Anybody here straighten twisted dump truck bodies?

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got a call for a steel dump body, guy says it was rolled and slightly bent some sides. haven't gone to look at it, my guess is the bent areas will have to be cut out and new metal welded in straight. what are your thoughts? thanksR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:done a few at work real pain in the ***   some stuff needs to be cut off depending how bent it is and you might have to weld a ring on the floor and one on the side and pull it back to square with a come along. alot of cutting, heating and beating with a sledge hammer.
Reply:Show a pic. I fix em all the time. Lots of times the hydraulics will pull them straight if you block them correctly and go down with it like a lunatic that knows what he's doing.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:thanks fellas. im going to look at it Thursday. heat, a big come along, and big hammers should take care of it huh?R.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:depends how bad it actually is
Reply:from what he told me on the phone it isn't bad. ill find out tomorrow or thursdayR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:I had farmhand roll my dump truck one time. It was bad, bought like you described. I had a old Cat 325 it had a thumb on it, I welded a 1/2" x 12" x 4' piece of steel to the thumb and on the bucket. It made like a big "press", it straightened out the top panels, then welded some rings to the lower panels, got a chain and pulled them "straight". I was too cheap to have my guys at the shop fix it. Proverbs 4:23My company welds.
Reply:yeah only if I had a bucket to work with hahaR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:Just make sure you charge by the hour and don't let the guy talk you into a bid. Probably tweaked the frame back by the pins also. I bet the box don't set square on the frame. I've gotta fix a hay truck like this. This is for a friend of mine. His words were the same. Aw it aint bad. And it really wasn't until you got closer than 100 yards.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:Ah, don't I remember those days. Oh, it's just bent a little bit, probly take a 1/2 hour or so. LMAO. Those were the best calls. If it's just twisted it won't be bad, but if the sides are actually bent then it gets tough. Can't wait for the pics of this one.
Reply:lets face it if "it's not that bad" they wouldnt need it fixed . They would just use it as is. SO it's bad.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:I have driven many a dump truck that has been turned over and I have turned a couple over myself, if it aint too bad it wouldn't need fixed as said before, if it needs fixed before it can be used then it is usually bad. also depends on if it is a steel bed or aluminum bed. the guy I work for now turned one over last summer and didn't hurt it too bad. cut it off the frame cleaned it out set it back on and welded it back and on the road.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:its a steel body. going to look tomorrow am ill take pics for sure. this will be done in a truck yard just with my mobile equipment. if it looks like I might need a hand ill grab a friend. now if it doesn't sit flat on frame wont blocking one side and setting down solve some of that? and if the sides are messed up I plan on using my big come along and/or cutting out and welding new steel in placeR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:Used to be a fella from OZ that posted up a lot of cool truck frame/body fixing from a shop out there. And that was pretty much all they did!Good luckMatt
Reply:heres the pictures. this will be mobile work if I take it. but im thinking of cutting from the last straight piece all the way to the back and leaving the steel where the gate hangs and just straightening that up. he also wants new floor and walls. what do ya guys think?R.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:are you cutting out the old side and floor sheeting or just sheeting over it?  That would be probably a deal breaker if you have to cut that all out.  There comes a point you get a nicer used or new bed,  I venture to say he is expecting something for nothing.
Reply:we can also assume the RH side is bent too as the tailgate would have had to bend or push the side out and my bet would be on pushing the side out.
Reply:yeah the passenger side is bent out as well, slightly, but still needs to be straightened. and I wasn't going to cut it out just plate over the floor and wallsR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:I wouldn't be too scared then.  do you have a porta-power with extensions?  This is an excellent job for one.  I personally would weld plates to the bed to use a large chain jack diagonal on the rear of the bed and possibly at the same time using porta-power pushing diagonal on middle of bed where severely bent.  I would not cut anything on that bed until I tried like hell to muscle it straight, then if you have to replace something for cosmetic or strength reasons you can.
Reply:don't have a porta-power but have been looking for one. anyone in particular that would do well on this job?R.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:pushing against the passenger side to get drivers straight is just going to bend out the other side though correct?R.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:I would cut that top rail free from the back upright and PULL that back straight first and get the tailgate right then work my way forward on the side. those uprights down the side look to have some cancer inside them and should be easy to bend back straight then either make a new top rail or piece that one back together.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:Originally Posted by richTpushing against the passenger side to get drivers straight is just going to bend out the other side though correct?
