Convert flatbed to Grain Truck?

Reader · Aug 9, 2015

I’ve been wanting to buy an older grain truck. I’ve been looking at 70’s era trucks. Since it will be low use, I want to get something cheap.

I ran across a 72 F600 for $500, but here’s the problem: It’s a flatbed. It’s cheap because it has rust on the hood and the body and it has 99,000 miles, but there’s no rust on the frame. Most older grain trucks like this are around $2,000, with a few for $1,500, so it seems like a good price. Seems to be in good shape otherwise. Engine is the 330 V8.

Here’s my question: How much work do you think it would be to convert a flatbed to a grain truck?
The floor is metal and is in good shape. Looks like they put some sheet metal over the wood floor.

I’m thinking it would be a reasonable project to build sides out of wood (grooved) and make a bed to take beans to the elevator. There are holes/squares in the flatbed to put stakes/supports to hold the sides.

It wouldn’t have a hoist. That seems like too big of a project to put in a hoist. I’m thinking, for low use, I could just shovel out the last half of the beans. Maybe i could put a 2nd door on one side, to make it easier to unload.

What do you think about converting a flatbed to grain truck? Thoughts? Comments?
Has anyone done this?

Randy

vscummins · Aug 9, 2015

You'll be shoveling a lot but we had a
truck without a hoist use to work pretty
good but then the elevators use to have
hoists

JD Seller · Aug 9, 2015

Maybe it is just the way your camera took the picture but it sure looks like the frame/bed is bent. As for you making it a grain bed/truck you could but if you price the cost of the wood and the time to make sides your not going to be much cheaper than you would be buying a grain truck with a hoist. If you haul to town they are NOT going to wait for you to shovel out the bed and most grain elevators around here DO NOT use truck hoist anymore. Their liability insurance will not allow it.

I would say any truck that is a five hundred dollar truck is not going to work very well. It would not take many repairs like the HYDRA vac to make it a costly truck without a hoist.

So I say pass and just buy a grain truck with a hoist.

Dick2 · Aug 9, 2015

Depend on the transmission and rear axle ratio. Some city/highway trucks are not geared to haul heavy loads of grain in the field. Without a hoist under the bed, it is pretty useless in this day and age. Unless you get lucky finding a good used hoist, the cost to convert would make it an expensive truck in the end that may not be suitable to the task.

caterpillar guy · Aug 9, 2015

I have done that with a flat bed. Just used 3/4 plywood layed on side with a 2x6 along the top. Put chains across on each vertical. I would think that if you don't have the hoist it would not be practical though. It would be a lot of shoveling and more as you get to the front. I would just keep looking for what you want and can afford. There are a lot of trucks out there. Does your state require a lot of DOT compliance with farm trucks? Might be better off buying a bin and have it hauled off after you're done.

Nebraska Cowman · Aug 9, 2015

That is a neat old truck. But no, you want a hoist. Do you really think the guy behind you is going to wait for you to shovel off your load???????????? Those single axle trucks are a dime a dozen around here. You can buy something pretty nice for a couple thousand. I'd watch Big Iron, an online auction site.

dzc3 · Aug 9, 2015

When you want to haul beans take the box off and mount a gravity flow box on the frame. When done you can have a flat bed again,

Cory Schmidt · Aug 9, 2015

Plywood and 2x4's will work. A couple of chains across the top to hold it together. For the rear door make a dog door size hole that opens like a gravity box to control flow. once enough flows out have a bigger door that opens in same area then start shoveling. You can jack up the front some to help. Did this with a '76F350, till the truck completely gave up(still in shed, can get pics of sides).

If going to town I wouldn't think it would be worth it, without a hoist. It takes to long others will get inpatient waiting.

A second option is find a bare frame (no bed) truck and mount a gravity box on it.

bigboreG · Aug 9, 2015

Friend of mine bought 3 (yes 3) chevy grain
trucks with box and hoist for $1000 a
piece. A C50 with inline 6, a C 65 with 350
and another C65 with either the 366 or 427
not quite sure. They all have good tires
and are in good shape. The C 50 has an all
steel Jet Co. box. The other two are wood Omaha Standards.
We hauled all of his grain with them last
fall. Only had one brake booster fail,
other than that no problems! My point is,
you can find one set up and ready to roll
for very reasonable. They don't bring much
here in central IA, everyone wants a semi
or converted otr truck with alum box. But
beware, these old trucks are DOT bait. Keep
that in mind .

Josh in Pa · Aug 9, 2015

I don't think they will let you shovel off at the
elevator, and I'm sure you will be unpopular with the
trucks behind you. How about a bin wagon for your
tractor? I don't see that truck being a big
improvement over a tractor and wagon.
Josh

RBnSC · Aug 9, 2015

Might still be worth more than that for scrap metal. Just a thought.
Ron

rustyfarmall · Aug 9, 2015

Visit a truck salvage yard. You might be able to find the grain sides to fit the flatbed you already have. The salvage yard should also have a hoist, pto, and hydraulic pump.

