Deckover Dump Trailer Users

Tompet · Jun 6, 2014

I am going to purchase a dump trailer and am considering a deckover style over the low pro style.

I have a car hauler and small aluminum utility (really handy) so I do not need a dump trailer for equipment. But I looked for opinions on the deckover style and it seems most are just opinions from people that have not used or owned one, just observations. So, any feedback from people that have owned or used a deckover dump would be appreciated.

Diamondpilot · Jun 6, 2014

Tompet said:
I am going to purchase a dump trailer and am considering a deckover style over the low pro style.

I have a car hauler and small aluminum utility (really handy) so I do not need a dump trailer for equipment. But I looked for opinions on the deckover style and it seems most are just opinions from people that have not used or owned one, just observations. So, any feedback from people that have owned or used a deckover dump would be appreciated.

They get tippy on uneven ground. I have a customer with a bent one because he tried to dump on a incline. I prefer the low profile ones like my Uncles Bri Mar 14,000# unit.

Chris

Tompet · Jun 7, 2014

Thanks, Dpilot what I'm looking at is not quite as heavy as your uncles. Brimar and Sure Trac are the only two brands of deckovers I have found in this part of the state so far.

Anyway, just by chance this evening I needed an item from the local HD, and when I get back to my truck I look to my left and there is a truck attached to a 6x10 deckover dump. The same brand I was considering hooked to about the same truck and color as mine. So, I tell my dog Babe, this is pretty interesting...we're going to sit and wait for the owner. About 10 minutes later the owner and a friend come out and I ask him if he would talk about his trailer.

Well it turns out the guy has the 6x10 deckover and also a 6x10 low profile he uses regularly at work. Two revues in one! Anyway, he says pulling either one he really can tell no difference. Even with 4 tons of stone maxed out, according to him it pulls the same with either trailer. The one thing he did point out was he uses a weight distribution hitch. The other thing he really liked about the 6' deckover is it's the same width as truck which keeps it pretty maneuverable. I agree with that. So it seemed to be some pretty good feedback for the day.

mikehaugen · Jun 7, 2014

Would the height of the deckover not be an advantage when dumping material? Wouldn't it give you more clearance and not have to spread it out as much by pulling forward? Do the low profile ones have some sort of scissor mechanism to raise the bed while dumping?

GreatWhitehunter · Jun 7, 2014

This is a paradox, I agree with Chris on this one 100%. The deckover models are quite top heavy and more prone to handle poorly when loaded.
A friend of mine used a brimar deckover for his roofing biz. While towing on the highway the trailer began to sway and then flipped twisting the hitch and trailer frame. It was due to uneven load distribution. While uneven loading is possible with either style the high cog amplified this on the deckover which significantly contributed to the roll over. Additionally most of the deckover units are designed to haul equipment in the bed.
I'd highly recommend the low pro trailer.

Matt

Ken45101 · Jun 7, 2014

I have had a 6x10 deck Bri-mar over for 10 years. Towing is easy with it, never a proble. I have not needed a weight distr hitch but i've been towing it with a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup. Of course, i do have a brake controller.

My one complaint is that it will not lift the rated load. The lift maxes out at about 3.5 ton if its evenly distributed. More than that and i have to start shoveling. Same if they load more than 3 ton but poorly distributed. I didnt catch it early enough to take it back to the dealer. IDK if it's just an adjustment on the pressure relief or a poor design on the angle of the hyd cylinder which is really flat at the starting point.

IDK how you would haul eq in a deck over, you would need really long ramps and you would have to take the tailgate off. Mine does not hinge sideways and it is very heavy.

I have never noticed any instability while towing or dumping, but then i only haul gravel, dirt or big logs. If some had one get out of control, I would think it was terribly misloaded and perhaps the tires were very low on pressure.

QRTRHRS · Jun 7, 2014

The 16' Bri-Mar tandem gooseneck I used to have was high. Perhaps because it was short and/or had the extra wheels, it handled just fine when I pulled it with my Dodge dually. With my FL70, I would not even know it was back there.

That unit had a pretty stout frame under it. The frames on the 10-12-14k units not so much in my opinion but then empty weight is a major consideration.

When everyone is talking about uneven ground, do you mean side to side or front to back? Side to side should be as level as possible no matter the unit.

Lastly, the heighth has nothing to do with dumping clearence per sey. It is the distance from where the body is hinged to the rear of the dump that determines ground clearence. The tailgate style has to be considered with your needs too. My Bri-Mar had swing doors and they had to be opened and tied to the sides before I dumped else they would hit the ground. That in turn made dumping sawdust in a narrow barn aisle an issue. I had to back in, pop the doors and let the rear of the load pour out then pull out, open the doors then back in again and raise the dump.

I have no experiance with a BP dump but I do have plans to get one myself sometime. I will be pulling it with my E450 box truck. With the 16 foot box, there is a fair bit of overhang to contend with so it may be interesting. I have to get a certified welder to fab up a custom hitch due to about two feet of channel welded to the stock frame by the box manufacturer.