Well this is my first post. Been reading hear for a while. I work fall time in a shop for the past yr but been in and out of welding and equipment shops since I was 17 now 24 and been in and around the automotive industry my whole life. I'm looking to put together my first service truck for side work. I do a lot of welding on equipment and have been working out of my 06 Nissan titan. Would like a crane and pto compressed . Dose anybody got any good suggestions on make modle and must be 4x4 snow sucks I am a lil lost. 30 gs and under is my price rang with taking a small loan out. Thank you Joey
I can't help with the technical details, but do try to avoid that loan if you can. If you can possibly get by with no crane, a guy can sure do a lot of work out of a regular pickup. When I worked in the truck shop, our mobile rig (that I built) was an old tire service truck. It had a compressor run by the fan belt on the truck engine. There was an air tank at the front of the bed and a hose real above it. We had a Mac road box on a track that could slide all the way to the back of the bed. That truck had no welder, but we could do an awful lot of repairs with that setup. Total investment was maybe $5,000 minus the tools. It wasn't pretty, but it made money.
That's true I would like to not borrow money. It would be nice to have a truck set up and go. Rite now I am using my dd and it's just a hussle I also get a lot of calls for work that's up to 500 miles away I have to turn Down.
Just throwing it out there, but what about a trailer? Lot's of contractors around here have nicely decked out enclosed trailers that they use on job sites. Just hook up and go.
You can have all of that for fairly cheap.... except 4WD.... that will kill your selection and price. What size truck?
Go to truck paper.com. Search your state under service/mechanic trucks. Search, search, search until you get dialed into what you want and can afford. Another great outlet is a Ritchie brothers auctions. 30,000 can get you a good 4x4 1 ton with a crane for sure...TIO
I would but I usually get called out to places it is hard to access with a truck or in middle of a snow storm
Thanks will be looking into it more I can always install a crane latter if the price is rite just need a good start and can build it to my liking
I would Like a medium size truck but I will take a one ton
I suggest you look at www.IronPlanet.com
I understand your super handy and can probably build anything but buy exactly what you think you want/need. It is more expensive to build as you go than start with what you need. I have done it each way and the economics say buy not build.....my 2 bits...TIO
Have you looked in to what you have to do for dot licensing for a service truck or maybe it wont pertain to you work don't know. I agree with tio get one with a crane and air compressor if you are eventually going to do it just looking and there is options out there for Ford F450 or even chevys with crane and compressor for under 30,000 like this one http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=6832633 or for a cheaper one http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=6916661 like was mentioned you have to look and see what you need and want in you price range. I had one that I converted that was a landscaping truck with a utility bed and put a crane on it and mad outriggers and ran it for a couple years I got by but wasn't the handiest. Now I use my crane all the time.
Just out of pure curiosity, what are you doing that has people requesting you 500 miles away? Seems like way too far of a haul to still be competitive price wise.
I bounds between my house up state new York and my house on long island ny I'm slowly moving up there it's about 350 miles door to door
Thanks very much I am hitting my class b in spring I currently have my permit
Thanks everybody it's true buying it is Easter then building it . I just got to keep looking. I am sitting Down and going to make a list with needs wants pros and cons
A 2 ton truck will give you a lot less problems and should be cheaper in the long run.by the time you put a crane body,welder,air compressor on a F550 you are at the GVW before you start putting any tools or parts on it
Maybe look into this one ? I really like that truck, and I think his price is reasonable.
I know in my search a lot of times I can find a used 650 or 750 for around the same as what the 550's are going for. Priced out a new dodge 5500 the other week with a knapeheide bed and stellar crane, i think final price was gonna be in the 140 range. I just keep my eyes on my truck paper app whenever i get bored. stuff pops up from time to time.
Thanks I priced out a new basic f550 4x4 without Crain was 60 gs and a dodge 4500 as cab and chassis was 47g
Been in field for 45 years. Buy a reasonable priced truck with crane and compressor. 4 wheel drive not necessary. Have a extra international with crane and compressor or just a utility body or crane
I second that huffy, no need for 4x4. I have run both and my kenworth goes anywhere it should. I have had to put chains on my truck 2 times this year....TIO
I found a truck I'm interested in. Thanks for all the help
Hey Joeyz One thing to keep in mind is how much are you going to put on the truck, I bought a nice F350 a 96 that only had 37000 KM on it when i got it . Now 6 yrs later I am going to get a bigger truck cause of the wieght that I am carrying. The biggest down fall to this F350 is it is a gaser and not easy on fuel. I am looking at a cab and chassi from nortracs , call some of the john deeres and cat to see what they have comming up for sale in their fleets , they sometime are not price too bad . Watch for the ford s with that 6 litre not a good engine. watch for the cats 3116,3126 if these have got low millage and service has been done on regular their not to bad. The truck I am look at is got the DT444 Internnational in it is a 4300 sieres, maybe a little over kill for what I need but i dont think I will every over load it.
Try to buy it straight out from an equipment dealer. They buy new trucks every so often or even one from a hertz equipment rental place. As far as the type most that I see are Kodiak , topkick or c7500
I have had a range of trucks from F250 srw utility bodies, an F550 with 11' body and a crane, a couple 11' body F450s, and a C7500 with a lube/service body. You can accomplish a surprising amount of work out of a smaller truck. Don't overlook a well set up F350 especially if you are just starting off. However, forget about any single rear wheel utility bodies because the compartments are just too damn narrow. I had the best luck with the long (11 foot) body F450/550s. You can just fit that much extra in there and can still put a welder and a gang box in the bed and still have enough left for parts and supplies. The C7500 was great but it was too heavy and too big to sneak into tougher or softer places. The majority of my trucks were 2wd. Yes i got stuck a couple times in the mud or sand but they did the job and with decent tires snow was never really an issue. The crane on the 550 was sweet but that put it right at gross with all my tools and a welder. My recommendation would be a long wheel base 450 or 550 with a tall compartment for torches. If you can find one with 4x4 then that's great.
I'm thank full for all the info. I am saving up some more so I can buy it cash
That's the trick for the little guy. If the truck stay parked for a few weeks, it hurts a lot less if you don't have to pay the bank at the end of the month.