Thinking of buying a grain truck to haul/deliver firewood

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The truck box with your measurements will hold about 7 cords of wood. Figure that being around 35,000lbs depending on the species and how seasoned it is.
It would be sitting pretty heavy for a 3 axle truck, I would look into local laws for axle weights and bridge laws.

If your maxed out at 22k load, you'd be at around 5.5 cords.


If "10 cords" you mean 10 face cords, or ~3.3 cords, it would be crazy to run a truck that size. May as well just buy an F450 or 550 and pay much less for registration, insurance, fuel, tires, etc.
Im not sure I just don't see 10 cords of wood being that much seeing that I haul 5 cords in each load, I can put 6 face cords in my dump trailers if I went to the top of the mesh.
 
If you can legally run the truck with about 22,000lbs of wood that would be around 5.5 cords, or 16.5 face cords. Or more if the wood is seasoned. I'm figuring roughly 5000 lbs a cord.

You mentioned only loading 10 face cords, that's why I said it was alot of truck for a small load.
 
What is the price difference from Straight truck to a comparable dump trailer?

I have kept an eye out for a straight truck too, but I have no CDL, then license and insurance is added cost. Plus not messing with the blue jackets. So, I think I am going to go the dump trailer route, got a line on a 8'x20' box with 5' side walls. It has tandem duals for $7500, so it is heavy duty.
 
I have kept an eye out for a straight truck too, but I have no CDL, then license and insurance is added cost. Plus not messing with the blue jackets.QUOTE]
theres a few ways around that..........................
 
Commercial plates for my GMC 5500 are just shy of $500. PL/PD is $850. a year. It has a 3126 (?) Cat. and estimated 6 miles a gallon. A truck for delivery is pretty much a necessity to sell firewood in my area. It is also a considerable expense to have a truck for only that purpose.
 
My truck hauls two 128cf full cords of wood. convert that to the rank/rick/face whatever terms you guys are using over there, and it could haul 5 easily, and probably 6 if it was stacked... When I bought the thing it had metal sides and was reputed to be capable of 85 bushels of grain. I looked that up, and asked if putting 5 tons on a 2 ton truck was really possible. The answer was it's possible, but pushing things a bit....

I have had 4 tons of green blocks on this truck, and it handled it fairly well. Getting it moving wasn't the problem. Stopping was.

I can't see any practical use for a twin screw grain truck to haul wood.

Stick with the 1.5 to 2 ton trucks. Much easier to drive, mileage is better (I get about 9) insurance and plates are workable.
 
In most states a tandem dual trailer requires a CDL. Easier to fly under the radar though.


What is the price difference from Straight truck to a comparable dump trailer?

I have kept an eye out for a straight truck too, but I have no CDL, then license and insurance is added cost. Plus not messing with the blue jackets. So, I think I am going to go the dump trailer route, got a line on a 8'x20' box with 5' side walls. It has tandem duals for $7500, so it is heavy duty.
 
Commercial plates for my GMC 5500 are just shy of $500. PL/PD is $850. a year. It has a 3126 (?) Cat. and estimated 6 miles a gallon. A truck for delivery is pretty much a necessity to sell firewood in my area. It is also a considerable expense to have a truck for only that purpose.
I'm paying $1,600 a year for commercial plates for a pickup truck, gmc 2500hd
The plates are half the cost of insurance for my whole business
 
My truck hauls two 128cf full cords of wood. convert that to the rank/rick/face whatever terms you guys are using over there, and it could haul 5 easily, and probably 6 if it was stacked... When I bought the thing it had metal sides and was reputed to be capable of 85 bushels of grain. I looked that up, and asked if putting 5 tons on a 2 ton truck was really possible. The answer was it's possible, but pushing things a bit....

I have had 4 tons of green blocks on this truck, and it handled it fairly well. Getting it moving wasn't the problem. Stopping was.
If you have a 1.5 or 2 ton it will handle 8 tons all day long . I have a f 600 and have hauled 11 tons on it before but thats not smart. I all so have a 1961 f600 it was a one owner they told me when they hauled gravel with it they hauled 10tons on it. I dont drive my f600 very fast but it will stop just as good as a pickup. My truck is old so i wanted it safe i have replaced the wheel stud, brake shoes,wheel cylinders, brake lines and mastercylinder.
 

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