Dump Trailers

[N80]

I have a place in the country with a fairly long driveway that is always muddy and messy when wet and bumpy and rough when dry. Constantly having gravel hauled in is cost prohibitive.

However, I have a creek bottom on my place that is dry in the summer and loaded with an endless supply of really nice sand. I use the sand to patch rough places in the driveway and it works quite well. But hauling it up from the creek bottom one bucket at a time is tedious and I can only fix small spots that way.

So, I've been looking at the possibility of a dump trailer...for several years now.

I've looked at this one (scroll to the bottom):

CMI Utility Wagons & Trailers for atv and lawn and garden.

It can carry 4000 pounds and costs about $1500 plus shipping. Several people here have one and say they are okay. You assemble them yourself.

I also got to looking at over-the-road dump trailers. Obviously way more expensive but probably also more useful and can carry a lot more.

I have several questions. First, do they have their own hydraulic pumps? If so, does anyone make them just with hydraulic hoses for hook up to a tractor?

Third, does anyone know of any other options for this type of job.

You can rent one from places like Sunbelt for about $70 a day and if you get it on a Friday you can use it Friday, Sat and Sun for about $150. That might be the best option.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Look up Rob on here. His screen name is 3RRL. He bought one and they use it behind his wife, Lorettas, 28HP Jinma and he loads it with his 55HP Kama.

I believe he is doing much of what you want to do. His trailer may be the same one but I think its a Chinese made unit. He can give you feedback on how it works. I am pretty sure they dump it via the remotes off the tractor.

I have the 8' Hay Wagon style Model 7300. I did not put the sides on it. I got it from Harbor Freight. Its good for 2,000# but I have had much more than that on it. I once had 40 60# bags of sac-crete on it and it did fine with the tires at 35psi. I also can stack and pull a full cord of fire wood on it.

Here is one of the jobs it did a few years ago.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

I just went back and looked at the specs again and the pictures and it does not include the cylinder. It uses a standard 24" stroke log splitter cylinder, about $150 and then the hoses you will have to have made up. Maybe another $60 with the ends for your remotes.

Chris

 

[N80]

That's correct. You add the hydraulics on the off road trailer. I'm wondering about these over the road dump trailers and if anyone has experience with them.

You can get one that will carry 3 tons, tandem axles, brakes, hydraulic cylinder and all that for a bit over $4000. I'm guessing you could pick up a used one for less and use it on the highway and behind the tractor.

 

[pat32rf]

Around here it seems that the only way to get a used highway dump trailer is at an estate sale.....if you are high bidder.

 

[Diamondpilot]

That's correct. You add the hydraulics on the off road trailer. I'm wondering about these over the road dump trailers and if anyone has experience with them.

You can get one that will carry 3 tons, tandem axles, brakes, hydraulic cylinder and all that for a bit over $4000. I'm guessing you could pick up a used one for less and use it on the highway and behind the tractor.

I ordered my Uncle a Bri-Mar 14' Dump for $4200 new in 2006 or maybe 2005. I think it was 2006. His has the two way gate, 4 tie downs, 2 7K axles, ramps, ect. It weighs 4,200# empty and can carry about 5 tons legally. I pull it all the time with my F-350 at max weight on the highway with zero issues. He pulls it with his then Ford Expedition and now a 2009 F-150 with no issues. It cam ready to go with battery, hydro pump, ect.

Chris

 

[N80]

Take a look at these trailers. Scroll down to the 10k's. You can get a 10,000 pound GVW trailer, which can carry a little under 8,000 pounds and cost between $4,000 and $4,700.

http://www.allprowest.com/3Dump.html

Not bad but not cheap either.

One thing I'm seeing is these power up, gravity down cylinders. I've got no problem with that but I've got rear remotes on my tractor for power up and power down. I wonder if one of these manufacturers would sell me one without the hydraulic pump and cylinder and just buy my own. I only see one hose going to the cylinder in these pictures. Does that mean that these cylinders only have one hose fitting? In other words, is it there a difference between a power up/gravity down cylinder and a standard cylinder other than the plumbing?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Most I have seen use dual action cylinders with just one fitting capped off. I am sure dealer could order you one like that but what will you do if you want to pull it with your truck? Also when you go to sale it you will have issues to think about???

I would not worry about the remotes and just get a normal dump if that is what you are wanting.

Chris

 

[N80]

I probably wouldn't use it much with my truck anyway but those are good points.

I think I'm going to rent one once things dry out a little down here. I'll spend a weekend with it and see how it does and if it seems like something I would use a lot then maybe buy one.

The truth is, for $150 a weekend I'd probably be better off just renting it whenever I needed to do road repairs.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Provonost makes a decent off road dump trailer that works directly off your tractors hydraulics. They don't have wires hanging under them either that will get ripped off driving over rough ground or creek beds. I plan to buy one soon to do the same as you on my farm and I have a 5 ton dump trailer to pull behind my truck. The off road trailers are so much nicer though as you can use them for wagons if you don't need the dump feature where as an over the road dump trailer is pretty much always a dump trailer and isn't that great off road.

 

[N80]

Those Pronovost trailers look like what I'm looking for. They list a dealer not far from here and I've emailed them for models and prices. I would assume the off-road models would cost less than the highway models.

Here is a link to their products:

Pronovost- Dump trailers - Off-road service

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I don't know the cost difference but would think you are correct in the off road being cheaper. You don't have the brakes, electrics or pump like you would an on road dump trailer. I like the trailers that dump on three sides. They would be very slick for all sorts of applications.

