Dump trailer prices

[Hay Dude]

I’d hate to be the guy actually in a must-buy situation. You will overpay due to “inflation”. I honestly think some items are just higher priced because this seems like a great time to pile-on and price gouge.

The real question is, will prices ever return to the pre-inflation prices of pre 2020? When the world seemed like a much better place.

 

[Hay Dude]

Jeez.....talked to a dealer who's always given me the best price. He deal with PJ, Diamond C, and Lamar trailers. I usually replace trailer every 2-3 yrs. Prices are 40+ % higher than what I paid two years ago. Holy macaroni. My 16' gooseneck dump to replace is 18,999 + tax and license. I paid 13,500 OTD two years ago.

Those are some nice trailer brands.
IMO, if you have the right pulling truck, dump trailers are still the way to go versus a dump truck. With prices the way they are now, a used dump truck is beginning to look like a slightly more viable option. But there’s no doubt the registration and maintenance cost on a dump trailer is a fraction of a dump truck.
I’m in buying mode right now on used equipment because I think prices are about to get even worse.

 

[LD1]

Those are some nice trailer brands.
IMO, if you have the right pulling truck, dump trailers are still the way to go versus a dump truck. With prices the way they are now, a used dump truck is beginning to look like a slightly more viable option. But there’s no doubt the registration and maintenance cost on a dump trailer is a fraction of a dump truck.
I’m in buying mode right now on used equipment because I think prices are about to get even worse.

Landscape company that my friend owns and I do maintenance on his fleet has a 07 F450 dump and a '17 F350 dump as well as a few F450 flat beds and two 7x14 14k dump trailers.

They each have their place....but in general the truck dumps are less maintenance. Registration between a F450 dump and a F450 flat bed is no difference.

The trailers are more maintenance. Its an extra 4 tires and 2 axles. Lots of tire scrubbing on trailers when backing or turning tight. They cannot fit into as tight of areas. They have their own battery which is a constant source of issues rather than using the truck batteries with the hydraulic unit on a truck dump.

Then as a business with employees (most of this wouldnt apply to people who own their own equipment and actually care): When you dont pin the doors open when dumping.....and a door swings closed when dumping and digs into the ground, and you continue to dump....ir rips the hinges off. When you dont plug in the 7-way and drag it down the road you wont have lights. When you dont raise the jack you rip it off. When you have no concept of a balanced load.....you either have the tail wagging the dog or WAY too much tongue weight. Etc Etc. Whereas a dumptruck is about idiot proof.

Now a 14k dump trailer can handle about 10k payload. Which is about double a ton or ton/half dump truck. And you have the ability with ramps to also haul equipment.

Like I said, they each have their place....and each have pros and cons. But IMO, maintenance and registration costs are NOT in favor of the dump trailer

 

[Hay Dude]

Have you paid the registration fees on those trucks and trailers? How about Insurance?
In my state, My 38,500lb trailer costs under $100/yr for registration. Liability Insurance is paid by the truck pulling the trailer. Replacement insurance is dirt cheap. Maybe $200/year on a big trailer.
My dump truck cost me far more than a trailer would. Transmission repairs, engine repairs, hydraulics repairs. It’s not even a comparison here. Jeez, just a set of ball joints on my dump truck was $3500. A set of rocker arms was $2700. Ive never spent 1/2 that on a trailer for anything.

I bet the cost of owning a dump trailer over 10 years versus a dump truck is 75% less. If its an unreliable brand of truck, with a less than stellar diesel engine, it could be even worse.

 

[ultrarunner]

Landscape company that my friend owns and I do maintenance on his fleet has a 07 F450 dump and a '17 F350 dump as well as a few F450 flat beds and two 7x14 14k dump trailers.

They each have their place....but in general the truck dumps are less maintenance. Registration between a F450 dump and a F450 flat bed is no difference.

The trailers are more maintenance. Its an extra 4 tires and 2 axles. Lots of tire scrubbing on trailers when backing or turning tight. They cannot fit into as tight of areas. They have their own battery which is a constant source of issues rather than using the truck batteries with the hydraulic unit on a truck dump.

Then as a business with employees (most of this wouldnt apply to people who own their own equipment and actually care): When you dont pin the doors open when dumping.....and a door swings closed when dumping and digs into the ground, and you continue to dump....ir rips the hinges off. When you dont plug in the 7-way and drag it down the road you wont have lights. When you dont raise the jack you rip it off. When you have no concept of a balanced load.....you either have the tail wagging the dog or WAY too much tongue weight. Etc Etc. Whereas a dumptruck is about idiot proof.

