What does a 20,000lbs hook lift unit cost?

[mrusk]

I need to start seriously start thinking about my next truck. I know its going to take time to find a good cab and chasis. I will be looking for a 33k gvw truck.

I want to go with a hook lift system. I know some of you guys love your switch and go systems, i just do not want to take a chance with one of those. I know if i spend the money on a good hook lift that it will last almost forever (i hope).

I am just trying to put together some preliminary numbers. I want 2002-2004 truck. I like the new style internationals like Tthomas has. I am hoping to find one with 125-150k miles for $ 22-25k. Is that resonable?

I am not going to go with any tool box behind the cab like the other guys run. Personally, i do not see the point of having that box with no top. I may go with just a simple 24inch steel box. But nothing more than that.

Is a 20,000lbs hook lift the right size you would put on a 33k gvw truck?


Oh yea.. once i get the truck it might take me 6 months or so to finish it. I want to bank roll it myself. I do not want to be a sucker with payments anymore!!!! I figure if i want it ready to work next spring, i better start it around June this year.

Anyone have any adivce from trucks to the hook lift unit?

[waltero]

mrusk,

I have the switch and go system and if you want to take a look at it I am probably not that far from you. I service the Northeast corner of PA, the area around I-84. If you are in northern NJ it can't be that far for you. I bet you would like the setup.

You may like it or you may hate it, but it is at least worth a look. I have to tell you that this year is my first year really up and running, last year everything took longer to get done then expected and I ended up with a slow year. Some of the jobs from last year got pushed to this year so I have a good part of the summer already booked. I do have some room to add the smaller jobs but I have a larger job that I posted on here. I just upgraded from a smaller tractor/loader/backhoe to the Ingersoll-Rand BL-570 and I feel that it better matches the size of truck and my equipment needs.

I have the storage body, drop box, and dump body with fold down sides, the toolbox behind the cab and on the sides. All this on a 01 Sterling Acterra 33,000 GVW truck that had 92,000 miles on it for under $60,000. I honestly can't think of a better setup for hardscaping for the money. It may not be super heavy duty, but it isn't like you are going to be hauling materials like a tri-axle would be, day in and day out. It is a good strong unit and able to take the abuse that a person/company doing hardscapes can dish out.

Let me know if you are interested in looking at the truck. Good Luck.

[mrusk]

Yea i might take a look at the truck in the up and coming weeks. I am out of Sussex county about 25 minutes from milford.

What is the dry weight of your truck with a box on it? I am just curious of the payload capablities. I am more interested in the system because of the easy of moving machinery instead of picking up supplies.

Matt

[waltero]

My dry weight is between 16,000 - 17,000 depending on fuel, tools, etc... so I can carry 8 tons legally. I have it setup so I can drop the box and load a skid steer in the back and lift it back onto the truck, I have the D-rings inside the dump body. I really think this is the swiss army knife in a truck, it will do everything a regular dump would do and more.

I bet you would like the toolbox behind the cab once you saw it, it is really nice to have a place to keep your tools and be able to move items like a compactor between jobs without tieing up the dump box. I don't store anything more valuble then rakes and shovels overnight, and I keep the truck at my house so the fact that it doesn't have a roof does not hurt. If it did have a roof it would actually be less useful or would need to be taller. Most people who look at the truck wouldn't know that there is no top.

Let me know when you might be coming up, I have some work in the Lords Valley area and that is the exit after Milford so I can meet you there. Depending on when you call the equipment could be over an hour from that location. I could also let you know when I am down that way doing work, I try to cover a larger area and I could go up to an hour in any direction from my house.

[mrusk]

Walt it wouldn't be for a few weeks or months. I am finally getting out working this week and got to get that $$$ back in my account!

Hmmm i wish i could get the payload in the 10 ton range, so i could haul my skid and future mini x on the flat bed..

[waltero]

You let me know when, I'm here all summer.


I have my truck set up so that I can put one piece of equipment in the back of the truck and I can tow a trailer with another piece of equipment. It is registered for 44,000 GCVW so that I can tow 10,000lbs even with the truck fully loaded.

