Dump Truck recommendation

Joel/ak · Feb 16, 2023

Unfortunately too many other things wrong with it due to age and rust. Brakes are the main issue but the frame is getting sketchy. Don't trust it too much anymore with 5 ton rolling down the road. Bought it for 5k and we got our monies worth out of it.

I'll still use it but at the property only and just have bulk delivered and piled til things stop getting so stupid in price

Bushbunnie · Feb 21, 2023

I agree with Isaacs. I bought an old dept of highways 3 ton. That thing lasted me for 20 years. Built like a tank.

boatmoter · Feb 21, 2023

Komrade said:
I am starting to shop for a dump truck. You can usually find one not for much more than a dump trailer, and my Tacoma can't tow that much, and a dump truck is more manurable.
I need it to be able to haul my Kubota L3430 (about 7k lb with backhoe, plus trailer) and a load (gravel, dirt, wood chips)
I'd like one based on a 1 ton+ truck, bc my tractor can only lift 8 feet, and anything heavy like boulders I plan to
Anything you can recommend for 10k or less? old and ugly don't scare me much, but rusty and leaky is something I will avoid.

So far I seem to find that most 1 tons with dump bodies seem to have weaker/cheapest engines and may not be good to haul and tow.
4x4 also seems to be a rarity, but maybe less of a big deal on a dump truck, although in order to make out of my drive steep drive way typically helps.

Any tips appreciated.

in the late 80's I had a loader backhoe,a massy with loader & 3 point and a huff 65 articulated loader. I hauled the case 580 backhoe & massy at the same time on a 6 wheel trailer with my 8 yard single axle dump truck, was a 1972 GMC with a 351 ci. V6 and 5 speed with 2 speed rear end. a single axle dump truck would be a great choice to do what your wanting to do, if you are not using it to haul someone else's material or product,you do not need a special drivers license or special insurance on it. mine also hauled the 18,000 lb articulated loader with no problems,the old single axle dump trucks should still be pretty cheap to buy

Hay Dude · Feb 21, 2023

Im knee deep in a dump truck restoration.

aircommuter · Feb 21, 2023

I started with a 1950 Dodge flatbed dump truck. The flat bed made it more universal, short sideboards for quarry products, high sideboards for brush and other lightweight stuff. No sideboards for loading with a forklift. It was equipped with a with a six flat head, 5 speed transmission and two speed rear axle. I replaced the engine with a 383. It worked fine until I started doing bigger jobs and needed a heavier truck. Then I bought a retired fifth wheel tractor and a box, PTO unit and setup a bigger rig. It was a 1974 Ford LT9000, SQHD axles with Hendrickson walking beam suspension, 350 Cummins (14Liter) with Jakes and a 13 speed. My wife was my original driver and delivered my quarry products.

kenhar · Feb 21, 2023

A "real" dump truck is going to be too high off the ground to load and haul a tractor routinely. The tailgate opens from the bottom not the top. Ramps would need to be steel and 10' long minimum. Consider a retired grain/silage truck with a steel floor. Most of them have a dump system, flat bed 12' to 16' with removable side boards. Build you some side boards out of 2x12 lumber. Get a trailer to haul the tractor and pull with the truck. Forget the 1 ton.

jjeff · Feb 21, 2023

kenhar said:
A "real" dump truck is going to be too high off the ground to load and haul a tractor routinely. The tailgate opens from the bottom not the top. Ramps would need to be steel and 10' long minimum. Consider a retired grain/silage truck with a steel floor. Most of them have a dump system, flat bed 12' to 16' with removable side boards. Build you some side boards out of 2x12 lumber. Get a trailer to haul the tractor and pull with the truck. Forget the 1 ton.

You see old trucks used for grain pretty frequently around here with lower mileage, Imo they all need work like most smaller older trucks. The bigger and older the truck the more expensive and harder to find parts to repair plus most bigger trucks have air brakes which I believe you need an endorsement on lic to drive in most states even with a farm designation on operator lic.

andre3k · Feb 21, 2023

I went through this recently. Getting a single axle dump and going to school to get my CDL was cheaper than a new dump trailer. 35k GVWR so I can haul around 23k.
Best of all, it has a CAT motor.

nisaacs · Feb 22, 2023

This would be a good dump but the engine is too small. Going to be hard to sell w/5.9 Cummins.

bobtail dump truck 63k orig miles - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

Hay Dude · Feb 22, 2023

nisaacs said:
This would be a good dump but the engine is too small. Going to be hard to sell w/5.9 Cummins.

bobtail dump truck 63k orig miles - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

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Small displacement for sure, but if you aren’t in a hurry it’s not bad because good on fuel.
Reminds me of a time about 20 years ago I was watching a small dump trucking company haul stone into a lumber yard stone parking area to expand it. They were there a few days. Trucks were typical tri axles with aluminum beds and aluminum wheels, but well used.
One time I drove by them and the hood was tilted back. I looked as I drove next to the truck and it was a 5.9 Cummins in a tri axle?
I stopped and talked to the owner/operator. He said he ordered the lightest possible single frame tandem truck with a 5.9L Cummins 300HP with aluminum wheels & bed and added air lift axles to them. He figured he had saved many thousands in fuel on each truck. He openly admitted that loaded, the trucks were dogs, but were fine empty.