Firewood Truck Be Gone

[PLMCRZY]

Why would you even think a gasser? Diesel is going to be cheaper in the long run. Get a clean 2nd gen dodge with the cummins. Simple to work on, reliable and plenty of grunt. Although im partial to the 2nd gens. That tundra isnt going to like the weight it may pull it but something will give.......eventually.

 

[CentaurG2]

I think you are looking at a DOT nightmare with a 2 ton dump trailer. If you want to haul and dump two cords at a wack, you probably should step up to medium duty truck. Slickest setup I have seen for firewood processing and delivery are the dumpster trucks with multiple dumpsters. Process into one and you can load another or deliver. Costly set up.

 

[Knuckles]

This illustrates an interesting point, the 16' gooseneck dump trailer weighs over 6000 lbs empty. Add that and 9000 lbs for 2 cords of firewood and you are way over my trucks towing capacity. Maybe I sold the big truck prematurely..............

I think you mean 3,000 and 9,000lbs gross. 2 cords cut and split isn't anywhere close to 9k.

These new generation 1/2 tons are tow rated higher than 3/4's were only 20yrs ago. They can handle a dump trailer with 2 cords day in and day out with nary a sweat. Yeah you'll burn gas, but you won't hurt it.

 

[thomas72]

I think you mean 3,000 and 9,000lbs gross. 2 cords cut and split isn't anywhere close to 9k.

These new generation 1/2 tons are tow rated higher than 3/4's were only 20yrs ago. They can handle a dump trailer with 2 cords day in and day out with nary a sweat. Yeah you'll burn gas, but you won't hurt it.

The problem is you might be able to pull the load and not have the weight or braking power to stop it. A 1 ton or 1.5 ton with a five speed is what you want.

 

[PLMCRZY]

The problem is you might be able to pull the load and not have the weight or braking power to stop it. A 1 ton or 1.5 ton with a five speed is what you want.

Yep, standard transmission is nice. I think fords are the only ones that downshift in autos. Dodges i know dont which sucks, im not sure about Chebbys.

 

[Justsaws]

MM, Rocks Trailer Sales has a nice site for browsing trailers. Located in Columbus Ohio but the website was helpful for looking at different options.

At top of the page, click on dump.

 

[Knuckles]

The problem is you might be able to pull the load and not have the weight or braking power to stop it. A 1 ton or 1.5 ton with a five speed is what you want.

1 or 1.5 ton????? He's looking to haul some firewood not take the whole forest with him. LOL

Yep, standard transmission is nice. I think fords are the only ones that downshift in autos. Dodges i know dont which sucks, im not sure about Chebbys.

Stick shift is so 1970's big rig. The new HD autos from Ford and Chevy is where it's at these days. They can handle heavy loads and have excellent road manners too.






Don't take me too seriously guys. Just funin' with y'all.

 

[mdavlee]

Moss man the truck you've got will be fine. Its got a 454 right? I would go gooseneck for sure if you're wanting a big dump trailer. It will give you better handling, stability, and they follow better.

 

[PLMCRZY]

1 or 1.5 ton????? He's looking to haul some firewood not take the whole forest with him. LOL



Stick shift is so 1970's big rig. The new HD autos from Ford and Chevy is where it's at these days. They can handle heavy loads and have excellent road manners too.






Don't take me too seriously guys. Just funin' with y'all.

Eh id rather have a stick, more control. Unless your racin' diesels, i will take my built auto any day!

 

[Locust Cutter]

Eh id rather have a stick, more control. Unless your racin' diesels, i will take my built auto any day!

Screw it,... Just buy a KW or an old Screamin' Jimmy day cab and call it good! LMAO. Seriously man auto or stick you'll be fine either way. 1/2 ton past about '03, or whatever .75-1ton you prefer,... There are some gas engines I'd stay away from due to main't concerns, but you can beat Toyota and Nissan, beyond that, if I was looking for a used decent condition hauler, I'd look for a Chebby 454 (or if newer than either 6.0l/ or 8.1l engines), FORD - 460, Dodge - Old 318 or 360, or V-10,... Hemi will work, but not as well IMO. Otherwise get a diesel and laugh (or cry if you get a 6.0 Powerstroke like me and have to do everything right off the bat,...) all the way to the bank. Good Luck!

 

[PLMCRZY]

Screw it,... Just buy a KW or an old Screamin' Jimmy day cab and call it good! LMAO. Seriously man auto or stick you'll be fine either way. 1/2 ton past about '03, or whatever .75-1ton you prefer,... There are some gas engines I'd stay away from due to main't concerns, but you can beat Toyota and Nissan, beyond that, if I was looking for a used decent condition hauler, I'd look for a Chebby 454 (or if newer than either 6.0l/ or 8.1l engines), FORD - 460, Dodge - Old 318 or 360, or V-10,... Hemi will work, but not as well IMO. Otherwise get a diesel and laugh (or cry if you get a 6.0 Powerstroke like me and have to do everything right off the bat,...) all the way to the bank. Good Luck!

2nd gen Dodge 5 speed with the cummins. Can find them pretty cheap nowadays.

