Dump trailer - sticky material stuck!

[MNBobcat]

Hi Everyone,

So today I loaded up the dump trailer with a mixture of wet peat and grass and hauled it over to the neighbor's who wanted it dumped in his field. I raised the bed all the way up and the material didn't budge an inch. This stuff stuck to the box like glue. We had to use his tractor with a front-end loader to scrape the material out of the box. There has to be a better solution.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've thought about putting a thin layer of sand in the bed first. Also thought about lining the bed with a plastic tarp but that would end up under the material and on the ground when I dump. I might be able to find some UHMW plastic to put on the floor of the bed, but I only have about 4 more loads to dump and I'm looking for something quick and easy to solve this as I won't be hauling anything sticky in the future.

Ideas?

 

[schmism]

i thought you could spray them down useing a pump sprayer with something....

(i think the asphalt guys use diesel dont they)

 

[Builder]

X2.

I usually spray a light coating of #2 in the bed. If that would cause contamination, you could try veggie oil in a pump sprayer.

 

[20 20]

If it were me I don't think I'd want diesel in my fill. Is there a way you could secure a tarp? What type of floor is in your trailer? IF it's wood you could try and get some metal for a covering???

 

[Builder]

Agree. That's why I suggested veggie oil as an alternate.

 

[MNBobcat]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I thought about a tarp but when I dump I think the tarp would end up under the material. The neighbor wants to till the peat into his sand and grow corn there next year.

Some kind of spray might work. Just wondering if anyone has tried a spray and can tell me if it works? If it doesn't work, I'm stuck with a load in the trailer that won't come out.

 

[Builder]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I thought about a tarp but when I dump I think the tarp would end up under the material. The neighbor wants to till the peat into his sand and grow corn there next year.

Some kind of spray might work. Just wondering if anyone has tried a spray and can tell me if it works? If it doesn't work, I'm stuck with a load in the trailer that won't come out.

See posts 2,3 & 5 above.

 

[MNBobcat]

See posts 2,3 & 5 above.

Builder,

I saw those posts and it sounded like a good idea. Thanks. I appreciate your replies.

Mainly what I was wondering is if you (or anyone else) has tried vegetable oil and it worked? It sounds like it "should" work but if it doesn't then I'll have a few thousand pounds of sticky material stuck in my trailer again.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Hi Everyone,

So today I loaded up the dump trailer with a mixture of wet peat and grass and hauled it over to the neighbor's who wanted it dumped in his field. I raised the bed all the way up and the material didn't budge an inch. This stuff stuck to the box like glue. We had to use his tractor with a front-end loader to scrape the material out of the box. There has to be a better solution.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've thought about putting a thin layer of sand in the bed first. Also thought about lining the bed with a plastic tarp but that would end up under the material and on the ground when I dump. I might be able to find some UHMW plastic to put on the floor of the bed, but I only have about 4 more loads to dump and I'm looking for something quick and easy to solve this as I won't be hauling anything sticky in the future.

Ideas?

It's been a good number of years but I used to back haul fly ash back to the mine for a load of coal. (9 cents a mile so you know it was awhile back) The utility would mix the fly ash with water to make it kind of like cookie dough. They had a pile of either sand or way lite (steel slag) on hand for us. We would throw a few shovel fulls around the trailer floor and it would make a big difference. (If you ever had a dump trailer up in the air with a stickly load you know it can be scary)

I would try a little sand (some types are better for the field or garden) or stone dust if you live in an area where the mineral content is helpful.

 

[patrick_g]

Would a few sheets of old newspapers be out of the question? They are fairly biodegradeable.

I find that if I jump my dump trailer forward abruptly a time or two it will usually start an avalanche of the stuck contents. In the worst of circumstances I make sure to raise the bed all the way and if able do it with the front of the trailer heading up any available grade.

Pat

 

[Egon]

Put in a tarp and tie the front of it to the front of the trailer.

If worst comes to worst have the neighbour tie his tractor to the front of the tarp and pull on it.

 

[crashz]

When I worked for my father we used a fine mist of diesel to lube the truck bodies when paving. However, due to environemntal concerns, diesel was not allowed to be sprayed at the plant. They used water with soap. Which did very litle to help asphalt sticking to the beds.

But I found that a water spray mixed with some dish soap worked wonders when dumping wet soil. Maybe has something to do with the surface tension?

Also, I found that by keeping the body as clean as possible helps. So after every load, I would clean out anything with a flat shovel.

 

[Egon]

Ever have the "Joy" of a breakdown with a full load of hot asphalt and no way to raise the box?

 

[crashz]

Only once, but I'll never forget it.

It was in a tandem axle Mack. The PTO pump decided to chew itself up. So yours truely (17 years old, stupid and invincible) was ordered to shovel it out. The plant was close, so the mix (MassHighway top spec) was still really hot. The truck was backed up to the paver and we poped the tail gate. From there I "rowed" it out with a coal shovel.

22 tons in about the same amount of time. Melted the aggregate into my boots and when I got out of the truck, I was violently ill. The kid who was hired to replace me when I went back to school started and quit that day. I wonder why?

 

[Egon]

Sounds like you had burnt feet too. Asphalt is ugly stuff.

 

[MNBobcat]

Hi Guys,

The sand did the trick! I put a bobcat bucket full of sand into the trailer and spread it around so that I had the entire floor covered with a thin layer. Then I loaded the sticky stuff on top. When I went to dump, the whole load slid out as nice as could be! Sure beat the heck out of trying to pull it out with the bucket on the FEL!

Thanks for the ideas and the help! That worked really slick!