drive it. I have a few guys who work with me and only one and I have the licenses to drive bigger chassis trucks with air brakes. that's why I was looking at the 550 so that if me and the other guy were working I could have someone else drive the truck. Dualie, I ran a impact off a 3 gallon and this one is a 4 so I should be fine lol. Maybe I should stop being cheap and just buy another truck with a service body like this one
The cleverest thing I ever saw on a service truck like this was in the compartment directly behind the cab. An additional heater core had been installed with fan. Rain gear, overalls, rubber boots, and any thing that got wet, tools included rode home in that compartment. When he reached home, the tools went back into the proper compartment dry and toasty. The overalls,and everything else was warm and toasty also. He said it was kind of nice putting on warm dry clothes in the morning before he turned a wrench. Here in the Pac NW, with rain and other rotten weather 360 days a year I always thought this was the way to go. The cab of his truck was clean, no mud tracked over paperwork, a clean spot to eat lunch when you get a chance. Just very nice.
I think it's a hard work. can you find all the suitbale parts? weight, dimensions, and harmony, too many things need consider.
That's the way I understand the rule too Randy, however local/state rules may vary. All my slip tanks are 110 gals or less to stay away from the hazmat issues. I have a 500 gal stationary tank I take out to the larger jobs. That tank is pumped dry and moved on a trailer. In the past when the job was a long distance, I would put it into the back of a dump truck so it couldn't be seen, empty of course. I am sure the DOT would have something to say about not having proper purged paperwork if we were ever stopped... Another option on a service truck I have kicked around is looking at retired power line trucks. You can find them where they have removed the bucket but the service body is still there. They can be found pretty cheap considering what a new one costs. Some of these trucks have air/hyd. lines, winches, etc fitted into the bodies which could come in handy. A lot of them are also set up with a pintle hitch with air lines as well. Something to consider. Here's an ex forestry truck with the boom removed. Space behind the cab to mount air comp. etc, has a tool box and looks to have a chip dump. The chip dump could be modified to a flat dump. http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=3491877 Here are some more in the same category - http://www.truckpaper.com/list/list...dlx=exact&bcatid=27&Pref=0&scf=true&HDROR=asc Just a thought.
Oxbow and CM, the l000 lb rule translates into the 118 gallons of fuel or whatever it is exactly, but everyone translates that into the under the 110 gallon mark to avoid the hazmat rules. Those should be the federal rules, I had to keep those in mind because I go across state lines quite a bit and then I had to check with each state I'd go into for their rules, and luckily they all told me, as long as I was legal with the federal rules, I was legal in their state. Pete if your wanting a truck with some service bodies on it and are looking to save a few bucks, no matter how you do it, if you find something already done, like at an auction, it'll always be the cheapest way to go, rather than put it together yourself. Look at ironplanet.com , rbauction.com, and a few others out there for service trucks, service bodies and service and lube trailers, compared to putting them together on your own, you'll end up with a welder generator, fuel tanks and pumps, tools boxes and even a crane for about 20 cents on a dollar compared to doing a fraction of it yourself. The international truck someone posted will be far cheaper than just a bare framed 550 truck you'd have to buy and it'll be complete and ready to go. Just something I learned over the years, also, if you have cdl and can with a larger truck, it will also be cheaper over the conventional 450/550 pickups, just due to popularity. As for running air tools off an air brake truck, I've been doing it for years, is it ideal, no but for minor repairs or small air tools it works just fine. I have no idea what type of operation you run or what machines you have or how old they are, but I've tried to save a buck and do what your wanting to do, and after several pickups I outgrew, I finally put together a full fledged service truck an international 4900 with air brakes and now that's not big enough, I also pull air brake tag trailers and got away from all the headaches of the electric brakes on trailers too, another major plus. Again, just an observation I've had over the years.
Randy mentioned this once, but I'll mention it again. I think once you equip a class 5 truck where you want it, you will be so close to the GVWR of that truck you will only be able to carry a shovel or two of material in the dump, if that. I recall a local aggregate company had a tri-axle dump deadlined at a DOT stop and when the mechanic went to fix it DOT put his 3500 service truck on the scales and subsequently deadlined him too! Even with a larger truck, all the weight of the tools and fuel you want to carry will severely limit the payload you can legally carry in the dump.
Good idea CM1995 ! Never thought of that, I saw one up for sale today actually, ill investigate more!
You also have to pay attention to the weight carrying capacities of the tires on any truck, even thought the gross vehicle weight rating may not be exceeded, the dot will get you on the the weight rating of the tires and what they can carry.