breaking down big garbage truck for scrap

**peachtreecreek** · 03-26-2013, 07:57 PM

Hi, I just joined and this is my first post. My husband's parents own a waste disposal company and we have just learned of the profits to be made from scrap metal. He wants to cut up and scrap a 15 ton garbage truck that is only gathering rust. Does anyone have any advice? We also have some old pool equipment (like this cast iron tank that 2 strong men w/a dolly could barely move). How small do we need to cut down this stuff? Thanks for any and all advice!

**TheMetalScrapper** · 03-26-2013, 08:28 PM

First welcome. I just joined a week or so ago myself. The cast iron thing can be smashed up woth a sledge to make it short iron which brings more money than having it in one piece. Normal around here is 3'x18" for short iron. The place I g makes me cut the cylinders in half before they will take them. I would suggest you call the yard you want to go to and see what their requirments are. Good luck...wish I had one that big to cut up!

**Mechanic688** · 03-26-2013, 08:40 PM

The bed or back end of the garbage truck might be sold to a used equipment dealer then cut up the rest and haul it in. Like he said, check with your yard for their requirements.

**Gravitar** · 03-26-2013, 09:10 PM

Don't scrap it quite yet. People often buy old trucks for parts. If any of the trucks have the chassis of Peterbuilt, Freightliner, Mack, Sterling, Kenworth, Etc, the chassis is diffidently worth more than scrap. If the body make is McNeilus, Heil, Pak-Mor, Leach, Loadmaster, Etc, they are also worth more than scrap. Try to auction it off on an auction site like asset nation or asset auctions.
As you can see, some on GovDeals (An example page on whats being auctioned right now. Results for Garbage Trucks I are going for around 1-10 thousand dollars, even if they look like crap and dont work, you just have to look around. I would diffidently research before you scrap.

An example of one that was auctioned off:
WM Mack MR/Leach REL-360636 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Hope this helps!

**PistoneScrapProcessing** · 03-26-2013, 09:12 PM

I have cut up bunches of trash trucks unless you like the smell of smoldering and burning trash oh and lots of rust and hydraulic fluid then have at it. If not figure out a way to take it to the yard whole and just take the unprepared price for it.

**BurlyGuys** · 03-26-2013, 09:28 PM

I would LOVE to have me a garbage truck!

**peachtreecreek** · 03-26-2013, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by TheMetalScrapper

First welcome. I just joined a week or so ago myself. The cast iron thing can be smashed up woth a sledge to make it short iron which brings more money than having it in one piece. Normal around here is 3'x18" for short iron. The place I g makes me cut the cylinders in half before they will take them. I would suggest you call the yard you want to go to and see what their requirments are. Good luck...wish I had one that big to cut up!

Thanx for the welcome and the info

Hubby is gonna try the sledge on that old tank, and now, thanks to this wonderful forum, I know what to do with our heater that quit working about 7 yrs ago.

**peachtreecreek** · 03-26-2013, 11:02 PM

thanx for the info. Hubby says this truck has been severly burned and it is also almost as old as he is (late 40s).

**IdahoScrapper** · 03-26-2013, 11:03 PM

Another tater has joined! Welcome.

**peachtreecreek** · 03-26-2013, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by PistoneScrapProcessing

I have cut up bunches of trash trucks unless you like the smell of smoldering and burning trash oh and lots of rust and hydraulic fluid then have at it. If not figure out a way to take it to the yard whole and just take the unprepared price for it.

Since this truck was severly burned hopefully there's not much left to smell too bad. I do remember him saying the hydraulic hoses had all been burned away

**peachtreecreek** · 03-26-2013, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

Another tater has joined! Welcome.

Thanx for the welcome. I was wondering if prices in boise are better, we just have one scrap metal place here.

**IdahoScrapper** · 03-26-2013, 11:12 PM

Last time I was in, I got $170/ton for light/shred.

**KzScrapper** · 03-27-2013, 08:10 AM

Hello from Denver. Careful when smashing the tank as there will be sharp shards and shrapnel flying about.

**freonjoe** · 03-27-2013, 10:40 AM

I don't think there will be much or any price difference between Boise and Twin, as both Pacific recycling yards ship their shred to the shredder at Simco Road. Talk to Bobby at your local Pacific yard and see what kind of pricing he can do for you. It's usually better to hammer out prices before you're standing in line with a scale ticket.

**peachtreecreek** · 03-27-2013, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by KzScrapper

Hello from Denver. Careful when smashing the tank as there will be sharp shards and shrapnel flying about.

we're not sure what that tank is made out of, we just know its very, very heavy, it looks sealed, the surface is kinda bumpy and its painted white. I think it musta served some purpose in plumbing the pool (maybe an ancient sand filter), but we dont see where it could connected?? Our pool was originally built in the 50s, used for 20 or so years. It then spent about 25 years being used as a garbage pit until we had it refurbished 15 years ago.

**BarrenRealms007** · 03-27-2013, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by peachtreecreek

we're not sure what that tank is made out of, we just know its very, very heavy, it looks sealed, the surface is kinda bumpy and its painted white. I think it musta served some purpose in plumbing the pool (maybe an ancient sand filter), but we dont see where it could connected?? Our pool was originally built in the 50s, used for 20 or so years. It then spent about 25 years being used as a garbage pit until we had it refurbished 15 years ago.

If it was hooked up to a pool and it is metal there is a good possabllity it will be stainless steel.

**corycouch** · 03-29-2013, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by peachtreecreek

Since this truck was severly burned hopefully there's not much left to smell too bad. I do remember him saying the hydraulic hoses had all been burned away

1st i want to say welcome, 2nd i have done welding repairs on lots of garbage trucks, the worse one was we had to reweld the plate at the base of the ram cylnder. after steam cleaning i rewelded the plate in position, you could see the crud burning away from my bead, when i got home i washed my hair 3 times before the water was clean, pistone is right haul it in and take your losses, by time you cut it up into prepared you will be sick. this was around 20 years ago and i still remember gag

**Libertytow** · 03-31-2013, 05:38 PM

first peach welcome from jersey second i am gonna go a different oute here if it is from the 40"s and industrial try a$a salvage they will pay BIG for old iron even burned

breaking down big garbage truck for scrap

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