 

[wallace]

I have 2 of these 2008 DooLittle dump trailers left and I will be selling them for $2,999
You will get benifits of being able to run them on the road and yet they are small enought to get around your yard behind a tractor.
They have their own hydraulics.
They are 6x8 3,500 lbs with brakes

 

[tractorski]

I'm more concerned he wants to put sand on his driveway, sand will never hold up with traffic and rain. There maybe better materials that will hold up better.

 

[N80]

I'm more concerned he wants to put sand on his driveway, sand will never hold up with traffic and rain. There maybe better materials that will hold up better.

I guess I should clarify, it is less a driveway and more of a dirt road. And I agree, there are much better materials for the job. Its just that the sand happens to be free and I have an endless supply. Literally. And, it works much better than you might think. I certainly wouldn't pay for sand for this purpose but free is free and the chances of the road getting improved any other way are very slim. To do the whole drive I'm estimating that I need seven loads of crusher run. I don't know how many pounds or cubic yards that is but one of those huge dump trucks covered about 1/8th of the road back when we had the cabin delivered.

And people have heard me complain about how bad my dirt (clay) is but a hired dozer gave up on the road and didn't charge me for his efforts.

Now, when its dry, its great. Maybe a little bumpy, but hard as concrete.

 

[scesnick]

FYI -- Some states REALLY frown on touching any streams or waterways, let alone removing material from it. I wouldn't make it too well knwon locally where you get this material.

 

[N80]

Fortunately, SC is not one of those states. On paper maybe, but not in practice. So that won't be an issue.

I like to recall that scene from O Brother Where Art Thou where that little kid shoots at them from the front porch. I would like for any nosey gubment waterway bureaucrats to remember that scene as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuiF2Ft8bk

Seriously, the best management practices for logging have largely been ignored above and below this creek bottom....which probably accounts for much of the sand and silt that is filling up my watershed lake. (I use the term 'my' very loosely here of course). And since a series of dams and ponds were added to the Baptist Conference Center several miles upstream, the creek stays dry 3/4 of the year. So as you can see, this is hardly a fragile ecosystem. The creek bottom is usually either dry or suddenly under 10-15 feet of water. And despite my anti nosey-do-gooder rhetoric, I am sensitive to this sort of thing and I do care that what I do upstream has an effect on others downstream. In this case, my water shed is what is immediately downstream and as mentioned it is silting in fast. So my removing some sand with a 6' FEL bucket and a 4 cubic yard trailer will have no adverse effects for anyone or anything.

 

[texasjohn]

you rent a dump trailer, likely total cost is less than purchase..over a number of years.

However, you purchase a dump and you will find other uses for it. If it is an over the road dump, you find yet more uses for it.

My case, I purchased a used 20 ft gooseneck dump, 10 ton payload, $7000 off Craig's List. Has self contained pump, reservoir, battery, works fine, battery will last for 4-5 full dumps before needing recharged. Discovered over $3000 worth of building stone that a builder had left and wanted moved (free to move)...so, used my FEL, forks, pallets, loaded stone on pallets, pallets into dump trailer, multiple trailer loads... was able to use dump feature to encourage pallets to slide to rear of dump so could be picked up by FEL/forks. I don't use it too frequently, but handy when I do... and don't have to go rent it:thumbsup:

If you get trailer with battery driven hydraulics, need to run a BIG wire from pickup battery back to trailer so it can be recharged while you are driving...need to do real electrical calculations on size of wire... mine is about size of my little finger... anything smaller will get hot.. lots of amps drawn when battery has been discharged....disconnect from pickup when using battery power to dump, will draw from alternator or pickup battery too much if you do not.

Consider gooseneck versus bumper pull... and your available tow vehicles...gooseneck safer for over the road, pickup pull/heavy load. Bumper pull better for moving with tractor (little down force on tractor rear, thus losing steering, vs 3ph gooseneck ). But, tractor brakes not up to dealing with a really big dump load, IMHO, need to use engine brakeing, go slow.

You have lots of sand, I'd use it. WOW... you can't even PAY to have the road worked on... makes it clear, if it's gonna happen, you are going to do it... means you gotta do it when weather conditions are favorable for doing so...means it's better for you to own a dump trailer so you can do it when time is ripe...be aware that a loaded dump trailer is really heavy... easy to get stuck if you don't have sufficient traction...4wd critical, IMHO, for your off road tow vehicle.

If using tractor hydraulics, you are committed to dumping ONLY where your tractor is. Also, this mixes (may or may not be a problem in your mind) your tractor hydraulic fluid with the dump cylinder fluid..and likely that dump hydraulic cylinder will require more fluid than typical farm hydraulic cylinder.... dunno if your tractor hydraulic tank is sufficient size to handle...

Just some thoughts

 

[N80]

Excellent thoughts texasjohn. I have considered the fact that any trailer, whether off road only or over the road will find many uses I haven't even thought of yet and certainly the on road trailer would be the most versatile.

I'm sure I could pay for some serious road work but it would take more than a dozer crowning things up. The dozer driver said the clay would not 'spread'. He could cut it, of course, but then it would stick all over the blade and roll off in clumps. He indicated that getting the job done right would require perfect conditions and probably cost more than I'd want to spend.

If I go for an on-road trailer it would need to be a bumper pull because its main use would still be with the tractor. I don't think a pick-up, no matter how powerful, would be able to get it up the hill from the creek bottom. There is a short but steep and slick hill coming up out of it.

 

[bdeboer]

If you purchase an over the road get the 5K axles and at least a 12 ft. I have the 5K axles on a 6x10, when they load me at at the quarry the stone tends to get higher than the tailgate. Also a single front end loader bucket depending on how wet it is gets me close to max weight.

My trailer is a 2002 Bri-Mar that I purchased used with gravity down.