Reply:I got ya. yeah uprights are welded solid. ya think this job can be done mobile? should I invest in the portapower?R.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:If your thinking of straighting that stretched metal with a porta power your just dreaming. Whats the condition of the truck frame? If it went over dumping, normally tweeks the frame of the truck. box doesn't look worth fixing anyhow.rest of the truck looks fine. the guy seems to want it fixed. it was not dumping from what he says. think im going the route of cutting the side out and rebuildingR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:Really don't see the issue here.  Obviously not a little 4 ton porta power.
Reply:i work at a trailer manufacturing and repair facility and my honest opinion is that you shouldnt touch it. it needs a whole new side  after all the money in labor and materials he could have a whole new side installed for not much more money.
Reply:Most guys with dump trucks have, or have access to all the hydraulic power you would need.
Reply:Originally Posted by RolngthunMost guys with dump trucks have, or have access to all the hydraulic power you would need.
Reply:yeah I wish I had access to equipment like that but I don't. the yard he keeps it in doesn't have any equipment its not even the guys property he pays to park it there, he owns two dump trucks that's it. there is 20 supports under the floor that he wants replaced as well. when I say this body is rough I mean ROUGH. I have been thinking all day but I might just have to pass on it, I don't have the equipment mobile to do this. if it was just the floor and supports underneath id be fine but trying to straighten the mess out is another thing without a trachoe or loader to useR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:In that case it needs to be scrapped!!!Miller trailblazer301gLincoln sa200Miller251Miller spectrum 625Victor oxy-acc2002 Chevy duramax 3500 dually 4x4
Reply:Originally Posted by BlackbeardIn that case it needs to be scrapped!!!
Reply:Find someone with the equipment needed. Get a price on equipment with operator. Include in your estimate. Instead of just walking. Provide an estimate high enough you feel it is worth doing. If he declines, no problem. If he accepts, you get paid enough.
Reply:aint there a good sized tree near the lot or a big post to pull from? those uprights along the side of the bed are probably about rusted through and they wont be too hard to straighten up.Lincoln 225 ac (my first machine)farmhand 115vac 70amp mig/fc toymiller aead 200le (my main machine)
Reply:He wants cross members replaced, think about all that rust! I'd rather fix the sides than deal with under it. Look how bent the floor is. Prolly bent crossways too.Miller trailblazer301gLincoln sa200Miller251Miller spectrum 625Victor oxy-acc2002 Chevy duramax 3500 dually 4x4
Reply:You said he wants new sides, floor, and cross members??? Dude, give him a price on a whole new box. It will be much easier on you, and cheaper in the long run. I've owned tractor/trailer dump trucks for 18 years, and although I never had a roll over, I would not fix that box, if it is as rough as you say it is. Just my opinion......."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:That is a huge job. If you are figuring to stick weld everything you will have a week in it. I've done some floor replacements and they are not fun. Straightening those sides will be tough too. I would only take that job if I was hard up for work.
Reply:I agree with these guys on if the floor is bad, replace the box.He should have gotten an Insurance check for roll-over accident.It may cost him a little more but if he is making a living with them.It should be dependable and look good!I would not hire a Truck and Driver with a ratty truck as material needs to move now, not have him broke down on side of road.
Reply:I agree for sure. yeah I just showed the rollover damage in the pictures. the inside is trash, plate is paper thin and busted everywhere. think im gonna call him and pass on itR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:I definitely would try to get the job of replacing the box. That, is not rocket science. Like you said, and I forgot to mention, I've had numerous guys want me to patch the lower part of the bodies, and it's paper thin and you can never get a weld on it. But scrapping this and working with fresh materials, would be a pleasure. Put your location in on your control panel. If you don't want it, someone here might want to do it. I know if it was in the chitcago area, I would probably take it on."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:it has plenty of patches on it now covering rust and such lol. if I had a shop to pull it into I probably would take it but to do all that mobile is just more of a painR.T. Welding LLCOn Site ServiceColumbus, NJ
Reply:That body is going to be good as new. Cut it into 3' pieces take it to the best scrap yard, sell it. After it goes off to a steel mill, is melted, and rolled into new steel, You or better still, a body factory equipped for the job can use the steel to build a new one. But wait! It will be too expensive to put on that old truck.Check the internet, trucks like this in nice shape are selling cheap. I bought one for $3700.00, My friend was given one free!