1 Ton Dump Truck for Personal Use

crashz · May 1, 2009

I'm casually shopping around for a used 1 ton dump truck for my personal use. It would be used at my house and also my and my parents land for hauling material, firewood and occasional towing. My current 1/2 ton has provided me with good service, but I tend to beat it up when using it for "work". No matter how carefully I put things in the bed, dents and scratches appear inside and out. May father has larger trucks for his excavating company, but I've never gotten my CDL and I need something that I can use at my house which is 130 miles away. Even if I get my CDL, taking his truck for a week would not be possible or practical. So a reasonably priced 1 ton dump would be my best choice.

My insurance carrier has said that I can register this truck as a 3500 and keep personal plates on it. My state registry has been no help at all answering questions. I've heard many things like "all trucks over 10,000 lbs need commercial tags and registration, must be commercially inspected, etc." Nothing concrete.

Before I buy a truck, I'd like to budget the cost of owning/operting it. And to do so I need to clarify how it needs to be registered and insured. Could you guys give me some advice as to where to get the correct regulations for a truck that is typically used for commercial applications, but will be for personal use only? Seems like there are a good mix of people here that use these trucks for personal use as well as people that use their equipment for commercial business use.

Thanks!
Leo

dodge man · May 1, 2009

Check on your state DOT's web site. I think in Illinois, its driven by the GVW of the vehicle. Plus I think it's easier if its for personal use instead of buisness.

I to thought about getting a 1 ton dump truck, and ruled it out as not being cost effictive. I figures by the time you spend money on maintance, insurance etc., I'd just pay someone to haul rock and dirt for me. The big problem with them is that you just can't haul a heavy load. It does seem you can pick them up for a pretty reasonable price though.

schmism · May 1, 2009

I have a 85 C30

Its titled as a Chassie cab. It happens to have a dump bed that you can take the sides off on for a flat side load bed also.

I have mine registered as a personal truck and insured that way also.

Ive used it for hauling material for my property and as a tow vehicle for the tractor. (although i have yet to tow anything with it)

mine also came with a snow plow.

its everything you expect a $1500 farm truck to be.

bluetc30 · May 1, 2009

in mass you can register a 1 ton as a personal vehicle just dont letter it,one ton dump is no different than a 1 ton pick up and being in ma myself i have seen a lot of 1 ton dumps,people haVE no money to keep them

bluetc30 · May 1, 2009

in mass you can register a 1 ton as a personal vehicle just dont letter it,one ton dump is no different than a 1 ton pick up and being in ma myself i have seen a lot of 1 ton dumps,people haVE no money to keep them try looking in mass .gov/dot rules if you find anything good luck reading and understanding it

Dmace · May 1, 2009

Up until last year, my 94 F-350 dump truck was considered "commercial" because it was rated at over 10,000lbs. This only meant that I had to have it inspected every 6 months instead of every year. When getting inspected I also had to have some extras like a backup alarm, body lights, and no rust holes what-so-ever.

Last year, the state changed the requirement to 12,000lbs plus. This means my 11,000lb GVWR truck is now just registered as a truck and I only need an inspection every 12 months.

I have a 1/2 ton Ram but if I am hauling a few thousand pounds of wood, rock, gravel, etc... I would much rather use the old diesel dump truck. Of course trips to Home Depot and Sears are left for the Ram.

kurtga · May 1, 2009

I have a 1989 Chevy C60 flatbed dump with sides with a GVW of only 16000 lbs. I too wanted a small truck to haul mulch, wood or whatever. I wanted something bigger than a "one ton" but not too big. (I do have a CDL) I have it insured with State Farm and the use is listed as commercial. I also have a commercial "weighted" tag on it. It is for personal use so here we don't need any type of inspection. I imagine the rules and regulations differ from state to state. If I used it in a commercial application in interstate commerce I would also need an annual inspection, daily inspection report, DOT #'s etc. In this slow economy I imagine you could find a great deal on a truck of any size or type. Good Luck

Builder · May 1, 2009

crashz said:
I'm casually shopping around for a used 1 ton dump truck for my personal use. It would be used at my house and also my and my parents land for hauling material, firewood and occasional towing. My current 1/2 ton has provided me with good service, but I tend to beat it up when using it for "work". No matter how carefully I put things in the bed, dents and scratches appear inside and out. May father has larger trucks for his excavating company, but I've never gotten my CDL and I need something that I can use at my house which is 130 miles away. Even if I get my CDL, taking his truck for a week would not be possible or practical. So a reasonably priced 1 ton dump would be my best choice.

