hello again all, I have found a nice kw flat dump bed truck. has any one here ever added sides to a flat dump to make a normal dump out of it? I am thinking about 36 to 42 inch tall sides, I would like to be able to haul gravel and busted concrete, is this something I should consider or would I be dissatisfied with the results?
The bed sides are doable. I've seen 20-24" sides on a 20' flatbed. But the big issue is the hoist, most flatbed dumps use a rather flimsy scissor hoist that does not like being overloaded. If it has a good strong hoist there shouldn't be a problem. Just keep the grease flowing to it. Got a local guy that hauls tons of gravel everyday in a 16' grain bed and the DOT is none the wiser. He looks like just another farm truck.
I haul every thing in my 14' flatbed with wooden sides. It has a good hoist it will lift 11tons way to much for my truck. The insurance is alot cheaper but unless you are realy carefull i cant see the flat bed lasting very long. I have one real nice flat bed that has a very thin metal floor they hauled alot of gravel in it but busted concrete would destroy it in no time.
We did that to our 1962 GMC . Has 18 foot Knapheide bed . Made the truck more versatile as we could haul dirt , rock , demo , ect with the short steel sides and switch back over to grain sides in the fall . Built mine out of an old steel dump trailer . Has head rack and all welded construction ( note lifting eye's to install & remove ). Use 1/2 inch bolts to fasten to the bed rails . I want to say the sides are 24 " or 26" tall something like that . Same truck with grain sides . HeavyEquipmentForums I like short sides for easy loading . Run a wood bed on a 1966 Chevy C60 . Frame was made from an old house trailer , then used treated tongue & groove on floor & sides . Use it all the time for whatever ? HeavyEquipmentForums