Essential tools for dump trucking

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Air Cooled, Feb 19, 2017.

  1. Air Cooled

    Air Cooled Road Train Member

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    Howdy everyone. My company has several different types of trucks from ends and bottoms, transfer, pneumatics, and tankers. I've been in the tanker scene for a long time. I'll be moving into day shift from nights and only traveling 20 miles to work :) to work in a transfer dump.

    I always carry a large toolbox with basic hand tools, spare parts, and tie down equipment. Anything to do small repairs to keep roadside from coming out. I've driven a transfer in the past (about 5 years ago) but it's been a while. Besides tools to fix your rig on the road, what are essential tools you all carry for job specifics? Some I did were:

    Shovel

    Small brush for loose material

    Long pole and brush

    Gallon jug of EPA approved releasing agent (not diesel)

    Tarps

    Just wondering what else you would carry thats specific to the job. In case of anyone wondering, here's a transfer...
     

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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    If you are hauling blacktop, you will be putting deseil into the dump beds now and then to help get them cleared. I run a dump truck for a few years for a really small three man type operation paving driveways, building gravel roads where there were none among other things.

    The picture you shared show me that you will have a nice rig and trailer, if you already have a basic kit proven by yourself for trucking then there isnt much I can add to that except maybe a small scraper that is not metal so you can go after the spots of this or that on the truck body, cab and tanks etc to help keep them clean.

    You do want to carry a couple of C Clamps for your Intercooler feed hose (About 5 inches wide that goes to your turbo) if you lose one clamp you will have a spare to put on and restore your engine power and stop smoking all over the place. You want to carry a set of plugs of all kinds, for example brass air tank drain ####s and plugs so that if you knock one off your air tank on a construction site on rough ground you will be able to install a replacement and not be stranded for a tow.

    A small length of siphon hose, your truck will sometimes behave as a fuel tanker to keep feeding fuel into your bosses's or customer's heavy equiptment from time to time.

    A battery ternimal cleaning set. A variety of cleaners made of good quality wire and a set of replacement bolt on ternimals will come in handy if your battery box takes a hit and you lose a ternimal etc. It's rare but it's a idea.

    I forget exactly what fluid you use to drive your dumping device back there but there should be a gallon or two extra under the passenger seat so that your truck will be reliable in dumping off that PTO from the cab. Being short on dump fluid is not fun.

    A gauge big enough to measure to 120 pounds. A length, say 100 feet of air line plus glad hand on one end and a device to feed your tires anywhere on the dump and trailer will come in handy sometimes. If it is not you that gets tired (Pun intended) it might be another dump truck that does on the jobsite.

    A spare bulb and lense for your overhead cab lights plus any other light you might have on the rig. The local police and state police will generally be more... anal with inspections for a lack of a better word. Have something to patch exhaust pipe leaks, generally at the Joint or Junction where it curves to vertical under or next to your cab, if you develop a leak it will be there or at the T or near the Turbocharger itself.

    A spare set of gloves. Or two. If you wear glasses, a spare set of glasses and so on down the line. You cannot have too much stuff inside a dump truck. There is always something. If you transfer hydraulic fluid to trailer to lift that dump then you want to have also a length of spare hose rated for that work So you can still dump if worse comes to worse. Finally some extra bolts for your tags. For some reason they will shake off often.

    I can go on, but I think that's thought provoking and quite good to start Your Picture indicates a very nice rig with adequate axles to haul good paying weight. I feel somewhat envious because all I had in my day was a converted over the road tractor with underdrive, a Mack Super500 with that 15 forward and 15 reverse on three trees. It was a great truck, one of the best I ever had in my time. I miss it. It's not much. But it was mine.
     
    Air Cooled and homeskillet Thank this.
  4. Air Cooled

    Air Cooled Road Train Member

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    Well done sir. As always, your responses are not only informative but entertaining.

    I carry some C clamps in my toolbox as well as air lines, glad hand, grommets, gaskets, etc. you can never be too prepared. I like to keep a 50' air line with a blower or to inflate tires. Old habits from blowing off cement dumped on my trailer at the load site I suppose.

    As far as diesel... yes, I've used it along with several scrapers and chisels to remove hot mix. Fortunately, I won't be dealing with that much. It'll mostly be hauling aggregate.

    Some other tools I keep are a Garmin GPS, local county maps, and a Cobra cb and Wilson antenna.

    When I lived in MD, I had the pleasure to drive some old and out of shape rigs. It's a shame that so many dump truckers have a bad name and drive junk equipment. My company REALLY maintains their equipment and coming from the gas hauling gig, I've got no problem refusing a situation if I don't deem it safe. Get the job done BUT only if it gets you home afterwards.
     
    Flingdangle and x1Heavy Thank this.
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    My first day on the job my foreman asked how strong do I feel?

    We ended up pulling all 4 drive tires, both duals axles on them and all. Replaced the bearings and did brake work on all 4 drive spots. Put the axles, tires and wheels all back in. About time for lunch. Then continued to work on the other truck and backhoe rest of day.

    I clean forgot that fluids is king. If it is anything, it's YOU that require fluids. I recall drinking 20 dollars worth of gatorade in the large half gallon bottles at 2.00 per all day every day in the heat. So carry fluids.

    You will want something that cuts the rock dust off the glass on your rig, particularly when it starts to cloud up and threaten rain, you wonder why you go through wiper blades now and then, its that rock that gets into them and ruin it.

    Another thought was latex DAP on a handgun type dispensing tool. If something starts to rattle and squeak and drive you crazy and homicidal then hit it with that DAP deal with it at the end of day or on the day when you are not hauling anything.

    About 20 feet of half inch or one inch rope. You will be surprised at how useful it is. Toss it under the passenger seat when not using. I think we tied the truck to a tree low to the axle one time to keep her from tipping when making a dump at a particular spot the customer loudly demanded we dump it there. Not here not over yonder where it's safer but here. I guess if she flipped over that rope wont do much good. But buys you time to get clear.

    I can go on but some of it might get me laughed out of the room because we were a real basic operation in our day and we did not run junker trucks per se but we ran older equiptment and as far as I know no one got killed or hurt too badly around it.
     
    Air Cooled Thanks this.
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