TIPPER BODIES

Custom Tipper Body Builders Melbourne, Victoria & Australia

Metro Truck Body Builders designs and manufactures custom tipper bodies in Melbourne for commercial working trucks across construction, civil works, excavation, landscaping, demolition, infrastructure, councils, trades, waste, vegetation management and commercial fleets.

Built at Metro’s workshop in Seaford, Victoria, each tipper body is configured around the supplied cab chassis, available payload, intended load and the work the completed truck needs to perform. Body dimensions, capacity, steel specification, subframe, hydraulic tipping system, sides, tailgate, storage and fitted equipment are considered together as part of the complete build.

Metro does not start with one generic tipper and expect every truck to work around it. A light commercial truck carrying landscaping material has different requirements from a larger vehicle working in civil construction or regularly carrying abrasive material. The custom tipper body needs to make sense for the truck, the load and the job.

Metro has been building truck bodies in Melbourne since 1989 and works with customers throughout Melbourne, regional Victoria and suitable interstate projects.

Tipper Bodies form part of Metro’s wider Custom Truck Bodies range. You can also see examples of completed fabrication in Recent Builds or request a quote for a custom Tipper Body.

What Is a Tipper Body?

A tipper body is a commercial truck body designed to carry material and hydraulically raise the body to discharge the load.

Tipper trucks are used across applications where loose or bulk material needs to be transported and unloaded efficiently. Typical loads include soil, gravel, sand, aggregate, landscaping material, demolition material, green waste and other commercial loads appropriate to the truck and body specification.

The body itself is only one part of the system. The cab chassis, payload, body construction, subframe, tipping geometry, hydraulic equipment, tailgate and intended material all influence how the finished vehicle needs to be configured.

That is why Metro treats a custom truck tipper body as a complete working system rather than a steel box with a hoist underneath it.

Custom Tipper Bodies From Approximately 1m³ to 8m³

Metro generally builds custom Tipper Bodies from approximately 1m³ to 8m³ capacity, depending on the cab chassis, available payload, intended load and required configuration.

Capacity should never be considered in isolation. Increasing the physical volume of a body does not increase the weight the truck is designed or legally permitted to carry.

A body intended for relatively light bulky material presents different requirements from one carrying dense material. The weight of the body itself, hydraulic equipment, toolboxes, towing equipment, batteries, racks and other fitted components also contributes to the completed vehicle.

Metro therefore works through the truck and its intended application before determining the appropriate body dimensions and capacity.

Steel Tipper Bodies Built for Commercial Work

Metro builds steel tipper bodies for commercial working trucks, with construction selected around the vehicle, material being carried and expected operating conditions.

Depending on the specification, builds can incorporate an RHS subframe, steel floor and sides, structural members, hydraulic tipping equipment, tailgate systems, lighting and other fabricated components required for the finished body.

The objective is not to make every body as heavy as possible. Additional steel adds body weight, which affects available payload.

The useful specification is the one appropriate to the truck and the work.

For broader information about Metro’s materials, fabrication and body-building capability, visit the Truck Body FAQ.

Mild Steel & Hardox Tipper Bodies

Metro uses mild steel and Hardox where appropriate to the individual Tipper Body specification.

Mild steel remains suitable for many commercial tipper applications. Where the body is expected to handle more abrasive material or demanding wear conditions, Hardox steel can provide greater wear resistance.

Hardox is not automatically the correct material for every truck or every component. Material selection needs to make sense for the load, body design, available payload and expected working conditions.

Metro therefore considers Hardox tipper bodies as an application-specific option rather than treating heavier-duty material as an automatic upgrade.

If your truck regularly carries abrasive or demanding material, tell Metro what you are transporting when discussing the build so the appropriate material specification can be considered.

Hardox Tipper Bodies for Higher-Wear Applications

For suitable applications, Metro can incorporate Hardox 450-grade equivalent steel where greater resistance to wear is required.

