Convert old pickup or buy dump trailer? (long)

[Mosey]

My 89 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup is getting a lot of miles (190k) and needs a few items (steering column, front end is getting loose, brakes are getting worn) if I'm going to keep it. It's drivable and safe, but will require a few hundred dollars to make it last much longer, and even more to keep it as a daily driver. I'm not crazy about the idea of putting a lot of money into it since it's getting old and has a lot of miles and is rusted through in a few places. The engine (350) runs great and the trans and rear end are still going strong. The rust hasn't affected the box, so the box is solid.

I'm getting to where what I really need is a dump box. So, option 1 is to keep the old 89 Chevy and buy a dump bed conversion kit like this one, which costs about $1000 by the time I pay tax and/or shipping. I don't need to haul real heavy loads, but would like something that I can load with my FEL and NOT have to unload by HAND! I would be hauling dirt about 300 yards, junk (including old broken concrete blocks and bricks) to the dump, and getting gravel, sand, stone, etc. I would no longer use it for my daily driver, but would still keep it licensed. All of these things would be within a 20 mile drive one way.

Option 2 is to sell the pickup and put the money toward a dump trailer like this one. This would cost about $3400 after taxes. Since the pickup has so many miles, I'm not going to get much for it if I sell it, probably be lucky to get $2500 (the AC, cruise, cassette/radio, etc all still work great).

Cost wise, the 2 options work out about the same. Put a little over $1000 into the pickup, or sell the pickup and take the money from it plus little over $1000 to buy the trailer. What I'm asking of you all is to help me list out the pro's and con's of a 1/2 ton pickup with a dump bed conversion vs a dump trailer. Here's my list so far:

1/2 ton pickup with dump bed conversion:
+ easy to maneuver
+ easy to park if I drive it to work the day I'm picking up gravel etc.
- 1/2 ton capacity (actually will hold 3/4 ton)

dump trailer
+ much higher capacity
+ could use to haul CUT
- need a tow vehicle (which I have)
- harder to maneuver

 

[hazmat]

As a fellow 1/2 ton pickup owner, I know you'll be dissapointed with your lack of carrying capacity.

I've hauled a load of gravel in an '85 F150. not a fun experience, the bed wasn't even full, but the scales said I had 3,000# of gravel. It was one hurting vehicle - luckily only a 5 mile drive, I kept it slow as the braking & turning weren't what they should be.

FYI sand weighs about 2 TONS per cubic yard.

I still have a 1/2 ton truck (01 F150), but I gladly pay the $25 +/- to have stuff (mulch, top soil etc) delivered. I don't have to unload it, and I don't have to drive an unsafe vehicle.

My vote is for the trailer.

 

[GerardC]

Get the trailer. I think you'll get more use out of it. G

 

[Henro]

My gut says trailer too.

One less vehicle to insure (I'm guessing trailer insurance may be much less or not required)

One less vehicle to maintain ( I'm guessing trailer maintenance would be simpler/cheaper than the old truck).

 

[bgott]

Trailer. If you don't use the trailer for six months you don't have to worry about the gas going bad, you don't have to worry about the water pump springing a leak or rats eating the wiring. Plus, if you keep the old truck sitting around you'll have every redneck in the county banging on the door asking if you want to sell it for $50.

 

[wing126]

I would vote for the dump trailer also. I installed a dump convertion kit last week on my 92 GMC 3/4 ton plow truck. I have installed these before on other friends trucks, so I knew what I was in for. First off, the hinge system that comes with the kit is weak at best. I made my own hinges out off 3/8" plate and made a sub frame under the truck bed out of 2x2x1/4" thick angle iron all welded together. The sub frame I made makes the truck bed nice and ridgid.
The kit also wants you to install the hydraulic pump under the truck bed on the frame rail. I live in northern Michigan where the temps are -20 at times and with all the snow,salt and slush from the roads, the pump wouldn't have lasted very long under there. I made a bracket and mounted it under the hood.
Some things to remember about mounting a kit. You need equipment and some friends to lift the bed on and off the truck. A welder if you want to modify the bed to make it stronger. You also have to relocate the gas filler neck to the wheel well, or raise the bed to fill up the truck.
The camera is still out in the pole barn. I'll bring it in and post some photos of the job tomorrow.

 

[Joe1]

Do you think you can 10 or 15 or more years out of your Chevy like you can with the trailer?

A trailer will carry twice the load and as suggested above, can sit for months without a problem. The kit and reinforcing will reduce the payload by at least 200 lbs.

Hopefully you already have a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup or van to pull the trailer and have the room to maneuvet it around on your property. If it's yes to these things, you would probably be better with the trailer.

Another option would be to buy an old dump truck, but that will be a lot older than an 89 and cost a lot to run and maintain. Any chance of finding a used dump trailer? The trailer will hold it's value, will have all new components if its new and there are no DMV and insurance issues.

 

[polecat]

Would u like to sell the truck???????? I'll give u $50 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Go for the trailer /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Mosey]

Wow, a unanimous vote! This is the first time I've posted here and had that happen. Thanks for the feedback, you all made some good points. I've had 1750lbs in the 1/2 ton pickup and it was spooky to drive, so I know what Hazmat means. I've heard others say that the dump conversion kits need additional bracing, etc.

Joe1 - "Hopefully you already have a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup or van to pull the trailer and have the room to maneuver it around on your property."

I do have the room, but I'm curious why you specify a 3/4 or 1 ton and not a 1/2 ton tow vehicle? I have a newer (1999) Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 that I was planning to tow the trailer (why I have 2 pickups is a long story involving needing a spare vehicle while I did some work on the "family-mobile" AKA Suburban).

For those of you that have used these type of trailers, do I have to worry about it lifting the rear end of an empty pickup when I dump a heavy load off the trailer?

 

[OkeeDon]

<font color="blue"> but I'm curious why you specify a 3/4 or 1 ton </font>

My 6' x 12' dump trailer is rated to carry 12,000 pounds. If you want to fill it with something like sand or gravel or fill dirt, you need a vehicle that can pull that kind of weight. Right now, I'm mostly hauling construction debris/trash from a remodeling project, and my V6 Dakota can handle that (although I've gone a mite past the recommended limits /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif), but when I start hauling shell rock, I'm going to need a heavy duty tow vehicle. If you never haul anything like that, your half ton will be fine.

As to whether it will lift the back of an empty truck, so far, mine hasn't, but I haven't had a 6 ton load in there, yet. But, I don't expect it to be tippy. It's kinda hard to explain, but even when you're lifting a load to dump, it stays pretty well distributed because it's being carried equally by the hinges and the ram, which is still up front. When it gets close to 45 degrees, it all comes down in a whoosh. I haven't noticed the trailer even flinching a little, let alone raise the truck.

By the way, there are different types of doors on the back. When I first got mine, I was kind of disappointed that it had a single barn door that swings around and gets hooked to the side before I dumped. I thought I'd rather have the traditional top-hinged, bottom opening dump door instead. But, after dumping a load of brush that was higher than my door, I'm really glad I have the barn door -- it's out of the way for high loads. The traditional dump door would have had to be removed.