Truck Dump Beds
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If you have ever unloaded the back of a pickup truck by hand, you will understand
how adding a dump bed to the back of your pickup can save time and your back. There are
several types of dump beds that can be added to a pick up box.
The first kind of dump bed is an insert. This fits neatly into the
existing bed of your pickup truck. Within the bed inserts, there are several different
varieties. The two main varieties are steel and plastic inserts. The
benefits of a plastic insert is the fact that is it light weight, so you will be able to carry more
material. The problem with the plastic is there is always a chance for breakage.
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A steel truck bed dump insert is made out of heavy duty steel, so you don't have to worry
about it breaking, but you will need to factor in the weight of the insert when calculating how much material you
can safely put in the bed.
There are also aluminum inserts available which are lighter than steel, but not as heavy
duty. The type of material you plan on hauling should play a factor in determining the right type of bed
insert for your truck.
Another type of dump bed for pickup trucks is a bolt on hydraulic cylinder kit. This
type of system uses a hydraulic cylinder mounted under the truck bed. One of the benefits of a bolt on
cyclinder system is the truck looks like a stock pickup truck. There is not a large insert in the back of the
truck; therefore, you will be able to carry more material in the bed of your truck.
The problem with this type of dump bed is that it normally takes a full day to install, and you
will need to pull the box off your truck and drill holes into the frame in order to mount the system.
No matter what type of dump bed you choose for your truck, it is
important to remember to never load more than the manufacturers recommended carrying weight.
If you have a flatbed truck you want to add a dump kit to, they now make flatbed truck beds specificly for dump inserts.
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