This can be relevant for commercial trucks exposed to repeated loading and unloading of abrasive material, particularly where wear to conventional steel would be a significant consideration over the working life of the body.

The decision still starts with the truck and application. A Hardox tipper should be specified because the material suits the work, not because a thicker or harder material sounds better on paper.

Metro works through the body construction and material selection as part of the complete specification before fabrication begins.

Fixed Side Tipper Bodies

Metro builds fixed side Tipper Bodies for applications where permanent body sides suit the material and regular side access is not required.

Fixed sides provide a straightforward body configuration for carrying and hydraulically discharging loose commercial material.

Body height, length, capacity, material, tailgate arrangement and hydraulic system are determined around the cab chassis and working application.

If regular side loading or unloading forms part of the job, a drop-side tipper configuration may provide a more practical alternative.

Drop Side Tipper Bodies

Metro also builds drop side Tipper Bodies where operators need greater access to the load area.

Drop sides allow sections of the body side to be lowered for loading, unloading and day-to-day access while retaining the hydraulic tipping function of the body.

This configuration can suit commercial applications where the truck performs more than one type of loading or material-handling task.

If hydraulic tipping is not required and the main priority is a commercial carrying deck with lowering sides, compare Metro’s Custom Drop Side Trays.

Tipper Bodies for Construction & Civil Work

Metro builds custom tipper bodies for construction and civil work where trucks need to carry and discharge materials as part of day-to-day site operations.

Applications can include civil construction, infrastructure, excavation, earthworks, drainage, road work and other commercial projects.

These vehicles can require more than the tipper body itself. Toolboxes, towing equipment, work lights, beacons, water tanks, racks and other equipment may also need to form part of the finished truck.

Planning those requirements during the body design helps Metro position the body, storage and equipment as one complete vehicle setup.

Tipper Bodies for Landscaping & Garden Supplies

Tipper truck bodies are also widely suited to landscaping, garden supplies and grounds-maintenance work where loose material needs to be transported and discharged.

Typical applications can involve soil, mulch, gravel, green waste and other materials appropriate to the truck and body specification.

Body capacity needs to be considered alongside material density and available payload. A large-volume body carrying light material presents a different payload calculation from the same physical volume filled with dense aggregate.

Tell Metro what you expect the truck to carry rather than selecting body capacity from dimensions alone.

Tipper Bodies for Excavation & Demolition

Excavation and demolition work can place different demands on a Tipper Body because of the material being loaded and the frequency of commercial use.

Metro considers the intended load, truck capacity, body construction and material specification when developing a custom tipper for excavation or demolition work.

Where higher wear resistance is relevant, this is also where a Hardox specification deserves discussion.

If the vehicle’s primary purpose is transporting excavators, skid steers or other machinery rather than carrying loose material, Metro’s Custom Beavertail Truck Bodies may provide a more appropriate starting point.

Tipper Bodies for Councils & Commercial Fleets

Metro builds truck bodies for businesses, commercial fleets, dealerships and suitable council projects.

A council or fleet tipper body can involve requirements beyond carrying and tipping material, including storage, lighting, towing equipment, safety equipment and other operational fit-out.

Metro has experience working with council vehicles and commercial projects where drawings, inspections and defined specifications form part of the job.

For multiple vehicles or fleet requirements, tell Metro about the broader project when requesting a quote so the team understands the intended application from the beginning.

RHS Subframes & Tipper Body Structure

The supporting structure beneath a Tipper Body forms an important part of the complete build.

Depending on the individual specification, Metro Tipper Bodies can incorporate an RHS subframe designed around the body, cab chassis and hydraulic tipping arrangement.

The body structure, subframe and tipping system need to function together. Metro therefore develops the fabricated structure as part of the complete truck-body specification rather than treating each component independently.

PTO-Driven Hydraulic Tipping Systems

Metro Tipper Bodies can incorporate PTO-driven hydraulic hoist systems appropriate to the truck and body configuration.

