My truck isn't designed to haul wood.......

[STIHL-KID]

Just got back today from cutting firewood in the local forest. By the end of my wood gathering my truck was not liking me too much. My vehicle is a 1980's Chevy 1/2 ton 2wd one tire fire. After loading my truck with wood, my traction seemed to increase (only good thing about it). Maybe it's time for me to get that Dodge Cummins truck I've always wanted..........

 

[asb151]

As long as you still have some travel in the suspension you should be OK I load my Silverado up heavy all the time. Looks like you have got your money out of that truck. Maybe it is time for a new one.

 

[Rydaddy]

Diesel

I have been thinking the same thing. Right now I use a GMC Canyon and a 5'x10' trailer. With both full it is a lot to haul down the road...

 

[Stihl here]

You got to give those old custom deluxe chevys credit though!!! There are still quite a few on the roads these days. But I am a ford man!!!

 

[CaseyForrest]

I have been thinking the same thing. Right now I use a GMC Canyon and a 5'x10' trailer. With both full it is a lot to haul down the road...

Ive got a Colorado and 5x10 trailer. I feel your pain. Ive had #4000 behind the truck and no issues pulling it. Rear springs could be a little stiffer though.

 

[lovetheoutdoors]

i have a F150 and throw 3000 lbs in the back of it and it does fine, but would like to have a heavier truck of course.

 

[highsiera]

I love those "rounded line" gmc/chevys from 73 to 87, If it runs good and you just want to carry more, throw a set of 3/4 ton spings on it. You can order them from LMC truck or JC whitney, probably 250 a set. Torch off the old ones, shackle mounts should fit, A couple new u bolts and voila, you got a C-20. beats the heck out of plunking down 45k for a new hd2500.
btw: the big diesel and Allison trans package is an $8500 option, I think...

 

[STIHL-KID]

Yeah, my ol' red Chevy is powered by a 6.2 diesel. Pretty reliable, but lacks in power. I've been told a turbo from a 6.5 would help out slightly.........but it's easier to just save my money and wait until I can get the vehicle I really want. My wood cuttin' buddy drives a 1997 Dodge 1ton dually (Cummins of coarse). This thing does not seem to be affected by heavy firewood loads what so ever! Sometimes he uses the truck to drag logs down off roadsides by cables....... the truck easily pulls logs. Once the log is pulled into the ditch, we go to town and cut away. Well, that's usually how our firewood outings go.

 

[chainsaw1]

My wood truck

I need a trailer but this works for now. I did not have to go very far though.

 

[CUCV]

My first truck was a custom deluxe just like yours 2wd, diesel but commercial yellow color. That truck hauled unthinkable amounts of wood. I added the shocks with helper springs and it made all the difference. Today I am lucky enough to have a 2500hd diesel. There is this hill I always seem to hit on the highway with a full load of wood on the back of the old custom deluxe, I would speed into the hill over 65mph and be lucky to be at 40mph at the top. Now with the 2500hd the hill is almost fun. I also have an 84 and 86 chevy 1 ton diesels and I love them to death. If I never had to go on the highway I wouldn't have the 2500hd. There is just something special about that vintage of chevy pu.

 

[STIHL-KID]

Yeah, ol' red is a neat truck. I'm the third owner, first owner was a business (bread company). I guess it was used as a service truck. The guy I bought it from was a retired Post Office worker. The truck is showing 78,000 on the odometer. Maybe add a one to that??? Yep, maybe some overload springs would help my wood hauling strains on the truck.

 

[SRT-Tech]

my truck is a 1990 Mazda B2200, with 238,000 kms on it. I routinely haul a 1/2 cord of split firewood (stacked neatly) in the box. (4 rows of stacked wood, 3' high x 5' wide). Got a heavy duty steel workrack on it, with bolted in metal trays for the gas cans and oil cans, rope etc. The little 2.2L gas engine hauls that load just fine, althoguh i am goign to need to upgrade my rear springs soon. According to the decal on the door, my MAX payload over the axle is 1200LBS. They built this one in Japan, where it was classified and registered as a commercial truck. all in all this truck serves me well and i still get 400+ kms per 55 liter tank of gas in the city, over 550kms on the freeway.

i still want a big diesel 5 ton stakeside truck though.......something nostalgic like this:

:rockn:

 

[ciscoguy01]

Things you can do

Couple of things dude. You could get some heavy duty helper springs and try them out, like $25/pr, they'll add around 1000lbs to your load and if they aren't enough for now, it's not much lost at all. If you can weld, you can put some bumpers, i.e. steel bumpers between your axle and your frame that will stop your truck from sagging when you hit a certain point. Both methods work well. I use an old 91 Jeep with 180,000 miles on it to haul my wood in a 67 ford 3/4 ton box that has been modded to a trailer. I usually put between 1 and 1.5 face cord in it easy. I'd put more, but no real need to. The old Jeep has a 4.0 and has no problem pulling around 2 ton. Hope that gives you a couple ideas dude... Also, before you go spending a ton of money on other stuff, check out pricing for a used trailer to haul your wood in. That way you'll only be using your truck to pull it, not carry the weight...