My insurance carrier has said that I can register this truck as a 3500 and keep personal plates on it. My state registry has been no help at all answering questions. I've heard many things like "all trucks over 10,000 lbs need commercial tags and registration, must be commercially inspected, etc." Nothing concrete.

Before I buy a truck, I'd like to budget the cost of owning/operting it. And to do so I need to clarify how it needs to be registered and insured. Could you guys give me some advice as to where to get the correct regulations for a truck that is typically used for commercial applications, but will be for personal use only? Seems like there are a good mix of people here that use these trucks for personal use as well as people that use their equipment for commercial business use.

Thanks!
Leo

I've owned/operated a 1/2 dozen of these trucks over the last 20 years. I think you're "over-worrying" owning one of these.

There really are no "regualtions" in my state for a truck like this. Anyone can own one for personal use. It's not much more than a dually pickup chassis with a heavier dumping bed on it.

Just buy it and insure it at high deductables as a one-ton if you want to keep costs down.

There's no great mystery to owning/operating one in my state, I see no reason for anything different in yours. No med card is required as long as you're under 17K, not commercial and staying in state.

crashz · May 2, 2009

Thanks guys!

The heresay on the regulations in my state are what has me a little concerned. I think I may visit a state police barricks and see if I can speak with a DOT cop. My concern stems around the GVWR as I've heard that all trucks over 10,000 GVWR are to be regitered and inspected as commercial trucks. In Mass, as far as I can interperet the regulations, all commercial trucks must have certain safety equipment (like Derick said, back up alarm, fire extinguisher, road flares, etc) and the driver must carry a valid health card. That stuff is not really an issue, but I wonder if it ties into the commercial regulations regarding lettering, DOT #'s and the like.

Like Builder said, I'm probably over-thinking all of this. I could register it as a C30/K30/F350 (still looking) and maybe stick a "Not For Hire" sticker on the dump body.

Currently shopping around and so far, no luck. The trucks I've seen have all been 4x4, and just completely rotted out. I'd be OK with installing cab corners and rocker panels, but most of the trucks so far have had major frame corrosion. I looked at a 91 F350 last Saturday with 42K miles. Accidentally pushed a hole in the frame while climbing under to inspect! Been scoping out a few 2wd trucks though, and eventually I think I can find a decent truck for my budget of $2000-$3000. I realize at that price the truck won't be perfect, but as long as it has a good cab and frame, I can fix nearly evrything else myself.

Builder · May 2, 2009

crashz said:
Thanks guys!

The heresay on the regulations in my state are what has me a little concerned. I think I may visit a state police barricks and see if I can speak with a DOT cop. My concern stems around the GVWR as I've heard that all trucks over 10,000 GVWR are to be regitered and inspected as commercial trucks. In Mass, as far as I can interperet the regulations, all commercial trucks must have certain safety equipment (like Derick said, back up alarm, fire extinguisher, road flares, etc) and the driver must carry a valid health card. That stuff is not really an issue, but I wonder if it ties into the commercial regulations regarding lettering, DOT #'s and the like.

Like Builder said, I'm probably over-thinking all of this. I could register it as a C30/K30/F350 (still looking) and maybe stick a "Not For Hire" sticker on the dump body.

Currently shopping around and so far, no luck. The trucks I've seen have all been 4x4, and just completely rotted out. I'd be OK with installing cab corners and rocker panels, but most of the trucks so far have had major frame corrosion. I looked at a 91 F350 last Saturday with 42K miles. Accidentally pushed a hole in the frame while climbing under to inspect! Been scoping out a few 2wd trucks though, and eventually I think I can find a decent truck for my budget of $2000-$3000. I realize at that price the truck won't be perfect, but as long as it has a good cab and frame, I can fix nearly evrything else myself.

