Overaxle dump trailer does it all. Or does it?

[plowhog]

I want a single trailer to "do it all." That includes hauling my tractor and implements when needed, hauling a car and/or ATV when I go camping, hauling logs and/or brush and debris when I am clearing my land, and doing all the other things a dump trailer can do. I'm looking at a 17' overaxle dump trailer. I can't go larger because I want to tow with my motorhome, which is 44 feet long. With the tongue, this trailer is 21', plus the motorhome is the legal limit of 65 combined feet in California.

I'm looking at a 17' overaxle dump trailer that has a two way tailgate. The tailgate can open normally, or open from the bottom for spreading gravel. The sides, which are only about 1 foot high, can flip down to facilitate easy loading from the side-- such as logs, brush, debris, etc. It has a 14,000 pound rating, which the dealer will re-rate down to 10,000 lbs by adding a sticker. That solves the commercial driver license issue. I could add stake pockets for the sides but they do not come with the trailer.

My concerns are two: first, the trailer is over $8,000 new, which is a lot. Second, the entire bed of the trailer is "over axle" which means the deck height is .... high. I will be trailering a Massey SCUT and also a Kubota L6060 cab model. With the deck height this high, I envision my tractors being much farther off the ground that I anticipated, possibly raising clearance issues or adding concerns about cornering, etc. I don't need to drive fast but the road between my two properties is half freeway and half a twisty two lane highway.

Do you think I'm on the right track with overaxle in general? Or would a different configuration for trailer hauling be more appropriate?

fyi my tow vehicle is a GMC 2500HD diesel with 17,000 pound tow rating.

 

[Btown]

Can you tow 17,000 with your 2500 with the bumper. I think this is high, and if you could you would need weight distribution. What year is the 2500. I know they have been increasing the tow capacities of HD pickups a lot. I would not want to bumper tow that much with a 3/4 ton. I would prefer gooseneck, so the weight goes right over the axle.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My uncle has a 14' over axle 14K dump. The biggest issue is the empty weight is 4500# leaving about 5 tons of payload and securing wheeled items such as a tractor. His has folding D-Rings inside but reaching over the sides and down in is a real pain. He still uses his dump a lot but for hauling his cars and tractor he borrows my trailer now.

 

[Rustyiron]

I think at 17' bed length, you'll be limited to an "over axle" or as I know them, "deckover" (the wheels). Unless the axles were set WAY back, your dump angle would be very low with a "deck between the wheels" trailer with the lower height (frame hitting the ground at the back when dumping). The load height will be fine and should be well under the height of your m/h. It's done all the time with bigger - taller equipment.
If you're not able to, have a series of "D" rings welded in, above a structural member, to secure your "non dumping loads". I'd think at least 6 of them. Like DP said, it's going to be a fairly heavy trailer, also you just might be exempt with the 14k gvw when hooked to the m/h but this topic will usually start another discussion.

 

[fried1765]

I want a single trailer to "do it all." That includes hauling my tractor and implements when needed, hauling a car and/or ATV when I go camping, hauling logs and/or brush and debris when I am clearing my land, and doing all the other things a dump trailer can do. I'm looking at a 17' overaxle dump trailer. I can't go larger because I want to tow with my motorhome, which is 44 feet long. With the tongue, this trailer is 21', plus the motorhome is the legal limit of 65 combined feet in California.

I'm looking at a 17' overaxle dump trailer that has a two way tailgate. The tailgate can open normally, or open from the bottom for spreading gravel. The sides, which are only about 1 foot high, can flip down to facilitate easy loading from the side-- such as logs, brush, debris, etc. It has a 14,000 pound rating, which the dealer will re-rate down to 10,000 lbs by adding a sticker. That solves the commercial driver license issue. I could add stake pockets for the sides but they do not come with the trailer.

My concerns are two: first, the trailer is over $8,000 new, which is a lot. Second, the entire bed of the trailer is "over axle" which means the deck height is .... high. I will be trailering a Massey SCUT and also a Kubota L6060 cab model. With the deck height this high, I envision my tractors being much farther off the ground that I anticipated, possibly raising clearance issues or adding concerns about cornering, etc. I don't need to drive fast but the road between my two properties is half freeway and half a twisty two lane highway.

Do you think I'm on the right track with overaxle in general? Or would a different configuration for trailer hauling be more appropriate?

fyi my tow vehicle is a GMC 2500HD diesel with 17,000 pound tow rating.

"Towing" 10,000# GVW with your GMC 2500HD should be no problem at all (Mountain roads might be an issue).
Twice each year I tow a fully loaded 12,000# GVW equipment trailer at highway speeds, with a 1997 GMC 2500 4x4 Suburban (454 V-8)
The towing part is not a problem. I have added airlift suspension (great), and use a Curt 12,000# frame mount, with a 14,000# "Equalizer" weight distribution hitch.
The real issue here is stopping! I set my electric trailer brakes to start cutting in early, and strong, and I allow plenty of distance between me and the vehicle ahead.
If I were towing long distances, or towing daily, my setup would be different.
I only tow 600 miles each year, and not in a mountainous area.