Good luck this summer.

[AintNoFun]

We bought our truck used w/ the hooklift on it. Its a 20 or 22k american roll off hooklift. We have 2 containers and 2 flatbeds one our hydroseeder is mounted to. The truck Is amazing one of the best decisions I've ever made. We have a peterbilt 330. im pretty sure the gvw is 36k and the empty weight is around 14 or 15k, im not to sure though. Im actually trying to find a small storage container now like one of those "Pods" this way I can mount everything in it, wheelbarrows, hand tools, etc. Then the night before a big planting job I can drop the container off and everything is right there for the guys...

[turfquip]

The 20K hooklift is a great size for a 33K chassis. Its a little heavy for my class 6 but nonetheless, it's what I have and it works great for me.

IMO, the hooklift is more convenient than a S&G for several reasons...such as

Its nice to be able to walk or push a wheelbarrow between the truck and body with the body still attached in the rolled off position.

More control - Its nice to be able to push the truck away from the box and vise versa. Don't think you can do it with S & G.

No need to get out of the truck to drop the box and/or pick up another.

Finally, the hooklift is cooler looking with the big arm reaching over and grabbing. Helps justify higher prices for your services.

Tool boxes, consider a 24 X 24 X 72 underbody box. Mine's heavy as heck and holds a lot of stuff. Its an RC.

Good luck and you'll love that truck when you get it all together. It may take some time though as mine did.

[Scag48]

33K is the perfect size for a 10 ton body and lift. Can't wait to see what you end up with.

[Gravel Rat]

Might be pushing the limits of a single axle with 10 tons your going to need a tandem axle if you want to haul 10 ton with a hook lift. The heaviest single axle your going to find is a truck with a 12,000lb front axle and 23,000lb rear axle. The big problem is braking power a single axle doesn't like to stop when loaded up heavy.

Here is a truck with a 20,000lb hoist and heavy truck its something I would buy.

www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=1248645&guid=A16B23E35CFA491BBB0F7EF6CA163417

This would be another choice its a single axle with conventional rails.

www.truckpaper.com/listings/forsale/list.asp?bcatid=27&ParentCategoryID=207&catid=233&man=STERLING&mdl=L8513&guid=A16B23E35CFA491BBB0F7EF6CA163417

[mrusk]

Can i get a bench seat in these trucks, so 3 guys can ride in it?

[Gravel Rat]

I don't know if you would want a bench seat for the driver. You probably won't have room for a bench seat anyways because the controls for the hoist will be bettween the seats. You want in cab controls so you can have one hand on the controls and one on the steering wheel and you looking out the back window.

[turfquip]

The initial question was how much...sorry I forgot to address that :hammerhead:

I was lucky to find my FL 60, a 1996 model lo pro with only 74K on the clock...paid 12,500. Truck needed 4,000 in repairs and mods. In total I have around 50K in it - SL 222, custom built 18 foot flat bed including dovetail, 16 foot light duty steel dumpster.

Take your time, there are good deals out there to be found.

I agree with GR on the seating. A third person is in the way straddling the shifter, hoist controls and parking brake.

[Gravel Rat]

Do you really need to carry 2 guys in the cab plus a driver ?

The guy sitting beside you while your driving ate bean burritos for breakfast and he is expelling methane isn't that great in a day cab :laugh:

You want the most comfortable driver seat you can get especially if you will be spending all day driving.

[mrusk]

I need to carry more than 2 people. I might have to go for the extended cab or crew cab international. its going to be like finding a needle in the hay stack but thats whats suits me best.

My business is going in the direction of just doing large design build projects. I want to be able to send the crew out to the jobsite in one truck. I do not want to have to send two trucks to every job when jobs are up to 70 miles away.
I do not ever see the truck just hauling all day long non stop, atleast not a every day occurance.

Hmmm.. I got to figure this out now.

