Chevy 3500 for chip truck?

[originalhooker]

Does anyone have experience with a 1 ton chevy, 12' dump, 6.0L v-8 gas?
pros vs cons? Stick, 6spd auto or 4spd auto?
Will this hold up to daily use, 4800# chipper, dump trailer? We are easy on our equipment. Our terrain is flat, average 50 miles a day, be used mainly as a chip truck.
I've always run 2 ton class trucks, but it seems about 60% of the time they are overkill as they have 18' - 24' dump beds.
Just trying to get some experienced advise as we blew a engine
86' f600 (370) and need to either get re-build or thinkin about a new2007, 3500 1ton.
Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, R

 

[treeman82]

I think your main problem with that truck (besides mileage) would be weight. Have you considered going with a 4500 or a 550? Might be a good compromise? That being said, I'd suggest going with a stick if you're set on the 3500.

 

[Husky137]

12 foot dump is going to be too much weight when loaded with chips. You are looking at 5 tons of chips if your chip box is 5 feet tall. No way you are going to pull that off with a gasser and then try and tow a chipper. I'd go diesel and a 9 foot platform dump. You can load 10 yards of chips and have the balls to tow the chipper at the same time. Your mileage will be a he!! of a lot better with the diesel as well.

 

[2FatGuys]

+1 for what Husky said. 12' dump and 1 ton don't mix well.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

Does anyone have experience with a 1 ton chevy, 12' dump, 6.0L v-8 gas?
pros vs cons? Stick, 6spd auto or 4spd auto?
Will this hold up to daily use, 4800# chipper, dump trailer? We are easy on our equipment. Our terrain is flat, average 50 miles a day, be used mainly as a chip truck.
I've always run 2 ton class trucks, but it seems about 60% of the time they are overkill as they have 18' - 24' dump beds.
Just trying to get some experienced advise as we blew a engine
86' f600 (370) and need to either get re-build or thinkin about a new2007, 3500 1ton.
Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, R

I have a F-450 w/ 7.3L Diesel, 9 foot bed, Built up as high as the cab. Holds about 10 +/- yards of chips. With my chipper which weighs 4,600lbs it does pretty well. That said I wouldn't go with a bigger chip box or smaller engine on a setup like mine. On a 350 you would be really pushing the weight limit and with a smaller non- diesel engine you would be hurting for power on hills. Chips weigh about 500 lbs a yard if that helps, Sometimes more sometimes less.....

 

[mckeetree]

Chevy H.D. or Ford F450 might cut it. Plain one ton is not enough truck for what you want.

 

[arbor pro]

I have a 1990 F350 with 12' dump. 7.3L Powerstroke, auto transmission.

I used it as a chip truck for 3 years and it worked well. I had a 5'x12'x7.5' box that I would fill to the brim and still tow my vermeer 1230a chipper. When fully loaded, it was heavy and I probably wouldn't recommend it for hilly areas or long trips but for local work in a local area that's relatively flat, it worked fine.

That said, would I have gone bigger with an F450 or C4500 if I had a chance? Yes. The 1-ton handled the job but it wasn't quite built for that heavy of a workout. I would say an 8' or 9' box on that size truck would be plenty big enough. 12' is a bit overloaded when full of chips. If you want a 12' box, buy a larger truck.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

F-600 Old beater w/ 16 ft. dump-bed will haul this easily ! 15 ft pine logs !

 

[mckeetree]

F-600 Old beater w/ 16 ft. dump-bed will haul this easily ! 15 ft pine logs !

I just love the deep south.

 

[groundsmgr]

A buddy of mine had a 1 ton chevey with a 12 foot bed. And I spent 2 days trying to heat true up and rebox the frame. then he blew the motor.

 

[originalhooker]

Hey guys, I appreciate the input.
Think I will go about this by installing a rebuilt with warranty on the F600 and see what the spring brings me as a smaller truck is still desired.
I needed to hear the experience of larger engine and lighter loading.
Those incentives Chevy and GMC are offering were VERY attractive, almost 11k off for a 2007 as a 2005 I had priced 21/2yrs ago!
They must be hurtin'.....

Thanks again, R

 

[woodchux]

I'm not sure about the standard 3500... But the 3500HD is rated at 15,000lbs. I've got a 7' x14' bed on mine. Ive got the 7.4 liter 454 engine. I believe that the truck empty weighs around 8300lbs. so that leaves you around 6700lbs cargo capacity.

 

[2FatGuys]

Woodchux - The 15,000# number on the 3500HD is a CGVWR - COMBINED Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, meaning truck and trailer. This varies with configuration to as much as 18,000#. The "available payload" on that truck varies, depending on seating / box size / 2 or 4 WD / suspension options / personell weight, but should be considered to be around 5,000# max INCLUDING driver / riders and all tools.

Warning: Check the weight of the chipper you plan to pull and you will find that there is VERY little "available payload" left for chips (if you plan to be safe and follow the law).

 

[lt1nut]

I'm a car guy, not a tree guy so for what it's worth: I have towed with a wheel-lift and a flatbed Ford Super Duty with the 7.3 and you KNEW when you had a 4000# car on it, more so with the flatbed. I LOVED my Top Kick with the Cat and five or six speed (been a few years, don't remember which trans)!!!

The Allison automatics are indestructible and are awesome to say the least.

Whatever you buy, watch you vehicle's weight ratings, insurance companies and law enforcement don't look to kindly on exceeding them.

 

[AllCape]

Well I recently went with the GMC 3500 which is essentially the same truck. I have a Wooden box, and pulling my Vermeer 1230 with a full load I'm just about at max. I'm also going through brake pads like crazy. So I definently would go with a 4500 or 5500 if you can.

 

[Adkpk]

This is a 5.7. I wouldn't feel too comfortable with a raised box and towing. As has been said something like the f450 would be better. Mine was for sale during the winter but I need for a while now.

The Chevy is a dream compared to the Ford. But the ford does more of a load. But then agian the ford is a 7.5.HD.