With the grain sides installed, it will hold about 300 bushels of corn. 300 bushels is way too much to scoop off by hand.

DoubleR · Aug 9, 2015

Take the bed off and bolt a gravity box to the frame.

notjustair · Aug 9, 2015

That's the same bed that grain trucks start from. No different other than the welded down plate. It
isn't the sides that are the issue. Have you ever shoveled 100 bushels of beans? Multiple times a day? If you are lucky that's ALL that would be left in the truck after the gate is opened with no hoist. That's the crazy part of the scheme right there.

Before beginning this little adventure I would take a trip to the Coop and see if they still have a lift
floor that is operational. If they do, it might work. It depends on the small town. Ours still has the
sling setup but I'm not sure anyone would know how to use it. Insurance companies get a little iffy
on the use of such a contraption today.

My best old truck is one I paid $800 for with a blown head gasket. I can't even begin to tell you
how many thousands of bushels it has hauled in its time on this farm. Be patient and open your
mind to buying something that needs help. The only thing I would shy away from are brake
issues. They can get pricey fast on these old trucks.

Dave H (MI) · Aug 9, 2015

The deeper I get into my smallish farming operation, the more the phrase "you get what you pay for" comes to mind. I paid a tad too much for an old grain truck this past Spring. Seller is a member here. I'm not sure we are ever going to be friends but I sure like the truck he sold me, even after putting most of $1K in repairs into it the first month I owned it. It earned back the $1K of repairs within two weeks of operation. By the end of the year it will have paid for itself completely just in saved hauling fees. If you are looking to haul grain then you probably already have enough on your plate without building a grain truck from scratch out of a flatbed. Find a nice truck with a hoist and a box...preferably not plywood held up with 2x4's. Save you time and money and may be safer to operate. Just my 2 cents.

Determined · Aug 9, 2015

I have a couple of sets of steel sides and backs that should fit that truck.
Where are you located?

BarryfromIA · Aug 9, 2015

There are 11 straight trucks on Big Iron now from ran when park to ready for any job available.

centash · Aug 9, 2015

$500 is not much more than scrap price....as Dave from Michigan says, you get what you pay for. Do you really want to deal with poor brakes, blown tire or an overheating engine in the middle of harvest, the busiest time of year? Not saying its a poor truck without seeing it, but it likely has some underlying issues. Spend a bit more and be happy.

Ben

Mark-Mi · Aug 9, 2015

Low use you say. Buy a gravity wagon.

495man · Aug 9, 2015

I was in a similar but was looking at an old one ton truck with a hoist. Wanted to do some dump body work around the farm including some short hauls on road.

I ended up with a dump wagon, more capacity than the truck would have, no gasoline engine/trans/diff worries, no body worries, no license, no insurance, no brakes to maintain, no motor vehicle inspection.

if you've a good tractor, I'd skip the truck and buy a gravity wagon or dump wagon and haul with tractor.

KarlMN · Aug 9, 2015

Truckers in MN ND and Montana have been doing this for over fifty years. They have side kits they put on their flatbed semi trailers and haul wheat to Hastings or Duluth, dump the grain and take the side kits off and get a load of lumber or steel to take back out west.

Frank41 · Aug 9, 2015

Our local elevators might ask you not to come back without a hoist. I am sure the guys in line behind you sure would. This is not like to 1950s. Buy a side draw and spray some graphite on it.

Pair-a-dice farm · Aug 9, 2015

To answer your question, it really wouldn't be a big job to put sides on it to haul grain. But take it from someone who has BTDT. Bite the bullet and get what you need that is operable.
Have you considered a dump trailer that you can pull behind your pickup? Maintaining a grain truck that seldom see use can be a nightmare. Old gas, leaking brakes, dry rotted tires and mice chewing the wires are to be expected.

Bruce from Can. · Aug 9, 2015

Don't know the rules were you live but, it takes a lot to keep a heavy truck on the road. Even with a farm
plate , we have to do annual inspections , and smog test. Buy some gravity wagons, and when they are full ,
hire a tractor trailer to come to your farm, and auger your beans on. This way you can keep on harvesting
till you have a trailer full, and you don't waste time on a good harvesting day sitting in line at the
elevator. Let your trucker waste his time in line, they charge buy the ton/mile. Not by how long they wait in
line.

redtom · Aug 9, 2015

In 1990 or so my dad and I took a furniture truck, C-65 Chevy, 350 with a 4sp 2sp, and put a grain dump on it. We paid $1,500 for the truck and I sold the van box for $500. We bought a 58 Chevy with a box and hoist for $300 that an old farmer had in a barn. I paid a guy to cut out 17" of frame and mount the box. It was solid box-grain tight. Easy to work on and parts anywhere. I used it to build my house. Hauled sand, dirt, stone. Not a lot at a time. We had to put tires and brakes on it. I sold it for $5,000. Rules are a little stiffer now and maintaining it was more work than it was worth. But it was fun at the time. I'm not good at posting pics but I should try to put a few on.

Convert flatbed to Grain Truck?

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads