Dump trailer for hauling

[Diamondpilot]

For a dump I wouldn't want anything smaller than a 14' 14K. They weigh about 4200# empty leaving 5 tons of payload. Anything lighter is just too easy to overload.

Chris

 

[GManBart]

Been doing some looking and thinking hard about just keeping the Eqpt trailer and getting a dump (hate to add another trailer to the collection but....)
Now the question is do you normally run out of capacity or out or room for the material? I will haul gravel, and dirt most of the time. maybe mulch sometimes but not enough that I am concerned about that. Was kicking around getting a 12' 12k because of the increased maneuverability or maybe a 14' 12k - what are your thoughts ?

I think you're more likely to run out of capacity than room with the longer trailers for any given length, but that can vary quite a bit. For example, my 16' trailer holds 8 cubic yards if it was completely full. Figure you won't get it completely full, so 7 yards. If I get a load of 21AA limestone gravel it's about 1.5 tons per cubic yard when dumped in a pile, which works out to 10,500lbs for 7 yards. The trailer weighs 4,300lbs, so I'd be over weight by 800lbs or more.

I will say that a 12' model would probably be a fair amount more maneuverable, but it sure is nice to have the extra length when you need it.

 

[GManBart]

Funny how perspective changes the way stuff looks....

 

[CurlyDave]

I have a 12', 10,000 lb dump trailer that only weighs 2000lb, giving 8000 lb capacity. While I know that this is smaller than the 14,000 lb trailers you guys are contemplating, your payloads are only around 2000 lb higher given the heavier construction of the bigger trailers.

I use mine primarily for building materials, and when I built the house in CA it was very valuable for taking construction debris to the dump. About 100 trips in 2 years.

Since there was a quarry very near to the dump, there were a lot of return trips where I hauled gravel back rather than just bringing the empty trailer back. But, once that job was over and we moved to Oregon, taking any trailer to just to pick up gravel is a losing proposition. I can get 10 yards delivered in a tandem dump truck for a $70.00 delivery charge. This is 30,000 lb. If I take my trailer to the quarry, that is a minimum of 4 round trips, probably 5 since I try to stay enough under the max capacity to be legal all the time. I would burn more than $70 in diesel making than many trips, not to mention the value of my time.

Plus the delivery driver can chain his tailgate and spread any thickness of gravel I want, with expertise that comes only with daily practice.

If you need a dump trailer for other reasons, by all means get one, but my experience is that even with a dump, going to fetch gravel is not a very appealing proposition.

Don't need 10 yards all at once? The solution is simple. A gravel pile in an out of the way place is very handy to have on hand for many projects. I usually have a pile of 3/4 minus, and a pile of crushed clean for drainage.

 

[Code54]

I do see your point on the cost of a trailer vs delivery and the trailer is by far more expensive. The big advantage to me is getting what I need when I want it. We often need a ton or two of this or that for a project and that is where the trailer would be great. I also have an area where I can get all the dirt I want so I figure the trailer would be real handy there.
I also took a few more measurements and found the info I found on line about the width of my tractor was wrong - 83" will be fine so I am back looking at the 16' trailer.
What should be on my list of MUST haves? Anything to avoid? One ram or Two, scissor or no scissor? Etc?
Thanks guys

 

[Code54]

Funny how perspective changes the way stuff looks....

That trailer looks massive compared to the tractor. I can't even think about using one around the property behind our tractor, we are way to steep. Think the trailer my "dump" my tractor on our hills! That is some nice flat land GManBart, I wish I had just 2 acres like that!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

MY problem with those trailers is, they don't dump high enough!

Wet/damp dirt doesn't want to come out of them...

SR

 

[CurlyDave]

...What should be on my list of MUST haves? Anything to avoid? One ram or Two, scissor or no scissor? Etc?
Thanks guys

The scissor is more complex, but has the great advantage that the bed will not tilt on its own from having a poor weight distribution. If you are using it to haul equipment, this is important, because there always comes a time during loading when all of the weight is in the back of the trailer. Scissor types can take this, direct acting ram types will tilt at this point, which can lead to a very dangerous situation, with you sitting right on top of that danger while driving the equipment into the trailer.

 

[4570Man]

Been doing some looking and thinking hard about just keeping the Eqpt trailer and getting a dump (hate to add another trailer to the collection but....) Now the question is do you normally run out of capacity or out or room for the material? I will haul gravel, and dirt most of the time. maybe mulch sometimes but not enough that I am concerned about that. Was kicking around getting a 12' 12k because of the increased maneuverability or maybe a 14' 12k - what are your thoughts ?

I think you will run out of capacity first. I have a Chevy 3500 dump for hauling stuff. I might belong in the towing something wrong thread, but I'll haul 5 ton on the truck although I try to limit it to 3 tons. With 3 ton of gravel the bed is maybe 1/4 full. I haven't ran across scales with a load of dirt, but a heaping load is 3-4 tons. A heaping load of logs is 3-4 tons. With mulch you'd probably run out of room first.

 

[bdog]

I had a 16' PJ gooseneck lo pro dump trailer. 15 and change GVWR. Really nice trailer and hauled my M59 backhoe well. As for hauling dirt I think it held around 8 yards if full. Hauling dirt you could only put about 5 yards in it without being over weight. If you got around 6 yards it had difficulty lifting to dump. We would haul 6-7 yards of dirt moving it around or property by heaping it at the back of the trailer and leaving the front empty. When hauling gravel the pit is 25 miles away and we would only put 4 yards so we didn't go overweight.

The 16' is great for the size and loading equipment or hauling light things like mulch but if you are focusing on hauling dirt and gravel a 12' trailer would probably fit all you could haul.