Depending on the build, the hydraulic arrangement can include a hoist or hoists, anti-burst protection and other components required for the completed tipping system.

Body size, load, tipping geometry, chassis and hydraulic requirements all affect the finished configuration.

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

The hydraulic system is considered during the body design so the structure, subframe and tipping equipment operate as one complete setup.

Tipper Tailgates, Barn Doors & Release Systems

The rear of a Tipper Body needs to suit the material being carried and the way the load is discharged.

Depending on the individual build, Metro can incorporate side-swing tailgates, barn-door arrangements and manual or air-operated tailgate release systems.

The appropriate arrangement depends on the truck, load, body configuration and working requirements.

Tailgate design is considered alongside the body structure and hydraulic tipping system rather than selected as an unrelated component after the main body has been designed.

Tarps & Load-Covering Systems

Where required for the working application, tarp systems can be incorporated into suitable Tipper Body builds.

The tarp arrangement needs to work with the body dimensions, material being carried, access and other equipment fitted to the vehicle.

If load coverage forms part of your operating requirements, tell Metro during the initial discussion so the system can be considered as part of the complete body specification.

Custom Toolboxes & Storage for Tipper Trucks

A working tipper often needs storage for tools, equipment and other gear in addition to the load carried in the body.

Metro can specify, supply, install and integrate custom truck toolboxes and underbody toolboxes into suitable Tipper Body builds.

Depending on the truck and available space, storage arrangements can include behind-cab, on-body and underbody configurations.

Toolbox position needs to account for access, clearance, body movement, hydraulic equipment, payload and other fitted components.

Metro also accepts suitable standalone toolbox projects. See Custom Truck Toolboxes & Underbody Toolboxes for more information.

Tow Bars, Brake Controllers & Tipper Truck Equipment

Depending on the truck and build, Metro can incorporate additional commercial equipment including tow bars, Redarc brake controllers, amber beacons, LED work lights, additional batteries, inverters, arrow boards, water tanks and fire-extinguisher mounting.

The equipment fitted to a truck affects available space, body layout and payload, so it is useful to identify these requirements before fabrication begins.

If towing forms part of the truck’s regular work, tell Metro the required application during the initial discussion.

Can Metro Build a Tipper With a Truck-Mounted Crane?

Metro can provide truck-mounted crane provision as part of a suitable new complete truck-body build where the body and supporting structure are designed around the crane installation.

A crane changes the structural requirements and layout of the completed vehicle. It cannot simply be mounted onto a standard body without considering what sits underneath it.

The selected crane, cab chassis, capacity and intended work determine the supporting structure, reinforcement, plating and engineering requirements associated with the installation.

Metro sources cranes through specialist suppliers and designs and fabricates the truck body around the required installation. Metro does not manufacture the crane itself.

Payload Matters When Designing a Custom Tipper Body

A larger tipper body does not increase the amount the truck is designed or permitted to carry.

The cab chassis has its own capacity. The finished body, subframe, hydraulics, toolboxes, tow bar, batteries, racks, crane provision and other equipment all contribute to vehicle weight before the working load is added.

Material density matters too. A body filled with a light bulky material presents a different load from the same volume filled with dense aggregate.

Metro therefore considers body capacity, body weight, available payload and intended material together when developing the specification.

If the proposed cab chassis is not appropriate for what the customer wants the finished vehicle to do, it is better to identify the issue before fabrication begins.

How Does Metro Design a Custom Tipper Body?

Metro starts with the cab chassis and the work the completed truck needs to perform.

The team then works through the body dimensions, capacity, material, subframe, hydraulic tipping system, sides, tailgate, storage and fitted equipment required for the individual project.

Troy handles much of Metro’s quoting and technical design work and uses Fusion 360 3D modelling for custom builds before fabrication begins.

Scott runs the workshop and works alongside Metro’s fabrication team as the design becomes a finished truck body.

This keeps the people discussing and designing the project close to the people responsible for building it.

Tipper Body Fabrication & Welding in Melbourne

Metro fabricates its custom truck bodies in Seaford, Victoria.

Fabrication and welding form a major part of each Tipper Body build. Steel components are measured, cut, fabricated, welded, assembled and fitted according to the individual body design.

Metro’s workshop combines hands-on fabrication with modern design and production equipment. Digital design provides the fabrication plan, but experienced people still turn raw material into the finished body.

Metro has been carrying out truck body fabrication in Melbourne since 1989. Read the story of Doug, Jenny, Scott and Troy on Family Owned Since 1989.

Tipper Body Finishing & Paint

Metro Tipper Bodies are prepared and finished as part of the completed build.

Depending on the individual specification, steel preparation can include etch priming followed by a two-pack paint finish coordinated with the cab colour unless another finish forms part of the project.

Finishing is treated as part of the completed commercial body rather than separate from the fabrication work.

Engineering & Compliance for New Tipper Body Builds

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

Metro’s new Tipper Bodies are designed with the applicable vehicle, body and tipping requirements in mind, including the confirmed VSB6 V3.2 J4 requirements relevant to Metro’s tipper work.

Metro also works with specialist hydraulic and automotive electrical trades where required so the fabricated body and fitted systems operate as a complete commercial vehicle.

For broader questions about Metro’s engineering, materials, fabrication and build process, visit the Truck Body FAQ.

Chipper Tippers for Arborists & Tree Crews

Metro also has extensive experience building Chipper Tippers and arborist truck bodies.

A Chipper Tipper sits within the broader tipper family but serves a specialised purpose. These enclosed hydraulic bodies are designed around arborists, tree crews, vegetation-management contractors and councils carrying wood chip, mulch and green waste.

Metro Chipper Tippers can incorporate full-piece side walls, fully welded internal floors, smooth internal surfaces, rear barn doors, storage, toolboxes, tarps and other equipment depending on the truck and specification.

If the truck is being built specifically for tree work, visit Custom Chipper Tippers & Arborist Truck Bodies.

Tipper Body vs Chipper Tipper

Both body types use hydraulic tipping, but they are designed around different work.

A Tipper Body suits broader commercial applications involving materials such as soil, aggregate, landscaping material, demolition material and other appropriate working loads.

A Chipper Tipper is an enclosed specialist body developed around the bulky wood chip, mulch and green waste generated by arborists and vegetation-management crews.

If tree work is the truck’s primary purpose, Metro’s dedicated Chipper Tippers page provides more relevant information about those specialised bodies.

Tipper Body vs Flat Tray

A Tipper Body and Flat Tray solve different material-handling requirements.

A Tipper Body uses hydraulic lifting to discharge material. A Flat Tray provides an open, level commercial carrying deck with access from the sides and rear.

If the truck carries pallets, timber, freight, building materials or equipment and open loading access is more important than hydraulic discharge, a Flat Tray may provide the better starting point.

Compare Metro’s Custom Flat Trays & Truck Trays.

Tipper Body vs Drop Side Tray

A drop side Tipper Body combines hydraulic tipping with sides that provide additional loading access.

A conventional Drop Side Tray provides a carrying deck and hinged sides without the hydraulic tipping function.

If material needs to be tipped from the vehicle, start with a Tipper Body. If the main requirement is carrying material with practical side access, see Metro’s Custom Drop Side Trays.

Tipper Body vs Beavertail Truck Body

A Tipper Body is designed around carrying and hydraulically discharging material. A Beavertail Truck Body is designed around loading and transporting machinery, plant and equipment.

Beavertails incorporate a sloping rear section and ramp arrangement for machinery that needs to be driven or moved onto the truck.

If your main requirement is excavator, skid steer, access equipment or machinery transport, visit Metro’s Custom Beavertail Truck Bodies.

Can Metro Repair or Modify an Existing Tipper Body?

Yes. An existing tipper does not always need complete replacement.

