If you use your truck for hauling and dumping supplies, converting the empty bed into a full-blown dump truck with a quick-install insert could be exactly what you need. Today's inserts are compact, durable, and can pay for themselves in the long run.
While dump inserts designed for full-size or shortbed pickups have been around for years, recent technological advancements--such as light extruded bed flooring, multistage telescopic hydraulic cylinders, compact hydraulic pressure systems, and the use of high-end materials like T-6 aluminum--have drastically changed this market for the better. Older dump-bed designs used thick steel plating to carry heavier loads, which resulted in a lower payload ability--the insert's weight comes out of the vehicle's overall GVW.
For years, dump inserts were built with mild steel and painted to hide day-to-day abuse, but more inserts are now being made from a combination of aluminum and stainless steel for improved appearance and reduced weight.
We recently went to Weingartz in Farmington Hills, Michigan, for a peek at the newest in dump-bed technology. TruckCraft, one of the top dump-bed-insert manufacturers, designed this unit, the TC-120 Ultra. It has a reenforced aluminum floor with extruded-aluminum side panels, which provide strength and cause it to weigh approximately 350 pounds less than the stainless-steel equivalent. Once installed, the insert sits only 3-inches above the bed. It can lift and extend to nine feet at an angle to completely empty its payload, but retracts (like a telescoping hydraulic jack) to less than three feet to save valuable storage room.
Costs and Features
Most dump-insert companies offer a basic version that can be personalized for utility and appearance. Base mild-steel inserts typically start around $3500, aluminum/stainless-steel inserts around $4500. Options include a cab protector, retractable mesh cover, utility rack, side panels, a leaf box, salt spreaders, and more. Weingartz usually recommends an aluminum/stainless-steel dump insert--it looks and works better over the long haul and doesn't cost that much more to buy. TruckCraft models come with a three-year limited warranty
If you're a DIY-er, installing a dump-bed insert can be performed in a backyard or garage in a few hours with basic hand tools. Many sales outlets also do installs. This base dump insert is just the dump bed, with no upgrades.