Hinged truck bed? Anyone done one?

So I'm half way thru unloading some sand and aggregate from the back of my ute. Im over hand unloading this thing lately, and reckon that a grassroots tipper system would be bloody brilliant!.

What I'm Wondering is, have any of you successfully converted your trucks to be able to tip the bed?. Yes I know kits are available, but they are rather pricey and I'm a tightass. I've had a bit of a browse for second hand tipper units in the past but they don't tend to come up often, and the ones that do tend to be for full size trucks or don't suit wellback utes very well.

Im thinking something like an engine Crane ram could work in terms of size and lift capabilities. Otherwise finding a ram from a front end loader or tractor may also be an option. Hydraulics would most likely be driven by a 12v pump and reservoir combo.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/X0cIMOmuvo8

Personally, no... but I'll admit every time I was unloading firewood or mulch or whatever from my pick-up, the task would be followed by dump-bed conversion kit searches, so I know exactly what you mean... These should be a factory option.

I did come very close to buying one of those Loadhandler gadgets... a few times. For $160, it might be worth a shot.

In reply to Chadeux:

Well that was unexpected. not what I need, but a welcome distraction non the less.

We have a load handler we use at work Sometimes. It's very handy. A full truck bed is a bit much for it but it can handle most of a bed load of anything you throw at it. We have replaced the cushion blocks (bearings, bought new ones from McMaster Carr) at least once but we used the hell out of the thing for a while there.

In reply to Ian F:

That's pretty interesting, I haven't seen that idea before. It may almost be worth the gamble at that price.

In reply to dculberson:

It'd be going into a Mazda b2200, so maxing it out is probably not an issue. Hearing from someone with firsthand experience with the loadhandler is great. Thanks mate

When we loaded the bed of my truck, it was loaded, so that 3000 lb rating would have been tested a couple of times a year. Like 3 yards of mulch or a heaping bed of fire wood. Hauling crap like that was why I bought the thing in the first place (with the Cummins and the 8' bed).

You can still put a full bed load in it but good luck turning the handle. What we did was manually unload about a third of the stuff then slide the rest out with the load handler.

Friend of the family has a forgotten name Asian trucklet as his farm truck. What makes it so sweet is the bed comes completely off and lays flat on the ground for loading and unloading. Then he lifts the bed back onto the truck.

Lots of folk with their diesel dualy Fords and such sneer at him, because they can roll coal and haul bigger trailers. But when it comes to working with the truck, his is the best I've ever seen or used.

Sorta like this:

When I was a kid my Dad and Uncle had a 1960 Willys pickup truck. We were the envy of the dump it had a 64 ford bed on it that dumped, it also had a plow and three stick 4WD. It was an ex city vehicle with a faded decal, what a cool truck with it's flat head six. No help for you but it did have a compact dump unit.

Mother Earth News did a big write up about one set-up. Seems pretty GRM.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/hydraulic-dump-bed-conversion-zmaz85zsie.aspx

put a heavy tarp in the bed. Tie rear of tarp to a tree or whatever and drive forward.Or pull with other vehicle. Load should land on ground on top of tarp. Especially nice if the load is dirt or mulch.

Dump conversions may be the way to go. Use the existing box. A sub frame is usually used.

Oops, that came up while I was typing.

NOHOME wrote: put a heavy tarp in the bed. Tie rear of tarp to a tree or whatever and drive forward.Or pull with other vehicle. Load should land on ground on top of tarp. Especially nice if the load is dirt or mulch.

I was gonna say something similar. My buddy (who grew up with a dad who owns a large landscaping business) and I had just cut down lots of trees and bushes and needed to haul the cut wood away. I start loading and he goes "whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. Put the biggest branch down first, with the trunk at the tailgate. You'll see why."

When we get to the dump he grabs that one branch and with one hand unloads the entire truckbed.

Granted it wouldn't work so well with stuff that is a lot heavier like gravel, rocks, etc, but I bet a good tarp or even a thick moving blanket would do the trick.

FWIW, we had a F-250 at work a few years back that had a conversion dump bed. Dirt was really more than it was meant to lift with any sort of regularity. You could see the subframe buckling the sheet metal of the bed when you'd operate it.

KyAllroad wrote: Mother Earth News did a big write up about one set-up. Seems pretty GRM. http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/hydraulic-dump-bed-conversion-zmaz85zsie.aspx

They need to learn how to take a picture and add it to the article.

But running the pressure off the existing power steering pump is genius, and something I had considered in the past for other nefarious dream builds.

Robbie wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: Mother Earth News did a big write up about one set-up. Seems pretty GRM. http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/hydraulic-dump-bed-conversion-zmaz85zsie.aspx

They need to learn how to take a picture and add it to the article. But running the pressure off the existing power steering pump is genius, and something I had considered in the past for other nefarious dream builds.

That article is from 1985; I think it's awesome that they have their old archives online.

Ahh, the timezone differences kill me.

The Power steering pump idea is awesome, such a simple use of something readily available.

I figure making heavy duty hinges should be pretty straight forward. Some plate, some tube and some Steel Rod or pins. Im sure I could find something ready made with more searching though.

I've wanted to hinge the bed on my b series for ages, just to make fuel tank and rear suspension more accessible and would mean relocating the battery back there would be more viable.

Im sore and tired and have another couple of tons to do today. Even more incentive to try and figure this out so life is easier next time around

I had a spare wheel at the front of the bed, chain tied to wheel and run out the back. Load it, tie the chain off when ready to unload and drive away, mostly unloads itself as the tarp above would if not to heavily loaded.

NOHOME wrote: put a heavy tarp in the bed. Tie rear of tarp to a tree or whatever and drive forward.Or pull with other vehicle. Load should land on ground on top of tarp. Especially nice if the load is dirt or mulch.

That could work for some loads, but one of the nice things about loading mulch into my truck was NOT dumping it all in one place, but driving the truck around the house and unloading it right where it was needed.

Chadeux wrote: https://www.youtube.com/embed/X0cIMOmuvo8

We folks here in eastern NC have an appreciation for the finer,more important automotive qualities as shown above.

You're going to need to build a subframe to keep the bed together under this stress. A hydrualic cylinder on sheet metal trying to lift 1000-2000 pounds of dirt/rock in the bed will rip the metal or bend at the hinge.

Sort of off topic, but if you put a canvas tarp down before you load the bed and leave enough to cover the load plus a few feet on at the tailgate you can tie the bottom to the bumper then the top to a tree or other car and drive out or pull the top and it will unload easier. They also sell a unit that goes on the tailgate with a long arm crank but that cost $$. Used to haul mulch in my 65 f100 as a kid and that's how we emptied the truck quickly

Saw a dump conversion on a RAM, I think, as I passed a used car lot yesterday.