3 Ways To Avoid Costly Work Truck Overloading 

07.22.20

An overloaded work truck can be extremely costly. Maintenance, efficiency, and productivity costs can hurt your bottom line as much as the random overweight ticket. Keep the following in mind as you look to trim excess weight from your work truck.

1. Switch from steel to aluminum 

When spec’ing a new truck, consider moving to an aluminum work truck body. The Stellar® TMAX™ Aluminum Mechanics Bodies use aluminum construction where it makes sense while keeping the steel structural components intact. This means you get corrosion-resistant aluminum side packs and doors while maintaining an all-steel underbody, load bed, and crane compartment.   

 Simply put, reducing the overall truck weight allows for more available payload. When an operator can carry more, they increase the functionality and versatility of the vehicle. Aluminum is also a great option to reduce corrosion. Your truck will last longer in harsh winter and ocean-side climates.  

2. Eliminate wasted payload 

Taking inventory of your current equipment gives you the opportunity to find and remove anything that doesn’t serve a direct purpose. Carrying extra tools and equipment that will not be used on the job takes up valuable payload on your truck and adds unnecessary inventory to maintain. 

3. Upfit based on weight 

A simple way to reduce weight is to upfit your work truck with aluminum storage systems as opposed to steel. Approximately 50 percent lighter than their steel counterparts, Stellar Aluminum Toolbox Systems are ready to hold all of your heavy-duty equipment. With 500-pound rated slides, these drawers will endure years of service while saving weight and increasing corrosion resistance. 

In addition to aluminum drawers, consider equipping your fleet with other aluminum accessories such as the LubeMate® Aluminum Lube Skids. 

However you choose to avoid overloading, be sure to consider your location, job, and life cycle of equipment. While some options to reduce weight may cost more up front, the long-term payout and benefits will likely outweigh the initial investment. 

Interested in talking more about lightweighting? Get in touch.