how far can a concrete truck reach? the ultimate guide!

A rear discharge concrete mixer truck that carries three chutes can reach 18 feet from the back of the truck to the end of the chute.

How far a concrete truck can reach will ultimately depend on the access for the truck, if it's a rear discharge truck or a front discharge concrete truck, and how many chutes extensions the truck carries.

HOW FAR CAN A REAR DISCHARGE CONCRETE TRUCK REACH:

In the picture above, I'm pouring a concrete slab that's 20 feet wide. The chutes from the rear loader concrete truck reach 18' across the slab.

This concrete truck carries 3 chute extensions, each one is 4 feet long. The three chutes reach 12 feet and the two chutes attached to the truck reach 6 feet.

The bumper on the back of the truck is even with the forms on the front of the concrete slab. Sometimes, with a flat access road you can back the mixer truck's rear tires right to the forms. This will gain you another 2' for a total reach of 20 feet.

HOW FAR CAN A FRONT DISCHARGE CONCRETE TRUCK REACH?

A front loader concrete truck can reach 20 feet with the chutes straight out in front of the truck. This measurement is from the front bumper to the end of the last chute.

This type of concrete truck carries 3 chute extensions, each 4 feet long, and two attached chutes that total 8 feet in length.

If you can drive this concrete truck's tires all the way to the forms, you'll gain another 1.5' of reach for a total of 21.5 feet.

does moving the chutes to a side affect the total reach?

Yes, you'll lose 8 feet of reach when you move a front discharge truck's chutes to one side. This means you'll only have 12 feet of reach.

The concrete floor for this garage was 36' wide by 24' deep. The concrete truck could only reach about 12' across the slab when the chutes were turned all the way to one side.

how long is a concrete truck's chute?

A concrete truck's chute is 4' long. Most ready-mix trucks carry three of these chutes. You can use 1, 2 or all three of these chutes depending on what you need for reach.

The mixer truck has two chutes already attached to the truck. The 3 extra chutes firmly clip onto each other to give you more distance.

We usually add all three chutes to the truck when we pour floors and slabs. You can decide whether to use one or all of them, it's up to you.

how far does a concrete truck chute reach in a basement?

When you're pouring over a wall, down in the basement, you'll lose about 1/3 of the normal reach.

On a rear dump concrete truck, like the one above, you'll only have about 12 feet of reach.

The concrete floor in the foundation we're pouring above is about 25' wide. We could only reach about half way with the truck's chutes. As you can see, we're using our 16' chute extension to reach across to the other side.

how far will a concrete truck reach inside a building?

If you're pouring concrete inside a building, you can expect to lose 6' of reach and possibly more.

On this job, the front door was our only access. We backed the concrete truck as close to the door as we could. The mixer truck's two attached chutes got us about even with the door.

We attached the three remaining chutes from the truck, that got us into the building 12'. Then we attached our 12' concrete chute to reach the back wall.

how far does a concrete conveyor truck reach?

how far can a concrete conveyor truck reach

How far a conveyor truck can reach will depend on how close you can back the truck to your pour.

The conveyor truck we use to pour our concrete floors and slabs can reach 40' from the back of the truck.

The 40' of distance is only if the truck can extend the conveyor flat out from the back. If the conveyor tips upwards, you start to lose some reach.

The long boot hanging off the end can be manipulated a bit to gain about 2 more feet of distance.

The concrete floor we're pouring above was about 50' wide. The conveyor reached 40' and we pulled the concrete the other 10' to the back wall.

how to extend the reach of a concrete trucks chute

The best way to extend the reach of a concrete truck is to add a concrete chute. I have an 8 ft. 12 ft., and a 16 ft. chute we use to extend the distance of the concrete trucks chutes.

Some trucks, like the one above, will let you chain an extra chute right onto the end of their chute.

Some ready-mix companies don't let you fasten any length chute extension like in the picture below.

So, instead we're using a saw horse to prop up our 16' concrete chute. Using a 16' chute extension added to the concrete trucks 18' of chutes gives you a total reach of 34'.

These are some common ways to extend the reach of a concrete truck:

Use a longer chute: The most common way to extend the reach of a concrete truck is by using a longer chute. Longer chutes can allow the concrete to be placed further away from the truck.
Use a concrete line pump or boom pump: A concrete pump is a machine that pumps concrete from the truck to the pouring area using a series of pipes and hoses. Concrete pumps can reach further distances than chutes, and they can also be used to place concrete in hard-to-reach areas.
Use a conveyor belt: Some concrete trucks are equipped with conveyor belts that can be used to move the concrete from the truck to the pouring area. Conveyor belts can be useful in situations where the pouring area is far away from the truck, or if the terrain is uneven.
Use a skid steer loader: A skid steer loader is a small, agile machine that can be used to move concrete from the truck to the pouring area. This method is particularly useful in situations where the pouring area is not accessible by a concrete truck, such as a narrow alley or a backyard.
A wheelbarrow can be used to transport concrete from the truck to the pouring area if the distance is not too far, and if the terrain is relatively flat and stable. However, this method can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. In general, using a wheelbarrow to extend the reach of a concrete truck is more suitable for small projects or for pouring in hard-to-reach areas where other equipment cannot reach.
A power buggy is a motorized wheelbarrow that can transport a large amount of concrete over longer distances and on uneven terrain. They are particularly useful for pouring concrete in small areas, such as patios or walkways, where the maneuverability of the power buggy can be an advantage.

how far can a concrete truck pour

How far a concrete truck can pour and how far it can reach are two different things.

The total distance a mixer truck can pour depends on a few things:

The total length of the trucks chutes
The slump of the concrete (is it stiff or loose and runny)
The angle of the chutes
How fast the concrete truck driver spins the drum in discharge

For example, in the above picture, the concrete truck has 18' of chute and the concrete slump is about a 7, so kind of runny. (slump is a measure of how stiff or runny the concrete feels)

A 1" slump is too stiff to work with and a 10" slump is like water. We like a good workable slump, so around a 6 or 7 inch slump.

With a 7 inch slump and the concrete driver spinning the drum in full discharge, you can pour the concrete about 8 more feet beyond the concrete trucks chutes.

Using a water reducer additive in the concrete mix allows you to pour a higher slump concrete. This means the concrete truck can pour a distance of about 26' beyond the back of the truck.

in conclusion:

Several factors can affect the reach of a concrete truck. Here are some of the most common ones:

Length of the chute: The length of the chute can have a significant impact on the reach of the concrete truck. Longer chutes can reach further, but it's important to ensure that the length of the chute is appropriate for the job site and the consistency of the concrete.
Angle of the chute: The angle of the chute can affect the horizontal reach of the concrete truck. A steeper angle may reduce the horizontal reach, while a shallower angle can increase the reach.
Consistency of the concrete: The consistency of the concrete can affect how far the concrete can be placed from the truck. Concrete that is too dry or too wet may not flow smoothly through the chute, which can limit the reach.
Obstacles on the job site: Obstacles such as buildings, trees, or other structures can limit the reach of the concrete truck by blocking the chute or making it difficult to maneuver the truck.
Height of the pouring area: The height of the pouring area can also affect the reach of the concrete truck. Pouring at a higher elevation may require a longer chute or a concrete pump to reach the desired location.
Type of equipment used: Using different types of equipment, such as a concrete pump or a conveyor belt, can extend the reach of the concrete truck beyond what is possible with just a chute.
Local regulations: Local regulations may impose weight and size restrictions on commercial vehicles like concrete trucks, which can affect the size and capacity of the truck and, therefore, its reach.