How feasible for hauling wood?

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Danno77

Danno77

Minister of Fire
Oct 27, 2008
5,008
Hamilton, IL
Still looking at trucks. split between getting a really nice 3/4 - 1 ton truck that can haul the whole family and be a daily driver for my short drive to work OR getting a heavy duty cheaper truck and keeping my car or SUV for a daily driver.

How feasible is a flatbed for hauling wood? what about one like at this link that is diamond tread and no clear way to put temp sides up, maybe just using heavy duty straps? I haul 1,000lbs of wood on my small trailer with several ratcheting straps, but I just don't know if I feel comfortable hauling 3500lbs that way, and the log lengths would have to be shortened up so i could even heft them up onto the truck (ahhh, another benefit of a trailer!) so straps just don't seem optimal.

Anybody out there with a flatbed?

http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/d...elASC&address;=&pager;.offset=50&cardist=6290
 
Another thing to consider is a nice trailer IF you have a SUV that can pull it safely. For now I scrounge with my 1 ton pickup, and I pretty much fill it to the brim and then some with side boards on it and it doesn't complain. It has a dana 80 under it and hydroboost brakes so it'll haul a couple tons with no issues. Works nice but I'm looking to pick up a used landscaping trailer, with two axles. It's a lot of work to get big pieces up into the truck, and requires me to cut them down a lot smaller which takes a whole lot more time. With a trailer with fold down ramps I could roll the big suckers right up onto it. Also, you could get much better mileage in an SUV than with a big truck and it's one less engine to have to maintain. Not sure if this is feasible for you, but thought I'd throw it out there for what it's worth.
 
A small dump trailer has a low deck, no problem with a couple ton and tows easy behind a full size suv. and it dumps.
 
I want the lighthouse.
 
the problem with trailers is that they require planning. I am a part-time scrounger, so having a truck handy would make life easier. besides, I hate having to try to back a trailer out of our timber, or find some way to turn around in it. I love my Jeep, don't get me wrong, it can really tow (look up towing capacities on a Jeep grand cherokee, I think you'll be surprised), but maneuvering in a pickup is easier and requires one less license plate. Also, this allows you to buy a trailer to go along with your truck, cause we all know how infectious the need to "haul more" can be!!!!
 
BTW, the more I look at it, the more I think I can see some stake holes on the sides of that first truck. Not a Fan of the exhaust on it, but those toolboxes are kinda handy.

I wonder what my budget is for a "work truck" as opposed to the "daily driver / work truck combo"? maybe I should go ask the "boss"
 
The 7.3 Turbo Diesel Powerstroke in the first one is by far a better motor than whats in the chevy in #2. The 7.3 will out last the truck itself.
 
I use a mini-van and a trailer 5x10 with a 3,500 lb. axle and it works great. I sold our 2500 04 Dodge and never looked back. THe trailer is so much easier to work with and when it comes to hauling dry split wood home I just fill the trailer completely full and leave it in the garage eliminating the need to move the wood again.

No matter what you want to pull with the trailer works so much better than a truck ever has in my book. I currently have 12 sheets of drywall on it which it had 24 at the start of the week and if it were the truck that hauled the drywall I would have had to empty it and move it around and so forth but with the trailer it can be parked and I still have my vehicle to use right away.

Also I have no shame in throwing things into the trailer where as with the truck I was always treating to nicely and was always afraid of throwing a piece of wood through the rear window or denting the side of it. NO problem with the trailer.

Seriously look into a trailer.

We have literally saved a ton of money not having a truck anymore and it was paid for.
 
I'm getting a truck. My jeep or any other worthy suv gets just as poor of gas mileage. I can't get a trailer to the wood in our timber if I have anything less than a 4wd vehicle (for most of the year). Not only that, but I'm having a hard time finding a trailer that can haul more than 2000lbs unless I want to spend as much on a trailer as I could on a crappy pickup that can haul same weight.

Besides, I want a truck and will probably get a bigger trailer in a couple of years, then I'll have the best of both worlds.

What kinda minivan do you have that you can tow that big of a trailer?
 
Danno77 said:
Still looking at trucks. split between getting a really nice 3/4 - 1 ton truck that can haul the whole family and be a daily driver for my short drive to work OR getting a heavy duty cheaper truck and keeping my car or SUV for a daily driver.

How feasible is a flatbed for hauling wood? what about one like at this link that is diamond tread and no clear way to put temp sides up, maybe just using heavy duty straps? I haul 1,000lbs of wood on my small trailer with several ratcheting straps, but I just don't know if I feel comfortable hauling 3500lbs that way, and the log lengths would have to be shortened up so i could even heft them up onto the truck (ahhh, another benefit of a trailer!) so straps just don't seem optimal.

Anybody out there with a flatbed?

http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/d...elASC&address;=&pager;.offset=50&cardist=6290
Click to expand...

I love flatbeds in general but I'd pass on that one for hauling firewood.

I vote get something mid-late 90s and under $10000, preferably way under $10k.

A word or caution: with an 8ft flatbed you can overload a 3/4 truck, so be mindful of that.
 
