New (to me) truck

DMF · Jun 4, 2010

Well, we just bought a 2000 Ford F-350 dually 2WD cab and chassis for use as a farm truck. I picked up a dump body last night (hydrualic over electic)that I will be installing on it as well.

I am going to be looking for some assistance on the install of the body and the system as I have never had one before or have not worked on one. Also, this is the first Ford I've bought in over 25 years so I'll probably have questions about that as well. I'm hoping the group here will be as helpful as always!

One quick question I had was where I could pick up a tarp system to use on the dump body...cheap! Or, if anyone has made their own and is willing to share their plans/ideas I'd appreciate it...I have some fabrication abilities so I can probably do someting if pointed in the right direction!

Photos to follow as I progess with the project.

Thanks!
Rich

Diamondpilot · Jun 4, 2010

Congradulations on the Ford. Now you have a real truck...LOL... What motor is in it? If you got the 7.3L you have a winner. As for the tarp the guy who does all my boat canvas work make them all the time for trucking companies. Try looking in the yellow pages.

Chris

DMF · Jun 4, 2010

It has a gas motor... 4.8 or something? I wish it had a diesel. Actually, I wish it was a Chevy and had the same Duramax/Allison combo as my pick-up truck, but I couldn't afford it! LOL!

lostcause · Jun 4, 2010

should be easy enough to make one. the one that was on my 01 gmc is a commercial one, but it's not very complex. the one thing to remember is not to use a standard tarp or canvas. the one on mine more resembles a heavy duty window screen. if you used one that was water and air tight, odds are you would have it rip out going down the road at 55, or have to spend way too much time and effort strapping every inch of it down to keep the wind from getting under it.

chevy292 · Jun 4, 2010

DMF - Where in Mass are you located? I made a tarp roller out of one of those bed unloaders. Fairly cheap. I have also seen the roller covers in Northerntool.com

Diamondpilot · Jun 4, 2010

DMF said:
It has a gas motor... 4.8 or something? I wish it had a diesel. Actually, I wish it was a Chevy and had the same Duramax/Allison combo as my pick-up truck, but I couldn't afford it! LOL!

I doubt its a 4.8. Probably a 5.8 which is a 351. They are bullet proof much like a GM 350 or a Dodge 360. Just like a GM 350 or Dodge 360 they will not win any races but are dead simple and will run a long time as long as it has been maintained to some degree.

Chris

chevy292 · Jun 4, 2010

They have different sizes available. 7'X12' is fairly common size on one ton trucks. $249.99 from northerntool. here is the link Buyers Dump Tarp Roller Kit  7ft. x 12ft. Mesh Tarp, Model# DTR7012 | Dump Trailer Tarps | Northern Tool + Equipment

lostcause · Jun 4, 2010

DMF said:
It has a gas motor... 4.8 or something? I wish it had a diesel. Actually, I wish it was a Chevy and had the same Duramax/Allison combo as my pick-up truck, but I couldn't afford it! LOL!

light duty trucks with diesels are great when they are running, but when they need repairs it will bring tears to your eyes. the cost of parts on them will make you wonder whether it is a big truck.

i had my 01 duramax for about a year and it was starting a little hard over the end of the winter, and then one day in the spring it would not start at all. ended up being injectors, which is not uncommon for an lb7 duramax, but this one had injectors not long before i bought it. after they were removed, you could see the chunks of rust and contaminants plugging them up. it wasn't just a normal lb7 injector failure, but one that was helped along by contaminated fuel. possibly filling from old rusty pickup tanks and neglecting to change the fuel filter. you could probably pay to have an entire engine replaced in a gas truck for less than an injector job on some diesels.

ModMech · Jun 4, 2010

If it's a V-8 you have the 5.4L Triton and if a V-10 then the 6.8L Triton. Both are considered excellant engines but that v-10 will drain the fuel budget quickly!