Side boards for dump truck ??

[mometal77]

I see nothing but wood on the boards but do any thing of rectangular tubing or pe flat plastic expensive but would never wear out.
bob

[rebocardo]

If this dump truck is going to carry some serious weight, here is what the guy should really do. Put the wood on like he wants (I would stake every 3 feet from my experience). Then back it on the inside of the bed with 1/8" sheets of steel. Bolt the steel sheets to at least one post of steel, front and back,  and the rest to the wood with 3/8" bolts.

It will make the wood last a very long time and will greatly increase the strength of the bed without having to worry about the sides bursting. Plus, the wood/metal combo will be almost impossible to dent or break without trying to do it.

You can use carriage bolts on the inside of the bed, so its smoother, by using an impact gun on the nut on the outside of the bed to drive the bolt home.

[woodmills1]

It is funny how some companies cut corners to save money, they think.

Have 2 masons who buy a few 2 x 10 x 16 hemlock for staging.  One leaves them outside where ever and doesnt even end trim them when he gets them.  The other end trims then wraps the ends in metal banding for 4 or so inches, then stores them inside after jobs.  guess who buys more planks compared to jobs done and # of employees.

One paving company pays well and has many long time emplyees.  They use oak truck sides and have reinforced the tops of the bodies with steel behind the wood.  The other paving company pays less, is hard on the employees, and has a lot of turn over.  They use hemlock with just the pockets and one steel at center so they can use smaller lengths.  Guess who gets to see me many more times.

[Gary_C]

I have been told that Cottonwood makes the best dump truck top boards. Those end loaders they use to load are so huge, that if the bucket just barely hits the top of the truck box, something has to give. Strength is not as important as toughness and flexability. Plus cottonwood will be lighter, when dry. Yes they will rot faster, but they tend to not last long enough for rot to be a primary concern.

[Sawyerfortyish]

Well twostroke it looks like you'll have to go out in the back 40 and cut one of native VT Sequoias or cottonwood trees for them truck sides. Be easy on those hard maples too many of us enjoy that syrup Vt is famous for.

[twostroke_blood]

I'm leaning toward Cottonwood. However, the first 20' log I happen across is going down. I would have done it already instead of talking about it, if not for the fact that its a muddy mess back there. Rain rain go away come back another day.