# Body Up Indicator Kit



## Dstosh (Dec 30, 2003)

Got stopped by the dot a few weeks ago... Got in trouble for not having a indicator light that tells me when the dump body is up. I see there are a few kits online. They seem like they are a little expensive for what they are but if they are the only option...I guess I'll bite the bullet.

Anyone ever make one..Is it even worth the time?

Thanks


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## BuffaloJoe (Oct 20, 2009)

Your post just raised my blood pressure 100% and for that I thank you.

Body Up Indicator? Are they for real? When does it end with these money grabbing scumbags. I say don't bother. If you can't notice that the hoist is up then you should give up driving. We need to stand up and push back this DOT garbage. It's one thing to have safe trucks on the road and I have no problem with that. But if we don't stand up to this BS it will only get worse. For some reason now because you have a vehicle over 10,000 lbs your a criminal until you can prove your not in there dumb checkpoints with over paid white collar welfare DOT workers that should be patching potholes instead of using *our* money to harass us. Where are rules that they are enforcing? To HELL with them & body up indicator lights. :realmad:


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## Dstosh (Dec 30, 2003)

BuffaloJoe;1244333 said:


> Your post just raised my blood pressure 100% and for that I thank you.
> 
> Body Up Indicator? Are they for real? When does it end with these money grabbing scumbags. I say don't bother. If you can't notice that the hoist is up then you should give up driving. We need to stand up and push back this DOT garbage. It's one thing to have safe trucks on the road and I have no problem with that. But if we don't stand up to this BS it will only get worse. For some reason now because you have a vehicle over 10,000 lbs your a criminal until you can prove your not in there dumb checkpoints with over paid white collar welfare DOT workers that should be patching potholes instead of using *our* money to harass us. Where are rules that they are enforcing? To HELL with them & body up indicator lights. :realmad:


Yeah...would you beleive it? I guess I really didnt get fined for it. What they do is write up a report with all your infractions...you sign off on it, and you have to fix the things they found wrong..Its kinda a honor system... If they arent fixed by the next time your stopped, you're in trouble.

So,now that it hasnt been snowing every day for two months I can get this thing up to par.


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## pohouse (Jan 26, 2009)

Must be a state thing, cause I never heard of it. Double check to make sure its a law. You can make one easy. You need a 12V waterproof pushbutton switch. The kind that is open when the button is pushed. Mount it on the frame so that when the dump body is down the button is pushed. Might need to fabricate a little mount. Then an LED indicator in the cab. Wire it in to your 12V Acc. You can get the wiring and LED indicator at Radio Shack.

When the bed goes up, the circuit closes and lights the lamp. When bed down, the circuit opens and no light.


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## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

BuffaloJoe;1244333 said:


> Your post just raised my blood pressure 100% and for that I thank you.
> 
> Body Up Indicator? Are they for real? When does it end with these money grabbing scumbags. I say don't bother. If you can't notice that the hoist is up then you should give up driving. We need to stand up and push back this DOT garbage. It's one thing to have safe trucks on the road and I have no problem with that. But if we don't stand up to this BS it will only get worse. For some reason now because you have a vehicle over 10,000 lbs your a criminal until you can prove your not in there dumb checkpoints with over paid white collar welfare DOT workers that should be patching potholes instead of using *our* money to harass us. Where are rules that they are enforcing? To HELL with them & body up indicator lights. :realmad:


and you will be the first one on here crying when you get red tagged for something. it is DOT law, do you have any idea how many dumps/roll offs hit bridges every day? we had 2 guys killed within 2 weeks of one another here by hitting bridges with the hoist up.

they are very simple fo make, i get the stuff from grainger and do it.


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## JohnRoscoe (Sep 27, 2010)

I've never seen a truck without one in it.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

clark lawn;1244540 said:


> and you will be the first one on here crying when you get red tagged for something. it is DOT law, do you have any idea how many dumps/roll offs hit bridges every day? we had 2 guys killed within 2 weeks of one another here by hitting bridges with the hoist up.
> 
> they are very simple fo make, i get the stuff from grainger and do it.