PA doesn't require semi-annual inspection until 17,000 GVWR. I would call a local truck inspection/service guy and ask him what the cut-off is in Mass.

Some other advice: I buy all my used equipment from down south or out west when possible. NE or mid-western vehicles & equipment are generally rotted out at the age you're looking for because of salt.

I just bought a 9 yr old new Holland backhoe that looks newer than my 2 yr old CASE backhoe did. I bought it from California. Climate is warm & dry, no salt. My '92 IH4800 came from central Florida, warm, no salted roads. People routinely say it looks like it's less than 5 yrs old, but it's 17 yrs old.

I know it's more hassle, but see if you can get a deal on a truck down in NC, SC , GA, FL, TN, etc. You'd be surprised how cheap it is to ship a truck or machine 1,000 miles. If it's clean & rust free, it's worth much more than the extra shipping costs. I had my backhoe shipped 3,000 miles from CA to PA and it was worth it! Even with shipping, I got a lot more machine than I could find locally.

Another thing is that prices are cheaper in the south.

Harold_J · May 2, 2009

crashz said:
Thanks guys!
The heresay on the regulations in my state are what has me a little concerned. I think I may visit a state police barricks and see if I can speak with a DOT cop. My concern stems around the GVWR as I've heard that all trucks over 10,000 GVWR are to be regitered and inspected as commercial trucks. In Mass, as far as I can interperet the regulations, all commercial trucks must have certain safety equipment (like Derick said, back up alarm, fire extinguisher, road flares, etc) and the driver must carry a valid health card. That stuff is not really an issue, but I wonder if it ties into the commercial regulations regarding lettering, DOT #'s and the like.

Take a look at this: Online Registration and Compliance Assistant: 4.60 and this: Online Registration and Compliance Assistant: 2.10
It will try to show what you need, if anything.
In NY you will need a DOT number on the truck if 10,001 MGVW or higher, even if only operating intrastate. As far as I can see Mass does not require this. It would depend where the truck is reg. For NY in-state only the letters NY would be at the end of the number. This might be a red flag when you drive into Mass or Pa or wherever.

Diamondpilot · May 2, 2009

I think you guys are missing the point. These regulations only apply to COMMERCIAL OPERATORS. If every truck over 10K had to have DOT#'s that would mean my personal F-350 would need them since its 11,500# GVWR and some F-350's go all the way up to 13,000# GVWR.

Chris

Reg · May 2, 2009

I don't think it has been mentioned in this thread yet, but for vehicles over 10,000 GVW you need a medical card.
Private/commercial plates and/or CDL have no bearing on this, you need a medical card.

Since you are in Mass I might as well mention that I think the only place I have ever been asked to show mine is in CT at the Union weigh station on I-84.
Some say they are just sticklers there, I have also heard it said that it is a training ground and on the morning I was asked for mine it was a young'ish officer with what appeared to be a more experienced/senior officer who appeared to be prompting him. Clip boards and check lists.
Yeah, I got "the WORKS" that morning, but nothing serious, just the "free" 99999 point safety and legality check.

BTW, why would anyone NOT want to carry flares, fire extinguisher, triangles, wheel chocks, spare bulbs, etc ? (rhetorical)

zukota · May 2, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
I think you guys are missing the point. These regulations only apply to COMMERCIAL OPERATORS. If every truck over 10K had to have DOT#'s that would mean my personal F-350 would need them since its 11,500# GVWR and some F-350's go all the way up to 13,000# GVWR.

Chris

It's registered weight that makes the difference. In PA there are weight class stickers 1 - 25 (1 is not really a sticker, it's the standard passenger car assumed weight of 5k or less).

There is a split at 4. 4a and 4b. 4a is from 9001 to 10000 lbs. 4b is 10001 to 11000. The reason is to allow people (like me) to correctly register their truck as high as possible w/out getting into federal territory.