If you are set on a work truck and keeping your Jeep, I would be shopping late 90s full tons as opposed to 3/4 tons. If you can find one of the F450 Super Dutys that you can put on a normal auto policy even better. The GVWRs vary and my insurance company wouldn't let me put one that was over 14K on my policy without amending it and a much higher cost.

BTW, pulling a couple ton in my little dump trailer with a Grand Cherokee is not fun at any kind of speed.
 
The bed on the Ford isn't really set up to put sideboards on very handily. Also, if you look closely at a picture of the left side of the truck you can see 2 pockets in the bed floor. Those are the fuel fillers for each tank, so you won't be able to fuel that one with a load on it, and you will have to clean the bark and junk out of those pockets every time you go to fuel to keep from getting garbage in the fuel tanks.
 
Thats a tough choice. You could just keep what you have an make more trips. You can buy alot of gas for $6k.
I have a friend with a 2000 Ford f350 lariat, dually crew cab, long bed,4x4 for $10k. 7.3L. in Grundy county. Pm me in you want.
 
Danno77 said:
I'm getting a truck. My jeep or any other worthy suv gets just as poor of gas mileage. I can't get a trailer to the wood in our timber if I have anything less than a 4wd vehicle (for most of the year). Not only that, but I'm having a hard time finding a trailer that can haul more than 2000lbs unless I want to spend as much on a trailer as I could on a crappy pickup that can haul same weight.

Besides, I want a truck and will probably get a bigger trailer in a couple of years, then I'll have the best of both worlds.

What kinda minivan do you have that you can tow that big of a trailer?
Click to expand...
according to my manual the dodge grand caravan with the weight distributing hitch can tow that much, limited by the weight in the van. I have an '06 and it has leaf springs in the back, but the ride would fool you into thinking it has coils. The grand also has the great option of the fold away seats, so you end up with an 8' flat floor, with a tarp you could grab those random roadside scores that don't require the trailer.
 
does a caravan come with awd?

I really don't want a van, but you really can't deny their usefulness. What do you do with 12'+ lumber, though? I guess that'd be a job for the trailer.
 
What about this truck?
http://apps.dealerconnection.com/de...true&vin=1FTHX26F8VEB66010&dealerPACode=20029

It's my understanding that it's a great running truck and for the price that's awesome. It's so cheap that it makes you wonder what's up with it, so yesterday i stopped by to give it a good look-over. here's why it's so cheap, tell me if any of this makes it a dealbreaker:

1. Driver seat is completely torn and metal frame showing right on the edge where you slide in, otherwise interior is pretty darn nice (I figure seat cover with foam stuck into the worn spot.)

2. The bed is on its way out.
2a) Left and Right side both have rust and even rusted through around the wheels;
2b) There appears to be a 5th-wheel platform mounted in the bed made of some really heavy guage steel, but strangely the rearmost portion of the steel shows me a gap down below the bed. I have no idea why this is the way it is, but it seriously looks like there was a giant hole in the bed and they covered it with this heavy steel. A look underneath shows the lateral support for the bed at that location is starting to rust out.
2c) There is no tailgate. I understand that some people take off tailgates for many reasons, but when you trade off the truck throw it in the bed. i figure the PO probably smashed it up pretty bad....

3. There is only the spring mounted type tongue hitch (i don't know proper term, but it's like what we use on the farm to tow wagons, hay racks, etc). This means no receiver for a drop hitch or my bike rack, etc.

4. Needs at least one new tire (front right) and this might be an indication of alignment (or suspension) issues.

So, I like that it comes with that toolbox, the interior seems workable, the engine is the 7.3L Diesel that i like. it's a 250, that's good. I can throw kids in the backseat if I have to. It's 4x4. Other than the bed rust, it seems to be in pretty good shape underneath.

I figure i can safely haul firewood in it, but that bed just isn't gonna last through 10 years of wood hauling, i just know it. If I can make it (the bed) last another 5 years I figure I'll have done well. I guess I can find a salvage yard for another bed, but I bet a good rust free one runs around 1000 bucks. maybe it could be demoted to second truck at that time and I could make some hillbilly treated wood flatbed.

they are asking 6k for it. KBB shows 9195 for excellent cond retail value.

I figure this:
9195
-2000 bed labor/parts/paint
-400 drivers seat
-------
6700
but even then it wouldn't be in "excellent" condition, it would just be good, which seems to be about 93% value from what I'm seeing on private party or trade-in values from kbb.

that brings it down to $6200ish.

So, it seems to be on par with what it's worth (I just didn't want to be missing something)
 
Danno77 said:
What about this truck?
http://apps.dealerconnection.com/de...true&vin=1FTHX26F8VEB66010&dealerPACode=20029

It's my understanding that it's a great running truck and for the price that's awesome. It's so cheap that it makes you wonder what's up with it, so yesterday i stopped by to give it a good look-over. here's why it's so cheap, tell me if any of this makes it a dealbreaker:

1. Driver seat is completely torn and metal frame showing right on the edge where you slide in, otherwise interior is pretty darn nice (I figure seat cover with foam stuck into the worn spot.)

