Every dump body relies on a hoist to lift and tilt the bed, but not all hoists lift the same way. The two
most common mechanisms — the scissor hoist and the telescopic (telescoping) hoist — differ in dump angle,
mounting height, cycle speed, and cost, and picking the wrong one can leave material stuck in the corners of
the bed or push your total upfit height too high for the job. At
Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we build and install
dump-capable flatbeds and dump bodies for
contractors, landscapers, and fleets across Texas and Louisiana, and matching the hoist type to the load and
the truck is one of the first things we spec on every build.

Scissor Hoists

A scissor hoist uses a folding, X-shaped hydraulic cylinder linkage mounted under the bed. It’s a compact,
lower-profile design that keeps the overall deck height down, which matters on trucks where ground clearance
or loading height is already tight. Scissor hoists are common on shorter dump beds and dump inserts, cycle
quickly, and are generally the lower-cost option to install. The tradeoff is dump angle — a scissor hoist
typically maxes out around 45-50 degrees, which is plenty for sand, dirt, and mulch but can leave sticky
material like wet clay or debris hung up in the front corners of the bed.

Telescopic Hoists

A telescopic hoist uses a multi-stage cylinder that extends straight up, pushing the front of the bed to a
steeper dump angle — often 50 degrees or more — for a cleaner, more complete unload. Telescopic hoists are the
standard choice on longer dump bodies and heavier loads where full material discharge matters, and they hold
up well under sustained daily cycling. The tradeoff is mounting height: because the cylinder telescopes
upward, it adds more height under the bed than a scissor hoist, and the hardware itself costs more to install
and maintain.

Which One Should You Choose?

• Tight clearance or lower loading height — scissor hoist for a lower-profile mount
• Sticky or heavy material (clay, wet debris, aggregate) — telescopic hoist for a steeper dump angle and full discharge
• Shorter dump inserts and lighter-duty use — scissor hoist is usually the more economical choice
• Longer dump bodies and daily heavy-duty hauling — telescopic hoist for reliable full-load dumping

We spec both hoist types on
CM and
Norstar dump-capable flatbeds, matched to
what you’re hauling and how the truck is loaded — not just whichever hoist happens to be in stock.

Get the Right Dump Body Hoist for Your Truck

Star Truck Equipment builds and installs dump bodies and dump inserts for contractors and fleets across
Texas and Louisiana from our shop in Wharton, TX. Call us at (979) 532-1486 or browse our
flatbed truck bodies and
truck beds for sale to get started.