chip truck capacity?

[treeman82]

I just purchased a 1990 F350 rack body dump. It's an auto, with a gasser and only 2WD. The body is either 10 or 12 foot long. I need to have a hitch put on it, and the electric hook-up... but my question is... the sides and rear have to be re-built. What should I expect as far as chip capacity goes? How high should I go with the sides? I'm gonna see about adding a set of helper springs... but of course the ability to stop is always an issue. What words of advice do you guys have? One of my neighbors is a carpenter... so I am gonna have him help me to get it set up. Any input on this will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dadatwins]

5'-6' high is about the highest I think you should go on a chip box on that type truck. Higher than that you will start getting top heavy and add a lot of wind throw to the truck. I had a chevy 3500 series 12'x 6' high bed that I added springs to and it would hold all the chips I could pack in it. As for stopping and capacity it also depends on how big a chipper you plan on towing. If the chipper has brakes it will help the truck. good luck

 

[Husky137]

5 feet high. Taller than that and you have handling issues like dada describes. On a 10 foot bed you should be able to pack in 14 yards of chips. A 12 ft. bed would be over 16 yards.

 

[neighborstree]

go onto treetrader.com in the attachments section they have used asplundh bodies for 1000 bucks, it will outlast any plywood or wooden chip box. and they hold 11 yards.

 

[redprospector]

go onto treetrader.com in the attachments section they have used asplundh bodies for 1000 bucks, it will outlast any plywood or wooden chip box. and they hold 11 yards.

That sounds like a deal!
If you're going to build one, forget the plywood. I made one a few years ago using light weight 1 1/2" square tubing, and R panel (metal roofing). It worked well, and looked.........ok.

Andy

 

[Dadatwins]

Those old asplundh bodies are good, but check to make sure the chassis will carry the load and the electric dump will lift it. Also agree no plywood, waste of $$$. Made mine out of pressure treated 2 x 8 and carraige bolts from the inside, nuts on the outside. You know you will be carring wood in the truck at some time and the plywood will not hold up. Plywood on the top works well, just use screws to hold it down, no nails.

 

[John464]

Those old asplundh bodies are good, but check to make sure the chassis will carry the load and the electric dump will lift it. .

not only should it support the weight. it should also have a wheelbase for a 11ft body. Say you have a truck set up for a 9ft dump. The wheel base is too short for putting the Asplundh(Southco) 11ft body and your load has too much weight behind the rear axles you will wheel get front end lift/hop when loaded. Possibly preventing you from turning correctly and there goes your chip truck straight off the side of the road.

 

[DDM]

My F-600 has a 12' X 5.5' X 5.5' Bed "5.5' wide because of storage on both sides" When full of green pine chips the load weighs 6K. We weighed it at the land fill a couple of times.

 

[treeman82]

I'll go 5 or maybe 4.5 and see what happens.

 

[Pacific]

A regular 1 ton has a payload capacity max 5000lbs and thats pushing your luck. With a chip box I would say your capacity will be no more than 4000lbs.

A 1 ton has no braking power you get them loaded up they can't stop. I have had regular 1 tons you can beef the springs up to carry a good load but not much you can do to the brakes to stop that load.

I would personally go with a F-450 then you got 4 wheeldisk brakes even the older "F-Superduty" trucks which are the F-450s with 16 inch wheels have far far better braking capacity than a F-350.