Dropside Truck

Our range of dropside trucks is available in various sizes and configurations. Engineered with robust column sides for easy access and flexible loading, our dropside lorries maximize efficiency for diverse cargo.

What is Dropside Truck？

A dropside truck is a commercial vehicle that features a flatbed body with hinged sideboards and a tailgate that unlock and fold. This unique design allows for easy cargo access from three directions (left, right and rear), not just from the rear. Unlike standard pickup trucks that are fixed on their sides, dropside trucks offer exceptional flexibility in loading and unloading materials, whether done manually, by forklift or crane. Its rugged construction makes it ideal for transporting a wide range of cargo, from bulk aggregates to palletized materials, making it a highly adaptable asset for a wide range of industries.

Dropside Truck for sale

Used HOWO 6×4 Freight Truck

Freight Truck application scenarios

Dump trucks, including dump pickups and flatbeds, are extremely versatile heavy-duty trucks that are used in many industries because of their flexible loading options.

Construction & Landscaping: Ideal for transporting construction materials such as lumber, bricks, sand, gravel and crushed stone. Dump trucks facilitate loading and unloading of bulk materials or palletized cargo directly to the site.

Trades & Contracting: Essential for plumbers, electricians, roofers, and general contractors to transport tools, equipment, and materials. Easy side access means less time searching and more time working.

Agriculture & Farming: Used to transport feed, produce, fencing materials, and small farm equipment. Removable side panels make it easy to load large or odd-shaped items.

Waste Management & Recycling: Effective for collecting and transporting various types of waste or recyclable materials, as the sides can be lowered for quick dumping or access.

Distribution & Logistics: Flexible for businesses that need to deliver a variety of goods, especially those that need to load sideways at locations without dedicated loading docks.

Event management and exhibitions: Transporting equipment, stages, and show materials, fast and flexible access during set-up and tear-down is essential.

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Warehouse truck detail design

Features durable Column side walls and tail panels that fold flat. This key design element ensures unrestricted cargo access from three sides, making manual, forklift, or crane loading of any dump truck a breeze.

Features a sturdy reinforced flatbed platform, typically made of steel or heavy-duty wood. Designed to withstand heavy concentrated loads and resist impact damage, the platform ensures the longevity and reliability of a versatile dump truck.

All side boards are equipped with heavy-duty quick-release latches. These mechanisms ensure that the side panels remain firmly upright during transport, preventing cargo spillage while ensuring that loading and unloading operations are quick and easy.

The flatbed body and side boards are mounted on a sturdy truck chassis. This strong integration ensures structural integrity and stability, allowing dump trucks to carry large payloads and effectively withstand harsh operating environments.

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HOWO 6X4 dropside truck

dropside truck with drawbar trailer

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FAQ

What are the main benefits of a dropside truck compared to a standard pickup truck?

The main benefits of a dropside truck, often called a dropside pickup or dropside flatbed, over a standard pickup truck revolve around superior cargo accessibility and versatility. A standard pickup truck has fixed bed walls, limiting loading to over the top or from the tailgate. This makes loading bulky, long, or heavy items, especially with a forklift, challenging and often impossible from the sides. In contrast, a dropside truck features hinged side and tailgate panels that can be folded down flat. This allows for unrestricted access to the cargo bed from all three sides.

This full side access enables easier and faster loading and unloading by hand, forklift, or even an overhead crane, significantly reducing labor and time on job sites. It also makes it ideal for carrying wide materials that might exceed the width of a standard pickup bed. Furthermore, with all sides down, a dropside truck functions essentially as a flatbed, offering flexibility for uniquely shaped or oversized items that might not fit within fixed bed dimensions. This versatility makes the dropside lorry an invaluable asset for trades, construction, and landscaping.

What types of materials are best transported by a freight truck?

A freight truck, or dropside truck, is exceptionally well-suited for transporting a wide variety of materials, particularly those that benefit from its flexible loading access and open-top design. It’s ideal for bulk loose materials like sand, gravel, soil, aggregates, and rubble, as the dropsides can be lowered for easy manual shoveling or for dumping. Similarly, building materials such as timber, planks, pipes, bricks, paving slabs, and scaffolding can be efficiently loaded by forklift from the side, which is often far more practical than loading from the rear.

The versatile nature of a dropside truck also makes it perfect for palletized goods, allowing forklifts to place pallets directly onto the bed from any accessible side. It’s also commonly used for transporting tools, equipment, and machinery for contractors, landscapers, and farmers, where items may be heavy or awkward to maneuver. Even large, prefabricated components or waste materials for recycling can be handled with ease. Its ability to transform from an enclosed box with sides to an open flatbed makes the dropside lorry an adaptable solution for diverse cargo needs, especially where multi-directional loading is required.

Are dropside trucks suitable for off-road or construction site use?

Yes, dropside trucks are often highly suitable for off-road and construction site use, thanks to their robust design and practical features. While standard models are typically designed for on-road use, many dropside flatbeds are built on heavy-duty truck chassis that can withstand the demanding conditions found on construction sites, farms, or unpaved rural roads. Their strong frame and suspension systems are engineered to handle the stresses of uneven terrain and heavy, often concentrated, loads like building materials or aggregates.

The open-top and dropside design is particularly advantageous on job sites. It allows for easy loading and unloading of materials even when there’s no loading dock, using forklifts, excavators, or even by hand from any side. This flexibility is crucial in dynamic construction environments. While they might not possess the extreme off-road capabilities of specialized 4×4 or articulated dump trucks, many dropside pickups and larger dropside lorries come with optional features like enhanced ground clearance, tougher tires, and selectable four-wheel drive, making them very effective and versatile for navigating and operating within challenging off-road and construction site conditions.

What are the key safety features on a dropside lorry?

Safety features on a dropside lorry, or dropside truck, are crucial for protecting both operators and cargo, especially given their versatile loading capabilities. Firstly, robust and secure latching mechanisms for all dropside panels and the tailgate are paramount. These latches ensure the sides remain firmly upright during transit, preventing accidental opening or cargo spillage, which could cause hazards.

Secondly, a strong and rigid flatbed platform is fundamental. The deck must be able to evenly distribute and support heavy, sometimes uneven, loads without structural compromise, which is critical for stability. Many models also include multiple tie-down points or lashing rings integrated into the flatbed. These are essential for securely strapping down and immobilizing cargo, preventing movement that could lead to damage or an unsafe shift in weight during braking or turns. Proper lighting, reflective markings, and a reliable braking system (standard for all commercial vehicles) also contribute significantly to the overall safety of the dropside flatbed on public roads, ensuring visibility and control.

How does the dropside design facilitate quicker loading and unloading times?

The dropside design is a game-changer for quick loading and unloading times, making a dropside truck highly efficient. Unlike traditional dry vans or standard pickup trucks with fixed bed walls, a dropside pickup allows its side and tailgate panels to fold down completely. This action transforms the enclosed bed into an open, flat platform accessible from three sides—the left, right, and rear.

This multi-directional access dramatically reduces the time and effort required to move cargo. Forklifts, for instance, can approach the dropside flatbed from either side, placing pallets or large items directly onto the bed without needing to maneuver them through a narrow rear opening. For bulk materials like sand or gravel, the lowered sides allow for easier manual shoveling or quicker discharge if the vehicle has a tipping mechanism. Even for manual loading, the ability to work from the side of the dropside lorry is ergonomically more efficient and faster, eliminating the need to reach over tall, fixed walls. This flexibility streamlines operations, minimizes vehicle idle time, and significantly boosts overall productivity for businesses.