Chipper Trucks For Sale in Florida

Chipper trucks, also called arb or chip box trucks, pair a dump body with tall enclosed sides to capture wood chips and limbs. For Florida tree service and municipal crews, the right spec balances maneuverability in tight neighborhoods with enough cubic yards to minimize trips. Common bodies range from 12 to 20 cubic yards on single or tandem axles, with roof caps that are fixed, removable, or mesh. Short wheelbases and 84 to 120 inch CA frames help with cul de sac turns, while a pintle setup lets you tow the chipper safely. If you are comparing chipper trucks for sale in Florida, focus first on the body build, hoist, and chassis ratings.

Floor strength matters because chips are abrasive and crews often toss rounds into the body. Look for 3 or 4 inch crossmembers on 12 inch centers, heavy sills, and 3/16 inch steel floors or AR wear plate in high impact zones. High molecular weight poly or hardwood liners reduce sticking and protect paint at the rear door. Scuff liners and vertical posts at 16 or 24 inch centers keep side panels straight. Tight tailgate seals and a curbside chip door improve containment and reduce cleanup; a rear barn door with top hinge simplifies dumping brush. Scissor hoists are stable on short frames and deliver quick dump cycles.

Tare weight drives payload and licensing. A single axle steel chip body on a Class 6 or 7 chassis typically scales 13,000 to 16,000 pounds with fuel and toolboxes, which leaves 10,000 to 13,000 pounds of payload on a 26,000 GVWR under CDL truck. Wet chips can run 400 to 600 pounds per cubic yard, and rounds push weights higher, so 14 to 16 yard bodies are common on under CDL singles and 18 to 20 yard bodies on tandems. Aluminum or galvanneal bodies cut several hundred pounds, which adds payload or room for a pallet of logs, but they trade some dent resistance compared to full hard steel. Specify an automatic transmission with live PTO and high idle control for reliable hoist operation, and match your GCWR and pintle rating to the chipper you tow.

Florida humidity, salt air, and daily rain test chipper truck corrosion protection. Aluminum bodies, stainless hardware, e coated subframes, and sealed harnesses resist rust; isolate mixed metals with non conductive pads to prevent galvanic corrosion. Factory undercoating and epoxy primer under the body floor slow rot that starts with wet chips sitting overnight. Good thermal and moisture management helps too, use vented roof caps, screened vents, or a mesh tarp to let heat and steam escape so chips do not sour and blister paint. LED work lights, backup cameras, tire pressure monitoring, and spring suspensions with helper leaves improve uptime on curbside jobs without adding unnecessary weight.