I got a dump truck! How does it work?

[dstig1]

Why is this thread a sticky?

 

[MossRoad]

Because it's some good information with the correct answer that some folks might find handy or interesting for a while. When it stops getting views for a while, it'll get un-stickied.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

WooHoo! I made a sticky!

 

[Norm W]

Just an after thought. Never work under a raised dump bed, unless it is blocked in a raised position. Some dump beds have a safety bar attached to the underside that can be put in place. Others, you need to cut a piece of pipe to put in to keep the bed raised. There are people killed each year by being crushed between the dump bed and the frame of the truck. Please be safe.

 

[MossRoad]

Good point. Also, dumping on even slight side slopes can be very dangerous. We had a local man killed when he raised the box while on a slight slope and the truck tipped over sideways.

Also, loads that don't slide out and stay in the box, like frozen product. That on a slight side slope can drastically change the center of gravity as it goes up.

And then, of course, there's this...

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Oof that's bad.

When i was building my pond one of the truck operators i hired forgot to unlock the tailgate and his truck stood up in the air on its back axle. Luckily the other piles held him up and he was able to lower the bed and get the truck back down on the ground without much incident. He didn't tell me until he was back or i would have gotten pictures.

 

[sandman2234]

I borrowed a dumptruck from the company I worked for, back in the 80's. I was building a road and although the truck was close to level when a co-worker raised the bed for me. (I had to climb under the truck to engage the pto unit). I turned around, and he had gotten out of the cab as it the bed went up! I shouted at him but it was too late! The sticky load didn't slide, and the close to level wasn't as close as I should have made it. I used a heavy duty block and tackle hooked to the base of a large pine tree to turn the truck back over onto it's wheels after we spent several hours shoveling the balance of the load out with shovels! Pay attention to the load, make sure it starts sliding before you get elevated very far, or you won't like the results!
David from jax

 

[ranchito]

The title is no joke... I don't know how this thing works... it's an old ford that I'm borrowing. It was delivered today and I have never run it. I can drive it, it's just a 5 speed with air brakes. I don't know how to lift and lower the bed. The 2 knobs in the last picture operate cables, each one pulls out. That looks like the best bet for controls. The block in the floor looks to be spreader controls and there is no spreader. Anyone have experience you can share?

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I haven't seen one of those for years. The box on the floor is a control valve for a hydraulic spreader control. The spreader would slide into the dump body and connect through the valve body to a hydraulic pump mounted on the engine. The knobs control an auger belt that feeds material to a spinner at the rear. Spinner speed controls the throw of the material. The lever turns it on and off, down was on. There was an accessory box that wired up to a speed sensor and controlled the material feed according to vehicle speed. Pretty advanced for the day. You may still find some hydraulic lines running along the truck frame out to the back. We had a few of these contracted to the state to spread sand and salt on icy winter roads. During the summer they could be used to spread lime or fertilizer on farm fields. The 2 knobs under the dash would be for the dump body, one engages the PTO mounted on the side of the transmission and the other connects to a hydraulic valve to raise and lower the dump body. Like I said, that was 30+ years since I built and operated these.

 

[HammerGrips]

Is there any reason that you can't (won't) ask the owner??

 

[guidis]

The title is no joke... I don't know how this thing works... it's an old ford that I'm borrowing. It was delivered today and I have never run it. I can drive it, it's just a 5 speed with air brakes. I don't know how to lift and lower the bed. The 2 knobs in the last picture operate cables, each one pulls out. That looks like the best bet for controls. The block in the floor looks to be spreader controls and there is no spreader. Anyone have experience you can share?

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