[Gravel Rat]

You can put a crew box behind the cab if you found a long enough wheelbase truck. Your other option would be modify a truck sleeper so you can have a seat and storage.

[mrusk]

You can put a crew box behind the cab if you found a long enough wheelbase truck. Your other option would be modify a truck sleeper so you can have a seat and storage.

Can't i just buy a truck with a extended or crew cab? Seems to be the way to go.

[kevin81]

I purchassed a 07 international last december with a 20,000 lbs hook on it and we use it nonstop. If i could do it again i would get extended cab and at least 250 horsepower . Our truck came with air ride driver seat and a 2 person bench, but the controls for the lift make it pretty tight for 2 people on the bench part. I spent about a year looking for trucks before i bought mine and in all my searchs i didnt see a single extended cab with a hook already on it. As far as buying the hoist i think a 20,000 lb host is around 18,000-23,000 depending on the maker. this is my first post and if you have any questions i will try to respond as fast as possible, just keep in mind im new it may take me awhile to figure this site out.

[Gravel Rat]

It depends on how much money you want to spend. The only two truck manufacturers I know of that offer a crew cab is Ford F-650 F-750 and Freightliner M2 Business Class they offer a crewcab and extended cab.

[mrusk]

international offers both ext and crew cab

[Gravel Rat]

If International offers a extended cab I would go with that because they pretty much make the best truck for the price. I don't know how tight the areas you work in but I don't know if you want a full crewcab the truck would end up fairly long. Also if your using a hookift you still want to beable to look out the backwindow easily for lining up the hook and watching how the box is pulling over the rollers.

[Scag48]

Dude, you don't need a crew cab, just make them ride in the box :drinkup:

[Gravel Rat]

You could always put a little platform for them to stand on like garbage men or like on a firetruck :laugh:

[6DoubleDuece]

they might get tired hanging on for 70 miles :laugh:

Then you couldn't get any work out of them

[mrusk]

I think i need to really think about this over the next few months. I doubt i will be able to find a extended cab 4400. And if i have to buy a new cab and chasis this truck will hit fuggin $75,000 and then this project doesn't make any economic sense. I am still trying to convince myself that the hooklift is worth the money and that it will pay for itself.

I really need to think about how much i will really be moving equipment. I am going towards doing larger jobs. Next year i am going to start off the year spending 7 weeks at one job. I am going after jobs that size with those kind of time frames.

I just want to do whatever makes the most economical sense. I know we all love iron, but i need to do what makes the most sense. It seems like to many contractors get caught up having big machines/trucks because of their egos. I am trying to not let that ever happen to me.

I got some thinking to do.

[Gravel Rat]

It is the extended cab that will add to the price of the truck because your going to need to buy new. If you went with a regular cab you have lots of selection and your price range will be easier to deal with with a used truck.

You may find a used extended cab truck but the wheelbase will be wrong or the truck won't be heavy enough.

[waltero]

Matt,

I guess in alot of ways we need to operate in a similiar way. I do travel up to an hour for work, I figure the larger the area that I can cover the more higher end jobs I can get. They aren't that common up here but it is getting better.

Like I said, I have the switch and go system and I also wanted to get an extended cab. I didn't find much, but I am working on getting a smaller truck, maybe a toyota tacoma quad cab that will be able to carry some small supplies and up to 4 people. I really haven't come to a good decision but if you get the larger truck and a smaller truck it will allow you to send your workers to one jobsite and maybe a driver/operator can take the larger truck and deliver machines, supplies, materials, and possibly start the excavation on a second jobsite before the rest of the crew gets there. It keeps everyone busy and when the crew shows up to the second job, they can start on the base and will have all the material at hand.

It isn't a bad idea, it is the one that I am running with right now. I am constantly thinking about this and I can't come up with a better solution. The other good thing about the second truck is that it can be used for estimates, it is another vehicle with you logo( more exposure), and it should will be a vehicle that just about anybody can drive. If you need something small and all you have is the large truck, it will either be you or probably one of your top men who can drive the larger truck and you will lose that person on the jobsite. With a small truck you can send a laborer out for the stuff and not lose the experience on the jobsite.

