# How much dirt can i fit?



## gardenwitch (Jan 3, 2006)

Does anyone know roughly how many yards of topsoil I can put in my truck?

It is a F150 6ft bed.

the topsoil place will charge me 21 dollars a yard delivered minimum of 6 yards.

Or i can go pick it up for $25 a load. I just don't know how much fits.

Thanks!


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## Jan Doling (May 21, 2004)

Try to avoid the "2 tons of manure in a one ton truck" situation!


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## Twogun (Jan 31, 2006)

Yeah! That was a point I wanted to bring up. Space wise you may be able to squeeze two yards in your truck, but you may not make it home because of the weight, which will depend on how much moisture in the soil. If you can use 6 yards, I think You would be money aheat to have them deliver.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. If your truck bed is 6' wide and 6' long and 2' high that is 72 cubic feet. 3 yards is 81 cubic feet. If they pile it up a little they will charge you for 3 yards.


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## gardenwitch (Jan 3, 2006)

Thanks for the quick replies!!

So now the question is, will my truck handle the load. They said the soil is dry.

I have a 2006 F150 5.4L triton V8 Supercab. I looked online at the specs and it just confused me. It just told me towing stats. Does anyone know about my truck?

Everyone keeps telling me don't worry about it you know "Built Ford Tough" But I just got it, so I would like to have it awhile....


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## Twogun (Jan 31, 2006)

F-150 is rated half ton I believe. Ask if they could aproximate the weight.


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## sullen (Oct 14, 2004)

DH can only get a few yards in his POS Ram 6 ft bed.


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

gardenwitch said:


> Does anyone know roughly how many yards of topsoil I can put in my truck?
> 
> It is a F150 6ft bed.
> 
> ...


 How much do you need? If you need more than 1 pickup load I would have it delivered. Also remember that they load it at the topsoil place, but YOU hand unload it at home.
I would say a yard of topsoil is more than your truck would want to haul.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Topsoil typically weighs 1.25 tons per cubic yard.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

Most people when loading a pickup, keep piling it in until the back bumper starts to squat a little. You may get as much as two yards before it will make the springs show being loaded heavily. The moisture makes the difference.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

mistletoad said:


> Topsoil typically weighs 1.25 tons per cubic yard.


Yeah, I was going to say between 1500 - 2500 depending on soil density and type. 3 cubic yards is going to be between 2 - 4 ton.... prolly closer to 2 though. Which is overloading the truck. If it were an old truck and just used for hauling, I might do it, (but probably not) but otherwise, NOPE.

My guess is though that since they are charging you 25 for you to come pick it up it will be more like only 1.5 cubic yards as they won't intentionally overload your truck.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Dirt is cheap, your paying for the delivery. If you haul any more than a scoop in the back, you will have trouble steering and will break springs. Not cheap. Did this once with sand.
F-150 = 1/2 ton=1/2 ton =1000 lb.or 1/2 yard.
Then there is the job of unloading.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

.................Get the full 6 yd load and avoid overloading your truck ! If , you have them load 4 or 5 thousand pounds of topsoil in the bed you can permanently weaken the springs on the truck then you'll need to speed$$$ to fix . When they deliver ask the driver if he can dump a partial load "INto" your desired location and then spot the remainder close by as those wheelbarrow loads get very tiresome . fordy... :cowboy:


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

An easy way to tell your vehicles capasity is to bounce the rear with your hands and arms only, you will feel it go down and return. When it does not respond to your hands and arms you are at its limit. Older vehicles are much sturdier, my '79 Ford 1 ton once entered a junk yard with 6200 pound on its bed, I would not try that with a newer pick up.


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

I've been loading trucks with bobcats for the last 13 years, with topsoil, four types of mulch, and stone dust, and pea gravel, and ones and twos. The most you will get in a 150 is a half yard of top soil. If you try to put 1 yard of soil in that truck then you will be lucky if you and your truck survive the trip home, gauranteed. Dry mulch you should get one yard in it and if you're really brave and the loaders aren't held responsible for injury or death, they might put in one and a half yards of dry mulch. Any more than that and you'll lose a half yard in the wind on the way home. I've seen a few broken axles, flat tires, and tires rubbing on the bodies of trucks. I usually tell them to let me know when to stop, as I watch their faces when I load.


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

Use a trailer. Your towing capacity is much higher than your carry capacity.

Given the cost of shocks, brakes and clutches, delivery is cheaper. Also through in the price of your time and fuel and you will realize that making 10 trips to get 6 yards is more expensive than paying for delivery.


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## hassette (Jan 31, 2006)

I carted home a yard of topsoil in my little Chevy S-10 and it hasn't really been the same since. Also, it is such a PITA to unload from the back of a pickup. I've done mulch, topsoil and lava rocks and, in addition to the aggravation of unloading, it is difficult to clean the bed when you are done, especially with mulch and topsoil. If you can find a use for the 6 yard minimum I would highly recommend delivery.


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## gardenwitch (Jan 3, 2006)

Thank you all very much! I will put to full use the 6 yards plus more probably. So I will take all your advice and have it delivered!

Thanks!!

OF course now that tells me I will not get a lot of that horse manure someone has...Oh well.

Thanks!!


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

gardenwitch said:


> Thank you all very much! I will put to full use the 6 yards plus more probably. So I will take all your advice and have it delivered!
> 
> Thanks!!
> 
> ...


 It seems as you will have a future need for hauling. if that is the case I would look at trailers. Pickups are not much on hauling weight in their beds, you definetly will be much better served with a trailer and a good trailer hitch.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Oh you can fit a yard or so of horse manure in there, just don't haul dirt! lol


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## rwinsouthla (Oct 24, 2005)

In my situation I would go get the material myself. However, I live in a low swampy area and the dump truck would rut up my yard. Think about where the dump truck would drive, keeping in mind the ruts it will make and the fact that it WILL (not might) WILL crack your concrete driveway but gravel or other may be okay. Sounds like a no brainer but get 'em to deliver it close to where it will end up to save some work.


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## kmaproperties (Jul 6, 2005)

one yard per load in your truck. more than that will start pushing the limits.

What is your time worth???? have you ever shoveled out a pickup full, and then you have to sweep and hose out the rest. 

Do you have a bed liner?? if not you will destroy the bed floor.


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## gardenwitch (Jan 3, 2006)

Thank you all!

I had 8 yards delivered today. It's so nice. Everyone thinks I'm weird becasue I love dirt...I just want to jump in it......I just got in from covering it up with tarps since it is suppost to rain today. 

Thanks for the advice!!


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