 

[GeeVee]

I suggest a 6x12 12k gvw from triple crown. Just pocket in some greedy boards and be done with it.

 

[Locust Cutter]

2nd gen Dodge 5 speed with the cummins. Can find them pretty cheap nowadays.

+1 Probably the best recently made (now affordable) work truck ever,...

 

[Moss Man]

I think you mean 3,000 and 9,000lbs gross. 2 cords cut and split isn't anywhere close to 9k.

These new generation 1/2 tons are tow rated higher than 3/4's were only 20yrs ago. They can handle a dump trailer with 2 cords day in and day out with nary a sweat. Yeah you'll burn gas, but you won't hurt it.

I buy tree length firewood by the ton, so I have a finger on the pulse of what green wood weighs. A cord of green quality hardwood weighs 4900 lbs on average, so two green cords could exceed 9000 lbs by itself.

I was reading the tow rating chart on my truck last night and it's rated to tow 10,000 lbs. It is a 2005 Chevy 3500 4x4 single rear wheel Regular Cab long bed and a 6.0 gas V-8 with the auto transmission. 10000 lbs seems a little low for the truck, I wonder if having the gooseneck allows for any more capacity?

I really hate to step up to a larger truck just to haul wood, I believe the dump trailer is the route to take. The associated costs of the second vehicle are what I want to avoid. I hope to scale down the operation this year, I will probably be delivering 50-60 cords.

I have seen these two set-ups, one belongs to a member here;

 

[Moss Man]

I suggest a 6x12 12k gvw from triple crown. Just pocket in some greedy boards and be done with it.

6'x12' with 4' sides is 288 cubic feet, a cord and a half of loose thrown 16"-18" wood is 270 cubic feet.........you might be dead on with this size GeeVee. I could haul a cord and half in the trailer and if I absolutely needed to haul 2 cords per trip for some reason, I could toss a half cord in the bed of the truck on top of the easy unload tarp.

 

[Moss Man]

Why would you even think a gasser? Diesel is going to be cheaper in the long run. Get a clean 2nd gen dodge with the cummins. Simple to work on, reliable and plenty of grunt. Although im partial to the 2nd gens. That tundra isnt going to like the weight it may pull it but something will give.......eventually.

The truck I sold was a gasser and the one I have left is a gasser, I'd like to have a diesel but it hasn't been in the cards.......yet.

 

[mdavlee]

A friend of mine had a 05 2500 chevy with the 6.0 and 5 speed with 4.10 gears. We would haul 14 4.5x5 round bales on a gooseneck with it regularly. It did just fine for the most part. A diesel would get it up big hills faster and use a little less fuel but for the most part it did fine. I would imagine the loads of hay and trailer were around 15k pounds or so plus truck.

 

[little possum]

A friend of mine had a 05 2500 chevy with the 6.0 and 5 speed with 4.10 gears. We would haul 14 4.5x5 round bales on a gooseneck with it regularly. It did just fine for the most part. A diesel would get it up big hills faster and use a little less fuel but for the most part it did fine. I would imagine the loads of hay and trailer were around 15k pounds or so plus truck.

Yep. All the kids around here with daddys pocketbook running diesels, never have pulled anything over a lawnmower trailer. haha

They think you have to have a diesel, but when we were group camping with close to 50 people there were not any diesels going up Black Mountain or Winding Stair Gap. Then eventually the 6.2 and 6.5 chevys came out but they were not much better than a gas.

I think if you arent making long hauls the gasser will be fine. And the gooseneck helps distribute the load more evenly over the rear axle of the truck which helps keep it from squatting. Main thing is getting the loads right so your truck doesnt go swerving down the road and lose control

But you lose room for the wood in the bed with a gooseneck

 

[PLMCRZY]

Yep. All the kids around here with daddys pocketbook running diesels, never have pulled anything over a lawnmower trailer. haha

They think you have to have a diesel, but when we were group camping with close to 50 people there were not any diesels going up Black Mountain or Winding Stair Gap. Then eventually the 6.2 and 6.5 chevys came out but they were not much better than a gas.

I think if you arent making long hauls the gasser will be fine. And the gooseneck helps distribute the load more evenly over the rear axle of the truck which helps keep it from squatting. Main thing is getting the loads right so your truck doesnt go swerving down the road and lose control

But you lose room for the wood in the bed with a gooseneck

The only thing my diesel get used for now is haulin' azz. I hate towing with it, i like to baby it around as far as that goes. It has done its fair share of towing but i dont like to do it. Way more fun to have a 7k truck with 800ft torque and no load:silly:

But imo if your gonna tow anything with some weight get a diesel!

 

[mdavlee]

I've never babied any of the trucks I've owned. I've hauled 19 4.5x5' round bales at once on several of them. I always liked towing with them just to see how fast you can top a big hill/mountain. I was never into drag racing. I liked sled pulling a lot. I've pulled some of them on friday and saturday night and then took off on sunday for a 500 mile drive to work. The diesels are tougher and usually the truck around them is a little stronger than the gas counterparts.