Metro carries out tipper body repairs and truck body modifications in Melbourne where the existing body is suitable for repair or alteration.

Repair work depends on the body and problem involved and can include suitable fabricated floors, sides, tailgates, hinges and other truck-body components.

Metro also undertakes modifications where the existing body needs to change to suit different equipment or working requirements.

The body does not need to have been originally manufactured by Metro.

Send photographs, the truck details and an explanation of what is damaged or what needs to change. See Truck Body Repairs & Modifications for more information.

Custom Tipper Body Builders Melbourne & Victoria

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

The workshop works with commercial truck customers throughout Melbourne, including Seaford, Frankston, Carrum Downs, Dandenong, Cranbourne, Pakenham, the Mornington Peninsula and greater Melbourne.

Metro also welcomes suitable projects from regional and rural Victoria, including Gippsland, Phillip Island, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and other Victorian locations.

If you are searching for tipper body builders Melbourne, custom tipper bodies Victoria, truck tipper body builders or a commercial tipper manufactured around a specific cab chassis, tell Metro what truck you have and what it needs to carry.

Custom Tipper Bodies for Regional Victoria & Interstate

Metro welcomes suitable custom Tipper Body enquiries from regional Victoria and interstate.

For customers travelling a significant distance, it helps to provide the cab chassis details, intended load, proposed body dimensions, capacity and equipment requirements before arranging transport to the Seaford workshop.

Metro has completed work for customers beyond Victoria, and suitable interstate truck body projects are welcome where Metro’s custom fabrication capability suits the job.

For suitable regional Victoria or interstate projects, contact Metro with your truck details, intended load and required body configuration.

Custom Tipper Bodies for Tasmania

Metro also welcomes suitable Tipper Body enquiries from Tasmania.

Businesses and commercial truck operators around Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie and elsewhere in Tasmania can discuss the cab chassis, intended load and required body configuration with Metro before arranging for the truck to come to Victoria.

Providing body requirements, dimensions, equipment and truck details early gives Metro a useful basis for working through an interstate project before the vehicle reaches the workshop.

Family-Owned Tipper Body Builders Since 1989

Metro Truck Body Builders has been building commercial truck bodies in Victoria since 1989.

The business remains family owned and is now run by brothers Scott and Troy, who are directly involved in quoting, design, customer communication and workshop production.

Troy handles much of Metro’s quoting and technical design work. Scott runs the workshop and works alongside the fabrication team.

That keeps responsibility close to the work throughout a custom build.

Read how Doug’s Welding Service developed into Metro Truck Body Builders on Family Owned Since 1989.

See Recent Metro Tipper Body Builds

Specifications explain how a Tipper Body can be configured. Completed trucks show what Metro has already put into service.

Visit Recent Builds to see completed Metro truck bodies, fabrication details, body configurations and fitted equipment.

Real projects also provide useful reference points when planning your own truck. You do not need to find an identical completed vehicle. Look at the bodies, materials, storage and equipment relevant to the work your truck needs to perform.

Custom Tipper Body FAQs

Does Metro build custom Tipper Bodies?

Yes. Metro designs and manufactures custom Tipper Bodies around the cab chassis, available payload, intended load and working application rather than relying on one standard body specification.

What size Tipper Bodies does Metro build?

Metro generally builds Tipper Bodies from approximately 1m³ to 8m³ capacity, depending on the truck, payload, material and individual body specification.

Does Metro build Hardox Tipper Bodies?

Yes. Metro uses Hardox where the job and specification call for greater wear resistance. Hardox is particularly relevant to suitable higher-wear tipper applications but is not automatically required for every body.

Does Metro also build mild steel Tipper Bodies?

Yes. Metro builds mild-steel Tipper Bodies where mild steel is appropriate to the truck, load and working application. Material selection forms part of the individual body specification.

Does Metro build fixed side and drop side Tippers?

