I know it is stupid or crazy or whatever. I am just looking for some ideas. I know this is not ideal but for now it is the way it has to be. I have a 2wd Chevy Colorado. 4cyl. I have been using it for a few months for my small tree co. It is just me mostly with a helper sometimes. I chip into it. I put what I could describe as a 1/2 chip box in it with a load handler on the tailgate. I have done as much as 2 1/2 yards of crabapple chips into it. It takes a bit of effort but I can unload those chips in about 2 minutes. So for a solo op it works OK.
Here is the situation. It struggles a bit but it gets the job done. I have loaded it with chips like I described above and towed my BC625 and Alpine Magnum stumpgrinder home. It is slow but ok. I have airbags on it to help with the sag. What I am looking for is ideas on how to make it a bit more professional looking so people don't doubt my ability to get the job done. I know it sounds silly, but people are sometimes reluctant to give me the job because they see my set up and it looks a little too much like the dreaded "guy with a pick-up and a chainsaw". My reasons for keeping this set-up for now is that it is my DD and is economical. I am only doing trees 2.5 days per week and don't take on large jobs. I have insurance and skills but want to stay small. My wife couldn't stomach a big truck payment nor do i think it is necessary.
Usually i think it best to buy the right tool for the job and that modifications are kind of a waste of money but in this case, it works for me now and i just want a decent looking rig and maybe a bit more ooooomph to roll it down the road. Waht do you think about a flat bed/ chip box out of aluminum for weight reduction and lower gears in the axle? I can do most of the fab/mod work myself. I thought about buying a cheap HD truck/dump truck whatever but I don't want to pay 2 insurances plus deal with the maintenance and repair of a cheap truck. I am short on time and need my truck to be ready to go all the time.
I know this is long winded but any ideas or input from people who have done this?
Here is the situation. It struggles a bit but it gets the job done. I have loaded it with chips like I described above and towed my BC625 and Alpine Magnum stumpgrinder home. It is slow but ok. I have airbags on it to help with the sag. What I am looking for is ideas on how to make it a bit more professional looking so people don't doubt my ability to get the job done. I know it sounds silly, but people are sometimes reluctant to give me the job because they see my set up and it looks a little too much like the dreaded "guy with a pick-up and a chainsaw". My reasons for keeping this set-up for now is that it is my DD and is economical. I am only doing trees 2.5 days per week and don't take on large jobs. I have insurance and skills but want to stay small. My wife couldn't stomach a big truck payment nor do i think it is necessary.
Usually i think it best to buy the right tool for the job and that modifications are kind of a waste of money but in this case, it works for me now and i just want a decent looking rig and maybe a bit more ooooomph to roll it down the road. Waht do you think about a flat bed/ chip box out of aluminum for weight reduction and lower gears in the axle? I can do most of the fab/mod work myself. I thought about buying a cheap HD truck/dump truck whatever but I don't want to pay 2 insurances plus deal with the maintenance and repair of a cheap truck. I am short on time and need my truck to be ready to go all the time.
I know this is long winded but any ideas or input from people who have done this?
