Dump Box on Highway Tractor

You see a lot of those in Colorado. It can be done, you just gotta remember to dump the air out of your suspension when you raise the bed. I never cared to drive them, personally... even empty, it always felt like you were going to tip over coming around a corner, plus a highway tractor doesn't have the double frame, heavy front axle (although most seem to get by with just slapping a set of 315s on the steer), or low gearing of a dump truck (ones used for sitework, anyhow). But, yeah, it's doable... run 315s on your steer, install a PTO... how you do your hydraulic tank is up to you... since highway trucks tend to have large fuel tanks, splitting one might be one way to go, or installing one between the cab and dump body is another method I've seen.
IMO, for your PTO, and air actuated one would be the way to go... the electric ones can be a bit iffy, and, personally, I'm not all that keen on cutting through the floor to install a lever actuated one.
Just an FYI, any Class 7 (GVW of 26,001 - 33,000 lbs.) or Class 8 (GVW in excess of 33,000 lbs.) is classed as a heavy duty truck... light duty would be a one ton or lighter pickup.

 

Guys put bunks on them and haul logs all the time. Like WH mentioned the air ride for dump trucks and mule trains is different than highway truck suspension. I have drove a mule train with them tall airbags and it gets a little scary if your hauling a top heavy load, but might not be quite so bad with a dump bed. If it were my truck I would go with spring ride suspension.

 

Dealers do it all the time too. Increases the sale value big time vs a tractor. Do it with air ride and 9 speed road units too. I mean what does he care right? As long as he gets his money.....

 

my dump truck is air ride, it has a Peterbilt low air that I installed and its been like that for more than 5 years, I do dump the air, but I know of people that haven't even bother to install a dump valve for the suspension going on 15 years never a problem.

your problem could be if you start to load that bed heavy and bend or even brake the frame rails if they're not reinforced, (single frames rails) and 12K lbs steers and front suspension or the next person that buys that truck from you could end up suing you if something like that happens, otherwise, no problem,.

I've been driving dump truck for more than 25 years and my last two trucks have been air ride, hauling 23 net tons 2 loads a day 200 miles round per load, on this two trucks since year 2000, not a single suspension related problem.

 

Light duty dump truck? Never heard of that. The dump truck I drive is a converted highway truck. It's a good starting point but I hope to take the money I make with it this summer and rebuild it to where it's a TRUE heavy specs truck.

5/16 frame to 3/8 frame, it's how our other factory spec'ed dump truck came, and it'll clean up the frame no extra holes.
40k AirTrac to 46K Chalmers, AirTrac rides nice, but you CAN NOT beat a walking beam in dump/construction work. My other 2 trucks have Chalmers, I like it.
Add a drop axle, 12k or so steerable. Need to be able to haul more weight / keep from getting overweight tickets
Maybe change to a 14,600 or 16k steer axle. I've already destroyed one 12k front axle probably from bouncing around off road, I don't care how slow you go it's hard on em.
I'd also like to treat myself to a new box, mine's getting pretty ratty and loose, plus a high lift tailgate would be nice for everything from hauling brush and demo, to paving and chip sealing.

I've already got a motor with good power, and a 18 speed transmission, it sucks driving around all day with a gutless wonder.
Also if it's got the 26" diameter fuel tanks hung under where your sleeper's at now, I'd seriously consider ditching them and finding a 23" diameter and mounting it where the toolbox is under the passenger door. They'll get tore up on some jobsites and laying on the side of the road with your finger plugging a fuel leak is not a fun way to spend an afternoon.

But that all being said, you can do what you want to do, and it will work. Expect to tear up stuff more often though. It does all depend on what you're doing with it though. Some jobs are nicer than others!

 

Only point of your post I'm gonna nitpick. Rest of it is great.

 

Bet I could still get 8 tons on it, and I'm 90% truck driver 10% operator!

 

Touché...





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