 

[046]

just got a low mileage 97 dodge cummins turbo diesel 4x4, long bed. hauls a full load of wood like no sweat.

if you do end up getting one, look for a 12 valve model made from 93-early 98. it's pretty agreed on diesel truck forums that 12V are way more reliable than late model 24 valve CTD trucks. 97 CTD is considered the best model for 12 valves. loads of folks will sell off their new dodge diesel trucks to buy the older 12 valve models. low mileage 12 valve will sell for same price as much newer dodge diesels trucks.

avoid 98.5 to 2002 models. they had lift pump failures, which then would take out main diesel pump ($2,000)

for newer CTD trucks, 2003-2004 are the best. but 12v CTD get better mileage and just about impossible to kill.

Just got back today from cutting firewood in the local forest. By the end of my wood gathering my truck was not liking me too much. My vehicle is a 1980's Chevy 1/2 ton 2wd one tire fire. After loading my truck with wood, my traction seemed to increase (only good thing about it). Maybe it's time for me to get that Dodge Cummins truck I've always wanted..........

 

[WoodTick007]

Ive got a Colorado and 5x10 trailer. I feel your pain. Ive had #4000 behind the truck and no issues pulling it. Rear springs could be a little stiffer though.

You can add a set of "airbags" to work with your rear springs. When installed and set at full pressure the truck will sit "normal"....but you can reall load the hell out it it and it will not sag in the rear. I have a set on my F-250 and they are awesome. I can load the truck with wood even to the top of the cab and haul a 8' x 16' dual axle trailer with 30" sides FULL of wood without dragging a$$. Of course you should "not" exceed the GVW of the tow vehical. I bought mine from Arnott and they were $200 shipped....takes about 2 hours to install.

http://www.arnottairride.com/

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im looking into a set of Bags also as I sometimes load the truck to the point where the Groanometer goes off.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

...i still want a big diesel 5 ton stakeside truck though.......something nostalgic like this:

:rockn:

LOVE that cab!!

.

 

[turnkey4099]

I have run two 1/2 ton PU's into the ground hauling construction supplies and firewood, working on a 3rd.

62 1/2, 6 cyl 2x
?81? (memory fails) Ford f150 6cyl 2x

89 Ford f150 6 cyl 2x.

The issue of 'power' in a working truck is very overrated to my mind. That is what the gears are in that little box for. As long as the rig doesn't overheat - no problems. I can (and do) pull anything that my traction will move with no problem. So I slow down on the hills, big deal, might add a minute or two to the trip.

My normal load is green, heavy willow (weighs out about like cured oak). 4 ricks bed wide and 4ft + high. (racks go up just above the cab). I have scaled out loads that were pushing 2 ton hauling #1 RR ties and concrete block.

Of course my rigs did, and do, distinclty lack in the 'beat chest' macho respect. Driving rigs like that you have to get a thick skin and be used to being laughed at.

Harry K

 

[STIHL-KID]

The things people say about my truck...........

Yeah, ol' red is my daily driver to college. I really like how easy it is to work on and the availability of body parts (81-87) GMC/Chevy trucks. My friends who own mid-90's Dodge Cummins 12V trucks seem to always crack a joke or two about my rig. They never argue when we discuss who has their truck paid off and how much money they have put into it. Heck, my truck is still living in the 80's.......it has the original Delco AM/FM radio that I listen to tunes with. I realize this is not a truck forum, but to answer 046's response to Dodge Cummins trucks.......yep I agree totally about the 12V. I'm current going to school right now to be a diesel technician. The newer 24V Dodges seem to have problems, especially when a guy wants to start messing around and modifying engine/transmission stuff. What a really want is a first generation Dodge Cummins truck (89-92?) They are 12V equipped and reasonably priced. Finding the low mile, old man grandpa truck is my goal. Until then, I will beef up the Chevy's rear suspension.

 

[Freakingstang]

Im looking into a set of Bags also as I sometimes load the truck to the point where the Groanometer goes off.

Looks just like mine, only I got the police attracting red version....

The springs on the newer half tons are pathetic compared to the older versions. Yes, they might ride nice, but the hauling capacity is about nill.

I installed an extra leaf under the stock springs and then added aset of helpers to the topside. Makes a heck of a difference hauling my 16" car trailer or 16" wood trailer. I have since put a hard tonneua cover on it and the bed capacity is limited to the amount of saws I bring to the woods with me.. lol