Trailer Width

[3Ts]

I'm looking at getting a dump trailer. Most of them seem to be 83" wide although there are one or two out there that are deckover and 96" wide, but puts the bed up at 38" high. My question is for y'all that transport equipment in trailers with sides. How much clearance between the sides and your equipment do you really need? My tractor as it is configured is 82" wide so it will fit according to the specs with 1/2" on each side. However, I also have a piece of equipment that has to be lined up within 1/2" and it's a pain to get lined up properly to attach. It can be done, but... So, what kind of clearance is really needed?

 

[Reb954]

It depends on the person loading or unloading the equipment.

I have seen people that 1/2" per side would be fine. I have seen others that a foot clearance on each side wouldn't be enough.

Plus, allow for the future needs like if you need to put chains on the tractor.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I got a very cheap $500.00 deck over dump trailer from a buddy. He fixed it up and then found one conventional one, he liked better.

The wide box is nice. I was at the gravel pit a week or so ago and the 3 or so yard loader had no issue dumping material into this trailer.

The BIGGEST issue I seem to have is just the GOOFY look of the thing.

I don't have a lot of pictures of this abonination. The width does come in handy.

 

[4570Man]

It depends on the person loading or unloading the equipment.

I have seen people that 1/2" per side would be fine. I have seen others that a foot clearance on each side wouldn't be enough.

Plus, allow for the future needs like if you need to put chains on the tractor.

I could load one with 1/2” per side but chaining down would be hard.

 

[4570Man]

I think you’re going to have a hard time loading a 38” high deck without a dovetail. My pintle hook trailer has a 5’ dovetail and 5’ ramps and it’s still pretty steep.

 

[Morning Wood]

You can’t put a tractor on a deckover dump. Like has been mentioned, the deck is too high. If you are set on a dump for carrying your tractor, then go with a lower bed between the wheels. If your tractor is 6’-10 wide, then you probably want to put it on an equipment trailer or a deckover flatbed anyway. I wouldn’t think a dump would be long enough to fit it.

 

[3Ts]

A 16' gooseneck would fit it and allow a little room forward & back to adjust the tongue weight. The bucket would be on top of the gooseneck frame. I saw a guy at Lowe's recently that had a 16' gooseneck dump with 3' sides and it barely fit. He put the bucket on top of the gooseneck and the tractor and box blade fit and he could close the gate. I didn't see any chains or other tie downs, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I was looking at how it fit in and how much room he had which prompted this question.

I don't especially like the 38" height since it raises the COG so high, but Semi-trucks are even higher and they don't normally tip over. But after much consideration, I suspect I will only trailer that particular tractor 4 times in the next 10 years so I'll have someone else transport it and I'll go with the narrower and lower dump.

 

[ultrarunner]

Did a one time pickup of the RTV 900 with the dump tailer... it was so tight you couldn't put your hands on between RTV and trailer...

Loading/Unloading required a bank.

Towed like a dream and easy to maneuver but not something I'd want to repeat.

 

[Fallon]

I'm looking at getting a dump trailer. Most of them seem to be 83" wide although there are one or two out there that are deckover and 96" wide, but puts the bed up at 38" high. My question is for y'all that transport equipment in trailers with sides. How much clearance between the sides and your equipment do you really need? My tractor as it is configured is 82" wide so it will fit according to the specs with 1/2" on each side. However, I also have a piece of equipment that has to be lined up within 1/2" and it's a pain to get lined up properly to attach. It can be done, but... So, what kind of clearance is really needed?

All trailers with fenders are limited to 83" give or take an inch. Any wider & they would need a wide load permit. 102" is the max width. So 102 - 83 gives you a pair of 9" fenders. As a deckover doesnt have fenders it can be up to 102. Although there are probably 3-4" of rub rails on each side that puts the actual deck width at your 96" wide.

 

[BrkMstr]

The problem with a Deckover is the height - some equipment will have clearance issues - you can load with a ½" on each side - issue will be tie down if it's tight I normally set / secure the axle straps on the tractor prior to loading, I had a step put on the left side of the trailer so I can get into the bed on one side, on the right I step on the chock blocks - but I'm 6'5, so I can reach it, tractors are normally narrower in the front so again I can get to the front from the right step - the other issue is getting off the tractor can't go by the tires, the front step works - obviously the rear is not an issue, with the doors open easily tied down.