Thinking about selling dump truck and buying dump trailer

[Hay Dude]

Im going to hazard a guess that your insurance is the single biggest difference. You already have the ram insured, and, at least here, you may not need an additional policy for the trailer; vs the insurance on the dump truck. Tags are tags, but if offered, a permanent trailer tags is like 5 years worth of cost, for a life time tag.

nah, it’s registration.
Registration on a PA trailer is like 50 bucks. My dump truck is like $1,300 plus fuel sticker and paperwork.

Insurance is like $650/yr on dump truck and literally $0 on the trailer-as you said, insured by the towing vehicle (Ram)

A new dump trailer would presumably be very cheap to maintain for 1st 5+ years. Dump truck more expensive to maintain than trailer.

Another nice thing is I was planning on buying a used trailer for the dump truck to haul excavator. A dump trailer could probably haul my excavator, saving me the need for an equipment trailer.

 

[QRTRHRS]

You may want to run your plan by your insurance company.

 

[Hay Dude]

You may want to run your plan by your insurance company.

why

 

[WM75Guy]

I would stick with your dump truck. The largest Big Tex GN dump only has a payload capacity of 23.7 cu. yds and 16,930 lbs. Pricey at $24,595 without a tarp. And with a scissor lift instead of a hydraulic ram. I made that mistake with my first dump trailer, swapped it out for a hydraulic ram trailer after having to shovel dirt out of the front to get it to lift.

 

[Hay Dude]

I would stick with your dump truck. The largest Big Tex GN dump only has a payload capacity of 23.7 cu. yds and 16,930 lbs. Pricey at $24,595 without a tarp. And with a scissor lift instead of a hydraulic ram. I made that mistake with my first dump trailer, swapped it out for a hydraulic ram trailer after having to shovel dirt out of the front to get it to lift.

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I’m pretty much done with the nationally advertised “super trucker” cheapy trailers like that. That’s a light debris trailer.

If I were to find a trailer that suited my needs, it would have a telescoping hoist, not scissor.

I do think the biggest drawback of a dump trailer is the electric hoist compared to the dump trucks rock solis PTO hydraulic hoist.

I’d like to see what Diamond currently offers.

 

[hodge]

Different sizes and applications, but we sold a dump truck and bought a dump trailer, and eventually sold the trailer and bought another truck. Maneuverability was the reason, as well as dump ability- dump trailers can pretty easily reach their limit where the electric over hydraulic won't lift the load. We're back to a PTO driven dump truck, and won't make the same mistake again.

 

[Hay Dude]

Different sizes and applications, but we sold a dump truck and bought a dump trailer, and eventually sold the trailer and bought another truck. Maneuverability was the reason, as well as dump ability- dump trailers can pretty easily reach their limit where the electric over hydraulic won't lift the load. We're back to a PTO driven dump truck, and won't make the same mistake again.

That’s a valuable insight.

 

[ConawayFarms]

I get what you mean about missing 4WD. Hard to beat that maneuverability, especially in wet fields or tight job sites.

 

[QRTRHRS]

why

I had an insurance company tell me that while the tow vehicle policy does cover a trailer, there is a limit as to the size and application. Just saying that a phone call may be prudent.

I would also suggest that the weight rating that you are suggesting gets into some serious thoughts as to braking.

 

[Hay Dude]

I get what you mean about missing 4WD. Hard to beat that maneuverability, especially in wet fields or tight job sites.

Nothing like a 6 wheel dump truck with 4WD to get you where you need to go.

 

[4570Man]

12’ dump with 4’ sides

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Another nice thing about a 10 ton dump trailer is the possibility of hauling my excavator with it.

I wouldn’t want to load your excavator into a dump trailer. The ramps are super heavy for one thing. When you get the height of a deckover dump trailer and the weight of a 10 ton excavator the weight of the ramp is even more of a concern. Chaining machines in a dump trailer flat out sucks. Most people just Bluetooth bind them in dump trailers. It’s less of a problem than the previous issues but you can’t spin the machine in a dump trailer either.

 

[Hay Dude]

It’s not a 10 ton excavator, but I know what you mean. I have my big GN to move it around if needed.
I just figured it’s there in a pinch if needed.

