Dump Trailer

[18KwPower]

I could sit and try to figure this one out myself, but some of you already know.

What tire/wheel combinations will be between 16 and 20 inches to the top?

I actually just spent a few hours on NorthernTool.com

I've been looking through the Northern Tool stuff too. I like their tandem 2 axle dump trailers but don't like the price.

So, I've scaled back to looking at this Harbor Freight trailer and thinking about how I would construct a dump for it. My thoughts about a dump for it are along the lines of modifying a motorcycle jack, or a floor jack. I'd only like to put a 4'x8' bed on it to simplify bed construction.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

Anyhow, some other thoughts on how to build this up into a useable wagon would be appreciated. I'm waiting for it to go on sale... or I'll drive to one of the stores that is close to purchase.

BTW, they do have another trailer at Harbor Freight that is similar but costs more (search on Trailer to find it).

-Dave

 

[EddieWalker]

Let me add this. If you want to move a yard or more, your talking about allot of weight that's beeting and abusing every weld and piece of metal on your trailer. It has to be sturdy enough to handle the load you plan to move over rough terrain for the next 20 years!!!

I honestly don't think any trailer you buy from a catalog will last for hauling large quantities of dirt over an extended period of time. If you just want to move five or ten yards, than they might be fine, but 50 yards isn't very much dirt for anything at all. Most things I've done require hundreds of yards and in some cases, thousands of yards, but that's me. I'm not normal here in what most people are doing with there land. hahaha

Eddie

 

[rdln]

Thanks Eddie, it is hard to visualize the quality of these trailers thru a catalogue, I have seen them at TSC and know for a fact the trailer with the walking beam in the video has a steel bed no thicker than the side of my fridge.

I have seen old electrical cabinets that held large breakers, switches, junctions whatever converted to wagon beds pretty slick and quick also can be found in aluminum.

as for a lift, I know want to play with hydraulics and stuff but how about a sidewinding trailer tongue jack as the linear lift mechanism, you could use you imagination to add a gear system to get full lift quicker.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...I know want to play with hydraulics and stuff but how about a sidewinding trailer tongue jack as the linear lift mechanism, you could use you imagination to add a gear system to get full lift quicker.

I had actually thought of that exact thing. I was thinking it would be a stop gap until I added hydraulics to my pull tractor. (My tractor with hydraulics will be running the loader to fill the dump trailer.)

 

[cleatus]

Here's a link to one I built.
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=23740
And a gravity dump.
Machine Builders Network
Maybe it can help.

 

[EddieWalker]

Cleatus has a good link to his trailers.

After looking at his trailers, I thought it's very apperant that lifting the dirt up to dump it out the back takes allot of power. The small trailer dumping on gravity is ingenius!!! But I wonder how much bigger you could make it and still control it, not to mention how strong it would have to be to move dirt around on uneven terain.

The bigger trailer looks really massive. Strong, stout and ruggid. I like it, but it sure looks like a big project and would need something pretty big to move it around.

Have you decided what sized trailer or how much material you want to move at a time? I still think 2 yards is where I'd be shooting for.

Your sidewinder idea got me to thinking about my bottom dump plan. Could an electric motor drive a corkscrew like in a garage door opener to open a set of doors on the bottom of a trailer? Or can you put a quick release pin in there to just let gravity open the doors and dump the load, but have the corkscrew and electric motor to close them?

If I had the time, this would be a really fun project to figure out.

Eddie

 

[cleatus]

Here's some links to gather ideas for sizes and weights from.
Maxi-Dump Small Dump Trailers, Dump Bodies and Dumpsters, maxi-dump.com
This is the one that lead me to the system I used on the large dump. I changed it to hydraulic as I didn't have enough winch to lift it when loaded.
Mounts in Minutes Lightweight Easy to Store Fits any Full Size Pickup Truck Inexpensive way to transform your truck
This one has some very good drawings of the most used style of lift.
www.DumpBeds.com - The only resource for do-it-yourself dumpbed plans
Hope these help.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So here's a topic for discussion. I thought about this while looking over the plans that Cleatus posted...

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a scissor type lift vs. a ram straigth from the frame to the bed?

 

[rdln]

I think the advantages in declining order is shorter cycle times, less hyd fluid to store and with a longer bed it saves the need for telelscoping cylinders $$

BTW I think these are the slickest small offroad dump trailers that you could buy: Pronovost- Dump trailers - Off-road service

 

[patrick_g]

Atwood actuator style hydraulic brakes where the force of the trailer trying to push the towing vehicle presses the trailer's master cyliinder to apply the trailer brakes is a good approach. No brake controller required and it works no matter what you tow with. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - a small downside is that yoiu can't back up a hill since the force on the tongue will apply the trailer brakes. You have to think ahead and flip the defeat mechanism to disable the brakes to back up a hill. A small hassle for such an easy to use system that can be used with any tow vehicle. - - - - - - - - - - Pat