AZ ranch

[BoFuller]

Congrats on your new (to you ) dump truck. :thumbsup:

First & foremost, dump on level ground as much as possible. It is pretty easy to lay a dump on its side if leaning one way or the other. It is even possible to go over back wards if the nose is high (headed up hill.) and a load *"Hangs". ( *Fails to slide out.)

Just as important, make sure the gates are unlatched before trying to dump. Sounds silly, no one would ever do that. Happens a lot more than you would think.

Your dump bed is one considered a "Landscape" or "Roofers" dump. Due not overload it for a couple of reasons. If a loose load shifts against the gates, they can pop open against you or the load can land on your feet.

Not really a safety thing, but if overloaded the scissors or a cylinder can bend. If possible next load weigh truck in and out so that you have an idea how much weight you have loaded. If you haul after a rain, reduce the amount of your max. Load. Wet sand or gravel weights a lot more than dry.

Thanks for the info! I like the tailgate. It makes it harder to spread, but it will be easier to haul lumber when I get started on the deck and eventually the cabin.
When I got the limestone "chat", I weighed in before and after. Empty I was 15,900 and loaded I was 24,300. Chat is heavy and that 4.2 tons looked like a little pile in that big truck. I could go another 1500 lbs taking it up to 25,800 but It's hard to tell when he dumps that big bucket in there, how close you are.

 

[mjncad]

I still can't get over how good a shape that Ford is in. You scored a good deal there.

 

[crash325]

Thanks for the info! I like the tailgate. It makes it harder to spread, but it will be easier to haul lumber when I get started on the deck and eventually the cabin.
When I got the limestone "chat", I weighed in before and after. Empty I was 15,900 and loaded I was 24,300. Chat is heavy and that 4.2 tons looked like a little pile in that big truck. I could go another 1500 lbs taking it up to 25,800 but It's hard to tell when he dumps that big bucket in there, how close you are.

Hi Again,
Your truck should have a tag similar to the picture, the top line is the maker or installer of the dump bed. The lift capacity of the hydraulics may or may not be up to GVR of the truck. If possible check with the dump MFG on lift capacity.

The reason your doors open sideways is for dumping bulky light loads. Great for brush and that sort of thing. With a standard dump bed brush and light bulky loads can hang. Twice I have had to use the back hoe to pull a load of brush out of the bed.

Back on the Safety thing. Do Not Ever do anything under the raised bed unless it is blocked up with something like a 4X4 or larger. I repeat Nothing - Ever not even a quickie.

Really like your truck, wish mine was as nice. :thumbsup:

 

[MacLawn]

Dittos on what crash said above about doing NOTHING under the bed while lifted. And, dump trucks will flip over easily if you lift the bed too fast, or, as mentioned, on even slightly uneven ground. I know of companies that will not let drivers attempt to spread gravel while dumping because of so many trucks being flipped over while a driver is trying to spread the gravel while dumping. Slow and easy is the way to go.

Now, back to the fun stuff - enough preaching on safety - like they say - "get 'er done"...

 

[BoFuller]

I still can't get over how good a shape that Ford is in. You scored a good deal there.

Thanks! I agree. Some call it luck, I call it divine intervention.

 

[BoFuller]

Hi Again,
Your truck should have a tag similar to the picture, the top line is the maker or installer of the dump bed. The lift capacity of the hydraulics may or may not be up to GVR of the truck. If possible check with the dump MFG on lift capacity.

The reason your doors open sideways is for dumping bulky light loads. Great for brush and that sort of thing. With a standard dump bed brush and light bulky loads can hang. Twice I have had to use the back hoe to pull a load of brush out of the bed.

Back on the Safety thing. Do Not Ever do anything under the raised bed unless it is blocked up with something like a 4X4 or larger. I repeat Nothing - Ever not even a quickie.

