Dump trailer vs. utility trailer

[civilian]

well -- i have 16 ft trailer with landscape ramp and i use it to haul landscape stuff. mulch, dirt ,etc. since my BX tractor doesnt weight that much and its 4 ft wide, i just use the front loader to scoop up the stuff and dump where i need it right away. sure i would love a dump trailer, but i dont need the "dump" feature often enough to justify the cost. i know that once you have it you will use it. so far i been able to tolerate it just fine.

I have this same set up. Only thing is, I drop tractor at my house, then go get a load of driveway gravel, and unload it at home. I did block up the back of the trailer because I have a ramp gate with no supports at pivot point. And I put tongue jack down to minimize trailer movement when going up and down the ramp with the tractor. Jon

 

[GManBart]

I say dump trailer all the way. There is no "perfect" trailer, but for what you're looking at, I think you'll be happy with one. The other thing I've found is that they're great for hauling construction materials. If you're going to be doing any sort of work where you have to pick up lumber, siding, insulation, drywall, etc they rock. It's so nice to be able to open the tailgate, slide in the materials, close the tailgate, then cover it with the tarp and drive off without messing with ratchet straps, etc. Yes, you still need to secure heavy items, but for most construction materials, you don't need to bother.

I looked at all the brands available locally, and went with a Load Trail...very happy that I did. One nice thing they do is a three-way gate that many others don't offer.

I would generally avoid a used dump trailer....they go for nearly new prices and most seem to be beat to death. The other factor is it's very easy to overload them, and you have no idea what the previous owner did with it.

I will say that in your shoes I'd seriously consider the 83" version...much more flexible, and you only lose a few hundred pounds of payload. If you aren't hauling gravel/RAP/sand you're not likely to max it out to 7K anyway so it just gives you more space for bulkier/lighter items like brush or mulch.

16' 14K scissor lift:

 

[JJZ 109]

You will regret not having the dump trailer when you are shoveling out a yard or so of material from the utility trailer. The older I get, the harder moving stuff around with a shovel becomes. Spend your kids inheritance:laughing:

I agree. We get 2 or 3 yards of mulch every year and it's great to have the dump trailer instead of multi bags of it. Also nice to get a load of stone once a year to touch up the driveway or to haul a couple tons of wood pellets in late summer/early fall.
I also haul my Bobcat S185 skid steer in it as needed.

 

[check]

One dilemna you may face is whether to get a cheaper dump trailer that uses your tractor's hydraulic pump, or for maybe almost $1000 more, a dump trailer that has its own hydraulic pump, so you could use it behind your truck.

Another issue for me is that I have a Kubota BX25, and even a 2 ton dump trailer would be too heavy when loaded to move around with the ball hitch that I have welded to my FEL I suppose I could tow it from behind, which would make it easier to access the (rear) hydraulic lines, but then I would have to remove my backhoe each time I used the dump trailer.

 

[sklunk]

Here are my thoughts:

- The dump trailer would be nice if you haul trash/debris to the dump and just want to unload it quickly.
- Either trailer should handle moving furniture, equipment, etc.
- Dump trailers weigh much more empty than landscaping trailers so you can't haul as much (based on capacity of your current tow vehicles - this would change if you got an HD pickup).
- Concerning unloading mulch, gravel, etc.: I had the same question and ended up buying a landscape trailer with removable sides. If you get the dump trailer you MUST dump the load onto the ground (the sides are not removable). At that point you have a few yards of stone or mulch that you need to shovel up off the ground to spread (easier if you have a tractor with a loader but a lot more shoveling if you don't). With the landscape trailer I just remove the sides and pull to the area I need to spread the material. At that point I have to shovel it off the trailer but I found if I stand on the ground at the sides or rear of the trailer it is exactly the right height that I don't have to bend over to do any of the shoveling!

 

[GManBart]

Here are my thoughts:

- The dump trailer would be nice if you haul trash/debris to the dump and just want to unload it quickly.
- Either trailer should handle moving furniture, equipment, etc.
- Dump trailers weigh much more empty than landscaping trailers so you can't haul as much (based on capacity of your current tow vehicles - this would change if you got an HD pickup).
- Concerning unloading mulch, gravel, etc.: I had the same question and ended up buying a landscape trailer with removable sides. If you get the dump trailer you MUST dump the load onto the ground (the sides are not removable). At that point you have a few yards of stone or mulch that you need to shovel up off the ground to spread (easier if you have a tractor with a loader but a lot more shoveling if you don't). With the landscape trailer I just remove the sides and pull to the area I need to spread the material. At that point I have to shovel it off the trailer but I found if I stand on the ground at the sides or rear of the trailer it is exactly the right height that I don't have to bend over to do any of the shoveling!

Nearly every time I see a landscape trailer hauling mulch, gravel or sand they're leaving a trail of those materials behind them.

Many/most dump trailer manufacturers offer dump sides that hinge so you can dump just as you describe.

http://camsuperline.com/images/trailers/dodt/dodt1.jpg

 

[dragoneggs]

My next trailer will definitely be a dumper. And big enough to haul my BX in a pinch... I guess... but that's the part that opens me up to BIL jobs. I'm tired of emptying dirt, gravel, etc out of my little utility trailer or F150. Actually sold my little utility trailer trying to force myself into an upgrade. Hydraulic lift is on my bucket list now that I seem to be aging.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have never regretted for a second getting my 6' x 12' dump trailer.

I fact, I would highly recommend going up to this size. Mine rates at 9990 lbs gross, which is more than any of your tow vehicles can handle, but there is no law that you have to fill it that full. The trailer is 2000 lbs.

With brush, mulch, almost anything other than dirt or gravel, it will never get to 7000 lbs. And that extra capacity will come in handy for any landscaping tasks.

 

[sklunk]

Nearly every time I see a landscape trailer hauling mulch, gravel or sand they're leaving a trail of those materials behind them.

Agreed, but that is a problem with the operator not the trailer. That's their loss -- I figure if I'm paying for the material I'm going to make sure I'm not losing any of it going down the road.

Many/most dump trailer manufacturers offer dump sides that hinge so you can dump just as you describe.

http://camsuperline.com/images/trailers/dodt/dodt1.jpg

I am very familiar with CAM Superline trailers (I live not far from the factory and there are tons of them on the road around here; Bri-Mar is also close to us). You are correct about the sides flipping down but most of those are for side-dump trailers. In that case you are still dumping the material onto the ground. If you need to shovel it off and flip the sides down the deck of the dump trailer is too high to be comfortable (the landscape trailer has a lower deck).

Believe me, if money and towing capacity didn't matter I would argue for the dump trailer too. Based on the info the OP posted I was just trying to point out the benefits of a landscape trailer for his situation (I say "landscape" but also include car trailers in that group).

 

[kevinwak]

For me it made more sense to buy a car hauler type trailer. I have an 07 F150 and it only has a 7000 pound tow rating. I looked at the dumps and the increased weight made it not something I wanted to pull around all the time going to the home center for wood and hauling my tractor etc. Also the price was way less. For the times I need a dumper we have a place in town twenty miles away that rents 14,000 # dump trailers that are in brand new condition for $150 a day. I would have to rent that for twenty days to make up the price difference between the trailers. I do know renting isn't on option in every situation, but it has worked out better for me.