I am in the early stages of looking at log loaders or grapple trucks. I live in western Canada in Vancouver. Lots of old loaders around but no grapple trucks. I used to be in the dumpster business and sold the business. Looking to start a smaller operation doing construction waste pick ups using a grapple trucks. I am looking at a tandem at most for size of truck. So far I have been looking at Petersen or prentice purpose built loaders like the Petersen tl-3 lighting loaders. But as there are none local and expensive I am looking at maybe returbing a log loader and modifying the grapple. My application is mostly urban city so heavy spec single axle or tandem at max. Is there any reason a log loader is a bad choice? Other than they are heavy I would think they would be a robust loader for My application. Pulling out to a pile of construction waste and hauling it away. Any feedback back is appreciated.
I have a tri axle, rear mount, 65 yard grapple truck with a Rotobec loader. I wouldn't be keen on a Lightning Loader, unless I specifically wanted a small loader for small work.
Thanks for the reply. I live and work in the city and I imagine evey job I go to will be tight. I would much prefer to have a larger truck. Can you tell me how long it would take to unload your truck - if full or construction waste? If I thought I didn’t need to dump I would likely go Hooklift and rear mount a grapple
Have you checked the ads in "Tree and Landscape Trader"? They have a monthly publication, as well as a big online listing. There are probably 30 or more debris loader trucks, of all different types and brands, listed for sale. I am sure, some are very well used, while others may be pretty nice. I really liked the old truck I had, which had the loader behind the cab, and a 22' dump bed. I could unload at the dump a lot quicker that the guys who had to clam everything out with the rear loader type.
It depends on the size of the debris. You can haul anything from dirt to straight brush. The more you can grab at a time, the quicker to unload. If you don't have to further process the material, a dump bed can be handy. With my rear mount, primarily hauling tree debris, being able to unload into the pile is ridiculously handy. Being able to reach ~29' off the back of the truck is very handy. I don't want another dump truck for handling my debris. Here, construction debris goes in dumpsters. I have a hook lift truck, although I don't do containers for others. I struggle to see how tight jobsites in tight areas are going to have room to put the debris in a pile for you to come by to load with a grapple any cheaper or easier than just having a dumpster sitting there. That's a 30 yard box on the hook lift, a ~65 yard on the grapple truck.
Find an old self loader.
Just a few different truck setups from around the world. Grimaldi Cab crane & hook bin set up on Scania truck. 8x4 with rear axle lift Scania tandem drive with rear disengageable axle and lift There are rear steer (no drive truck axles) medium truck Skip Bin Australia - shows the gantry's forward fold and rear fold. (plastic net over bin material) Bagsters/ bag skips (some places use large bags as skips that can be lifted on a truck.) https://mobileskips.com.au/ourskips (probably need a secure area & trailer security devices to use the light trailer skips)
I've seen self loading log trucks that have been repurposed into scrap and debris haulers a few times around here. I can think of one around Campbell River that was a tridem self loader that had the log bunk replaced with a roll-off bed for hauling scrap metal and it's been around for a long time. I'd consider going that route before buying a new setup as it seems to have worked out great for them. This isn't the exact truck but from the same company and same idea minus the roll-off bed.
that Prentice lightning loader is pretty good, but, its light/medium duty, made for city work cleaning up limbs/brush/yard waste. (also does garbage, furniture, and roadkill) will handle decent sized logs, , approximately 26 cubic yard box, barn door tailgate, manually opened, it all depends on what you plan on picking up regularly, and how far you need to travel for jobs and to dump (the ones we're using here in Florida have 50 gallon fuel tanks, and get about 200 mile range)