Dump Trailers

[Dmace]

Around here you can get a 70's era GM or Ford dump truck for $2000 or so. They haul 7 to 8 tons and plates are $125 per year along with insurance for maybe $250 on a farm policy.

Chris

Yeah, we tried that ONCE! The cost just to keep that old truck on the road made it not worth the hassle, not including the 3-5 mpg when it was running...
Tires alone were over $200 each, brakes for one axle cost more than an entire 1 ton trucks brakes plus took three times as long. Registration was only a little more but insurance was double.
It was fun driving a big truck but not nearly as comfortable.

 

[Dmace]

Anyway, my half ton F150 towing capacity is 8300lbs.
Knock off say 2600 for the trailer. That leaves just under 3 tons I can tow. That's using a local trailer example of 10K GVWR and the trailer weighs 2600lbs or so the trailer sales guy seemed to think.

My 6x10 10k dump trailer weighs 1870lbs empty so it can vary.

 

[hydro2]

I would probably agree if I was looking at an F350 but I'm not.
Anyway, my half ton F150 towing capacity is 8300lbs.
Knock off say 2600 for the trailer. That leaves just under 3 tons I can tow. That's using a local trailer example of 10K GVWR and the trailer weighs 2600lbs or so the trailer sales guy seemed to think.
Dump truck I'm looking at will haul 6-7 tons. So twice the trips.

Hydro2: What brand? Was this dirt/gravel or mulch? If I do buy a dump trailer
I want something that will dump a full load.

I have a Moritz. That was with about four and a half ton of gravel. There is over four ton of coal when the picture was taken. It never struggles. I had a five ton dump prior to the trailer and it was much better to back around. If the ground is wet the trailer tends to sink and wants to jackknife. The problem with the dump is it cost me about $1000 a year between insurance and registration. The dump trailer costs me $40.

 

[hydro2]

 

[caver]

Thanks hydro2, trailer looks good. You burn coal for heat?
I did somewhat when I lived in Scotland for a couple years.

 

[hydro2]

Thanks hydro2, trailer looks good. You burn coal for heat?
I did somewhat when I lived in Scotland for a couple years.

I have an outside woodburner I use wood and coal both. I heat two houses with it. It is a fulltime job. Thanks for the compliment on the trailer. I like it but it does have its place.

 

[bdeboer]

I have a BriMar 10k no problem dumping with a full load of stone maybe plus a little.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My uncle has a 14,000# dump trailer made by Bri Mar. Its a bumper pull and it will dump 5 tons no problem. Trailer weighs 4,200# empty so 5 tons is max load.

Only complaint is the powder coat.

Chris

 

[techwrtr2]

Powder coat on Bri-Mar's seems to be a general weakness. Ours is peeling badly. Trailer works beautifully otherwise though.

 

[PAfarmer]

What is the side height on the trailer and what type of tie-down setup do you run for your equipment? Also, is it a Gooseneck?

The PJ lowpro has a 24" deck height. This also gives you a 14 degree load ramp which is extremely nice for loading/unloading Compact equipment. I installed a few extra (came with four) I installed two additional D-Rings on mine. Mine is NOT Goose neck. Bumper tow. The low height is much safer than the original design. When loaded a dump trailer can become one of the worst things ever at speed. I learned this the hard way after 3 plus decades of hauling equipment. Get the low models. They started making these LOW models because of all of the accidents people were having on the original designs.

 

[MasseyWV]

Good thread, very informative.

Does anyone know which type of lift mechanism is best? Some people seem to like the "direct" single cylinder, while others swear by the scissor lift. There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. It seems to me that the scissor lift design is better but I am not certain. What I would like to avoid is having problems with lifting the rated load capacity.

 

[RDrancher]

The PJ lowpro has a 24" deck height. This also gives you a 14 degree load ramp which is extremely nice for loading/unloading Compact equipment. I installed a few extra (came with four) I installed two additional D-Rings on mine. Mine is NOT Goose neck. Bumper tow. The low height is much safer than the original design. When loaded a dump trailer can become one of the worst things ever at speed. I learned this the hard way after 3 plus decades of hauling equipment. Get the low models. They started making these LOW models because of all of the accidents people were having on the original designs.

Sorry for the late reply and thanks for the info. You must have responded during the notification blackout.

