Will dump truck, wood sided, haul dirt/gravel?

[texasjohn]

OK... so, on Craig's list is a dump truck with wood sides $2000.

I have access to a nearly unlimited, free, amount of dirt and gravel within .5 miles of my place. I just have to drive my tractor/FEL to it, load up and drive back to my place along little used county road. I need quite a bit of material... have numerous projects that I can use the material for... thus doing it one FEL bucket at a time is not a good idea. I need something that carries quite a bit and dumps it where needed, then I can spread it as needed later with my tractor/FEL/rear box blade.

I've considered a dump trailer.. benefits is there is no engine to keep running and if I got one 18 ft or longer I would also have a good way to transport tractor and equipment. Cost would be $5000 or more, best I've seen lately around here, used.

Would the dump truck on Craig's list do what I need? I know I can't load the bed full... clearly a no/no. I'm really asking if the wood sides would restrain sufficiently loads of dirt/gravel for my needs until I got my projects completed. Maybe 500 loads in all. Then, sell it again, assuming it is still running. I haven't seen the vehicle, but think the bed is metal.

What repairs/maintence items should I watch out for on an older piece of equipment such as this? I know that brakes are a big deal and the hydraulics should work without big leaks.

Any ideas/experience anyone may have had in using a wood sided dump truck for dirt/gravel would be appreciated.

And... if one of you guys buys it from under me....I'm gonna get ya

 

[Dmace]

As long as those posts on the sides of the wood are metal and go into the bed, I don't see any problem with loading it. I wouldn't load it anymore than half way or less just in case the dump can't lift it but that is a given.

Just for peace of mind, I would through some large straps or 2x4's across the top to stop it from spreading but you will be able to tell after the first time you load it.

Overall it sounds like a good deal, it would be a great deal if it was diesel.

 

[Birdhunter1]

It shoudl work ok but you might be better off to remove those sides and put some shorter stakes on the sides with maybe only 18"-20" tall sides to keep you from too grossly over loading it. Dirt can sometimes not want to slide on the wood floors in those old grain trucks so your best bet would be to keep most of your dirt pile that you are transporting close to and after the axle rather than right up against the cab. A huge wad of dirt up in the front of that bed sucks when you have the bed lifted up as high as it will go and and it won't budge.

Also will your loader reach over the side of that truck? Might be another good reason to shorten the sides.

 

[radman1]

We used to haul some sand and gravel in a truck with wood sides when I was younger. It was mainly used to haul grain. Our truck and bed was slightly smaller than that one but had similar dual rear axle. That truck will haul it with the wood sides. Usually, the amount of sand or gravel when centered in the box will probably not go more than 1' up the sides (probably less or not at all). That is why the sides will be ok. It is very easy to over load the axles on a box that big. (We did it all the time and it didn't seem like much material in the box compared to hauling grain.) On our wood boxes, we ran chains (swing set type chain with an eyebolt thru the side stake) across the box from side to side to keep the sides from bowing out. I would strongly recommend that. You can also use a piece of 2x4 with piece of 4"x4" iron fastened to the wood and hung over the top of the sides to give support. Either method will save a lot of stress on the sides, even when empty and traveling down the road. The lifts on those trucks are usually quite strong. Don't try dumping on a hillside. The wood boxes and lifts just cant take that kind of lateral stress.

 

[RobertN]

Should work. Go with shorter sides, out of 2x material(2x12 etc). Use metal stakes. don't go very high with the sides; gravel and dirt are heavy, and would way overload that truck at the height the boards are now. And, it would be easier access with the tractor.

 

[texasjohn]

OK... advice so far is:
short sides help in loading with FEL
supporting chains/brace across top
hydraulics likely clearly up to the task
easy to put in too much weight...don't do it.
metal posts/stakes for support..only metal stakes!
dump out end... not much side force right/left...flat ground best (can do)

I'm assuming that any comments regarding mechanical problems or durability of an International 1600 Loadstar are very difficult to make, not seeing the vehicle or hearing it run.

Thanks for the input.... am going to look at this evening.

 

[Builder]

OK... advice so far is:
short sides help in loading with FEL
supporting chains/brace across top
hydraulics likely clearly up to the task
easy to put in too much weight...don't do it.
metal posts/stakes for support..only metal stakes!
dump out end... not much side force right/left...flat ground best (can do)

I'm assuming that any comments regarding mechanical problems or durability of an International 1600 Loadstar are very difficult to make, not seeing the vehicle or hearing it run.

Thanks for the input.... am going to look at this evening.

I've owned some Loadstars in the past. Relics, but they are scary reliable. Very cheap to repair & run. The gas motors are about as torquey and diesel-like as you can get. Sometimes the brake pot booster (if it's hydraulic brakes) can go bad and they do rust, but the Loadstar is basically a rock solid old slow dependable truck.