A real brush truck!

lbyota85

lbyota85

Let the chips fly!
Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Location
Taylorsville, NC
So for a long time now at work we have tried to persuade the powers that be to build a real brush truck. Well all or the stars have aligned and finally get to do one.

01 F550
7.3
335/80R20s
4” lift and a lot of trimming
Buckstop bumper and M12000
Aluminum flat bed and 300 gal skid unit.

Gonna be a sweet water squirter.

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:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::flipoff::poop:


:beer:
 
That's nice, or will be nice! Back in my day, we had a 59 F250, with 700x16 MT tries. Truck had enough springs to be a 1 ton, but also overloaded for the skinny tires. Had to be careful Not to get stuck. In 1982 Dept. bought a F350. Still single wheels, but we bought a skid unit for it, which was lighter than the home built tank in the old truck. We also installed 12.5 x 33 x 16 MT tires on 10" rims. That unit would go offroad, anywhere reasonable, & pulled many other units including Power Wagons, out of struck places. About the same time the City of Charlotte starting buying the F350 s with skid units. Biggest difference was they stayed with Factory stock tires. They got Stuck, as we Knew! My opinion, a brush truck is more about flotation & maneuverability, than the amount of water & equipment it carries. That's why you have tankers sitting on solid ground, for support.
Here's a pic of the 59. Don't have one of the 82.
 

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rodney eppes said:
That's nice, or will be nice! Back in my day, we had a 59 F250, with 700x16 MT tries. Truck had enough springs to be a 1 ton, but also overloaded for the skinny tires. Had to be careful Not to get stuck. In 1982 Dept. bought a F350. Still single wheels, but we bought a skid unit for it, which was lighter than the home built tank in the old truck. We also installed 12.5 x 33 x 16 MT tires on 10" rims. That unit would go offroad, anywhere reasonable, & pulled many other units including Power Wagons, out of struck places. About the same time the City of Charlotte starting buying the F350 s with skid units. Biggest difference was they stayed with Factory stock tires. They got Stuck, as we Knew! My opinion, a brush truck is more about flotation & maneuverability, than the amount of water & equipment it carries. That's why you have tankers sitting on solid ground, for support.
Here's a pic of the 59. Don't have one of the 82.
Click to expand...
Those are sweet!
Yea I agree. The ones we normally build have just the box standerd 19.5s. Won’t make it out of a dirt parking lot.....
hopefully we get to do more of these. Boss is already working on a quote for another one except on a new chassis. We’ll see.
 
Looks good. And I'm still jealous. Who makes the wheels?
 
We have the same truck, almost 10k on the clock. I've tried for years to talk them into this but hasn't worked yet.
 
Wow, only 26K miles on the truck!
At this rate, the 7.3 rig is going to last forever.
Any plans to upgrade the headlights?
 
Awesome build!
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Sticking with singles all around? If so, after you keeping the drw hubs up front.
Click to expand...
Yea it’s a super single kit. The way the wheels are offset you have to keep them on or else the tires wouldn’t turn far at all plus the wheel pattern on a 450/550 is quite a bit larger than the 1ton stuff. It is a little wider in the front than the rear naturally.
 
lbyota85 said:
Yea it’s a super single kit. The way the wheels are offset you have to keep them on or else the tires wouldn’t turn far at all plus the wheel pattern on a 450/550 is quite a bit larger than the 1ton stuff. It is a little wider in the front than the rear naturally.
Click to expand...
Truck is looking mean for sure.
 
I grew up in Farmington. Parents still live in the same house. Not surprised the truck is in such good shape to start with. Awesome build
 
Thats awesome. Our brush truck is a f450 service body on street tires. It was spec'd by a bunch of city firemen that think you're supposed to leave the truck on the asphalt and pull hose to fight fire. That's all good and we'll in a subdivision but out here in the sticks I'm not pulling 2 miles of hose!
 
335/80R20s. Says it in the first post. They look like Continental MPT 81s to me.

Edit: Damn! They're expensive! I want a set for my CUCV though...
 
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