Kei Truck Beds and BodiesFlatbed, mini dump, box, refrigerated and special-purpose — the bed decides what the truck is for
Start with the basics: See our kei truck guide and current stock →
Browse by Body Type: Flatbed, Mini Dump Truck, Small Box Truck and Refrigerated
“Kei truck” covers several very different bodies, and the bed shape decides what the vehicle is good for. If you already know the shape you want, start here.
Enclosed body (Hijet Cargo, Every)
Enclosed, so the load stays dry. Tools, equipment, and camper builds.
Box truck (panel van body)
A box on the bed. Delivery, mobile vending, permanently loaded gear.
Refrigerated / freezer
Insulated panels with a chiller unit. Produce, flowers, drinks.
Special purpose
Aerial work platforms, water tankers, crawlers, fire-service trucks. Limited supply.
Stock by body type changes with what arrives. If the specification you want is not listed, send an inquiry and we can flag it when one comes in.
Mini dump trucks: what to look for
A mini dump truck is the single biggest labour saving on this list. One person loads with a tractor bucket and unloads by pulling a lever, instead of shovelling twice. Searches for small dump trucks for sale and mini dump truck for sale nearly always end up here, because nothing else in this size class tips.
A used mini dump truck is worth inspecting more carefully than a flatbed, because the bed, the ram and the hydraulic lines have all done work that a plain bed never does.
PTO or electro-hydraulic
PTO types run off the gearbox and need the engine running at speed; electro-hydraulic types use a pump and a switch. Electro-hydraulic is easier to live with and more common on later vehicles.
Check the ram and hoses
Look for weeping seals at the ram, chafed hoses and a dented or split bed floor. The bed does the hardest life of any part of the vehicle.
Payload does not increase
A dump bed is still a 350 kg vehicle, and the mechanism itself weighs something. Gravel fills the bed long before it fills the rating.
4WD matters more
You dump where the ground is worst. A dump truck without 4WD and a diff lock spends its life being towed out. Diff lock explained →
Small box truck for sale, and refrigerated kei trucks
A box body turns the kei truck into a small box truck: a sealed, lockable container on a flatbed chassis, usually with a roll-up or swing rear door and often a side shutter. A refrigerated version adds insulated panels and a chiller unit driven off the engine.
| Body | What it gives you | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Dry box | Weatherproof, lockable, brandable flat panels. Common for delivery rounds and mobile trade setups. | Panel delamination, a sagging roof, and whether the rear shutter still runs freely. |
| Refrigerated / freezer | Insulated panels plus a chiller. Produce, flowers, drinks, catering. | Whether the unit has been run recently, the refrigerant type, and door seal condition. A 25-year-old chiller is the part most likely to need work. |
| Canopy / tilt | Keeps the load dry but comes off, leaving the three-way drop sides intact. The cheapest middle ground. | Frame rust and torn fabric — both cheap to replace. |
| Livestock crate | Slatted sides for moving a few animals. Lifts out when not needed. | Floor condition and whether the crate is actually included with the vehicle. |
Height changes the shipping figure
A flatbed kei truck measures roughly 9 m³. A box or refrigerated body can push that to 11–12 m³, and ocean freight is charged per cubic meter — so the same vehicle with a box on it costs meaningfully more to ship. Factor that in before comparing prices. Freight by port →
Choosing between them
Almost every buyer lands on one of three answers.
Flatbed, if the load is dirty or oversized
Feed, gravel, timber, fence posts, drums, equipment. Loads from three sides, no height limit, hoses out. The default, and the cheapest to buy and ship.
Van or box, if it must stay dry and locked
Tools, stock, parcels, a mobile setup. See the truck vs van comparison →
Dump, if you move loose material weekly
Compost, gravel, soil, sand. It pays for itself in a season if you are currently shovelling twice.
Body-type availability depends on what sellers have listed at the time. UCARWORLD is a platform connecting Japanese sellers with overseas buyers — we are not the seller, and the specification of each vehicle is supplied by the listing seller.
UCARWORLD is a platform connecting Japanese sellers with overseas buyers. We are not the seller; the contract of sale is formed between buyer and seller. Vehicle information is supplied by the seller. Payment is received by UCWORLD Co., Ltd. as a collection agent. About UCARWORLD’s role →