Now a 14k dump trailer can handle about 10k payload. Which is about double a ton or ton/half dump truck. And you have the ability with ramps to also haul equipment.

Like I said, they each have their place....and each have pros and cons. But IMO, maintenance and registration costs are NOT in favor of the dump trailer

Where trailers shine here is registration is the only thing dirt cheap and basically the same for a Harbor Freight and a 12k dump... $18 for 5 years.

On the other hand vehicles continue to climb... hundred of dollars for a 30 year old 3/4 pick up plus insurance plus emission testing etc...

Trailers are also hot commodities when it comes to theft at the moment... several I know gave list trailers this year.

 

[3Ts]

My brother has an over the road semi tractor that's been converted to a dump truck. He can haul 10 tons easily, not sure what his limit is, but that's what he targets his loads for. My dump trailer can haul 5 tons. His costs for fuel, taxes and insurance are far more than twice mine. The benefit for him is fewer trips and he can get into tighter spots and dump in smaller areas than I can. I have a lowboy dump trailer so when I dump, it's spread out a lot more than his dump.

 

[LD1]

Have you paid the registration fees on those trucks and trailers? How about Insurance?
In my state, My 38,500lb trailer costs under $100/yr for registration. Liability Insurance is paid by the truck pulling the trailer. Replacement insurance is dirt cheap. Maybe $200/year on a big trailer.
My dump truck cost me far more than a trailer would. Transmission repairs, engine repairs, hydraulics repairs. It’s not even a comparison here. Jeez, just a set of ball joints on my dump truck was $3500. A set of rocker arms was $2700. Ive never spent 1/2 that on a trailer for anything.

I bet the cost of owning a dump trailer over 10 years versus a dump truck is 75% less. If its an unreliable brand of truck, with a less than stellar diesel engine, it could be even worse.

I think you are talking about a BIG dump truck vs a 14k dump trailer.

I am talking about a F350 or F450 dump truck.

If someone already has a F350 or 3/4 ton....sure the dump trailer makes sense.

But vehicle maintenance between a F350 dump truck and an F350 pickup TOWING a dump trailer is gonna be a wash. The trailer is added maintenance, an added registration, etc.

Again.....if someone already owns a truck capable of towing a dump trailer.....then getting a dump trailer is the cheapest solution.
I was approaching this as someone starting fresh and needing both a truck AND a trailer. In which case it would make sense to combine the two and get a single dump truck

 

[Hay Dude]

I think a lot of guys here are going to own a pickup truck whether they own a dump trailer or not. They use it for work and general transportation.
Their cost of buying and operating a dump truck versus buying a dump trailer is significantly higher. Buying a dump truck would cost many times more.
Either way, purchasing or owning both have increased significantly.

 

[LD1]

I think a lot of guys here are going to own a pickup truck whether they own a dump trailer or not. They use it for work and general transportation.
Their cost of buying and operating a dump truck versus buying a dump trailer is significantly higher. Buying a dump truck would cost many times more.
Either way, purchasing or owning both have increased significantly.

And how many times do we see people here that have a p/u told that if they want to tow (whatever it is they are wanting to tow at the time) that they need a bigger truck.

I guess if you have a 10 year old half ton truck, and are wanting a 14k dump trailer......rather than upgrade to a 3/4 ton or 1-ton AND a dump trailer, just buy the dump truck

 

[4570Man]

Those are some nice trailer brands.
IMO, if you have the right pulling truck, dump trailers are still the way to go versus a dump truck. With prices the way they are now, a used dump truck is beginning to look like a slightly more viable option. But there’s no doubt the registration and maintenance cost on a dump trailer is a fraction of a dump truck.
I’m in buying mode right now on used equipment because I think prices are about to get even worse.

My 16,000 pound trailer legally hauls 6 tons and it’s not very accepting of overloads and still capable of dumping. It’ll also get you stuck quick. The 17.5 tires don’t off-road good. My F-750 will legally haul 8-9 tons but it’ll handle 12 no problem. And without the dump truck I’d have nothing to pull the 16,000 pound trailer. I wouldn’t say the trailer is significantly lower maintenance either.