2. The bed is on its way out.
2a) Left and Right side both have rust and even rusted through around the wheels;
2b) There appears to be a 5th-wheel platform mounted in the bed made of some really heavy guage steel, but strangely the rearmost portion of the steel shows me a gap down below the bed. I have no idea why this is the way it is, but it seriously looks like there was a giant hole in the bed and they covered it with this heavy steel. A look underneath shows the lateral support for the bed at that location is starting to rust out.
2c) There is no tailgate. I understand that some people take off tailgates for many reasons, but when you trade off the truck throw it in the bed. i figure the PO probably smashed it up pretty bad....

3. There is only the spring mounted type tongue hitch (i don't know proper term, but it's like what we use on the farm to tow wagons, hay racks, etc). This means no receiver for a drop hitch or my bike rack, etc.

4. Needs at least one new tire (front right) and this might be an indication of alignment (or suspension) issues.

So, I like that it comes with that toolbox, the interior seems workable, the engine is the 7.3L Diesel that i like. it's a 250, that's good. I can throw kids in the backseat if I have to. It's 4x4. Other than the bed rust, it seems to be in pretty good shape underneath.

I figure i can safely haul firewood in it, but that bed just isn't gonna last through 10 years of wood hauling, i just know it. If I can make it (the bed) last another 5 years I figure I'll have done well. I guess I can find a salvage yard for another bed, but I bet a good rust free one runs around 1000 bucks. maybe it could be demoted to second truck at that time and I could make some hillbilly treated wood flatbed.

they are asking 6k for it. KBB shows 9195 for excellent cond retail value.

I figure this:
9195
-2000 bed labor/parts/paint
-400 drivers seat
-------
6700
but even then it wouldn't be in "excellent" condition, it would just be good, which seems to be about 93% value from what I'm seeing on private party or trade-in values from kbb.

that brings it down to $6200ish.

So, it seems to be on par with what it's worth (I just didn't want to be missing something)
Click to expand...

Drive it. Make sure to start it cold. If it drives good and starts easy off $5000.
 
Bigg_Redd said:
Drive it. Make sure to start it cold. If it drives good and starts easy off $5000.
Click to expand...
up. you echoed my intentions exactly. Well, I figured I'd say I'd write a check for 4500 today, but if it's more than that i need to check with my wife and probably save some more money out of the next couple of paychecks....
 
For what it's worth, at that price point and with the sort of wear you describe be prepared for this truck to nickel&dime; you at least a little.

I dunno how the used truck market is around Hamilton Il but around here very nice condition mid 90s 3/4 tons (gas engine) are everywhere for $4000-$6000. Add $4000 to that for diesel. If it's mostly a wood hauler and not a daily driver I wouldn't rule out gas engines.
 
I have a flatbed.
DSC05347.jpg

1970 F350 with a factory installed 9x7 platform/stake bed. I bought it almost 4 years ago for $700. I've spent a few bucks on repairs and upgrades, but it was cheaper than any trailer capable of carrying 2+ tons. I have owned a pickup for nearly 20 years now, but a flatbed is whole different deal. To be able to load a truck from the side is a huge help. I will overload this truck before it is full of firewood.
DSC05869.jpg

DSC05386.jpg



If you go the beater heavy duty for wood only route, I'd say you should find a DRW flatbed.

Maybe something like this.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item25570e0b75
Its near Chicago, does that make it anywhere near you?
Or
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ford...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3ca707dbc6
 
Bigg_Redd said:
For what it's worth, at that price point and with the sort of wear you describe be prepared for this truck to nickel&dime; you at least a little.

I dunno how the used truck market is around Hamilton Il but around here very nice condition mid 90s 3/4 tons (gas engine) are everywhere for $4000-$6000. Add $4000 to that for diesel. If it's mostly a wood hauler and not a daily driver I wouldn't rule out gas engines.
Click to expand...
Oh, i'm not ruling anything out, really. It's hard to find a 3/4-1 ton around here that's used. Maybe i'm looking at the wrong time of year. i suppose i should wait until harvest is over and the farmers have a little cash to trade off their old trucks. I can find a full sized 1/2 ton pickup truck around every corner, and a flareside ranger around every bend. but I just don't see the point in buying a truck to haul 500 more lbs than my 40x48 dinky ChiCom trailer can haul.
 
Flatbedford said:
Its near Chicago, does that make it anywhere near you?
Click to expand...
Chicago is about 5.5 hrs. St Louis is a little close at 4.

I make it up to Milwaukee area every couple of months.

I like that second truck. I'll probably watch that auction.
 
What direction from Chicago are you? I spent a summer in Northwest Ill. in Mt Carrol. It is near the Wisconsin border and the Mississippi River about 4 hours West of Chicago.
I'll say it again, a flatbed is so much easier to work with than a pickup. A dump hoist might be a plus. Mine doesn't dump, and I honestly haven't really needed it to dump yet. I can unload it pretty quickly without bending over. With sides off, I can reach and pull the wood out with my pulp hook. I carry an 8' long 2x12 to ramp the big chunks up, or I split the big ones into manageable sizes while I load.
 
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