Where exactly is this law?

I am seriously wondering as this is a new one, never heard of it.



JohnRoscoe;1244546 said:


> I\'ve never seen a truck without one in it.


Never seen one with one.


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## the new boss 92 (Nov 29, 2008)

pohouse;1244480 said:


> Must be a state thing, cause I never heard of it. Double check to make sure its a law. You can make one easy. You need a 12V waterproof pushbutton switch. The kind that is open when the button is pushed. Mount it on the frame so that when the dump body is down the button is pushed. Might need to fabricate a little mount. Then an LED indicator in the cab. Wire it in to your 12V Acc. You can get the wiring and LED indicator at Radio Shack.
> 
> When the bed goes up, the circuit closes and lights the lamp. When bed down, the circuit opens and no light.


true, i was going to say this. i think it will help more people pay atention, but in the same boat when is dot going to give up? now they are picking up pick up truck owners apart when our plows are mounted!


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## BuffaloJoe (Oct 20, 2009)

*Can't Fix Stupid*



clark lawn;1244540 said:


> and you will be the first one on here crying when you get red tagged for something. it is DOT law.


You're right I would be.. cause it's BS. Your point is?



clark lawn;1244540 said:


> do you have any idea how many dumps/roll offs hit bridges every day?


Yes I see pictures and videos of it all over the internet. You can't fix stupid. It's all operator error. An good dump operator SHOULD get out of the cab and check the truck after each load anyways. Sorry to hear that those guys died, but the only one person to blame is themselves. They are responsible for that truck. Every daycab that i have seen has a huge window facing back how can you not notice. We have flashing red lights, brake lights and flashing turn signals and there are still accidents. You will never stop that. It's an obsurde waste of time and money to make trucks have these. Where are these rules published that they are enforcing? There not in the commercial drivers manual the state gives out, they are pretty hard to find. Thats because guys have wised up to the simple things like tires, brakes, fire extinguisher, triangles, ect... Now they have moved on and it will never stop. It's only a money grab to pay the pigs.payup


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## no lead (Dec 10, 2008)

in michigan every new dump truck we build has to have one. our kit has a small light that says "body up" right on the light. its not hard to put one on. 1 wire to power and to the switch then the light.


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## forbidden (Dec 22, 2010)

Buffalo Joe, is your train of thought still boarding at the station? To me you scream out that the DOT should be inspecting all of your equipment. Why? Because you show a flagrant disrespect for the laws just because you do not agree with them. The laws are there for a reason, they are not Buffalo Joe specific, they apply to everyone. If you do not agree with the laws and you cannot understand that the enforcement people are doing their job as they are directed to under the laws of your state, then you are completely nieve. Perhaps to better understand this you should quit the business you are in and run for state government. Then you can petition the DOT to change the laws to suit your needs, then the enforcement guys won't be targeting your old business anymore. Then you can quit working for the government and go back to work doing what you do now, without the whining. Wish you luck should you go that route.....

Funny how you seem to have such a hate on for the "pigs".... my bet is that you would be the first person to call the police if the day comes that someone steals your equipment, break and enters your house or endangers the life of your family. Call them a "pig" then and see how far you get. Maybe your family will be hit in a collision with a truck who's dumpbox was up and took out a high voltage power line. Maybe the driver of that truck would be you.... but then again Buffalo Joe or his employees would never make a mistake and his equipment could never fail either.

$20.00 in parts and about 2 hours of time and this circuit is complete and you are legal. What is the ticket worth? What is someone's life worth?


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## Bmxdkj (Jul 27, 2008)

As far as I know the light also has to have an audible sound. It should buzz and light up when the body is up. Its a real cheap insurance and its actually one of the basic things your truck should have if it is a dump...along with a back up alarm, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and orange triangles. 

