Dropside, Tipper or Van Body? How to Choose the Right Truck Body

The right truck body makes loading faster, protects your goods and keeps the truck earning. The wrong one slows every trip. Here are the main types and what each is best for.

Dropside

A flat deck with sides that fold down. The sides keep loads in place, and dropping them lets a forklift or workers load from the side. A good all-rounder for building materials, bags, drums and general goods.

Flat platform or flatbed

A flat deck with no sides, or low removable ones. Best for long or bulky items such as steel, pipes, machinery and containers that are strapped down.

Tipper

A body that lifts at the front so the load slides out the back. Built for sand, gravel, granite, laterite and waste. The floor and sides need thicker steel to take the wear of loose material.

Cargo van body

A closed box that keeps goods dry, clean and locked away. Ideal for food and drinks, electronics, parcels and retail stock. You can choose rear doors, side doors or both.

Livestock carrier

An open-sided body with rails and good airflow, so animals travel safely. Floors need a non-slip finish and easy cleaning.

Crane and special bodies

Some jobs need a body built around a crane, a tank, a generator or tools. These are designed one by one around the truck and the job.

Other things to decide

• Material: mild steel is strong and affordable, stainless resists rust, and aluminium saves weight. Our guide to choosing the right metal compares them.
• Weight: every kilo the body weighs is a kilo less you can carry. Ask what the finished body weighs.
• Loading: will you load by hand, by forklift or by crane, and from the side or the back?
• Weather: rain and heat affect what you carry, so think about covers, drainage and paint.

Get a body built for your truck

We build and repair dropsides, platforms, tippers, van bodies and livestock carriers in Lagos. See our truck bodies, or send us your truck model and what you carry.