Dump Trailers

[WM75Guy]

Picked up a pallet of shavings from TSC this afternoon. The dump trailer is easier to maneuver around parking lots than the 25' GN trailer by the hay barn. Mine is the Big Tex 14TD. The new model has a 5-stage ram instead of the 3-stage like mine.

Dump trailers are usually hauling material close to max weight. I recommend going with G rated trailer tires instead of E rated. I blew out 2 of the E rated in the yard after I got home hauling dirt. At least I wasn't stuck on the side of the road.

14TD - Big Tex Trailers

 

[Hay Dude]

I agree with all of what you are saying for the benefit of goose neck, yourself being a commercial contractor it make perfect sense but I also would stick with bumper pull, ops has plenty of trucks, depending on the amount of use and length of pull I would argue a bumper is a lot cheaper set up to run especially if you are not set up for it.

Maybe I missed something, but where does it say the ops has plenty of trucks?
I thought he only had one Ram 2500?

 

[Hay Dude]

Not to try to talk you out of it, cause I would love to have a 9999# dump trailer.... Do you realize just how small 3.5T or even 5T of gravel really is? Heck, even 18T in a dump truck doesn't go far, and then think about that being 6 trips? Yes, I want a dump trailer, no it doesnt make $$$ sense for me to buy one.

Hear that
I'll go get a 10 load of gravel in my dump truck and it goes nowhere after you spread it.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Maybe I missed something, but where does it say the ops has plenty of trucks?
I thought he only had one Ram 2500?

yeah a 2500 is plenty of truck to pull a dump trailer once in a while... I have a 1500 and often haul a dump trailer its not the biggest one but you get the trailer or the load your truck can pull. All I am saying is Ops is not commercial (as far as I know) we are recreational user.

 

[sandman2234]

I was asked to spread part of a pile of dirt at our Church. I enlisted some help and we had 6 people moving dirt from 7:30-3:00 at which time 3 of us started moving it to my house a quarter mile away till 7pm. Then I rented the same trailer this weekend and worked 7am till after dark. This is what is left of the pile Saturday afternoon. The hydraulic ram won't dump as much as it will haul but if you pile it up in the rear and leave a foot empty in the front it has a good chance. If not, I have tractors at both ends to take a scoop out.

 

[sandman2234]

My biggest issue has been keeping the battery charged! They rent them for someone making a trip to the dump or a load of gravel, dirt or such. Loading it and driving a quarter mile then dumping drains the battery in 5 trips. I tried plugging it in while preparing and dumping. I stopped for an hour and let it charge, but the best way seems to just have my 2-0 jumper cables ready and hook them up. A short break and they will charge enough to do another load after this one.
David from jax

 

[Rockbadchild]

My biggest issue has been keeping the battery charged! They rent them for someone making a trip to the dump or a load of gravel, dirt or such. Loading it and driving a quarter mile then dumping drains the battery in 5 trips. I tried plugging it in while preparing and dumping. I stopped for an hour and let it charge, but the best way seems to just have my 2-0 jumper cables ready and hook them up. A short break and they will charge enough to do another load after this one.
David from jax

When I do lots of short trip I strap a other battery in series on it, I have a haul truck battery set up with booster cables it works perfectly for that... if not I carry these little booster pack just in case.

 

[sandman2234]

I anticipated this issue with the dump trailers battery, and figured I would use the power wire from my 7 pin to charge it since the trailer is using the 4 pin. When I picked up the trailer, my 4 pin wasn't working, so I had to plug into the 7 pin using a 7 to 4 adapter. So I couldn't pull power from there to get to the battery. I probably could have taken the time to fix whatever was wrong with the 4 pin but decided to start moving dirt instead. Might have saved myself a lot of grief if I had just done what I planned on originally!
If this had been my trailer, it would have a pair of batteries in it, or if I didn't use it much, have the ability to use a pair of batteries off of something that I use more often. Member "the old Grind" has taught me the value of keeping my batteries plugged into a battery tender or if not near a power source, then using a small solar charger. Tends to keep the batteries topped off and ready to go instead of getting the "click, click, click" sound when you turn the key!
David from jax

 

[WM75Guy]

My 2 Big Tex trailers that came from the factory with batteries have this Bright Way charger. Hard to see but the small piece is a weatherproof cover so the charger can be mounted inside the tongue toolbox with the plug on the outside. I just plug an extension cord into it the night before I use my trailer. It is 30-45 minutes each way to where I buy material so I haven't had any issues with a dead battery, yet. Having a hydraulic ram on the front doesn't seem to put as much strain on the motor and battery as the scissor lift I had on my previous trailer.

Onboard Battery Charger w/ Status Indicator 12 volt 5amp/hr | Fayette Trailers LLC | Bright Way Group | 5211 | 5214

 

[Hay Dude]

I always thought if buying a dump trailer, opt for a dual battery set-up, if it is offered as an option along with a solar charger and a plug in batter minder like WM 75 mentioned.

 

[Jason05216]

Is it better to have a hydraulic ram or a scissor lift. I saw that someone mentioned not being able to lift the bed to dump with a full payload. Is that a common problem?

 

[Jason05216]

My truck is the variant with the 11,000 GVWR and 19900lb towing rating.

