Classic Refuse Trucks GAR WOOD

Bucket Loader, Pax-All and Wood Load-Crusher

Immediately after the war, Gar Wood was virtually unchallenged as the only major builder of rear-load packers. With the 1946 Bucket Loader, they also had an entry level enclosed refuse body and an economical competitor against the Leach Refuse Getter and the Colecto. The Bucket Loader employed the simple method of hoisting the body against fixed cables which draw the trough to the top of the body, including the tailgate when dumping. The body tilt also effected gravity packing of the load, a procedure that was employed by operators of early enclosed dump bodies to consolidate the load towards the back.

Woodson/St. Paul Pax-All

Following Word War II, Gar Wood Industries was sold to a group of outside investors. In 1948, George Wood unveiled a new bucket loader which was sold as the Pax-All and built by his new Woodson Products at Detroit, Michigan.

The method of operation was basically the same as the Gar Wood Bucket Loader; the body was tilted against fixed cables which draw the trough up to roof level. However, an internal "Cram-Packing" panel was added, its pusher arms automatically forcing the panel rearward as the body was lowered. Additionally, the trough was guided by side stabilizer arms, instead of the trolley wheel arrangement of the Gar Wood.

By 1950, Woodson had sold the rights to their Pax-All to St. Paul Hydraulic Hoist, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gar Wood Industries. The Pax-All remained in the Gar Wood lineup at least through the mid 1950's. By 1957, the Pax-All name was being applied to the container and hoist system used on the Gar Wood LP-500 rear-load packers.

Wood Load-Crusher

George Wood designed at least one more famous refuse body, originally sold as the Herman Ram-Pak, and later sold to Daybrook Hydraulic who changed the name to Power-Packer. In Canada, the design was badged as the Load-Crusher and was manufactured by Phil Wood Industries of Windsor, Ontario. It is not known if Phil Wood was a relative of either Gar or George Wood, but it is noteworthy that Windsor is just across the river from Detroit, the hometown of the Wood family.

It should be emphasized that the Load-Crusher was not a product of Gar Wood industries. It is mentioned here because of the connection to George Wood, and also the fact that Phil Wood Industries marked the Load-Crusher tailgate as a retrofitted upgrade for older Gar Wood Load-packers.

9/7/04 (revised 1/24/09)