Yes. Metro builds both fixed side and drop side Tipper Body configurations. The appropriate arrangement depends on the load, access requirements and way the truck is used.

What hydraulic system does a Metro Tipper use?

Metro Tipper Bodies can use PTO-driven hydraulic hoist arrangements, with the final hydraulic configuration determined around the truck, body and working requirements.

Does Metro build Chipper Tippers?

Yes. Metro has extensive experience building specialist Chipper Tippers and arborist truck bodies for tree crews, vegetation-management contractors and councils.

Can Metro add toolboxes to a Tipper?

Yes. Suitable Tipper Body builds can incorporate behind-cab, body-mounted and underbody storage. See Custom Truck Toolboxes & Underbody Toolboxes.

Can Metro incorporate a tow bar into a Tipper build?

Yes. Tow-bar provision can form part of suitable custom builds where towing is part of the truck’s intended work. Tell Metro the towing requirements during the initial discussion.

Can Metro build a Tipper with crane provision?

Yes. Crane provision can form part of a suitable new complete truck-body build where Metro designs the body and supporting structure around the selected truck-mounted crane installation.

Does Metro repair existing Tipper Bodies?

Yes. Metro undertakes suitable Tipper Body repairs and truck body modifications from its Seaford workshop. The existing body does not need to have been originally built by Metro. See Truck Body Repairs & Modifications.

Where are Metro Tipper Bodies manufactured?

Metro fabricates its custom truck bodies at 24 Keppler Circuit, Seaford, Victoria, in Melbourne’s south-east.

Does Metro build Tipper Bodies for customers outside Melbourne?

Yes. Metro works with customers throughout Victoria and welcomes suitable interstate projects, including enquiries from Tasmania.

Get a Quote for a Custom Tipper Body

To start a custom Tipper Body quote, tell Metro what cab chassis you have or are ordering and what the completed truck needs to carry and do.

Useful information includes:

• Truck make and model
• Cab chassis details
• Material the truck needs to carry
• Expected payload or working loads
• Required body dimensions or capacity, if known
• Fixed side or drop side preference
• Mild steel or Hardox requirements, if specified
• Tailgate requirements
• Tarp or load-covering requirements
• Toolboxes and storage
• Towing requirements
• Lighting and electrical equipment
• Crane requirements where relevant
• Any existing drawings or specifications
• Your business and location

If you do not have every detail worked out, start with what you know. Tell Metro what the truck needs to carry and how it needs to work.

You can also explore Metro’s Custom Truck Bodies, Chipper Tippers, Beavertail Truck Bodies, Flat Trays & Truck Trays, Drop Side Trays, Custom Truck Toolboxes and Recent Builds.

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

Tipper Bodies Built in Melbourne

Metro Truck Body Builders designs and manufactures tipper bodies for commercial vehicles working across Melbourne, South East Melbourne and throughout Victoria. Every truck tipper body is built around the truck, payload, operating conditions and the work the vehicle needs to perform, rather than relying on a standard one-size-fits-all body.

Our tipper truck bodies are designed and fabricated at our Seaford workshop, with body dimensions, floor construction, side heights, tailgate configuration, hydraulic operation and material selection determined around the intended application. Where the specification and working environment call for greater wear resistance, Metro also works with materials such as Hardox for suitable heavy-wear tipper applications.

As experienced tipper body builders, Metro works with customers across construction, landscaping, civil works, trades, arboriculture and other commercial industries requiring dependable tipping bodies. Whether the truck needs a straightforward general-purpose tipper or a more specialised configuration, the aim is the same: build a truck tipper body suited to the way the vehicle will actually be used.

Metro also builds dedicated chipper tippers for arborist and tree-work applications, and provides truck body repairs and modifications for existing vehicles. You can also view examples of completed Metro projects in Recent Builds.

If you are looking for tipper bodies in Melbourne, truck tipper bodies or a custom tipper truck body built around your vehicle and workload, contact Metro Truck Body Builders to discuss the job.