Really like your truck, wish mine was as nice. :thumbsup:

Thanks! And thanks for all the info too. The dump bed has a metal brace tube that you can swing down, and then let the bed down until the pressure is off the cylinder. I used that when I was snooping around under there. There are wooden frame rails (1 X 3 boards) screwed to the frame and the bed sits on these. The back ones are in good shape but one has broken loose (first picture). The front ones are cracked and beat up (second picture) and need replaced. Is one kind of wood better than another for this purpose?

 

[mjncad]

The wood is meant to act as a spacer, cushion and sound deadener so you don't get the loud metal-on-metal crash bang sound when going over bumps with an empty bed. I'm guessing pressure treated wood would be just fine.

 

[BoFuller]

I still can't get over how good a shape that Ford is in. You scored a good deal there.

I left my truck at a mechanic while I'm back in civilization for a couple weeks. A guy I really trust, that works on big rigs all the time. I told him to give it the once over as I know squat about dump trucks and didn't take anybody knowledgeable with me when I bought it. That was probably risky. He has had it a week now and he hasn't found anything wrong with it, other than one blinker wasn't working and the heater fan squeals. He's giving it a lube job and changing fluids and filters. Yeah, I think I scored a good deal. :thumbsup:

 

[MacLawn]

Man, Bo, now you got me to wantin' a dump truck - never thought I'd need one, but now, I think I do!!

Oh, and about the wood under the bed, pressure treated is not so good touching metal, they say it causes metal to corrode/rust faster. I think I would try to get some oak, etc. Nice truck there!

 

[BoFuller]

Man, Bo, now you got me to wantin' a dump truck - never thought I'd need one, but now, I think I do!!

Oh, and about the wood under the bed, pressure treated is not so good touching metal, they say it causes metal to corrode/rust faster. I think I would try to get some oak, etc. Nice truck there!

You suffer from the same ailment as me - mixing "want" and "need" in the same sentence! :laughing:
I penciled out my fuel and rough depreciation/maintenance costs and without a doubt, I could have the gravel hauled in for less than what it cost me myself. But I knew that before I bought. If I was going for absolute lowest cost, I would have bought a spread with a cabin built and everything all finished. But working through this long-term project is as much of a goal as completing the project. I want my truck so I can go get what I want when I want, even if it cost me a little more. So when I told my better half that I "needed" a dump truck, she just laughed, said "fine, but then I get to get a toy also". Can't argue with that! :thumbsup:

 

[MacLawn]

You suffer from the same ailment as me - mixing "want" and "need" in the same sentence! :laughing:
I penciled out my fuel and rough depreciation/maintenance costs and without a doubt, I could have the gravel hauled in for less than what it cost me myself. But I knew that before I bought. If I was going for absolute lowest cost, I would have bought a spread with a cabin built and everything all finished. But working through this long-term project is as much of a goal as completing the project. I want my truck so I can go get what I want when I want, even if it cost me a little more. So when I told my better half that I "needed" a dump truck, she just laughed, said "fine, but then I get to get a toy also". Can't argue with that! :thumbsup:

That's it, Bo! Man, you are right on all above counts!! Want/need, what's the difference? Takes a lifetime to figure that one out - the older I get, seems the less I really need... But, me haid is young - thinks it is anyway! And, yes, the wife gets her toys too...

 

[mjncad]

Oh, and about the wood under the bed, pressure treated is not so good touching metal, they say it causes metal to corrode/rust faster. I think I would try to get some oak, etc. Nice truck there!

I didn't know that about PT wood and metal. I guess one could put a 1/8" rubber liner between the truck frame and the wood. Of course that doesn't help the situation between the dump box frame and wood. I don't enjoy working with wood, so I don't know all the ins and outs of it; but now that you mention it, the corrosion issue makes sense with the new pressure treating chemicals as I believe building codes require the use of stainless steel fasteners and Simpson style connectors. Of course I could be wrong there too.

I want my truck so I can go get what I want when I want, even if it cost me a little more.

BINGO! It's tough to put a price on convenience!

 

[MacLawn]

Another thing you can do to treat wood so it won't corrode the metal is to use old motor oil mixed with diesel fuel - then paint or smear it on real good. It works as a good preservative for things like this, and on trailer beds. It is slippery when wet though! After it cures a long time, the slipperiness kind of goes away.

