CHIPPER TIPPERS

Custom Chipper Tippers Melbourne, Victoria & Tasmania

Metro Truck Body Builders designs and builds custom Chipper Tippers in Melbourne for arborists, tree crews, vegetation management contractors, councils and commercial operators. Built at Metro’s Seaford workshop in Melbourne’s south-east, each arborist truck body is configured around the cab chassis, available payload, material being carried and the way the crew needs to use the truck every day.

A Chipper Tipper is an enclosed hydraulic tipper body designed for transporting wood chip, mulch, green waste and material generated during tree removal, pruning and vegetation-management work. Rather than treating the body as a generic enclosed box, Metro works through the body dimensions, tipping system, access, storage, equipment and complete vehicle layout around the truck and the job.

Metro has extensive experience building this specialist body type for arborists and tree services across Melbourne, Victoria, Tasmania and suitable interstate projects.

See examples of Metro fabrication and completed working trucks in Recent Builds, or compare Chipper Tippers with Metro’s broader range of custom Tipper Bodies.

What Is a Chipper Tipper Truck Body?

A Chipper Tipper truck body combines a high-sided enclosed body with a hydraulic tipping system. It is designed for crews that progressively collect wood chip, mulch, green waste and similar bulky material throughout the working day and need an efficient way to contain, transport and discharge it.

The enclosed sides help keep loose material contained while the hydraulic system raises the body for unloading. Rear barn doors provide a large rear opening and form part of the complete discharge arrangement.

Chipper Tippers sit within the broader tipper family but serve a more specialised purpose.

If your truck primarily needs to carry soil, aggregate, demolition material or other general commercial loads rather than operate as an enclosed arborist truck, see Metro’s Custom Tipper Bodies.

Chipper Truck Bodies Built for Arborists & Tree Crews

An arborist truck body has different requirements from a conventional tipper.

Tree crews work with bulky loose material while also carrying saws, pole saws, hand tools, safety equipment, signage and other gear. The truck commonly operates alongside a wood chipper, so body volume, payload, access, storage, towing and equipment placement all matter.

Metro builds Chipper Tippers for arborists, tree removal crews, pruning contractors, vegetation-management teams, councils and commercial tree services.

Each build starts with what the crew carries, how material enters the body, how it needs to unload and what equipment needs to travel with the truck.

Someone searching for an arborist tipper body, tree service truck body, wood chip truck body or custom chipper truck needs more than a big enclosed box. The complete vehicle needs to suit the chassis, available payload, crew and working conditions from the first job of the morning through to the final unload.

Chipper Tippers for Wood Chip, Mulch & Green Waste

Chipper Tippers for arborists are primarily designed around the collection and transport of wood chip, mulch and green waste generated through tree removal, pruning, vegetation management and related work.

The high-sided body provides volume for bulky loose material while the tipping function handles unloading at the end of the job.

Body volume still needs to be considered alongside payload and chassis capacity. Making the body physically larger does not increase the amount of weight the truck is designed or permitted to carry.

Metro starts with the cab chassis, expected load and working requirements before determining the body configuration.

Steel Chipper Tipper Construction

Metro Chipper Tippers are fabricated as commercial steel truck bodies designed around the individual vehicle and application.

Depending on the build specification, construction can use mild steel or Hardox 450-grade equivalent steel where the job calls for increased wear resistance.

Metro’s Chipper Tipper specification can include an RHS subframe, smooth internal walls and a body structure designed around the hydraulic tipping system.

New tipper bodies are designed around the applicable vehicle and tipper requirements, including the confirmed VSB6 V3.2 J4 requirements relevant to Metro’s tipper builds.

The finished body can be etch primed and finished in two-pack paint to suit the cab colour unless another finish forms part of the individual specification.

Full-Piece Side Walls & Fully Welded Internal Floors

A key feature of Metro’s enclosed Chipper Tippers is the use of full-piece side walls and a fully welded internal floor.

Reducing unnecessary joins creates a cleaner internal structure and removes additional seams from an area repeatedly exposed to wood chip, mulch, green waste and moisture.

Scott identifies this as an important part of the way Metro builds these bodies because material and moisture retained around unnecessary joins can contribute to corrosion over time.

Fewer internal joins also create a smoother surface for material moving through the body during tipping.

The final material and construction specification still depends on the cab chassis, body dimensions, payload requirements and intended work. Metro does not force one construction specification onto every truck.

Sloping Front & Sloping Rear Chipper Tipper Bodies

A custom Chipper Tipper can be configured with a sloping front or sloping rear depending on the cab chassis, available dimensions, storage, equipment placement and customer’s preferred layout.

Body shape affects usable volume, packaging and how the complete truck comes together.

Metro works out the profile around the vehicle rather than forcing every arborist truck into the same body shape.

