Hauling rock on a trailer.

[4570Man]

I thought I’d give hauling rock on the trailer and driving up the end to unload it it try. First off this is hard on the decking. If your trailer gets washed and waxed after each use forget this idea. I view the decking as a consumable and I’ll replace as needed. I didn’t have any sideboards and hauled about 5 bobcat scoops of rock which is probably 1500 pounds a scoop and didn’t loose any. So if your trailer is 10k or less you really don’t need any sideboards. Even a 2x4 sideboard would significantly increase the hauling capacity without spillage. Driving up to unload and placing the rock where I wanted worked beautifully. The biggest problem I had was pushing rock off the sides which would be a non existent problem with side boards.

 

[3Ts]

I used to do that also. It works in limited situations. Be cautious with the material, distance to travel, and road conditions. I have noticed that the pile tends to spread out as it gets bounced down the road. I've tried containing it by wrapping it with a tarp, but didn't work all that well. I now use 16" plywood sides to contain it and I drive up the ramps to scoop it up for unloading.

 

[4570Man]

Side boards would definitely be an improvement. I only went about 3 miles with this load. I’ve got a little dump truck but I didn’t have any good place to dump the load. The trailer also has the advantage of more capacity. The disadvantage is it’s a lot slower to unload if getting the load off was all you cared about.

 

[oosik]

I haul rock and big chunks of Ponderosa pine with this farm wagon. Its got Horst ten ton running gear and a 5/4" T&G plywood deck. The rock I haul weigh 2000 to 2500 pounds per rock. Careful placement of the rock prevents most of the damage to the decking. Should the rock move during transit - all bets regarding damage are off.

View attachment 577022

 

[nyone]

I have never seen gravel being hauled on a flat deck trailer...and i sure as **** hope i never see that in front of me.

 

[hosspuller]

That might work in Tn, but if I see that here, I'm calling the police.

State Law Requires Trucks To Cover Loads With Tarps :: WRAL.com

 

[nyone]

I was going to say the same thing Hoss.

It would take a whole **** of alot of ratchet straps to make that non secured load secure.

 

[bcp]

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

This was a one time low speed short distance trip. If I was doing it every day I’d have side boards

 

[Redlands Okie]

Flat trailor with sideboards can haul gravel just fine. Bit of a pain to unload though. Tarps on the load also required here in oklahoma but 3 straps on a 20 ft trailor and your good to go. Maybe two depending on your trailor setup. Keep in mind the gravel truck tarps are only fastened front and back.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I just did this very same thing a couple weeks ago. Hauled 2 loads first was 5 tons and the second was 6, quarry is about 6 miles away. To unload I just drive the tractor up on the trailer and get a bucket load, works great if your just doing a small project once in a while every few years.

 

[stuckmotor]

I just did this very same thing a couple weeks ago. Hauled 2 loads first was 5 tons and the second was 6, quarry is about 6 miles away. To unload I just drive the tractor up on the trailer and get a bucket load, works great if your just doing a small project once in a while every few years. View attachment 580121View attachment 580122

I used to go to the quarry and haul gravel home in my pickup. They quit allowing pickups in the quarry after a loader backed over one.

 

[MossRoad]

I used to go to the quarry and haul gravel home in my pickup. They quit allowing pickups in the quarry after a loader backed over one.

We had some poor clown get run over in his small pickup truck at our local organic recycling center. His name was Ronald McDonald. Honest. That's the guy's name. But in all seriousness, he got hurt pretty bad. Looking at the truck, you wouldn't have thought anyone could be alive in there. He managed to dive into the passenger side footwell. Smashed his shoulder horribly. Lucky to be alive.

 

[MossRoad]

We have an 18' car hauler with a steel deck. I have 2x12 sideboards. Works great for hauling loose material like crushed limestone, mulch, etc... My little machine is pretty handy for loading or unloading that trailer. Here's some pictures from 2003, the first time I did it. I keep a tarp and ropes in the toolbox on the front of the trailer for just such an occasion. I also haul firewood rounds and/or splits with the sideboards installed. Also works great.

:thumbsup:

View attachment 580183 View attachment 580184 View attachment 580185 View attachment 580186 View attachment 580187 View attachment 580188

 

[stuckmotor]

We had some poor clown get run over in his small pickup truck at our local organic recycling center. His name was Ronald McDonald. Honest. That's the guy's name. But in all seriousness, he got hurt pretty bad. Looking at the truck, you wouldn't have thought anyone could be alive in there. He managed to dive into the passenger side footwell. Smashed his shoulder horribly. Lucky to be alive.

It took me a while to catch the double meaning of "poor clown".

 

[oosik]

I don't think I've ever heard of anything so ridiculous in my life. Tarp a load of gravel??? Yes - around here you must tarp a load that will blow out of the "vehicle" while in transit. Are you guys trying to tell me that a dump truck load of gravel must be tarped in your area? The ONLY dump truck I've EVER seen tarped had a load of trash going to the local dump.

 

[Jstpssng]

If you were on a motorcycle behind that load of gravel, you might want it to be tarped.

 

[oosik]

Let's talk reality - I can not remember EVER seeing a load of dirt, sand, gravel on a flatbed trailer that didn't, at least, have side boards. And - Jstpssng - if I were on my BMW M/C or any vehicle and came up behind ANYTHING carrying gravel - I would back off. It's not so much the load of gravel, either. I've had a horror scene happen right before my eyes.

Long ago and FAR away - came up behind a gravel truck loaded with gravel. All of a sudden there was this large black object coming out of the rear duals on the gravel truck - right at and thru the windshield of my Toyota Land Cruiser. A rock - size of your fist - lodged between the duals - came screaming out once the truck reached highway speed. In my Toyota it was dangerous but controllable - on a motorcycle - quite likely fatal.

 

[nikdfish]

I don't think I've ever heard of anything so ridiculous in my life. Tarp a load of gravel??? Yes - around here you must tarp a load that will blow out of the "vehicle" while in transit. Are you guys trying to tell me that a dump truck load of gravel must be tarped in your area? The ONLY dump truck I've EVER seen tarped had a load of trash going to the local dump.

Yeah, NC passed a law in 2001 that says any truck carrying sand, gravel or rock must tarp its load & secure the tailgate. We have a dump trailer & have to tarp it to be allowed into a dump even if just dumping cut wood & tree trimmings.

 

[Egon]

Tarps are a requirement for any loads in a lot of places. ( tarped asphault trucks )!