Garbage Truck - DuraPack

Formula 5000

f 5000 garbage truck

The Heil Formula® 5000 rear loader garbage truck is a high-compaction refuse vehicle known throughout the world for its durability and performance.

With over 16,000 built and over 23 years of proven reliability, the Formula® 5000 compactor truck has become the mainstay collection vehicle for fleets large and small. From the world’s largest municipal fleet in New York City, to small independent haulers with just a few trucks, refuse haulers know they can depend on the 5000 to go to work every day.

The Formula® 5000 features Heil’s DuraPack™ Family body, with its curved sidewall and fully welded subframe, and a no-nonsense tailgate that can handle residential routes as well as commercial assignments.

Like all Heil bodies, the 5000 uses high-pressure hydraulics and high-tensile steel construction to maximize performance without adding unnecessary weight.

Its high angle cylinder mount and lighter weight tailgate puts more payload forward in the body for outstanding weight distribution, which also saves wear and tear on rearward chassis components.

 

F-5000 Garbage truck: Essential Facts

  • Chrome-plated and induction-hardened cylinders
  • High-pressure hydraulics
  • Low-profile DPF body for better center of gravity and clearance from obstructions
  • All high tensile steel construction
  • Fully welded Interlaced subfloor
  • High-angle cylinder mount puts more payload forward in the body
  • Container handling options include cart tippers, and commercial container devices
  • Over 16,000 built
  • Sizes Available: 13.8 m³, 15.3 m³, 19.1 m³, 20.6 m³, and 24.5 m³

Easy To Operate

  • Manual packing controls allow operator to stop, start, or reverse either upper panel or blade at any point in the packing cycle
  • The cycle is completed in two steps, one-hand operation
  • Reload in 6 to 7 seconds
  • Complete cycle in 16-18 seconds
  • Accepts a variety of container handling devices, including cart tippers for residential semi-automated collection, reeving cylinders, roll bars, or winch for commercial container dumping

Linkage Packing System

  • A proven design for over 20 years
  • No rollers, slides or slide shoes to wear out
  • Fewer parts to wear out saves maintenance time and money
  • With linkage system, there is less friction and more force goes into packing the load
  • Smaller cylinders than comparable units also means a lighter body weight, and more legal payload

Easy To Service

  • Hydraulic tubes are protected from obstructions and the elements, routed inside rear bolster
  • Easy to reach from access panel
  • The frame-mounted oil tank is easily serviced
  • Individual valve sections

Interlaced Subframe

  • Heil’s interlaced subframe is made from formed channels for extra strength
  • Fully Welded, for superior resistance to corrosion and cracking
  • Flat floor made from abrasion-resistant steel for longer wear. No trough to clean out from trash buildup

Rear Loaders

Key facts & features

  • The DuraPack 5000 is a high-compaction rear-loader refuse body manufactured by Heil Environmental (brand Heil). 

  • According to the brochure: “With nearly 30 years of reliability and over 20,000 units built.”

  • The “Formula 5000” designation appears to be used in some markets (for example, South Africa distributor listing) for the same or a very similar model. 

Construction highlights:

    • Fully welded, interlaced sub-frame for durability. 

    • High tensile strength steel body, abrasion resistant hopper floor. 

    • Excellent weight distribution via short overhang and high-angle cylinder mount to reduce wear on rear chassis components. 

Performance specs (typical / advertised):

    • Hopper size: approx 3.94 cubic yards (≈3.0 m³) for the standard series. 

    • Compaction rate: “1,000+ lbs per yd³” (i.e., very high compaction) in one advertisement. 

    • Packing (cycle) time: 16-18 seconds (with fast cycle pump option) and reload time 6-8 seconds. 

Options & features:

    • Accepts cart-tippers, commercial containers, winch or roll-bar options. 

    • Optional “Connected Collections®” packages: cameras, telemetry, chassis/body data, etc. 

    • Optional CNG version (some units equipped for compressed natural gas) mentioned in the operator’s manual. BTR

Usage / suitability

  • Because of its high compaction and robust body construction, the DuraPack 5000 is suitable for both residential and commercial waste collection routes. It is used by large municipal fleets as well as smaller independent haulers. 

  • The design emphasises ease of maintenance (Service­Smart design) and durability to reduce downtime. Saniquip+1

  • For South African or African context: If you are considering this unit, check compatibility with your local chassis (left-hand vs right-hand drive), local servicing/parts availability, hydraulic specification, compaction regulation compliance, and waste-industry norms.

