Dump Trailer - Scissors Hoist - Plans?

[Retired boomer]

I have a dump trailer that I built using what I had laying around. It's okay, but it won't lift much because the cylinder is too small, it's direct lift and the geometry is less than optimal.

I want to build my own scissors hoist and go with a shorter stroke but much larger diameter cylinder. I have a bunch of pictures to go by and I've built a wooden mockup powered by an air cylinder that seems to work okay, but I'd REALLY like to have a set of proven plans to go by.

Has anybody dealt with these folks and have input or perhaps another source for plans?

I realize you've probably already finished your project but I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I used these plans and beefed up the plates a little. The only thing I didn't like was the cylinder mounting. If I did it again, I would turn the cylinder end for end so the hose connection is at the fixed end instead of rising with the bed.

 

[texasranger556]

I realize you've probably already finished your project but I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I used these plans and beefed up the plates a little. The only thing I didn't like was the cylinder mounting. If I did it again, I would turn the cylinder end for end so the hose connection is at the fixed end instead of rising with the bed.View attachment 542990View attachment 542991

Could you flip the entire scissor assembly?

 

[dannysk]

I built a lift based off those plans. To some extent they are the only game in town, so if you really want to build a scissor lift, buy 'em. Overall they are good plans, only some minor things about them that I disagreed with.

View attachment 527780

The lift angle did worry me, so I built a 3D model in SolidWorks, stretched the design out and used a 12" instead of 10" cylinder. Then positioned it on my trailer to give me something absurd like 60 degrees of tilt. I suspect if I built it to the plans exactly, it still would have been fine though.

View attachment 527781

The big downside I found in those plans, was the design of the mounting points. I built it to the plans, and then had to struggle real hard to design matching mount points on my trailer. If I had to do it again, I'd pay real close attention to the mounts, and do them completely differently.

In practice though with it all done, it's works great. With a 3.5" cylinder, it doesn't even notice there is a load in the bed, no matter how heavy. Limiting factor becomes the rating on my tires.

Only other thing I'd say is consider the time factor. The commercial lifts aren't cheap, but a month fab'ing a scissor lift in your spare time isn't cheap either. Definitely not an option for a person in a hurry.

I built a lift based off those plans. To some extent they are the only game in town, so if you really want to build a scissor lift, buy 'em. Overall they are good plans, only some minor things about them that I disagreed with.

View attachment 527780

The lift angle did worry me, so I built a 3D model in SolidWorks, stretched the design out and used a 12" instead of 10" cylinder. Then positioned it on my trailer to give me something absurd like 60 degrees of tilt. I suspect if I built it to the plans exactly, it still would have been fine though.

View attachment 527781

The big downside I found in those plans, was the design of the mounting points. I built it to the plans, and then had to struggle real hard to design matching mount points on my trailer. If I had to do it again, I'd pay real close attention to the mounts, and do them completely differently.

In practice though with it all done, it's works great. With a 3.5" cylinder, it doesn't even notice there is a load in the bed, no matter how heavy. Limiting factor becomes the rating on my tires.

Only other thing I'd say is consider the time factor. The commercial lifts aren't cheap, but a month fab'ing a scissor lift in your spare time isn't cheap either. Definitely not an option for a person in a hurry.

Looks like you did a fine job on that trailer. I am currently building one for behind my Kawasaki Mule and am struggling on finding build plans for this small of a trailer [6x4]. Would you mind sharing your plans?

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I've built a couple on F-350 Fords with used scissor lifts from various sources. before installing them, I consulted and old friend that used to build truck bodies.

His advice was "ALWAYS have at least a minimum of a 50° tilt angle." Then he offered some suggestions depending on what I planned to haul or do with the truck. If I was planning to put a Gooseneck hitch on it, use double acting cylinders. With a single acting cylinder, unless you latch the bed down solid, it's possible for it to lift when you pull the trailer or start off fast. If I wanted to "pick up things" and load it onto the truck, build a boom I could put on or take off the bed and have it with more tilt angle. He said he's built beds that did a 90° tilt for people hauling things like tanks and such. They'd back up, tilt 90° beside what they wanted to load, strap it to the bed, then power down and load the tank.

If it's an electric pump/motor, oversize your battery cables. If it going to be used frequently, add extra batteries for reserve capacity.

If it's a dump trailer, here's a way to charge the battery going down the road and not smoke the wiring when you use the dump. Using a 7-way RV trailer plug, the Auxiliary terminal is rated for 30A. Use that wire to charge the battery on the dump trailer with a 30A (10Gauge or larger wire) from the tow vehicle but put a 30A self-resetting circuit breaker in-line between the plug and the trailer battery. when you start drawing on the trailer battery, it'll also pull for the tow vehicle as well as the trailer battery. When it reaches 30A draw, it'll trip the breaker and keep from smoking the wiring. Or also install a switch to manually disconnect the circuit during operation. As long as you have a good hot and ground circuit, through the harness and chassis, it'll charge the trailer battery.