When I have a 1 ton, I prefer a PTO winch, beaver tail metal deck with a metal post welded at each rear corner. With the winch cable still attached to the loaded scrapper the posts kept is from sliding off. Mind you this was before the days the D.O.T. got happy handing out tickets for insecure loads.
With a 1 ton flat deck I could stack em two high.
One time I bought an army surplus 56 International 3 ton without an engine, stuffed in a Chevy 350 engine with a 4 speed behind it, Converted an 8,000 lb Braden PTO winch into a hydraulic, then made the deck so that it would lift and dump using a cylinder a friend gave me, another buddy gave me a hydraulic pump with a magnetic clutch and some 12 volt electric spool valves.
Striped the truck to the bare bones, sandblasted the inside and out then painted it emerald green with Perl then a clear coat over this, white bumper and grill, too much white so I painted over the bumper which looked really cool with the white undercoat.
When ever I want something painted for keeps I use Endura paint.http://www.endura.ca/ it's a nasty paint to work with because of the need of having a supply of fresh air for a breathing apparatus. Other than that this paint make a pro of anyone who can hold a paint gun.
The 3 ton International was also propane powered with a 216 liter tank, so I had good range to travel.
I suppose the ultimate truck for me is one that has a hydraulic crane, I'm on my 3rd. my first was a Ford Cab Over with a 391 cid industrial engine, propane powered with only a flat deck and and old Hiab crane I picked up for $800.00 then installed onto the truck. Cab Overs suck their much too heavy on the front axle and your getting stuck all the time.
Next truck as a large International 2300 diesel, RTO 13 speed transmission, Cummings L10 engine, air brakes then to finish to job a used Atlas crane that I purchased from Falcon Equipment in Surrey B.C.
My current truck is an old 1984 International with a DT-466 diesel engine, 5 speed transmission with a split rear, air brakes and a really nice crane with a 10,000 lb hydraulic winch mounted on the boom. This truck is parked for the winter, and it needs new brake shoes and drums before a safety next spring.
A good 3/4 ton with a trailer works just as well as any crane truck, in fact better in some incidences, you can get into places where a larger truck can not make it. If its a 1/2 ton truck you have install a pair of air bags which will increase the load capacity plus make the truck more presentable when you over loaded. When you can afford it put new heavy duty tires on your truck something with 6 plys or better even on the trailer.
My real preference for a trailer is a goose-neck with a 5th wheel hitch on the truck, but when your out to make a buck any truck or trailer will do.
If your truck is an automatic install a transmission cooler, if your transmission is an over drive and you can lock it out in city driving do it. Give the trans dipstick a sniff test once a month of the oil starts to smell burnt change it. These are cheap investments and will save you some serious money by looking after your rig no matter what you drive.
Disc brake pads wear out sooner than shoes, it pays to have good brakes, if your doing a lot of backing up install a back up beeper gad I hate those things but is better than backing over the neighbors kid. Plus if you do have an unfortunate mishap the beeper puts you more right than wrong.
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