The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts dump bed

I would like to know if anyone has modified the original dump bed. I was thinking of extending my frame and moving the pivot point to the rear of the box but I'm not sure if that puts too much stress on the frame. Suggestions photos.

there's a wide variety of dump designs [3rd party, none 'original'], is yours built directly on the truck frame or is it on its own sub-frame? usually you want the box to pivot at the back of the frame - where the pivot is on the box depends on the location of the ram[s] pivots and direction of push

you need to link some pictures of what you have, and explain what you hope to achieve by modifying it, for any one to say if it might work and be durable, some of the farm built dumps are haywire engineering to start

Bill

The box pivots at the rear spring mount. The box actually touches the ground when fully raised. Not sure on the subframe part I'll have to get some pics with it up. Goal is to put a hitch or fifth wheel on it but the bed pivots in the middle and I would need a custom trailer to do any towing. Besides in the bed.

you'd be dumping with a 5th wheel attached? or even with a trailer on a hitch? if the box can tip all the way up pivoting from the rear spring mount, sounds like someone cut the frame quite short, probably to accommodate a dump from a previous truck .... pics would probably get some suggestions

Bill

I wouldn't be dumping with a trailer or a fifth wheel. But I would like to haul a car trailer or camper or something. I have pictures of the cut frame and the full truck on my link in the first post. I'll have to get more if I can get home when its light out.

Here's a link to his truck.

and what Crenwelge said in it.

well, yeah, what George said, that box should have it's tail docked to barely beyond the butchered frame ends to be a usable "dump box", restoring the frame and moving the pivots back would leave you with a flat bed that wouldn't go up far enough to dump marbles and waaay too long to be useful for much, including a 5th wheel

Bill

It looks like the last 5-1/2" were cut off the frame, based on the 6400 I have here.
My guess is that the lift and bed weren't made for that model truck. When it was mounted with the pivot at the back of the frame, there was too big a space between the back of the cab and the headboard. So they moved everything forward and cut the tail of the frame off to allow tilt without hitting.
It looks a frame mount not a sub-frame.
How long is the bed? It looks a little long. 12' would be normal I think.

I believe the bed is 12 ft. Did they even make a 12 ft dump box. Is the dealer install statement due to the shaddy cut in the floor? There is a small gap between the cab and bed. Does a grain truck have a lighter lifting capacity? What beds did Loadmaster come with?

So the tach and fuel gauges are not stock. PTO is still questionable. I recall the big bolts had a foot starter not a dash mount so I'm assuming that's not stock either. This is becoming more helpful than you know. Thank you all and keep it coming.

Dustin, "they" made what ever they wanted, the factory didn't make dumps, the mechanisms were aftermarket setups sold by a number of different companies and could be installed by anyone, including the farmer who wanted it, with any sort of DIY box ... the foot start was an integral part of the original 6 cylinder engine

for some original info about your truck, check out the GM restoration package from here for your year, the truck could have started as a "cab and chassis" model or a "stake bed", but over it's history almost everything about it has been changed .... and figure out the proper model number, "Loadmaster" doesn't tell you much

Bill

A dump body for that truck would have been 8-9 feet. 10,000lbs of grain needed a bed 12'long and 4'high. 5 tons of wet dirt would fit in a 8' x 2' bed easily.
The lifts would have been different because the the grain bed only raised to 30 degrees or so. Produce slides easily and the overhang would almost be on the ground. Dump bodies raise 60 degrees or more to get sticky dirt to move.

The angle of repose for grain if I remember correctly is approx. 36 degrees. I always set up grain boxed to lift a minimum of 43-45 degrees as farmers like to use the trucks for hauling some occassional gravel. Dump bodies are set to 50 degrees for front mount telescopics and the underbodies have always been 55 degrees. Telescopic front mounts have a tremendous leverage advantage over underbodies and most these days are installed w/o subframes but that varies with the region and the manufacturer.

new pictures bed up i took as many pictures as possible. you guys have been incredibly helpful thank you so much i cant wait for help on my build.
Dustin
https://plus.google.com/photos/103651644171441676100/albums/5873521037161100257

Just because it's a grain truck doesn't mean you can't haul gravel or dirt in it. Farmers do it all the time. You just can't fill it FULL. You can haul 3 or 4 cubic yards, maybe even a little more. As others have mentioned, you can always shorten the bed by a foot or two if dumping is a problem. (This could also vary, depending what you are hauling. Some types of rock or gravel would slide out easier than dirt might, for example.)

True. I wanted to use the bed to haul my ugly truck but want to keep the dump cause its cool.

I think I would have to cut probably 3' plus. I just want an overall truck. I kinda got hooked on the dump cause how many people own a dump truck. Makes helping friends move easier. Hahahahaha
Its just hard to get all of my ridiculous wants. A dump bed with the ability to tow as well. I would love to keep her full 12' because I can put my blazer on the bed until I can get a big boy trailer.