 

[4570Man]

It’s not a 10 ton excavator, but I know what you mean. I have my big GN to move it around if needed.

I haven’t had a dump trucks in a couple years. I have 3 dump trailers. I’m mostly using them for dumpsters on my construction job. Occasionally I miss my dump truck but it wasn’t big enough. I really need a tri axel dump if I was going to have one but I can hire the trucking done cheaper than that investment. I miss the ability to tow a machine to the job with the dump truck and then jump right into hauling instead of having to go get a dump trailer first. The dump trailer also takes forever to dump. It’s rare that I would haul over 2-3 loads a day so it’s not a big issue but site hauling like your 200 load log job is painfully slow in a dump trailer.

 

[paulsharvey]

I honestly would consider the dumpster and roll of type package, if its a lot of demo/debris. You open up a whole other business option, of just dropping a dumpster, and pick up after customer has it full. With that; this isn't an internet ad and cover page decision; and i would Definitely get real world numbers from them; trailer weight, dumpster weight; dump cycle time; dump angle; which they arent going to just list of spec sheet.

I also don't know how enforcement is there; while, yes, your ram and a 25,900 trailer would go though scales/ag stations, around here they are waved through; and generally left alone. Dump truck, most local guys arent harassed either, except certain places (restricted bridges); Motor Carrier Compliance general target OTR guys.

 

[Hay Dude]

I honestly would consider the dumpster and roll of type package, if its a lot of demo/debris. You open up a whole other business option, of just dropping a dumpster, and pick up after customer has it full. With that; this isn't an internet ad and cover page decision; and i would Definitely get real world numbers from them; trailer weight, dumpster weight; dump cycle time; dump angle; which they arent going to just list of spec sheet.

I don’t do much if any, dumpster stuff. I’d rather have a 7 gauge steel bed for rock, logs or stumps.

I also don't know how enforcement is there; while, yes, your ram and a 25,900 trailer would go though scales/ag stations, around here they are waved through; and generally left alone. Dump truck, most local guys arent harassed either, except certain places (restricted bridges); Motor Carrier Compliance general target OTR guys.

Yeah not much problem with scales and that nonsense round here, either.
I could do a dump trailer up to 38,000LB, but that’s not really what I want to do.

 

[4570Man]

I honestly would consider the dumpster and roll of type package, if its a lot of demo/debris. You open up a whole other business option, of just dropping a dumpster, and pick up after customer has it full. With that; this isn't an internet ad and cover page decision; and i would Definitely get real world numbers from them; trailer weight, dumpster weight; dump cycle time; dump angle; which they arent going to just list of spec sheet.

I also don't know how enforcement is there; while, yes, your ram and a 25,900 trailer would go though scales/ag stations, around here they are waved through; and generally left alone. Dump truck, most local guys arent harassed either, except certain places (restricted bridges); Motor Carrier Compliance general target OTR guys.

I want a rolloff truck. But the lighter duty ones don’t haul enough weight. Id want at the absolute bare minimum an F750 that can haul 7-8 tons legally but I’d probably just buy a tandem axle at that point.

 

[Rustyiron]

That’s a valuable insight.

Someone must offer a gas engine/hydraulic pump combination for a dump trailer.
I'd be surprised if they made a elec/hyd with enough reservoir capacity for a telescoping cylinder. and I've never been impressed by them for anything much more than a lift gate.
Any chances that you might make some short sideboards for the proposed 24' hay/log trailer for dump truck chores?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I'd be surprised if they made a elec/hyd with enough reservoir capacity for a telescoping cylinder.

Diamond C does.

 

[4570Man]

Someone must offer a gas engine/hydraulic pump combination for a dump trailer.
I'd be surprised if they made a elec/hyd with enough reservoir capacity for a telescoping cylinder. and I've never been impressed by them for anything much more than a lift gate.
Any chances that you might make some short sideboards for the proposed 24' hay/log trailer for dump truck chores?

Lots of dump trailers are using telescope hoist. They aren’t as big as what a tri axel dump truck uses but they don’t need to be. 2 out my 3 dump trailers are telescope hoist.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Now that you mention it, so is my little 10-footer.