Chipper Tippers Metro has previously built are often around 1800 to 1900mm high and approximately four metres long. These figures are examples of previous builds rather than fixed Metro dimensions.

Each new body is sized around its particular chassis, payload and working requirements.

Rear Barn Doors for Arborist Chipper Trucks

Metro Chipper Tippers typically use 50/50 split rear barn doors.

They provide broad rear access while allowing the enclosed body to open for unloading once the tipper is raised.

The doors, hinges, body opening and rear structure are considered as part of the complete tipping body rather than separate components.

If an existing arborist truck has damaged doors, hinges, floors or other fabricated components, Metro also undertakes truck body repairs and modifications from its Seaford workshop.

PTO-Driven Hydraulic Tipping Systems

Metro Chipper Tippers use a PTO-driven hydraulic tipping system.

The confirmed Metro specification includes PTO-driven hoist arrangements, anti-burst protection and identification schematics as part of the tipper setup.

The body, subframe and hydraulic system need to operate together as one finished commercial vehicle.

Metro undertakes the body fabrication and mounting, while specialist hydraulic work is completed with the appropriate hydraulic trade where required.

This is another reason body dimensions, payload, chassis capacity and intended use need to be established before fabrication begins.

Retractable Tarps & Load Coverage

A retractable tarp can be incorporated where the Chipper Tipper setup calls for additional load coverage.

Tarp requirements should be considered during the design stage because body height, access, storage and other equipment can all affect the finished arrangement.

Metro has also completed unusual specialist Chipper Tipper solutions, including a body with a hydraulic opening roof.

Where a standard arrangement does not suit the job, Metro can work through a custom solution around the truck and operating requirements.

Custom Toolboxes, Pole Saw Storage & Arborist Equipment

A working arborist truck carries far more than wood chip.

Metro can incorporate custom truck storage into a Chipper Tipper layout, including pole saw storage, behind-cab boxes, on-body storage and underbody toolboxes.

Available equipment can also include:

• Sign racks
• Shovel racks
• Lashing rings and tie-down points
• Tow bars
• Redarc brake controllers
• LED amber beacons
• LED work lights
• 240V inverters
• Fire extinguisher mounting
• Hand-wash water tanks

The exact equipment depends on the cab chassis, available space, payload and individual build specification.

Storage should be planned with the body rather than treated as whatever space happens to be left at the end. See Metro’s Custom Truck Toolboxes for more information about toolbox and underbody storage options.

Can Metro Build a Chipper Tipper With a Tow Bar?

Yes. Tow bar provision can form part of a custom arborist truck build where towing forms part of the vehicle’s work.

This is particularly relevant where the truck regularly operates with a wood chipper or other towed equipment.

The required tow bar and brake-controller setup depends on the truck, towing requirements and individual vehicle configuration.

If towing is part of the truck’s everyday job, tell Metro during the initial discussion so it can be considered alongside the body, storage and other equipment.

Chipper Tippers for Councils & Vegetation Management Fleets

Metro also builds Chipper Tippers for councils, roadside vegetation crews and commercial vegetation-management fleets.

These vehicles can involve requirements beyond the enclosed tipping body itself, including storage, lighting, signage, safety equipment, towing and operational access.

Metro has experience with council vehicles and understands that fleet projects can involve drawings, inspections and defined safety requirements.

Scott has confirmed Metro has undertaken work associated with councils including the City of Yarra and Manningham, with council work also commonly coming through truck dealerships.

The same approach applies whether Metro is working with an owner-operator, arborist company, truck dealership or fleet. Understand what the vehicle needs to do first, then configure the body and equipment around it.

Chipper Tipper vs Standard Tipper Body

A Chipper Tipper and a conventional Tipper Body both use hydraulic tipping, but they are designed around different loads and working environments.

A Chipper Tipper uses a high-sided enclosed body designed around bulky wood chip, mulch and arborist waste.

A conventional Tipper Body is better suited to applications involving soil, aggregate, concrete, general green waste and other commercial tipping loads.

If the truck primarily supports tree crews and works alongside a chipper, start with a Chipper Tipper. If the work centres on bulk material transport and discharge, Metro’s general Tipper Body range is the more relevant starting point.

Chipper Tipper vs Flat Tray

A Chipper Tipper is designed around collecting and hydraulically unloading loose arborist material.

A Flat Tray provides an open level carrying deck for freight, pallets, timber, building materials, equipment and other commercial loads.

If the truck needs to contain wood chip and green waste, a Chipper Tipper provides the specialised body required for that work.

If open deck access is the priority and tipping is unnecessary, a Flat Tray is the more relevant body type.

Payload & Body Volume on a Chipper Tipper

Body volume and payload are not the same thing.

A high-sided Chipper Tipper can hold a large volume of bulky material, but the completed truck still needs to operate within the capacity of its cab chassis and finished vehicle configuration.