Sounds like that's the way to go. My 20+5 gooseneck is a pain if I have a truck bed full of tools and need to haul equipment too. It's overkill for most work as well. Seems like a low dump trailer would be handy to haul a piece of equipment to the job and then have the trailer just in case I need to haul a little material to finish up or haul trash out.

 

[danceswithdirt]

These trailers can be over loaded! Mine is only couple years old and I just finished plating up the frame on both sides. It's a carry on hdx 12' 10000lb trailer. Frame was broke and was starting to sag. Thankfully it was on the property not on the highway. I'll get up pics of the repairs by the weekend. Probably stronger now than new, just used it today.

 

[Dmace]

Good thread, very informative.

Does anyone know which type of lift mechanism is best? Some people seem to like the "direct" single cylinder, while others swear by the scissor lift. There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. It seems to me that the scissor lift design is better but I am not certain. What I would like to avoid is having problems with lifting the rated load capacity.

Personally, I'm not a fan of scissor-type lifts. I've had them on trailers and dump trucks and find they are slower, bind up with use, add weight and cost more. I like a plain and simple straight piston or dual piston setup. My 10k DownEaster dump trailer has yet to not lift a load as long as the batery is charged and my heighest scaled load was 6500lbs of crushed gravel. One piston right in the middle with two grease zerks, plain and simple.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Personally, I'm not a fan of scissor-type lifts. I've had them on trailers and dump trucks and find they are slower, bind up with use, add weight and cost more. I like a plain and simple straight piston or dual piston setup. My 10k DownEaster dump trailer has yet to not lift a load as long as the batery is charged and my heighest scaled load was 6500lbs of crushed gravel. One piston right in the middle with two grease zerks, plain and simple.

This is the basic setup my uncles 14,000# Brimar has. Only difference is it has 2 cylinders plumbed in series just like a FEL. Works good, simple maintenance, and has plenty of power to lift 5 tons plus a little to full dump height each and every time I have used it. He has never complained either.

I have heard that scissor lifts can bind if the trailer is not level, in ditch on one side, ect by tweaking it a little binding stuff up.

Chris

 

[bdeboer]

Personally, I'm not a fan of scissor-type lifts. I've had them on trailers and dump trucks and find they are slower, bind up with use, add weight and cost more. I like a plain and simple straight piston or dual piston setup. My 10k DownEaster dump trailer has yet to not lift a load as long as the batery is charged and my heighest scaled load was 6500lbs of crushed gravel. One piston right in the middle with two grease zerks, plain and simple.

My 10K BriMar is the same, and will lift full loads no problem.

 

[CaseRobert]

Good thread, very informative.

Does anyone know which type of lift mechanism is best? Some people seem to like the "direct" single cylinder, while others swear by the scissor lift. There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. It seems to me that the scissor lift design is better but I am not certain. What I would like to avoid is having problems with lifting the rated load capacity.

I opted for a single telescopic cylinder mounted up front on my dump trailer (which is for sale) like the big trucks have. it makes the most amount of lifting power when it just starts to lift, it also concentrates all its lifting force to help push up to get the load moving. some of the other designs can stall out and not lift the box, been there done that. its not fun shoveling out the trailer waiting for the hydraulics to be able to actually lift the trailer. they also push forward and up, which can be hard on the rear pins. personally i dont like scissor lifts, they just dont seem as stable but i have never used one before.

 

[MasseyWV]

Considering the difference in opinions from so many people about the different hydraulic lift mechanisms, it would be interesting to see a side by side comparison of each, conducted with identical trailers, except for the lift mechanism. One could place identical weights in each trailer, then measure lift force, hydraulic pressure, speed, bed angle, etc, while increasing the weight each time, until couldn't lift it anymore.

It could be much like a tractor pull, only in this case, it could be called a dump-off. I doubt it would ever really happen, but it would be interesting regardless. In any case, it would give new meaning to the phrase "taking a dump".

 

[Redbug]

Here's mine...it's 14k. I welded up removable sides and tailgate when I first got it. It has slide in ramps under the back. Good all round trailer.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have a PJ 14k dump trailer with a single cylinder that works well at a full load, 9500 lbs of gravel. Just make sure you have a good battery for the electric/hydraulic pump and you will be good to go.