Likewise, the rental companies, i.e. Ryder / Penske will specifically register their trucks with an 8 (21,001 0 26,000)to keep them under CDL requirements - regardless of the capacity of the chassis.

PA PDF of weight classes.

Duffster · May 2, 2009

zukota said:
It's registered weight that makes the difference. In PA there are weight class stickers 1 - 25 (1 is not really a sticker, it's the standard passenger car assumed weight of 5k or less).

There is a split at 4. 4a and 4b. 4a is from 9001 to 10000 lbs. 4b is 10001 to 11000. The reason is to allow people (like me) to correctly register their truck as high as possible w/out getting into federal territory.

Likewise, the rental companies, i.e. Ryder / Penske will specifically register their trucks with an 8 (21,001 0 26,000)to keep them under CDL requirements - regardless of the capacity of the chassis.

PA PDF of weight classes.

You can't dodge CDL requirements with the registration, the GVW has to be specifically downrated to be under 26001#

LBrown59 · May 2, 2009

dodge man said:
1*I to thought about getting a 1 ton dump truck, and ruled it out as not being cost effictive.
2*I figure by the time you spend money on maintance, insurance etc.
3*I'd just pay someone to haul rock and dirt for me.
4* The big problem with them is that you just can't haul a heavy load.

1*I not so sure buying a 3/4 non dumping pick up and paying someone to haul rock and dirt on top of that expense would be more cost effective.
Seems to me that would cost even more than the dump truck option.
2*I don't see where or why there would be that much difference between these cost between a dump and a non dumping pick up.
3*That may work for an occasional load of rock/dirt etc. but it would leave me without a tow vehicle for a trailer to haul my tractors on.
Wht not have a tow Veh, that can double as a unit that can also haul that occasional small load of rock/dirt etc.?
4*A Bigger problem is a 3/4 ton that will only haul half as much and you have to shovel it all off of the truck.
Why not haul say 3500# on a1 ton dump truck and another 3000 or 4000 pounds on the trailer?

rcrcomputing · May 2, 2009

I have a 1976 1 ton with a 12' dump bed. I initially bought it for 1800.00. I currently have about 5000.00 into it. It's name is Beeter. I love the 12' dump bed. Though, If I had it to do over again, I'd buy something newer and spend the 5000.00 up front.

Harold_J · May 2, 2009

Duffster said:
You can't dodge CDL requirements with the registration, the GVW has to be specifically downrated to be under 26001#

You are correct. Law enforcement people will look at the tag on the door jamb and the tag on the trailer, if any, to decide if you need a CDL and/or must meet DOT requirements.

zukota · May 2, 2009

Duffster said:
You can't dodge CDL requirements with the registration, the GVW has to be specifically downrated to be under 26001#

Yes, I was incorrect. The example only works in one way. It can get you into trouble(more regulations), but not out of regulations.

Edit: the question for Diamondpilot is if his truck is licensed for 11k?

Builder · May 2, 2009

Reg said:
I don't think it has been mentioned in this thread yet, but for vehicles over 10,000 GVW you need a medical card.
Private/commercial plates and/or CDL have no bearing on this, you need a medical card.

Since you are in Mass I might as well mention that I think the only place I have ever been asked to show mine is in CT at the Union weigh station on I-84.
Some say they are just sticklers there, I have also heard it said that it is a training ground and on the morning I was asked for mine it was a young'ish officer with what appeared to be a more experienced/senior officer who appeared to be prompting him. Clip boards and check lists.
Yeah, I got "the WORKS" that morning, but nothing serious, just the "free" 99999 point safety and legality check.

BTW, why would anyone NOT want to carry flares, fire extinguisher, triangles, wheel chocks, spare bulbs, etc ? (rhetorical)

Reg,

I was at a CDL driver's meeting about 2 years ago and they told me med card for 17K GVWR operated in state. If it goes out of state for commerce it drops way down in weight.

I think in PA he won't be required to have a med card for a 10K truck. I had an F-450 at 15,000lbs and was never asked to produce a med card at routine traffic stops.