My 900+ pounds doesn't include the bed liners, or the tool boxes since they aren't removable. That probably adds a good 50-100lbs. 650lbs 4 wheeler and 300 lbs of tripods/tools/GPS/monuments/stakes. That number shoots up with metal fence posts and such.
I can't survey where I go with 2 wheel drive, and I need high clearance which boots the stock GMC products, they don't work well lifted.
I've had Fords but I've had issues with them, although they were OK, Toyota's are good but they don't have 8' beds and I'm not dragging trailers around with my 4-wheeler.
I consider the work truck an important part of my business and I'm going to get the work truck that fits what I do the best and that's the 8' bed 2500 Dodge. If you end up in the places I've been all this summer and fall, you couldn't have surveyed with a city type rig.
This fall, I had an on-site meeting with a ranch owner (in a Tahoe), the ranch manager (Ram pickup-4 wheeler in the bed), owner of a fencing company (RAM pickup-4 wheeler in the bed), a logger (RAM pickup) and me (RAM pickup-4 wheeler in the bed)
Mileage varies for everyone, but I need to kick out the 4 wheeler onsite and spend all day, I need lots of room to haul stakes, GPS gear, tools, clothes, food. I hate having a trailer to mess with.?ÿ
I don't think there is a meaningful percentage of people doing surveying that use their truck also for that purpose lol. But it would be a real stress test for sure.
Previous job, overloaded vehicle, I thought it was a bad vehicle, had to shepherd it down the highway, wandered a lot, took everything out to reconfigure, drive empty to lumberyard, totally different vehicle, actually tracked down the lane with minimal steering inputs. That??s when I learned not to overload light duty trucks.
You might be surprised.?ÿ There are a huge number of land surveyors spread across the 97 percent of this country that is rural.?ÿ Many of those guys/gals have side businesses that take advantage of their location.
I suppose in certain regions that would be true. I haven't heard of any in our area doing that. We are in a small city surrounded by rural. We have 4 PLS's now and all are too busy for any side businesses.?ÿ
I added a set of leafs in the rear plus a torsion kit on my Silverado so it's up about 2.5" from stock plus I upgraded from the 32" tires to 33". Then I removed the stupid plastic bumper cover and fog lights from the front for better approach angle off road. I have the least "city rig" of anyone at our company. The bosses 2016 Silverado looks like a toy to me with no ground clearance at all.
?ÿLast week the father in law got buried in wet ground trying to back this into his yard with his van. I had to use low range cause it was working it really hard in reverse.?ÿ
This is the height of the front now without the plastic. I'd prefer slightly more lift but the fiance says no. Also the reason I can't remove the running boards. In the winter my 84 Oldsmobile is parked so this is all I have to drive.?ÿ
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Based on the population of the city listed in your member info, your small city would be the fifth most populated city in my entire State.
Yeah, it's too many people now IMO. That's why we moved to the country 25 minutes from the city. But I guess that's what's keeping us so busy.
I've never weighed my truck equipment, but guess it to be on the order of 1,000 lbs.?ÿ I drive a 2008 Tundra, I think the GVWR is 5,300 lbs.?ÿ No issues with the weight.?ÿ The only time I've towed anything with it was hauling a 1,200 lb. milling machine on a drop-bed trailer. I didn't have any trouble with the brakes.
I don't do any serious off-road work, so 2WD works fine for me.
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We had a nearby bridge on a state highway across the Tennessee River that they put a 3 ton weight limit on just before we finished a new bridge next to it. Weighed my GMC 2500 crew cab at the asphalt plant to check and it weighed 8500 lbs with the normal assorted survey equipment and tool box in it.?ÿ
Ouch. My gvwr is 6400. What year 2500 do you have and what size is the box??ÿ?ÿ
fuel economy is a serious issue yall need to factor in for those of you considering 3/4 ton pickups (gas or diesel). I love my F350 and it's not bad compared to most other diesels & it definitely delivers on the smiles per gallon when it is time to get up & go or haul a serious load. but it is tough to justify driving it daily unless you're really billing for it even as a business you need to factor in the operating & maint. costs for 3/4 & 1 ton pickups (I can personally attest this is almost triple the expense of what my wife's yukon's maint costs us). seriously debating on a gas beater just for commutes with fuel prices here lately as well as oil/fuel filter changes & tires
I survey out of this:
I've got my Dutch Hill tripod, prism pole & bipod, 25' Hixon, toolbox, shovel, 3' grade stakes, clothes, junk, AND my Focus 35 robot in there. Once in a while I'll drag my Dewalt rotary hammer drill along for the ride, but that about covers it. I've HAD the big trucks, but I don't need 'em, and this is a heck of a lot cheaper to run.
My point above was that these trucks are designed to do far more than what most people ever expect them to do.?ÿ You may not be driving 85 in the inside lane going uphill but you probably shouldn't be doing that in the first place.
Meanwhile, my little Jeep Compass will handle most things I need to do.?ÿ The 1997 3/4 ton GMC will go almost anywhere on a dry day.?ÿ We add the ATV for those occasions where any vehicle is not going to be successful onto a trailer to pull behind.?ÿ The only concern is doing one's best to not need to back up very much.