Considerations / things to check

  • Chassis compatibility: The body must be mounted on a suitable heavy-duty truck chassis. For example, a listing of a “2020 International + Heil DuraPack 5000 25 yard body” shows GVWR 56,000 lbs (≈25,400 kg) on US spec. 

  • Body size / capacity: While the standard hopper is ~3.94 yd³, the overall body (i.e., yardage) varies: I found sizes 18, 20, 25, 27, 32 cubic yards mentioned in a South African listing. Transtech So confirm the exact body size you’re buying.

  • Hydraulics / maintenance: The manual emphasises daily checks, filtration (three-micron in this model) versus competitors using 10-micron filters (thus less wear). 

  • After-sales / spares: Because this is a specialised body, check for local service network or importer in South Africa (or regionally) for parts like cylinders, packing linkage, tailgate mechanism.

  • Condition & age: Even though many units built, you’ll want to inspect wear on hopper floor, sub-frame corroding, weld integrity. The welded interlaced sub-frame is a strength, but local conditions (salt, climate) matter.

  • Regulatory & operator safety: Ensure it meets local haulage and waste-collection regulations (weight, compaction, emissions if chassis diesel, or CNG version). The manual emphasises Lock-Out/Tag-Out safety procedures. BTR

  • Route profile & cost efficiency: Consider payload vstare weight. While the body is built with lighter weight high-tensile steel, you still want to confirm actual unladen weight so you maximise payload within local axle/road regulations.

Specifications of the Formula 5000 Garbage Truck

Parameter Value / Notes Source
Compaction rate 1,000+ lbs per cubic yard (≈ 594 kg per m³) for typical configuration. Saniquip; Heil
Hopper Size (standard) 3.94 cubic yards (≈ 3.01 m³) for the hopper. Heil
Packing cycle time Approximately 16–18 seconds (with “fast cycle pump” option) for full packing. Heil
Reload time Approximately 6–8 seconds (with fast cycle pump). Saniquip
Body Sizes Available 13.8 m³, 15.3 m³, 19.1 m³, 20.6 m³, and 24.5 m³ Heil
Minimum GVWR (for different body sizes) For example: 18 yd³ → 48,000 lbs; 20 yd³ → 51,000 lbs; 25 yd³ → 54,000 lbs; etc. Heil
Body Weight Approximately 14,300 – 17,200 lbs (≈ 6,490 – 7,800 kg) depending on configuration. Mid-Atlantic Truck & Equipment
Materials / Construction
  • Fully welded interlaced sub-frame.
  • High tensile strength steel for body.
  • Floor: AR400 steel (¼” in some parts) / hopper sides 3/16” AR400 in some versions.
 Heil
Body/Chassis Options & Features
  • One-handed manual packing controls.
  • Optional commercial container handling: winch, roll bar, cart tippers.
  • CNG fuel system option.
 Heil; Transtech
Maintenance / Service Features
  • Flat abrasion-resistant steel floor (no dirty troughs).
  • 3-micron hydraulic return-line filtration system.
 Truckz and Binzz; Heil

Important Notes & Considerations for Your Market (South Africa/Africa)

 

  • Ensure that the chassis specifications (axle ratings, GVWR, wheelbase/CA) align with local road/axle load regulations. The brochure gives US-based minimums (e.g., 48,000 lbs) but you will need to convert/adjust for local metric and local legal limits.

  • Confirm that body size (yd³) and conversion to cubic metres is as expected. For example 25 yd³ is approx 19.1 m³ — if you are buying a “25 yard” body ensure that’s the correct volume for your routes.

  • Check right-hand drive / left-hand drive configuration (since South Africa is right-hand drive) and whether the import body / mount is compatible.

  • Verify parts availability and service support locally. The robustness (fully welded subframe, heavy steel floors) is a strength, but heavy haulage use in South Africa may mean extra stress from road/surface conditions.

  • Weight of the body (14,300-17,200 lbs) itself reduces payload available — so consider the empty weight plus chassis weight, plus expected payload to ensure you stay within legal axle loads.

  • The cycle times and compaction figures (16-18 sec, 1,000+ lbs/yd³) assume certain hydraulic/pump options — make sure the specific unit you buy (export spec) includes these options or knows what the variation is.

  • The CNG option is interesting if you’re exploring alternative fuel fleets, but check for local CNG infrastructure, maintenance expertise, certification, and safety compliance.

  • If you’re looking at used imports: check for floor wear (especially if AR400 steel floor), sub-frame welding or corrosion, hydraulic cylinder wear, and verify the serial plate and manufacture details as described in the operation manual.