When something breaks down far from home, the ability to go anywhere to service your machinery is a huge advantage. Creating a service truck tailored to the specific needs of your farm saves you time and money.
“Once prices started skyrocketing and you had to get on a waiting list for someone to come out and look at your equipment, it didn’t take long for farmers around here to decide to put a service body on a truck so they could drive around with their tools,” says Mark Koenig, owner and president of Koenig Body and Equipment in West Peoria, Illinois.
Service trucks can be defined in a number of ways, from a toolbox in the back of a pickup to a fully outfitted semi. This month’s Machinery Insider focuses on trucks with dedicated service beds for tool storage and space for add-ons such as welders, generators, and air compressors.
Strong sales and ROI
Auction prices for used late-model service trucks range from just over $10,000 to more than $140,000, depending on year, condition, and features. Auction sites auctiontime.com, ironplanet.com, and purplewave.com show a total of 71 model year 2018 and newer trucks sold in 2023. Most were in the $25,000 to $60,000 range.
The accompanying chart shows mileage is the main factor in determining value for used service trucks. However, add-ons such as cranes, welders, and air compressors also bump up the final selling price. Diesel engines provide strong return on investment as compared to gasoline, as do creature comforts like air-conditioning.
“It’s a picky market and service trucks sell anywhere from $10,000 for an old rusty utility unit to up to $150,000 for a well-equipped unit. The quality and condition really varies as far as price is concerned,” says Scott Steffes, president of Steffes Group in Fargo, North Dakota.
Many of the used service trucks on the market are from utility companies, contractors, or equipment dealership groups that are upgrading older units. Once farmers have a truck they like, Steffes says, it seems like they keep it.
“It’s my observation being an auctioneer for 45 years that a service truck is one of the most discussed and talked about features of most farm operations,” he adds.
As farmers realize the value of owning their own service vehicle, demand will continue to grow. Supply is good, especially for slightly older models. AuctionTime and IronPlanet show sales of 506 service trucks last year between the model years of 2013 and 2018, many of which have a comparatively low number of miles.
“Most of the time, service trucks don’t have the mileage,” Steffes says. “Unless your farms are 300, 400 miles apart, you’re keeping them pretty close to home.”
| Service trucks price guide | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Make + Model | Chevy Silverado 2500 HD | Ford F450 | Ford F550 | Chevy Silverado 2500 | Dodge Ram 5500 HD |
| State | MO | FL | MN | LA | TN |
| Price | $53,000 | $40,260 (incl. $3,660 buyer’s premium) | $46,200 (incl. $4,200 buyer’s premium) | $24,750 (incl. $2,250 buyer’s premium) | $63,100 |
| Miles | 25,802 | 212,878 | 110,702 | 105,540 | 58,339 |
| Features | Knapheide 8-foot service body, 6.6L V8 gas engine, automatic, air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows, crew cab, damaged rear bumper | Service body with Stahl 3200 LRX crane, remote control, new Kohler air compressor and hose reel, 6.7L Power Stroke diesel, automatic | 12-foot service body, 6.7L Power Stroke, automatic, 4WD, power locks/windows, crew cab | Service body, gas engine, automatic, crew cab | Reading service body with Miller welder/generator, Cummins 6.7L turbo diesel, automatic, 4WD, leather, power locks/windows, crew cab |
| Seller | Ritchie Bros. IronPlanet | Trucks Time LLC | Main-West Equipment | Dixie Surplus Auctions | Delk Equipment |
Options abound
Steffes says there is a huge gamut in the agriculture world as far as service trucks go.
“It can be anything from a half-ton pickup with a set of wrenches in the back all the way up to a converted semi. It just depends on the capacity of the individual farm operator and the geography of the operation,” he says. “Needs here in North Dakota and eastern Montana where you’re 80 miles from your farm operation are different from someplace like Illinois where there’s a town every 10 miles.”
With a multitude of options on the market today, you can easily customize a truck to your own specific needs.
“We build everything behind the cab from scratch and ship directly to the customer,” says Chris Walter, plant manager at Summit Truck Bodies in Wathena, Kansas.
Walter says the most popular features are welders, cranes, air compressors, and torch packages. Recently, skid-mounted lubricant containers have become hot.
“We can custom-build modular oil delivery systems that can be moved in and out of the trucks as needed,” Walter explains. “Instead of having 5-gallon buckets scattered throughout the back of your truck, you have a centralized system with 50 gallons of engine oil or 20 gallons of gear oil that you can take out and leave at the edge of a field.”
Lighting is becoming more important and higher quality, with LED options providing brighter illumination. Tool storage is always critical, but configurations have changed with the shift from air tools to battery power.
Multifunction units, like the six-in-one power system from VMAC (info.vmacair.com), combine an air compressor, welder, generator, and more into a single unit, saving space and weight in the truck.
Another option is a flatbed body with a gooseneck hitch, with underbody tool storage below, such as one made by Knapheide Manufacturing, headquartered in Quincy, Illinois.
“They are basically a service body and platform hybrid,” says Haily Meyer, manager of solutions engineering at Knapheide. “They have a 30,000-pound gooseneck hitch so you can haul large round bales or equipment along with the cargo area.”
While it may make sense to buy a complete service truck, Walter recommends considering purchasing the bed separate from the chassis. “If you have a decent chassis but just need or want to update the bed, we can turn those units around in about two to three months,” he says. “A full unit you’re looking at about a year.”
What to look for in a used service truck
Features such as lighted storage compartments, air compressors, welders, and even cranes are all useful in the right situation for a service truck.
With many options available, it comes down to what your operation needs most. However, Scott Steffes, president of Steffes Group, recommends a few must-have characteristics to consider when purchasing a service vehicle.
“I think in nearly all environments, four-wheel drive is almost required,” he says. “From there, diesel over gas, because service trucks tend to sit a lot and gas goes bad; diesel doesn’t.”
The No. 1 thing to watch for in a used service truck is rust, both from age and also from being on the road, Steffes says.