 

[BoFuller]

So I have been thinking that this ranch ought to be producing something. If I had a business going, then I could be writing off my expenses and depreciating my tractor and dump truck. Nothing is going to make me a bunch of money, but what could I lose the least with? I won't be there full-time for another few years, so livestock is out. I'm starting to think Christmas trees. It is Arizona, but it is also 6200 feet. It is currently covered with Pinion pine and Junipers. I did a little research and figure it is too dry for Douglas Fir but might be okay for Colorado Blue Spruce. I just missed the planting season for them, but I could get ready for next year. I figure it will take about 5 years to get any to grow enough to harvest, but expenses should be minimal. Any tree growers out there with words of advice?

 

[Tororider]

You could plant in the fall if you want. We have planted a couple thousand trees over the last few years, not much really, but enough to have tried several things. For my money the easiest way to plant the trees is a dibble. Its pretty much a wedge with a handle and foot peg. If your soil is soft enough, you just drive it into the ground, move it back and forth put the transplant in there, drive the dibble into the ground on the side of the hole and close it back up. My explanation may not be great but they really work well, are cheap and one person can easily plant a couple hundred trees in a day without even the best soil.

 

[BoFuller]

You could plant in the fall if you want. We have planted a couple thousand trees over the last few years, not much really, but enough to have tried several things. For my money the easiest way to plant the trees is a dibble. Its pretty much a wedge with a handle and foot peg. If your soil is soft enough, you just drive it into the ground, move it back and forth put the transplant in there, drive the dibble into the ground on the side of the hole and close it back up. My explanation may not be great but they really work well, are cheap and one person can easily plant a couple hundred trees in a day without even the best soil.

That sounds cool. I'll start looking for one. Thanks!

 

[R_Walter]

Thanks for the info. I think a part of this "project" is to realize that we don't really "need" all the power we are used to consuming. Maybe I'm developing a little bit of "green", but I'm positive we can do with a lot less power than we're used to in the city. We can learn to wait on running one thing until we are done running something else. It's okay with me if there is not unlimited power everytime I want to do something. We'll learn to get by with less, and to distribute it through the day or week. And if we really do need more than the solar/batteries can handle once in awhile, then we fire up a generator.
I think you are right about the fans. Being in the trees, on top of a hill, at 6100 feet, I don't think A/C is going to be a critical necessity.

I'm at 7,300 feet 3 miles from the Divide and it can get a little warm in July and August to where I can't sleep well at night without some AC.

 

[R_Walter]

So I have been thinking that this ranch ought to be producing something. If I had a business going, then I could be writing off my expenses and depreciating my tractor and dump truck. Nothing is going to make me a bunch of money, but what could I lose the least with? I won't be there full-time for another few years, so livestock is out. I'm starting to think Christmas trees. It is Arizona, but it is also 6200 feet. It is currently covered with Pinion pine and Junipers. I did a little research and figure it is too dry for Douglas Fir but might be okay for Colorado Blue Spruce. I just missed the planting season for them, but I could get ready for next year. I figure it will take about 5 years to get any to grow enough to harvest, but expenses should be minimal. Any tree growers out there with words of advice?

Want to make a small fortune in the Xmas tree business? Start off with a large fortune!

Looks like to me you're all rocky and hilly. With no water and an average annual precip of, what, 10 inches maybe, it'll be tough. Plus, what are the rules on taking hobby losses?

 

[BoFuller]

Want to make a small fortune in the Xmas tree business? Start off with a large fortune!

Looks like to me you're all rocky and hilly. With no water and an average annual precip of, what, 10 inches maybe, it'll be tough. Plus, what are the rules on taking hobby losses?

Gotta talk to my CPA on that one.

 

[BoFuller]

Well, we have been up to the Ranch almost every weekend, I just haven't taken the time to do any posting. Almost every time we go, I go to the quarry to get a load of chat. They said to not come back without a hardhat, so I had to get a patriotic one.