Need help from truck guys

[mikester]

I'm kinda surprised they put that tall of a bed on that truck.
Seems like if you filled it with anything heavy, (dirt, gravel) you would be near or over capacity. Maybe the truck is a lot heavier duty than it looks.

Maybe the previous owner hauled wood chips or grain.

If the OP buys a bigger tractor he will need a bigger truck.

 

[BAP]

My last truck had drop sides. Loved them. I was looking for a similar set up but things are pretty scarce these days. I may talk to a local weld shop when the time comes or, perhaps I can get in touch with the company that made the body. They aren't that far from me.

Maybe you can make a deal with the body manufacturer to trade that body for one that fits your needs. Might be cheaper than modifying the body.

 

[SteveBX23]

I've noticed salt trucks with similar beds on them, so perhaps that's what it was utilized for?

 

[dirtydeed]

I've noticed salt trucks with similar beds on them, so perhaps that's what it was utilized for?

I think the guy had a construction business. Not sure why he got what looks to be like a grain body dump. There is some evidence of mulch dust in it. It certainly wasn't used hard at all and no evidence that it was a salter. Despite having a "plow prep package" there was never a plow connected to the truck (odd for a used 4x4).

I was just thrilled with the L Pack boxes. I really wanted those for landscaping tools/supplies. Loading up that stuff for a job is a real pain. My last truck was a crew cab which I removed the rear seat to install rack for shovels etc, and used the floor space for landscape tool boxes and supplies.

I think I could store a bunch of "day workers" in there.

 

[dirtydeed]

Spoke with the fabricators that built the box. Very nice people by the way. They gave me a couple of options for cutting both sides down and finishing the rails for roughly $800-$1200. Converting both sides to a drop side at roughly $2-2.5K. At least I have a feel now for what I may need if portable ramps don't work.

Just for kicks, I asked what the body and boxes would go for now. He told me around $24K
Makes feel much better about paying what I did for the truck. Yikes!

 

[mikester]

Spoke with the fabricators that built the box. Very nice people by the way. They gave me a couple of options for cutting both sides down and finishing the rails for roughly $800-$1200. Converting both sides to a drop side at roughly $2-2.5K. At least I have a feel now for what I may need if portable ramps don't work.

Just for kicks, I asked what the body and boxes would go for now. He told me around $24K
Makes feel much better about paying what I did for the truck. Yikes!

I've seen some guys use boxes with sides that fold in half instead of full drop sides. To me that seemed like a good option, tall sides for holding bulk fluff and short sides to make ground access easier with smaller equipment.

Personally I like the idea of a hook lift truck. You can use it as a dump truck or put the bin on the ground for loading heavy stuff.

 

[ACDII]

What I think you need to do is run the truck over a scale when empty and see how much available payload it has. That can help determine if you go with drop sides or fold down sides. It also depends on what you plan to dump in the bed. If gravel or dirt, you don't want too much room because you can easily go over payload. Also remember that it is a commercial truck, not a passenger truck, and you are held to more stringent standards and scrutiny, weight being one of them.

 

[dirtydeed]

I finally got around to testing the lift height of the B2650. Looks like I just made made it. Not real efficient, but I can just clear the sides and dump the bucket slightly.

I wound up taking the loader stand legs off and I think it helped some...in addition to getting rid of the rattle noise they make.

Maybe someone with a B2650SU or LX2610SU with R-4's could measure the height of their front and rear wheels for me? When it comes to replace mine, perhaps the SU version oversized tires would suffice?

 

[Daren Todd]

I finally got around to testing the lift height of the B2650. Looks like I just made made it. Not real efficient, but I can just clear the sides and dump the bucket slightly.

View attachment 73857

I wound up taking the loader stand legs off and I think it helped some...in addition to getting rid of the rattle noise they make.

View attachment 73856

Maybe someone with a B2650SU or LX2610SU with R-4's could measure the height of their front and rear wheels for me? When it comes to replace mine, perhaps the SU version oversized tires would suffice?

Park the truck down hill and load from the uphill side

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Sorry I'm going to suggest as others have, get a bigger tractor, or even better yet a skid steed or track loader!

 

[dirtydeed]

Sorry I'm going to suggest as others have, get a bigger tractor, or even better yet a skid steed or track loader!

Good to see you NIW. Tough to do finish work with a tracked SVL. Besides, that truck wouldn't want to pull one either.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

You may want to consider wood or rubber bumpers on those side rails.
Looks like you could reduce your rear tire pressure and increase your 3pt ballast.
The larger tires may help or hurt. The rears will be proportionately larger than the fronts, causing a little nose-down pitch. But you'd gain a little height, so which is more? After you know the new sizes, you could block under your current tires to see if you gain, lose or draw.

 

[ridgerunner85]

You could check to see if there is anyone that makes high lift buckets for compact tractors.

 

[NHSleddog]

Ramps (single/dual/metal/dirt etc.) are sketchy and variable.

Based on the design, I would cut down the side front to back and cap it, then put a sideboard pocket on each end and run a couple side boards.

Any real heavy loads should be well under the boards and any brush freighted type loads should work well with them.

It would be the fastest and most cost effective as well.