Dutchman Industries has a line of truck spades ready to tackle the largest or smallest tree transplanting jobs. For years, people have asked us to design larger truck spades with the same durability you have come to trust in Dutchman Tree Spades.
Straight Blade 50"
Dutchman's straight-blade 50” truck mount is ideal for digging up to 5” trees. The overall weight of the unit is light enough to go on a 19,000GVW, single-axle truck. Minimum cab-to-axle needs to be 84 inches. Built with the same quality and durability you have come to know from Dutchman.
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Dutchman 500i Straight Blade Truck Spade Specification Sheet 
The goal of the 3rd generation of truck spades was to design units that could not only last but be compact enough to get in and out of tasks easily. Our focus was not on the cheapest method of building a unit, but creating a design that will meet all conditions all the time. At Dutchman, we are forever striving to build a better, more refined tree spade. Common issues such as tall towers, small frames and weak blades all had to be addressed. These concerns were shared by many within the tree moving industry. State-of-the-art technology, computerized sketches, and stress analysis all played a part in building a sleek, compact, reliable unit that makes for a solid and sound investment.
We developed methods to cold form blades making them stronger than the original AR450 material used. We designed new placement for support ribs, and added scraper plates to keep the soil from sticking. Now there are no obstruction on the outside of the blades, making baskets easy and fast to use.
After the blades were strengthened, we focused on shortening the overall height of the spade. Many have complained that their conventional spades cannot get under the canopy of the tree due to tall towers. In order to combat this issue, we had to first redesign the way a cylinder operates. The end result was a new patented, multistage cylinder that does not have any oil displacement issues or side load concerns. The speed is consistent through out its stroke and has the power to drive the blades into the ground. These cylinders are much shorter retraced, allowing for shorter towers.
We also wanted to address how the blade is supported on the tower. Rather than guiding the blades on narrow tracks like the competition, we use the face of the tower itself: the surface area of the slider is many times greater than small interior rails. The interior support ribs are also used to mount the blades to the slider housing. The width of these ribs is more than double the competition, holding the blade at a much wider position. The blades are pulled down the tower by the trunnion mounted cylinder in the center of the slider box; the best position as it is directly in line with the the tracking system.
Lastly, we wanted to address the constant concern of too little operating space within the frame of the spade. We created a completely circular frame that has plenty of room inside to accommodate wide, low branching trees. These frames are much stronger than ones that are pieced together using hollow tubes and flat bar. The gates were made taller and have replaceable hardened steel bushings. Finally, the frame has a hydraulic locking mechanism to ensure a stable connection while digging.
Combined, all of these features and innovations make the Dutchman Truck Spade the strongest and easiest to use on the market.
Options
Wobble-Tail
Dutchman Industries' optional “Wobble-Tail and Extension” is an ideal option for limiting the amount of reversing needed when lining up a tree. The “Wobble-Tail” allows you to shift the entire digging head left and right and the Extension allows you to throw the unit up to 10 inches backward. This allows the operator to manipulate the spade while keeping the truck stationary. Ideal for single operators. This option is available for the Dutchman model 48”, 55”, 60” and 66” Truck Spades.
Video Gallery
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hEkZk8dagzQ;100-inch Truck Spade
smfXK8NmbbY;55-inch Truck Spade
p8SBqCy8tiM;100-inch Truck Spade
