New (used) IH 7500 Dump Truck purchase, modification & fix up

[Hay Dude]

So I confirmed it has air tailgate.
Getting much cheaper shipping quotes.

Might still happen….

 

[Hay Dude]

Ouch, that's sure as he** not cheap. Does it make you think more about going yourself to get it?

I can’t. It’s 1300 miles away and i’m working 7-7 everyday with hay.
If I can get it shipped for $1,500, will prob do it.

The condition of the bed looks to be about a 7 out of 10. Only thing I wished it had was a thick floor or AR450. Might leave me wishing I had waited, but used 12’ bodies in good shape are impossible to find.

 

[Hay Dude]

Anyone of the opinion that the body is light-built, or light duty?
I don’t think its a Beau Roc or a real HD body, but I want to make sure it’s not 1 step above aluminum, either.
I found affordable shipping. Want to make a move, but really hesitant about how well this thing will hold up…

 

[Rustyiron]

I've heard you talk about rocks being something that you're truck will see. What's the description? Some guys can have the loader put in a few small "dumps" of soil before dropping in the larger stones. Then I've seen what's basically an wood mat that's minimally screwed un from the bottom and definitely distributes the point loads you have dropping large rocks in a truck. The mat approach requires planning as sometimes it's hard enough to get a clean dump with just a smooth steel bed and a mat makes it worse.
That bed looks well built but "heavy duty" isn't something that a picture will tell you.

 

[groundcover]

This liner might be worth the investment, makes quite a difference.

American Made Liner Systems - Heavy-Duty Liners

American Made Liner Systems designs dump truck bedliners that are custom made to meet customer requirements.

www.linersystems.com

 

[mrmikey]

That's going to be something that's hard to tell unless you're actually there to 'bang' on it.
One thing that does give me cause to think light duty is the hinge:

The actual ear is 1", 1-1/4" thick? any I've worked on are at least 2"-1/2" as well the cheek plates are 1/2"?
What are the bunks, channel or tube?
Definitely not a BeauRoc

 

[mrmikey]

This liner might be worth the investment, makes quite a difference.

I remember looking at them years ago and back then they weren't cheap. They're definitely slippery. I'd be concerned about the trapping of moisture between that an the deck.

 

[Hay Dude]

That's going to be something that's hard to tell unless you're actually there to 'bang' on it.
One thing that does give me cause to think light duty is the hinge:
View attachment 804757


The actual ear is 1", 1-1/4" thick? any I've worked on are at least 2"-1/2" as well the cheek plates are 1/2"?
What are the bunks, channel or tube?
Definitely not a BeauRoc

I will have the opportunity to redo those when the body is mounted, but you make a good point.
I want to make sure it’s not a glorified mulch or sand body.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a sort of “nuclear option” of going in a completely different direction with the truck….

A little background: In the future, I wanted to buy a tandem axle with a 20-24’ flatbed for hauling hay. Was looking at IH7400 tandems.

I could put that plan on hold and build the IH 7500 4x4 with a 12’ flatbed. It could haul (6) 4x4x8 square bales on the bed and it has enough power to pull a flatbed trailer with 12 more 4x4x8 square bales on it. Would make a great hay hauling truck.

Would rather make this a dump and get the tandem for hay, but finding a used 12’ dump has proven more difficult than imagined.

 

[Rustyiron]

It would make a great hay hauler! But what about your g/n and the ram? I don't mean to be a kill joy but that's a killer hay mover also and I kinda get the idea that you mostly work alone.
Do you have a good bumper pull for behind the IH? I remember you pictured one you were looking at.