Like I said, I think we are in the same boat, just a different lake.

[Gravel Rat]

The easiest and cheapest way is get a cheap on fuel P/U truck that will carry the crew and tools as Waltero said.

Or you can make a wagon like you pull behind a bike maybe a old Rickshaw that you tow behind the truck and the crew rides in that :laugh:

If you are working way out of your district it is nice to have a pickup to do the running around getting supplies etc.

[mrusk]

I have a regular cab 3/4 ton cummins. I wish it was a crew cab.

I guess i really need to see what type of jobs i continue to get. I may find that i do not need the hook lift every day, and on those days take a crew cab truck. I could always pick up a used crew cab dulley and throw a flat bed on it.

If keep getting these larger jobs, i might find that it makes more sense to go buy a used tandem for 50k and throw a hook lift on that.

[Gravel Rat]

A tandem would probably a better idea especially when you can use it as a conventional dump truck.

[mrusk]

If i decided to go that route, it won't be for atleast two years.

All the big design/build co's have all their own tandems, excavators, etc. I just am not there yet.

I just have to spend my money wisely. Part of me just feels that the single axle hook lift is right on the boarder of making economic sense. Almost every job i take atleast a tandem axle of material. I call and get a tandem within a hour.

Its the clean up of the job site that kills me. When i worked at schitty houses, i could just throw the extra stone in the woods. Now that i am in the million dollar and up houses i can't. A 10 yard dumpster that i can anything in but wood runs me $350. 20 yard is around 475.

I am almost thinking of looking for a good desiel crew cab pickup and a dump trailer.

Matt

[waltero]

Matt,

I think your over-shooting your goal here on the tandem. I would focus on a vehicle that will move your equipment/tools/materials. I paid just under $60,000 for my setup and that is alot of money, but I would have spent almost that much for a new F-?50 with diesel, a dump, toolboxs and extras.


If you aren't going to be in the hauling business, then the most you will need is 33,000 lbs GVW. It is a nice in-between for your company, anything larger and you can just order a tri-axle, or just make two trips. If you go larger you have to realize that your registration will cost more, tires cost more, the cost of the truck will be more, maintenance is more, etc....

If you want to focus on hardscapes, and you want to get a real truck, you might as well get the best truck for your money and that is where the setup like ETWMAN, TTHOMAS, and myself comes in. It really doesn't cost much more to setup, but in the end you get a truck that can adapt and grow with your business with minimal additional investment. I will use this example, Lets say that I want to start hydroseeding as a service and I want to go with a larger unit. I can pick up a flat bed and mount the hydroseeding unit on there and on the days I need to use it I can pick up that body and go, no need to add another truck, additional insurance, etc.... My business can grow, without me outgrowing my equipment.

I really like the switch n go system, I do hardscapes so I am not hauling materials all day long. I may switch out the bodies a couple times a week when busy, but it doesn't take long and the ability to do it more then makes up for the inconvience. I can move more materials/equipment/tools per trip then my competition and time is money, it will show up in your profits. I honestly can say that the size of my equipment helps me to take jobs that are farther away.

You should really look at the switch n go system and think about what kind of business you are looking for. If you going to push the hardscapes then I think these trucks make a perfect match to the work. Everything that we use is heavy stuff, brick, block, stone, etc... and you will need a truck that can hold up under a heavy load and don't forget that you also want to remain legal.

At the end of the day you have to see what makes you business run better, faster, more efficient, more profitable, etc... We need to be able to do it all, and sometimes we need to do it differently to stay ahead. Bottom line is that this truck doesn't really cost me any more then a newer, smaller truck but it does so much more for the same price. Don't forget that it is an impressive vehicle and people notice it. I get good comments from others, especially landscapers because it seems that they fully understand the benefits of the truck. I have been on jobsites where the guys cutting the grass would walk around it in amazement, I always give them a quick tour and they love it.

That is enough for now, enjoy your night.