 

[4570Man]

Is it better to have a hydraulic ram or a scissor lift. I saw that someone mentioned not being able to lift the bed to dump with a full payload. Is that a common problem?

I have 3 trailers 2 with a telescoping hoist and one has a scissor hoist. The scissor hoist will dump its rated payload. It probably will dump at least a ton over rated payload. But I have overloaded it and it failed to dump. The telescope hoist always dump.

 

[WM75Guy]

I vote for the hydraulic ram at the front. My first dump trailer was a 14' Big Tex 14GX with a scissor lift. Listed allowable payload was 11,250 lbs. Topsoil weights 2,000 - 2,200 lbs depending on wetness. It wouldn't lift 6 yards of topsoil without having to shovel some out of the front. And yes, it was overloaded a little. My 14' Big Tex 14TD has a 12 ton 3-stage hydraulic ram at the front. Lifted 6 yards without an issue.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Is it better to have a hydraulic ram or a scissor lift. I saw that someone mentioned not being able to lift the bed to dump with a full payload. Is that a common problem?

Depending on the material and if front loaded heavy it is a common problem... Heavy material like 2'' minus you really have to watch to not put too much and well distribute the load... Sand is pretty much never a problem but it can be if you overload the front.

 

[Jason05216]

I vote for the hydraulic ram at the front. My first dump trailer was a 14' Big Tex 14GX with a scissor lift. Listed allowable payload was 11,250 lbs. Topsoil weights 2,000 - 2,200 lbs depending on wetness. It wouldn't lift 6 yards of topsoil without having to shovel some out of the front. And yes, it was overloaded a little. My 14' Big Tex 14TD has a 12 ton 3-stage hydraulic ram at the front. Lifted 6 yards without an issue.
View attachment 4327441View attachment 4327440

There's a Big Tex dealer near me. Any issues with your trailer? Anything you wish you had? Would you buy it again?

 

[Hay Dude]

I had a Big Tex 25,000LB GN for about 5 years, but it was a flatbed (not dump). Served me well, but needed a heavier-duty trailer.

I’m pretty surprised how these trailer manufacturers will make a 38,500lb GN tandem axle flatbed, but I’ve only found one company who offers even a measly 25,000lb GVWR GN dump trailer.

It’s like they’re scared to make a dump trailer that hauls anything close to 10 ton.

 

[WM75Guy]

There's a Big Tex dealer near me. Any issues with your trailer? Anything you wish you had? Would you buy it again?

I currently have 4 Big Tex trailers, only brand of utility trailer that I buy. Had 3 more that I traded in over the years that I outgrew and traded in on new trailers. All the trailers have held up well. I have a great dealer in Triple M Trailers and we are close to the Big Tex manufacturing sites, so parts are readily available. No major issues, only warranty issue was they forgot the put hooks on the back of my 14TD dump trailer to hold the tarp bar in place when it was built. Dealer took care of that.

Only modifications after the purchase that I have had done was to put a winch and battery, 2 stake pockets at the front, and rear jacks on my 70PI utility trailer. I have d-rings in all the stake pockets to clip in chains and straps when securing the loads. Made quick work of securing the shavings with my cargo net that I hauled yesterday.

I recommend going with G rated tires on a dump trailer. Mine are the Hartland in house brand from Discount tire. I have TPMS on all my trailers that hook up with my GMC 3500HD. I did have to buy 4 new rims to fit a TPMS stem as the stock Big Tex rims have a larger valve stem hole.

 

[WM75Guy]

I had a Big Tex 25,000LB GN for about 5 years, but it was a flatbed (not dump). Served me well, but needed a heavier-duty trailer.

I’m pretty surprised how these trailer manufacturers will make a 38,500lb GN tandem axle flatbed, but I’ve only found one company who offers even a measly 25,000lb GVWR GN dump trailer.

It’s like they’re scared to make a dump trailer that hauls anything close to 10 ton.

I would guess that would be a small market. For that much weight most would use a pintle hitch pup trailer behind a dump truck. Could you do that with your dump truck?

 

[Jason05216]

Anyone have any experience with Texas Pride trailers? They have a dealer reasonably close to me.

I currently have 4 Big Tex trailers, only brand of utility trailer that I buy. Had 3 more that I traded in over the years that I outgrew and traded in on new trailers. All the trailers have held up well. I have a great dealer in Triple M Trailers and we are close to the Big Tex manufacturing sites, so parts are readily available. No major issues, only warranty issue was they forgot the put hooks on the back of my 14TD dump trailer to hold the tarp bar in place when it was built. Dealer took care of that.

Only modifications after the purchase that I have had done was to put a winch and battery, 2 stake pockets at the front, and rear jacks on my 70PI utility trailer. I have d-rings in all the stake pockets to clip in chains and straps when securing the loads. Made quick work of securing the shavings with my cargo net that I hauled yesterday.

I recommend going with G rated tires on a dump trailer. Mine are the Hartland in house brand from Discount tire. I have TPMS on all my trailers that hook up with my GMC 3500HD. I did have to buy 4 new rims to fit a TPMS stem as the stock Big Tex rims have a larger valve stem hole.

View attachment 4327455

Does the rear spreader gate work well? I saw a couple of videos of the rear doors failing when trying to use the spreader gate, not sure the trailer brand on the videos.