Dump Hoist or Dump Insert

fortop · September 30, 2003

I am planning on converting my 1983 C20 to a dump bed.

Has anyone done this conversion? Is a dump hoist conversion preferable to a dump insert installed inside the existing bed?

Thanks

Redmax · October 3, 2003

I heard the hoist kits twist the bed, I have a ez dumper, bought it used for 700$ installed it myself in three hours, Best time and money I ever spent and I mean it, new ez dumpers are 1800 and they are well worth it........

fortop · October 3, 2003

Nobody is sellng EZ dumpers without installation included in AZ were I live. Nearest dealer in Phoenix wants $2800 + to install one. Did you experience noticeable loss of payload capacity or gas mileage with your insert weight of about 800#? I like the looks of the aluminum Truck Craft insert at about 450#, but it would have to be shipped to me in AZ from PA and cost about $3500 -$4000?

A local equipment outfitter in Tucson will install a Pierce bed hoist and convert my dual tank filler necks and modify the rear bumper for about $1700. The shop foreman told me that the risk is mostly with people jerking their truck forward with the hoist extended and bending the cylinder piston. He said they could reinforce the bed if desired. I think I would prefer the insert but the extra $1000 - $2000 cost is a negative, especially if they depreciate to $700 as in the case of the one you bought.

Thanks for the feedback.

fortop · October 11, 2003

I decided on dump hoist conversion. Scheduled for two weeks from today. About $1600-1700 - depending on cost to relocate bumper and hitch.

fortop · November 22, 2003

Dump hoist is intalled. It took some time to get the bumper modified and the frame mounted hitch installed - had to have a section cut out of the center of my big step bumper to accomodate the receiver, and reinforced on top. I had to relocate the license plate to the side and need to get some lighted license plate bolts to complete the job. I had to relocate the right side hanger bolt for the spare tire carrier toward the front about two inches, but I manged to get the spare in place, with the Resse hitch and bumper also in place.

I only dumped one light load (about 700 lbs.) but it seemed to work OK. This is not a real heavy duty unit, but it should do the job. I do get a lot of noise when driving over a bumpy road because the box bangs up and down - not held by anything on the front of the box. Price for the whole job should be about $1850.

fortop · December 21, 2003

Dump hoist update. This Pierce unit is advertised to lift 4000 lbs. but it will only lift slightly over 2000 lbs. I loaded the truck up about 3/4 full with broken plaster from a remodeling job and the hoist would not budge. I took off enough to make it weigh about 2500 lbs, but the hoist was really straining to lift the box, and the box was twisting a lot on the way up. I can only dump 2000 lbs. at the local landfill or I have to pay $23 per ton (otherwise its only $4 per load) so not being able to dump over 2000 lbs. is not a big deal. However, for moving dirt around the yard, etc., it would be nice to have the extra lifting capacity. The moral of this story is you get what you pay for, and I got about $1800 of lifting capacity, not $4,000 of lifting capacity. Still, I look at the dump.

boflaade · December 21, 2003

I bought a 1990 1 Ton a couple of years ago for the same purpose. (The truck was equipped with a deck) The guy didn't make it strong enough the first time. The ram was powerfull but the scissor lift was weak. A load of soil was enough to totaly destroy the members underneath. Eventually he got it right and now I don't know what I would do without it.

I could have bought the lift as a kit but the guy offered to build it cheaper. We both lost a lot of money over it.

fortop · December 28, 2003

I think this setup would be great for someone hauling yard waste or cordwood, but anything like dirt is limited to about 1/2 a boxful. This will do the job for me, since I can only dump 2000# without extra charge, as mentioned above. The outfit that installed my unit suggested a separate "subframe" and larger 10,000# dump unit, which is what the "real" dump trucks use, but I did not want to go with that because it would be over $4,000 installed, and for that much I would prefer a removable dump insert. Next time, I spring the extra $2k for an aluminum dump insert. $1800 was my limit for this beater 83 I am driving.