Buffalo Joe - Since you are so ignorant of these laws and feel they shouldn't apply to you, heres some food for thought. The DOT on trucks under a certian GVW (please, if someone knows, let me know what it is), has minimum requirements. A medical card to make sure that your not going to have a heart attack while driving your 15,000 GVW truck thats probably overloaded into a bus stop full of kids, a back up alarm to let people behind you that you are backing up most likely a little to fast and they can get out of the way, and a dump alarm to let you know that you forgot to put your body down, keeping you from tearing down all the power lines on your road. 

The requirements on the 1 ton trucks aren't that great, and mostly revolve around a few saftey items and the rest being mechanical things such as kingpins on I beam axles, ball joints, tires, springs etc. They are only there to keep the people around the truck safe. I am willing to bet that your probably someone who runs around in their truck with broken leaf springs, mis-matched worn out tires, worn king pins, and no tail lights, and keeps getting stopped by the DOT and getting fines, causing you to "hate" the pigs, when you are really the problem. Most people that have an issue with authority are usually the ones to blame themselves. When you have some scrub that has a 1999 F-550 with the front wheels falling off that is 5000 pounds overloaded smash into you while your walking around your truck to make sure that your dump bodys down, don't come back here complaining that there should be more rules governing the safe operation of 10,000 GVW and greater trucks. Thats my rant for the day..


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## Bmxdkj (Jul 27, 2008)

One last thing, these rules are enforced not for YOU, but the people around you, keep that in mind. No family should lose a loved one because someone was to lazy to put a 20 dollar switch in their truck.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Bmxdkj;1245705 said:


> As far as I know the light also has to have an audible sound. It should buzz and light up when the body is up. Its a real cheap insurance and its actually one of the basic things your truck should have if it is a dump...along with a back up alarm, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and orange triangles.
> 
> Buffalo Joe - Since you are so ignorant of these laws and feel they shouldn\'t apply to you, heres some food for thought. The DOT on trucks under a certian GVW (please, if someone knows, let me know what it is), has minimum requirements. A medical card to make sure that your not going to have a heart attack while driving your 15,000 GVW truck thats probably overloaded into a bus stop full of kids, a back up alarm to let people behind you that you are backing up most likely a little to fast and they can get out of the way, and a dump alarm to let you know that you forgot to put your body down, keeping you from tearing down all the power lines on your road.
> 
> The requirements on the 1 ton trucks aren\'t that great, and mostly revolve around a few saftey items and the rest being mechanical things such as kingpins on I beam axles, ball joints, tires, springs etc. They are only there to keep the people around the truck safe. I am willing to bet that your probably someone who runs around in their truck with broken leaf springs, mis-matched worn out tires, worn king pins, and no tail lights, and keeps getting stopped by the DOT and getting fines, causing you to \"hate\" the pigs, when you are really the problem. Most people that have an issue with authority are usually the ones to blame themselves. When you have some scrub that has a 1999 F-550 with the front wheels falling off that is 5000 pounds overloaded smash into you while your walking around your truck to make sure that your dump bodys down, don\'t come back here complaining that there should be more rules governing the safe operation of 10,000 GVW and greater trucks. Thats my rant for the day..


10,001 and up for trucks or truck\\trailer combos requires annual inspections, med card and the aforementioned safety items. Any 3/4 ton and trailer puts one in that category. Most 1 ton 4 wheelers are over that GVW now.

I really would like to see chapter and verse where this is required, federally or state. No one is showing the law, just saying that it is. Even some guy from outside the country is telling Americans what is required by law, but no one has posted that law. Rant all you want, but this is the internet and until someone shows me different, I am not going to buy it.

Anybody that has dealt with DOT knows you can ask 4 officer\'s the same question and get at least 5 different answers depending on the time of day.

And I really have to agree, it\'s Darwin\'s theory at work here.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

The silence is deafening.


