Unloading gravel from a flatbed trailer

[Jim_in_Omaha]

I sometimes haul upwards of 3 ton of gravel on my flatbed trailer that I put box sides on. The problem is of course unloading it. I usually drive it up on a ridge with the tail of the trailer on the ground and use the tractor loader to unload it which works but is slow and difficult.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has found a quick and easy way to unload such a payload, poor man style.

thanks

 

[SkunkWerX]

I have the same issue, whether it's mulch, gravel, or other.

Best I can do is drop the trailer, then hook up to the tractor, use 3PH to raise it as high as possible, place a couple of blocks to keep it that way, unhook, remove the rear ramp, and start unloading from the back end.

Saw some of those EZ Dump trailers at TSC last week, not super-heavy duty, but, I'd be willing to make a second trip if all it took was a DUMP when i got home.

 

[PBinWA]

I've put chain link fence down on the bottom of my trailer and wrap it back over the hitch end of the pile a little so it is coming over the top of the pile then chain up both ends and chain it all to a tree and drive away. It's a little rough on the trailer but it works pretty good. I roll the ends of the fence around a metal post a few times to keep the fence straight.

 

[CATMAN]

If you guys have tractors with loaders, why don't you just unhook the trailer and use the loader with a chain to pick up the tougue of the trailer until everything is out on the ground (lift up 6-7 feet). Pull the trailer out of the way and use the loader to level out the pile. If your trailers and rear "bumpers" can handle it. That's how my Dad's neighbor does it with a 8 foot pickup bed that is modified into a trailer.

 

[Renze]

Tipping the trailer with the front loader is how i used to do it too, with my small 1 axle car trailer. For the heavier stuff we have a 5 ton tractor drawn dump trailer.

Another cheap option is to put a strong carpet or cloth underneath. Secure the back end of the tarp to the back end of the trailer, and secure the front end of the tarp to a tree. Then just drive off, while pulling the tarp over the gravel load. This way it pulls the tarp over the gravel, instead of pulling tarp with gravel on top of it, out of the trailer (so you end up with a load of gravel on top of a tarp, on your driveway )

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

Will the tarp or chain link fence work with 3 tons?

 

[bigtiller]

I sometimes haul upwards of 3 ton of gravel on my flatbed trailer that I put box sides on. The problem is of course unloading it. I usually drive it up on a ridge with the tail of the trailer on the ground and use the tractor loader to unload it which works but is slow and difficult.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has found a quick and easy way to unload such a payload, poor man style.

thanks

With a flatbed trailer, why not just take the side boards off and roll it off with a sand shovel. Don't try to lift each shovel full up and throw it but rather use your leg as a fulcrum and slide it off. Three ton would take only a few minutes to move.

 

[deere_x475guy]

Have you looked into the Load Handler?
Welcome to Loadhandler.com
I have the 2000 full size model and use it in my pickup. It works great and I use it all the time. The 3000 model can be used to unload a flat bed.

 

[tommu56]

I have used a tarp to unload one trick with heaver loads is to put z folds in it



tommu56

 

[Kendall69]

Work like the Egyptians. Place some 2” pipe down on the trailer, then place some plywood on top of the pipe, load the gravel on the plywood, secure the load, when you get home unsecure the load back up and hit the brakes. The whole load will roll right off the trailer.

Would I do this, probably not, but it was fun working on the problem.

 

[NFA Fun]

Kendall69, I have moved many heavy things that way...it works great. Think it would work for his application too. Good call.

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

I have a loadhandler 2000. It works great in the truck, I don't think it would handle the 3 tons of gravel. My trailer is a 16' flatbed. The boxed section is 10'. I built it only to haul gravel. Some of the gravel I get is 3" rock for base. The suggestions are giving me some ideas.
Thanks..

 

[Corm]

A buddy of mine has an 18 foot flat bed wooden deck trailer. When he built the trailer years ago, he allowed the middle two boards to be loose, only secured to the trailer bed with one bolt on each end of the trailer. When he hauls gravel, or dirt, he just backs up to where he wants the gravel to be, hooks a chain to the two boards and then to something solid (I've seen him use a trailer hitch from another truck), and then drives ahead. The boards are pulled out, and most of the gravel is on the ground. The bit that is left is easy to shovel towards the 'hole' in the center of the trailer. This method won't leave the gravel in a nice neat pile when you're done, but it works well for him. If you are hauling gravel for a driveway, it spreads it while unloading, kinda handy.

Corm

 

[Jay4200]

Work like the Egyptians. Place some 2” pipe down on the trailer, then place some plywood on top of the pipe, load the gravel on the plywood, secure the load, when you get home unsecure the load back up and hit the brakes. The whole load will roll right off the trailer.

Brilliant!!

JayC

 

[Renze]

Brilliant!!

JayC

I dont think so... the plywood will end up on your driveway, with the load of gravel still on top...

Anyways, it's easier to box blade the load of gravel off the plywood when the plywood is no longer inside the trailer....

 

[kyspartan]

call the quarry tell them how much rock you want. a guy shows up, and dumps it where you want it. cant think of anything any easier

 

[river rat]

call the quarry tell them how much rock you want. a guy shows up, and dumps it where you want it. cant think of anything any easier

What a great idea! (I like the way you think)

 

[milkman]

It's not as big as a three ton trailer, but it sure works good for half that much, I can unload in about a minute, unload about half then pull ahead a little and unload the rest. I think it was money well spent.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/47861-what-would-you-call.html

 

[tree farmer]

It's not as big as a three ton trailer, but it sure works good for half that much, I can unload in about a minute, unload about half then pull ahead a little and unload the rest. I think it was money well spent.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/47861-what-would-you-call.html

Many years ago, when I was a kid, we had 2 old 2 ton IH trucks that we used for everything on the farm. When it came time to fill the upright silo, we attached a homemade device, similar to milkman's on the back of each truck. We used a heavy rubber coated canvas material for a slip sheet. When the truck was backed up to the silage blower conveyor to unload, a small 110v motor with very low gearing was attached to the end of the roller and switched on and off as needed to move the green chop to the back of the truck. I remember having to coat the wood deck with a few fresh "pasture patties" for the first load, so the load would slide. After a few loads, the wood deck was smooth as a gym floor. I can't remember if we ever tried it on rock, but we did try it on hay bales one time. Broke about half the bales and got yelled at by our parents. Guess we should have patented it at the time.......Dan.

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

It's not as big as a three ton trailer, but it sure works good for half that much, I can unload in about a minute, unload about half then pull ahead a little and unload the rest. I think it was money well spent.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/47861-what-would-you-call.html

I have one of those for my pickup that I bought to get loads of mulch from the recycling center for my wifes gardening stuff. Handles 1700lbs without a problem and I have a plastic insert bed liner which helps. The bed on my trailer is 10 foot long in the boxed section and I haul up to 3 tons of gravel. I guess I have my doubts that it would work for that heavy of a load. I thought about trying it and using some of that 4 mil vapor barrier plastic folded over once under it to make it slick.