Dump truck vs dump trailer

[Reg]

Wow, some great discussion already! I'll try to fill in the blanks.
Yes, the truck would be able to reach anyplace I'd want to take it.
When I pull the snowmobile trailer now, I almost always have it on my pickup as I have to take it off-site to unload. That being said, my current truck is a Silverado 1500 crew, I beleive the tow capacity is 8000# or so, and being a super short box, it can't be used for a gooseneck. I may get a new one sometime, but likely still be a 1500 as I use it for my daily driver and can't justify thousands of additional cost just to pull a super heavy trailer occasionally.
Here in NE, there is no vehicle inspection requirement per se. so that isn't a concern. This truck has a 350ci engine (I think), and would be largely pre-emission, etc, so maintenence should be pretty simple. I have a shop full of 350 engines and parts leftover from my racing days, so should be fine there.
I get the issue of larger payload on a trailer, but given the limitation of my current pickup, that wouldn't be a large disadvantage. Tree limbs and brush get dumped about a mile away, so pretty easy trip. The place where I get driveway rock is under 5 miles away, so making extra trips wouldn't be the end of the world. If I need a lot, I'm going to have them deliver in a 10yd truck anyway.
I think it would be a hoot to have a true med duty dumptruck, but as noted the expense, hassles, etc, don't allow for that.
I totally understand that the dump trailer is probably an overall better option, but is it twice as good when considering price?

I just re-read this bit; "and being a super short box, it can't be used for a gooseneck. "
Why not ?

The short box and gooseneck trailer issue is about cab to axle distance and trailer nose width.
i.e. ball to cab had better be at least 1/2 trailer nose width if you want to do 90 degree jack-knifed spin-around turns.
Unless you want some crazy wide top deck on it you can do full spins without cracking the trailer against the cab.
VERY FEW RV or horse trailers are 8 ft wide, most taper to 5 ft.
I can see a gooseneck equipment trailer being useful with a 5ft wide upper deck nose.

Not that I endorse spin turns, they are HARD on tires, hubs, just about everything else unless you are on very soft footing.

 

[Xfaxman]

Wow, some great discussion already! I'll try to fill in the blanks.
my current truck is a Silverado 1500 crew, I beleive the tow capacity is 8000# or so, and being a super short box, it can't be used for a gooseneck.

It can be used for a gooseneck, just install a B&W Turnoverball hitch, made for your truck: Gooseneck Hitch | B & W Trailer Hitches

If you need a little more clearance, use this: 4" Extender - Turnoverball

For 10" more clearance for a horse trailer, use this: Gooseneck Hitch Extension | B & W Trailer Hitches

I have a friend that pulls a two horse GN with a 1/2 ton Dodge, shortest bed they make, with this setup.

 

[IMCA38]

I'm not contesting the fact that you can put an extender on the gooseneck, etc. It's just that my owner's manual says the 5'8" box isn't supposed to do a gooseneck.
As far as dumping my snowmobile trailer, it does have a pin on the tongue, but by adding the weight of the plywood sides, it doesn't tip very well and when tipped, it's only about 30 degrees or so with the tail on the ground, so not enough to get anything to slide out.
Here is a pic I found on Google of a similar truck, except that the one I've found is SRW.

 

[Xfaxman]

I'm not contesting the fact that you can put an extender on the gooseneck, etc. It's just that my owner's manual says the 5'8" box isn't supposed to do a gooseneck.

I sure would like to know the reason why.

 

[Reg]

It can be used for a gooseneck, just install a B&W Turnoverball hitch, made for your truck: Gooseneck Hitch | B & W Trailer Hitches

If you need a little more clearance, use this: 4" Extender - Turnoverball

For 10" more clearance for a horse trailer, use this: Gooseneck Hitch Extension | B & W Trailer Hitches

I have a friend that pulls a two horse GN with a 1/2 ton Dodge, shortest bed they make, with this setup.

Just know that the so called "Gooseneck extensions" are in fact "Gooseneck OFF-SETS"
They merely offset the trailer some number of inches BACK, but it is back along the trailer's center-line.
The trailer's nose width is still what the cab to ball distance needs to be less than half of.

SUMMARY: Don't think these extensions will solve the cab clipping issue, the trailer hits the cab from the SIDE when it folds up too far.
At that time the trailer is off-set to the SIDE of the truck, not farther BACK from the cab.

 

[Reg]

I'm not contesting the fact that you can put an extender on the gooseneck, etc. It's just that my owner's manual says the 5'8" box isn't supposed to do a gooseneck.
As far as dumping my snowmobile trailer, it does have a pin on the tongue, but by adding the weight of the plywood sides, it doesn't tip very well and when tipped, it's only about 30 degrees or so with the tail on the ground, so not enough to get anything to slide out.
Here is a pic I found on Google of a similar truck, except that the one I've found is SRW.

View attachment 319419

It isn't about box length - it IS about cab to ball distance and THAT needs to be more than 1/2 the trailer's nose width.
Ignore recommendations about off-set couplers (so called gooseneck extensions) they merely put the trailer a few inches farther back along the trailer's center line, they do NOTHING for cab clipping, that is ALL about (1/2 of) trailer nose width versus cab to ball distance.

 

[Morning Wood]

A SRW pickup with a dumping flatbed will have zero payload. You want a dually 1 ton at least. Even a 7k dump trailer will have a better payload than a 1 ton dump

 

[Gale Hawkins]

It is really simple if you do it from a math angle.

In all cases for the guy with no equipment picking up an older truck with a flat dump makes for a very handy thing to have around a farm.

The guy with a truck to pull his 100' RV might consider a trailer.

NO pivot points is a personal requirement.

Having a rig that I can whack with the FEL or backhoe bucket/boom and not lose any sleep is a plus in my case.

 

[Xfaxman]

Just know that the so called "Gooseneck extensions" are in fact "Gooseneck OFF-SETS"
They merely offset the trailer some number of inches BACK, but it is back along the trailer's center-line.
The trailer's nose width is still what the cab to ball distance needs to be less than half of.

SUMMARY: Don't think these extensions will solve the cab clipping issue, the trailer hits the cab from the SIDE when it folds up too far.
At that time the trailer is off-set to the SIDE of the truck, not farther BACK from the cab.

The extensions work! My friend has been using it for over two years! Going forward, turning as far as possible the trailer clears the cab. Backing up while turning too sharp will crunch the cab, but that is true even with a long bed.

It isn't about box length - it IS about cab to ball distance and THAT needs to be more than 1/2 the trailer's nose width.
Ignore recommendations about off-set couplers (so called gooseneck extensions) they merely put the trailer a few inches farther back along the trailer's center line, they do NOTHING for cab clipping, that is ALL about (1/2 of) trailer nose width versus cab to ball distance.

Why ignore something that works? :confused3: The 4" offset ball allows the trailer to be jacknifed when backing.


None of this applies to the OP, a gooseneck dump trailer will work on a super shortbed truck with out an extension. :thumbsup:

 

[yelbike]

I sure would like to know the reason why.

I wonder what the liability would be if the manual specifically does NOT recommend the goose neck trailer on that particular truck configuration in the event of an accident. I have a 5'6" box on my Lincoln lt, I was "TOLD" a fifth wheel RV simply won't fit, but that may not be true I guess. BTW at least some if not most RVs are full 8' pretty much right up to the front.