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## Evan528 (Jan 12, 2000)

dfd9;1245749 said:


> Anybody that has dealt with DOT knows you can ask 4 officer\'s the same question and get at least 5 different answers depending on the time of day.
> QUOTE]
> 
> This has been my experience which has made it almost impossible to be in compliance. Very frustrating!


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

Isn't this "light" the same as a PTO light? I have never seen a truck without one or the other. Except my Pete That I got last year, (but that is getting installed in the next few weeks) I always forget the PTO is engaged and that is what this light is for. all it takes is the PTO to stay engaged and the body to creep up. Definitely Cheap insurance!


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## [email protected] (May 29, 2009)

If you dont want to piece a kit together I have a buyers kit that will do the trick


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

I'm pretty sure the DOT regs for vehicles 10K and up are Federal - MA just adopted the Federal DOT laws on trailers too last year.

Pretty sure it's 10K even - at least it was when I last registered my Dump several years ago (state law separate from Fed in MA then).
As for requiring an indicator - I agree they should not be necessary as the operator should be smart enough to check all the things they need to check when they need checking, however experience tells us that is not the case- lazy drivers, careless drivers, lazy and careless (bordering on negligent) companies all contribute to the need for "idiot" lights and warning systems for these drivers- I lost count of how many accidents happened in the past 2 years within 50 miles of me from dump trucks heading down the street with the bed up.


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## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

http://www.jjkeller.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Federal-Motor-Carrier-Safety-Regulations-Pocketbook_10151_-1_10551_59244

if you dont already have on ethe you should. i keep one in the shop and in every truck. there is a lot of info in there that will help keep you legal.

it will tell you what lights and were they need to be, mud flap length, lots of stuff.


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## 94chevy2500 (Nov 18, 2010)

we use these http://kaffenbarger.com/index.php?productID=305 just mount it on the subframe and when the body comes down then it will trip the switch to off when it gose up it turns on just run some wire into the cab with a light thats it its not that much money and realy easy to do


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## 94chevy2500 (Nov 18, 2010)

and heres the light we use and it has an alarm 
http://kaffenbarger.com/index.php?productID=965


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## Mitchell12 (Feb 2, 2009)

BuffaloJoe;1244333 said:


> Your post just raised my blood pressure 100% and for that I thank you.
> 
> Body Up Indicator? Are they for real? When does it end with these money grabbing scumbags. I say don't bother. If you can't notice that the hoist is up then you should give up driving. We need to stand up and push back this DOT garbage. It's one thing to have safe trucks on the road and I have no problem with that. But if we don't stand up to this BS it will only get worse. For some reason now because you have a vehicle over 10,000 lbs your a criminal until you can prove your not in there dumb checkpoints with over paid white collar welfare DOT workers that should be patching potholes instead of using *our* money to harass us. Where are rules that they are enforcing? To HELL with them & body up indicator lights. :realmad:


Wow... Hi Folks, I know this is an ancient thread but I happened upon it and it raised MY blood pressure... ummm 75%... lol, I just retired 01 NOV 2015 so I am trying to relax. This guy is more than pathetic... SOOO much caged rage! It is a great "regulation" and extremely simple and inexpensive to comply with. I retired from the military with 13,012 hrs. in the air. Starting with the basic "HUEY - slick" to the AH64 "Longbow"... ANYBODY, no matter how experienced, can AND will make errors. My 5 yrs. in Vietnam to flying missions in Afghanistan I have seen, and done, some of the most ridiculous "rookie" mistakes.. at times, ONLY, to be saved by a simple warning light and alarm! So much harm avoided for so miniscule of an investment! That said, lol, my pristine '86 F-350, set-up as a 1 ton dump, has an inline "kill switch" for those times I am on my own property and don't want to scare the livin'crap out of the horses and dogs.. Hehehee. Seriously, my family is in contruction and all dumps should be equipped with the "bed up" alarm... law or not! Be well and be safe, people! Thanks for letting me.. vent.. lol.


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