If you haven't seen it yet, here it is! David Ovando AKA @MowerManLS on Instagram put together a pretty awesome Toyota Tundra landscaping build. We caught up with David to see how he did it and what equipment he used.
"We run a 2015 Toyota Tundra 5.7 V8 I-force Double Cab TSS 2WD with a 6.5ft bed in our landscaping company. To be more fuel economic we mostly use our truck bed instead of a trailer and after looking at options for racks to help save space in the truck bed, we found several solutions. One was to take off the bed itself and have a specialized landscaping bed built with a ramp, however, the cost is as much as a new open trailer. We also would have to put the truck into a shop to be taken apart to build it specifically to fit our truck bed so we decided to go with the more affordable option. This way we could put it together ourselves and be up and working the next.
That option was the Green Touch Industries rail system and racks. In a typical work day in the green industry you need gas, a blower, a trimmer, an edger, a water jug to stay hydrated and trimmer line. All those options are available at GT (Green Touch) and more, even as an added bonus, they lock your equipment to keep them from being stolen, so it also gives you a peace of mind.
The Green Touch Industries system goes as follows:
Rail System
We started with installing the rail system to hold the racks. All hardware needed to install it onto the truck came with this system, including the sleeve pockets needed to bolt them down to truck bed. After assembling the rail system we measured the length needed to fit our Toyota Tundra bed. The rail system when put together is 8ft long so we cut ours down to 80in to fit our specific truck. We then bolted it down through the top sleeve pockets and used the predrilled holes on the inside of the truck bed. We did not have to cut new holes into our bed at all, everything fit like a glove. I was worried that I may have to drill holes into the truck itself but that was not the case.
SureCage Rack
This was the first install to the rail system on the drivers side. We chose one 5 gal rack as well as a 2+ gal rack for our SureCans. The rack itself is a 2-piece rack in which the top attaches a key lock and the bottom base bolts down to the rail system. The top then slides through the handle of the SureCan and connects to the lock.
Blower Rack
Assembling the blower rack was super easy. The rack Comes with a top and bottom. After it’s assembled, the base bolts to the rail system to be the blower rack. At the top, the anti-theft bar swings open and you can put the backpack blower in. The lever up top locks the bar and you can push the key lock in to lock it up.
Trimmer Rack & Spool Rack
On our passenger side I installed a 2-tier trimmer rack. The only assembly needed was the engine supports and mounting and locking blocks to put on actual trimmers. Once those were assembled, you simply bolt those to the rail system.
The spool rack is super simple as well. You simply bolt it together in an “L” shape and the handle slides in and you bolt the handle on the side. Once completed you bolt the bottom to the rail system. The spool rack even has a tool to cut the line.
Water Cooler Jug rack
The water cooler was the last rack to install. This rack is half cylinder which bolts the platform on the bottom then the rack gets bolted on the rail system. Once installed, you can open the strap and add a 5-gallon water jug. This one is nice to have on a hot summer day and saves on the cost of bottled water.
Our Ramp
One of the main questions we receive with this setup is “how do you load a mower into your truck bed?”. We use a ramp kit that was purchased at Lowes and they are essentially 2 clips that are bolted to a piece of lumbar. The clips sit on our tailgate and hold enough weight for a mower and myself. They are rated at 700 lbs.
At the end of the day, we are all landscapers looking for different ways to be more efficient in our business. I have found that this set up works for me and helps my business. I also like having the peace of mind that my equipment will not be stolen and can customize it in the future if we should expand into new/different equipment. I have always enjoyed being a landscaper who thinks outside the box and does things a little different. I believe this is what gets me noticed on the road and gets me more jobs. Being more efficient also allows me to offer lower costs to my customers and my retention rate is higher. I am thankful to Green Touch for making such an awesome product that allows me to run my business the way I want
To learn more about David's truck build and to follow him along his lawn and landscaping journey head over to his Instagram page and give him a follow! @MowerManLS
Also don't forget to subscribe to his YouTube Channel
We would love to hear your story about how the SureCan has helped make your life a little bit easier. Each month we will feature a new SureCan Story, please submit yours by emailing us at Info@sureCanUSA.com and don't forget to include pictures!
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