 

[Fallon]

My 16" tilting deck wasn't long enough for my L3200 & impliments except for the fact I could put the loader on the really long tongue.

I looked down this road myself as a dump would be great & bring a lot more utility to the table than a flat trailer. But the extra weight would suck & you can't get a dump long enough to make a good tractor & implement hauling trailer.

 

[joefromga]

That's why I bought a rollback tow truck. . But nothing is do-it-all-perfect.

 

[plowhog]

I looked at the trailer yesterday. The bed is only 14 feet, my mistake. I believe this is the same 14 foot, 14,000 pound gvwr trailer diamondpilot referred to. It is 4,500 pounds unloaded.

14 feet is too small. If I want to move a Kubota L6060 and anything else that won't work. I think I need to give up on the dump provision, give up on pulling it behind the motor home, and just look for a longer bumper pull equipment trailer. Maybe 20 feet? btw I am towing with a GMC 2011 Sierra 2500HD with 6.6 diesel engine. Most weight I have towed elsewhere is about 6,500 lbs and that was no problem. But I get it about the braking being more of a possible issue than power to pull

 

[rankrank1]

As a person whom bought a brand new 6x12 dump trailer 2 years ago, I can assure you it is not a do everything trailer. Mine is not an over axle unit so my bed is lowwer which has its advantages and dis-advantages just as the deck over dump trailer has its advantages and did-advantages when it comes to dump trailers. My advice is pick the dump trailer style that will serve you the best as a dump trailer first and foremost. Anything else it can do for you is gravey but do not compromise what you want out of the dump trailer to attain anything else.

I never intended my dump trailer to be a do it all trailer, but I was hoping I could also use it to eliminate my little lightweight 6x12 trailer at least which is not gonna happen either. My dump trailer weighs 4450 lbs empty plus it simply is not as easy for a person to get up in there with the fixed sides to tie things down. If I was going to try to use a dump trailer for a multi-use trailer, then there are a couple brands out there that make units with fold down sides to convert the trailer to a flat deck rather easily which would help it for alternative uses IMOP. That said most of these do not look like suitable heavy equipment haulers either as they are made light in lots of areas yet are still heavy.

Anyway I now own four trailers:
a) My 16' dovetail equipment trailer. This thing is all steel including the bed decking too. It has has a crazy long tongue on it and was made by Reed. I bought it used but believe it to be a 14K backhoe trailer. While it is not light; it is still much lighter than the dump trailer and is much easier to load and tie down on too. I thought the crazy long tongue would be a dis-advantage when it comes to tongue weight, but it is actually just the opposite. Think of a wheel barrow loaded down. Try picking it up and using it at the handles, then skip the handles and pick it up at the rear of the hopper and try to use it. I tow with a 1/2 ton truck and this long tongue helps me handle loads that otherwise the 1/2 ton could not without it. I will never sell this trailer as I have a whpping $160 invested in it. Use it to haul hay and all tractors from the little compact Kubota L285 with FEL to a big Farmall M antique and everything in between. The Farmall is in the 7k range and 200 bales of hay is in the 9K range. Granted I never take the trailer to capacity but that is because of my 1/2 ton truck and really these are theaviest things I own anyways.

b) The new 6x12 dump trailer. Hauled mountains of free dirt so far and hope to haul more plus an occasional scrap metal haul. My half ton truck handles it but I do know it is there. Fill a 6x12x2 bed with dirt and you end up with a load in the 15K to 19k real quick with weight of trailer depending on dampness of dirt. I am not towing far though so have gotten by for now. (I really need to upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck for this but that is another story).

c) Little lightweight flimsy 6x12 trailer that was made from an old pop up camper. I was originally hoping to get rid of this trailer on purchase of the dump trailer 2 years ago. Just too darned handy to use when you need to move a riding lawnmower or a quad. Its super low bed deck height also is handy for when you have to load anything heavy with human power. Hauled the riding mower once in the dump trailer and will never do that again. So keeping this trailer too as I only have a whopping $180 in it and it weighs so little a 4 cyl car could handle it in a pinch. Either of my 1/2 ton trucks do not know its there.

d) Also have a beater Hilo camper trailer and nothing serves a person better when cold weather camping than a decent warm shelter to get the tired old body into after a long day 8 to 12 hour day of ATV riding - especially cold weather riding. Even when we camp in the summer all my friends camping in tents start whining when it rains, not me.

 

[ST98]

Just be careful with bumper pull dumps. I've pulled my 12x7 bumper pull dump for about 7 years with an 06 duramax. Needless to say I've put way to much tongue weight on it to many times and recently broke the truck frame. Pulled the two rear bolts through the frame and then bent the forward part of the frame where the front part of the hitch bolts on. The damage is only to the bottom part of the c channel frame. The factory hitch failed long ago. The trailer frame and replacement hitch are fine. We will scab a piece to the flat and upper part of the frame and try it again. I know, I know no one else would ever put that much tongue weight on.........