new guy wanting to build a do-all truck.

[Gear Head]

Hey guys. So I've been shopping around and looked at several trucks. Both 2.5 and 5 ton models. Luckily there are a few around me. I haven't driven any yet but sat in a few. Here is what I want to do. I would like to have a knuckle boom behind the cab and convert the bed to dump. Also want a drop side bed for loading cargo with my forks. Obviously hydraulic power will be a neccesity. I read Mudguppy's thread about changing a PTO winch to hydraulic and thought that would be a good start for fluid power. Might could even add remote connections at the back like a tractor for auxillary equipment.

My question is will a duece fit the bill or will I (should I) go with a 5 ton? I've been around both like I said and I prefer the size of the 2.5 for ease of loading and the multifuel availability. I did read on here somewhere about letting a multifuel idle to run a hydraulic pump wasn't a good idea though. I think I'm correct in thinking the newer 9 series 5 ton truck already have hydraulic power and are straight diesel so that may be a better route for me.

I just want to have a whole plan with things that are going to work well together before I start and find out I made a costly mistake. I know guys do this with most every series truck out there as I've read several build threads but I haven't really seen comparisons of the pros and cons of each truck for this type of modification.

Would a dump truck like a M51 be a good candidate because of the hydraulic power already there maybe? I can get a ready to go mechanically one of those for $8500 but that's more than I'd like to spend.

Any input will be appreciated.

Trucks I have looked at so far;
M35 WO/W, drop sides, soft top, road worthy. $3500
M35 W/W, hard top, non drop sides, little rougher than above. $4500.
M927 WO/W, hard top, cargo cover drop sides of course, very good condition. $8500

 

[swbradley1]

If I had the money I would start with a M927 and then take the bed off and put the shorter bed on it. That would give you room for the knuckle boom. Put a dump kit on it and go.

A M936 is a wrecker...??

 

[Gear Head]

I looked at the M927 and it is definately the most expensive of the bunch. It would eat into the crane budget significantly plus I would probably want a bigger crane for it since it was a bigger truck. Which is even more money.

I did go look at a knuckle boom today that a guy used to build a log cabin with. He had it mounted on a M35 W/W with the pump driven off the back side of the PTO. He already had the winch sold, The truck was junked. Not because the truck was junk, but because he torched the frame in half to get the rear axles closer to his house to sell them. The truck wouldn't run and he gave up on it. It would have been perfect for me. It had a hard top, winch and boom already. All it needed was a bed...

I did look at a M936 at the same place with the M927 for a buddy. I got my numbers crossed. Opps. I'll see if I can find info on the shorter beds. All the ones I've seen so far were the same length.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I saw that crane and thought about calling him, but thats too far for me. Thats a good crane!

 

[Gear Head]

It WAS a good crane. The controls are stuck. He cut the lines from the pump when he removed it from the truck instead of unscrewing them and he torched the U bolts holding it on. the lines are in bad shape and I wouldn't want to put pressure in them. I'm sure the pump is ruined cause the cut end of the hose was sticking up letting water run down into it. Even the hook was rusted closed. It would take a lot of work to get it operational again. And you have to have a way to load it onto your trailer too!