Body weight, payload, storage, towing equipment, electrical equipment and fitted accessories all need to be considered together.

That is why Metro does not simply make the body as large as physically possible.

The body needs to suit the truck and the work it is expected to perform.

3D Design Before Chipper Tipper Fabrication

Custom Chipper Tipper design begins with the cab chassis and the customer’s operating requirements.

Metro works through body dimensions, intended load, tipping arrangement, access, storage and fitted equipment before fabrication begins.

Troy handles much of Metro’s quoting and technical design work and uses Fusion 360 3D modelling for custom builds. This allows the proposed body and major components to be worked through before steel is cut.

Scott runs the workshop and stays involved as those plans become a finished truck, working alongside the fabrication team and checking jobs through production.

For broader information about custom truck bodies, materials, fabrication and Metro’s build approach, visit the Truck Body FAQ.

Engineering & Compliance for New Chipper Tipper Builds

New Metro truck body builds are checked by an automotive engineer as part of the completion process.

Chipper Tippers are designed around the relevant vehicle, body and tipping requirements, including the confirmed VSB6 V3.2 J4 requirements applicable to Metro’s tipper bodies.

Metro also works with specialist automotive electrical and hydraulic trades where required.

The objective is straightforward. The fabricated body, hydraulic system, electrical equipment and other fitted components need to work together as a completed commercial vehicle.

Can Metro Repair or Modify an Existing Chipper Tipper?

Yes. An existing Chipper Tipper does not automatically need complete replacement when something is damaged or the truck’s working requirements change.

Metro undertakes truck body repairs and modifications from its Seaford workshop.

Suitable work can include fabricated body components, floors, doors, hinges and other parts of the existing body depending on its condition and the work required.

Send Metro photographs of the truck, explain the problem and describe what the vehicle needs to do when the work is finished.

Vehicle Wrapping, Signage & Branding

Metro can connect customers with vehicle wrapping, signage and branding services for newly completed arborist trucks and Chipper Tippers.

This allows the body build and final vehicle presentation to be coordinated before the truck enters service.

For arborists, tree services and vegetation contractors, the truck is often one of the most visible pieces of equipment in the business. Planning body layout, toolboxes, equipment and branding together can produce a cleaner finished vehicle.

Chipper Tipper Builders Melbourne & Victoria

Metro Truck Body Builders manufactures custom Chipper Tippers in Seaford, Victoria, in Melbourne’s south-east.

The workshop serves arborists, tree services, councils and commercial operators throughout Melbourne, including businesses around Frankston, Carrum Downs, Dandenong, Cranbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and surrounding south-east industrial areas.

Metro also builds for customers from regional Victoria, including Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Gippsland.

If you are searching for Chipper Tipper builders Melbourne, arborist truck body builders Victoria or a custom chipper truck built around a commercial cab chassis, tell Metro about the truck, the crew and the work it needs to perform.

Custom Chipper Tippers for Tasmania & Interstate

Metro welcomes suitable Chipper Tipper enquiries from Tasmania and elsewhere interstate.

Arborists, tree contractors and commercial operators around Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie and other Tasmanian locations can discuss the truck, body requirements and intended application with Metro before arranging the build in Victoria.

For interstate projects, providing the cab chassis details, expected load, required dimensions, storage, towing and equipment requirements early gives Metro a solid basis for discussing the body before the truck arrives in Seaford.

Why Choose Metro for a Custom Chipper Tipper?

Metro Truck Body Builders has been building commercial truck bodies in Victoria since 1989 and has developed particular experience in Chipper Tippers and arborist truck bodies.

The business remains family owned and is run by Scott and Troy, who are directly involved in customer discussions, quoting, design, fabrication and production.

Metro’s Chipper Tipper experience extends beyond repeating one standard design.

Full-piece side walls, fully welded internal floors, alternative body profiles, custom storage, retractable tarps, towing arrangements and specialist solutions such as hydraulic opening roofs reflect the same approach used throughout the business.

Work out what the truck needs to do. Then build the body around it.

Read more about the family and history behind Metro on Family Owned Since 1989, or see completed fabrication in Recent Builds.

What Should I Send Metro for a Chipper Tipper Quote?

To start a custom Chipper Tipper quote, tell Metro what cab chassis you have or are ordering, what material the truck needs to carry and how the crew will use the vehicle.

Useful information includes:

• Truck make and model
• Cab chassis details
• Expected payload and material
• Required body dimensions, if known
• Preferred body profile
• Toolbox and pole saw storage
• Tarp requirements
• Towing requirements
• Lighting and amber beacons
• Water tanks
• Electrical equipment
• Any unusual operating requirements
• Existing drawings or specifications, if available

If you do not have every detail sorted yet, start with what you know. Tell Metro about the truck, the crew and how the finished vehicle needs to work.

Talk to Metro Truck Body Builders about your custom Chipper Tipper and request a quote.