Maverick as a firewood truck?!

[jonshep]

We lived in the San Luis Valley in Co from 1980 to 88 and heated with wood, so I know all I want to know about wood heat. I had a Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 in those days and I made a pair of sideboards that were 20" to 24" taller than the normal bed. We were permitted to cut dead and dead standing in those days in the Nat Forrest. We could get about a Cord of wood on it by stacking it up above the cab a little. That was all dry Fir and Spruce. We moved to SE Kansas in the fall of 1990 and still had the Dodge. We went down to the in-laws in Eastern Oklahoma and cut a rick of wet Black Jack Oak that didn't come to the top of the bed. The Dodge was on the overload springs. So, the load on your Mav is based on weight not volume. You can load your truck unti it squats, and a little more, but if it looks strained, it's time to back off the weight. Wood density and water content really determines what you can haull. I have graduated from wood cutting and hauling (aged out).

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[Exranger]

That big pile of wood? Is it something laying in a designated area free to 1st come, 1st serve?

It is on private property and A friend let me get a couple truckloads from his stash. Nice and dry. I moved some rounds for him to organize it to return the favor. Near Placerville in CA.

 

[craigt502]

What exactly is a true or typical firewood truck?

Definitions will vary , but to me I’d say a firewood truck is something a lil bit tough and rough around the edges. 3/4 ton + with 8’ bed. But I certainly love my firewood truck, the Mav!

 

[craigt502]

We lived in the San Luis Valley in Co from 1980 to 88 and heated with wood, so I know all I want to know about wood heat. I had a Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 in those days and I made a pair of sideboards that were 20" to 24" taller than the normal bed. We were permitted to cut dead and dead standing in those days in the Nat Forrest. We could get about a Cord of wood on it by stacking it up above the cab a little. That was all dry Fir and Spruce. We moved to SE Kansas in the fall of 1990 and still had the Dodge. We went down to the in-laws in Eastern Oklahoma and cut a rick of wet Black Jack Oak that didn't come to the top of the bed. The Dodge was on the overload springs. So, the load on your Mav is based on weight not volume. You can load your truck unti it squats, and a little more, but if it looks strained, it's time to back off the weight. Wood density and water content really determines what you can haull. I have graduated from wood cutting and hauling (aged out).

Thanks for sharing! And I agree wood can vary a lot in weight depending on moisture content and species.

 

[Exranger]

Definitions will vary , but to me I’d say a firewood truck is something a lil bit tough and rough around the edges. 3/4 ton + with 8’ bed. But I certainly love my firewood truck, the Mav!

My old firewood truck: cng natural gas, and 3/4 ton f150

 

[craigt502]

My old firewood truck: cng natural gas, and 3/4 ton f150

Sure don’t see a lot of those 7700 F150s! On top of that natural gas?! Dang near a collectors edition !

 

[Exranger]

Sure don’t see a lot of those 7700 F150s! On top of that natural gas?! Dang near a collectors edition !

Bought for $4k from PGE utility and sold it (5years later) one week before my mav came in for…$4k!
To carmax!
Thing was a beast too…
Oh yeah, $1.50 per gallon, 11 miles per gallon, 23 gallon tank

 

[Robot-Wrangler]

Ok I know the Maverick isn’t a true or typical firewood truck but I have certainly hauled a lot of firewood with it since owning it and have always been impressed and happy with how it performs! I’ve never towed near the 4K limit due to trailer limitations but I’m sure I’ve been slightly over payload capacity with hauling firewood in the bed a couple times. Truck is still in good shape at 31k miles despite almost every weekend having to do firewood chores. I changed the PTU, RDU, and trans fluids not long ago and all looked good. If anyone has any questions don’t hesitate to ask! Here’s a few pics and if anyone else loves firewood (I might have an addiction ) feel free to to check out my YouTube channel. Full disclosure it doesn’t have much Maverick content, yet. Craig’s Cords to Coals YouTube

You need a headache rack so you "don't got wood" when you brake hard.

 

[Robot-Wrangler]

I've stopped treating my little trucklet like something that's fragile. I've been testing its limits. So far so good.

Folks can't resist overloading a pickup truck.

 

[craigt502]

You need a headache rack so you "don't got wood" when you brake hard.

It’s been on my mind and have definitely considered one. Unfortunately, most of them that I’ve found don’t look the greatest on the Maverick. Think the best one I saw was posted here, it was a back rack brand one that was cut/modified to flow better with the Mav.

 

[Timothyd]

You got that right! Good exercise for sure. But I truly enjoy everything about it, finding it, cutting it, splitting it. I’m sitting right next to a stove now burning it. Heck I even like making YouTube videos about it.

Yup! It puts me in my Zen mode.

 

[Timothyd]

I've stopped treating my little trucklet like something that's fragile. I've been testing its limits. So far so good.

It's there to serve me. Not the other way around.

 

[Timothyd]

Some pictures would be nice, like this.

 

[Timothyd]

In realty, the bed‘s too small to be a good hauler of anything

I would love if it was a SuperCab. Another foot and a half would really make it. Plus, I could sleep/ camp in the bed.

 

[Gray Goose]

Thanks for sharing! And I agree wood can vary a lot in weight depending on moisture content and species.

Also back in the 80's my family cut tree tops for firewood that were leftover from logging. All green wood. Loaded an F-250 with a rack over the height of the cab. Uphill out of the woods onto the road and the front wheels started to lift off the ground.
After getting home we had to do the evening milking, so didn't unload until the next day. The rear tires had flat spots for a few days after that.

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