Unloading pickup with tractor

[Lgim]

A couple years ago I had to move a bunch of grass clippings. I put a tarp in the back of the 1/2 ton and loaded the clippings on top. When it came time to unload I tied the tarp to the back bumper of the truck and a rope to the front of the tarp behind the cab, drove the front end loader up behind the 1/2 ton with the bucket over the load. I tied the rope and tarp to the bucket and then backed the tractor away from the truck. The tarp basically rolled the load out the back where it fell on the ground and I was left with a tarp tied to the bucket and the back bumper of the truck.

I don't know if this would work with mulch or not. The hard part would be getting a tarp strong enough to pull / lift / roll the weight. You could always reinforce it with nylon straps or something. I was thinking a 2x4 across the front of the box one at the back, and then tie 3 or 4 - 2 inch wide tow straps running the length of the box between the two 2x4s. Then put a cheap tarp over everything to keep everything inside.

You might want to take the tailgate off again depending on the weight involved , at the last second you will have almost the full load rolling over the tailgate. I thought about that as I was backing away but before I could stop and start calculating the load was on the ground. The grass didn't hurt anything but I have no idea how much weight I was dealing with, 8 ft box heaping with fresh cut grass clippings. 500-1000 lbs??

I guess if it didn't work you would have to unload by hand but you would only spend a few $ trying.

 

[Ken_CT]

Another vote for the Loadhandler. I've had mine for over three years and I am very satisfied with it. It works as advertised, even with Rhino Lining in the bed.

 

[dirt ditch]

Yep, LoadHandler 3000 gets my vote. Was skeptical when I bought mine, sounded way to easy and cheap. It woks quite well for the money.

 

[Botabill]

I put a piece of 2X10 at the front of the trailer. A chain is threaded through one side of the plank and back out the other side. It is laid back near the back of the trailer and the poop is dumped on it. I hook the FEL hook on the chain and drag the poop out. Doesn't work perfectly but sure beats hand unloading. Oh yes as you see in my signature I eventually got a dump trailer.

 

[wedge40]

I have a rhino bed lining in truck. I'm guessing that and a loadhandler don't mix?
I like the idea of making a \_/ shaped box and pulling it off the truck. To make it roll better you could always put some pipe underneath the box.

Wedge

 

[mjfox6]

I have a rhino bed lining in truck. I'm guessing that and a loadhandler don't mix?
I like the idea of making a \_/ shaped box and pulling it off the truck. To make it roll better you could always put some pipe underneath the box.

Wedge

You'll just have to buy their slip mat to go with it:
Loadhandler | Doubl-Mat Product Details

 

[sandman2234]

This is more of a question than an statement.
Since the O/P has a loader that is wider than the pickup, why not attach the forks, and put a two to three foot wide by two feet long piece of steel or other strong material between the forks. Put the forks in a downward position and ease up to the back of the cab. Lower forks with "pan" between them into the load and then back up. Seems it would pull the stuff of the truck and a couple of passes and you have most of it cleaned out. Would be a lot easier than a shovel, although I am sure a shovel would be required to clean out the corners and sides. Extreme care would be required to prevent the top of the loader bucket from hitting the back window of the cab and the forks might need to be secured via clamps or with a part of the "pan" attachment. This thing would probably look like the loader was sticking it's tongue out at everyone, if you know what I mean. Light duty only, as an extension to the cutting edge of a bucket would make it easy to bend the bucket.
Take this with a grain of salt, as I don't have a bucket, and the only FEL bucket I even "propose to own" is the one on Spiveymans loader!!
David from jax

 

[dfkrug]

I have a rhino bed lining in truck. I'm guessing that and a loadhandler don't mix?
I like the idea of making a \_/ shaped box and pulling it off the truck. To make it roll better you could always put some pipe underneath the box.

If you have that rough bed liner, you might try putting a couple of shovels
of dry sand down first, esp if you go the route of making a box. The sand
method may not work so well with the LoadHandler as the drag sheet would
conform to the roughness of the bedliner more than a piece of plywood would.

 

[awl51]

Hi, all - my first post.

Two thoughts:

Tarp 'n pallets

This seems like it would get a fair amount of the job done. Put a tarp down just prior to loading. Put in a fairly intact pallet or two. To unload, take out the pallet(s) and most of the material with the forks; then pull out the tarp that has the remainder.

Bagster

I first saw one of these at the local orange box store last month. Backgound: the "Bagster" is part of a disposable dumpster system. It consists of

a) a $25 very heavy-duty tarp sewn into a box shape, measuring 8' 2" x 4' 2" x 2' 6", containing reinforced lifting straps, and all capable of supporting **3300 lbs** when lifted into the air; and

b) a pickup service that comes to your property and hoists any number of Bagsters onto a disposal truck for $125 each.
Well, I could care less about (b), but the Bagster itself seemed very rugged for the price and just about exactly fit my pickup (and gives me higher sides, to boot).

Anyway, I like to get my load of bark mulch out near the shrubs when the ground is still frozen, if possible. Last week I went down to the bark mulch guy with the Bagster in place; filled the pickup; drove out onto the lawn and lowered the tailgate; ran a rope from a tree to the Bagster handles; and drove off in 4WD. Result: mulch is neatly on the ground, contained in the Bagster, and my pickup bed is completely clean. You might be able to come up with a similar method.

The bonus is, once the bark mulch is removed, I will have the world's cheapest swimming pool this summer.