Off road dump trailer options

[Piston]

I'm looking for a "smallish" (that's a word right?!?) trailer to tow behind my 45hp tractor. I'll only be using it in the woods but I suppose if I had it registered I'd possibly use it to pick up a yard or two of mulch once a year, but roadworthy isn't important to me.

What are the better quality dump trailer options out there? I want something narrower than my tractor so a max of about 5' wide and the shorter the better, I'd say MAX of about 10-12' total length (including tongue). I want max maneuverability out of it.

I need to be able to dump it by hooking up directly to the tractor hydraulics, I don't want a battery powered dump because most dumping will be short runs and not much time to recharge the battery.

Please let me know what you have and what you do and don't like about it. Also, for sense of scale, I'd love to see some pics of a trailer and tractor so feel free to post them.

If there is a me gathered on this already point me in the right direction.

 

[andy1981]

there are a few companies that make nice ones with walking beam axle that are offroad only, but they are pricey. Look at John bm manufacturing, pronovost, and artsway which bought out agrotrend. Also king kutter makes smaller ones and I think rural king has a few on thier website. I think the pronovost has fold down or removable sides, and also has a 3 way dump option

 

[bigtiller]

It sounds like a barge wagon would be just the ticket for you. Watch Craigs List for one. They come up all the time in the bred basket of america but maybe not so often in central MA.

 

[Rustyiron]

Berkelmans Welding Hydraulic Farm Dump Trailers and Manure Haulers

These guy's go down to 6' long x 5' wide 9 (box) 2 ton cap.

 

[Al 2]

Not very much experience here at all but I think a 2 wheeled trailer is much better for rough terrain. With a tandem axle, when turning one set of wheels will be forced to slide sideways and possibly peel a tire off the rim. If others have a different view, please post.
Al

 

[RickB]

Not very much experience here at all but I think a 2 wheeled trailer is much better for rough terrain. With a tandem axle, when turning one set of wheels will be forced to slide sideways and possibly peel a tire off the rim. If others have a different view, please post.
Al

Running a tire off the bead is usually accomplished by those who never check tire pressure. You are not gonna run a properly inflated tire off the rim. Walking beam axles are the bees knees.

 

[Piston]

Berkelmans Welding Hydraulic Farm Dump Trailers and Manure Haulers

These guy's go down to 6' long x 5' wide 9 (box) 2 ton cap.

That 2 ton model looks perfect! Exactly what I'm looking for. I emailed them with some questions and an idea for price. Thanks for the link.

I also really like the Pronovost trailers mentioned as well. The smaller ones that I'm interested in don't appear to have the 3 way dump. The "503" and "504" models are also right in the size range I'm looking for. I knew they made good quality snow lowers but I forgot that they made trailers as well. (Actually not sure I ever knew that)

I'd love to see some photos of any of head tractors and trailer combos!

Does anyone have any experience with the style that dumps using the tractors hydraulics? I would assume it would dump quicker and more powerful than the standard battery style dumps????

 

[leonz]

Hello Piston,

The trailer is going to dump only as fast as your hydraulic system
will let it as the weight of the cargo and the weight of the dump box
is what you are dealing with as resistance

Most of them are single acting cylinders/my MAXIM single axle
trailer is a two ton dumper is five feet by seven feet with a 1 5/8" ball receiver.
It takes about 10 second to the fully raised position to dump a load of whatever
you are hauling.

It has 70 cubic feet of capacity without the side boards in the stake pockets.
I used it to bring home 33 full cords of firewood from my fathers cleared
housing lot that had 2nd growth hardwood weed trees in it.

I installed tie downs in the dump trailer with the help of a close friend several years ago
and I am glad I did as it saves me $70.00 for every time I need to take the current mule
to the JD Veterinarian and it will fit a JD series 1 with a loader and a Pronovost rear mount
snow blower when and if I am able to buy them.

I would not hesitate to tell you to buy a road legal end dump as the deep cycle batteries
work very well. I replaced my first battery this past fall after 5 years of intermittent use-
being semi annual dump runs with coal and wood ashes and garbage, scrap hauling,
mule transport to JD Vet for a new drive belt and lube, oil and filter job and other reasons/trips.

My road legal end dump has tires with G rating if I remember correctly.

 

[RickB]

I have a Pronovost, a 512 I think. Taking a road legal trailer in the woods behind a tractor is a fools errand. it won't be road legal when it comes back out. Offroad trailers have more ground clearance and less wires and lights. Marine batteries and electric over hydraulic units are a waste of money and unreliable if you have a tractor with a rear remote valve, providing the tractor is big enough to pull and stop the trailer to begin with. I say unreliable because if the battery goes dead, you do not dump the load.

 

[Piston]

Thanks for the additional replies. I like the heavy build quality of the off road versions can what I've seen on the road, although I've never seen a true off road version in person.

I did get a reply back (very quickly I might add) from Berkelman welding regarding the 2ton dump. It's 5'x6' and weighs 700lbs. The delivered price was $3200 from Canada, seems pretty reasonable compared to what I was expecting.

I'm going to look at the cost of a pronovost as well. I wish they offered the 3 way dump in a smaller version, seems handy.

The main reasons I want to stay away from a battery operated dump, are I will leave it for months on end without touching the trailer, through the cold winters, and most all my use will be very short runs, maybe 200 yards or so I'm just guessing, but I won't ever give the battery a chance to recover with long idle times between dumping. Also, it's just one more "system" that can have issues. I want to keep it simple, but rugged.

 

[Piston]

Here was the info on the 2ton.

 

[RickB]

Pic doesn't show much but it looks OK. If they can build big. Ones as pictured in the banner strip on top they probably can make a 700 lb version hold together. Agree fully with your thoughts on elec/hyd for your situation :thumbdown::thumbdown:

 

[number9L]

This is JUST what I need. I've been looking for a 1-ton pickup dump truck for a while and you can't touch a decent one for under $5+K around here. A dump truck would be nice, but then that's another vehicle to maintain and insure.

That little 2-ton trailer looks like the ticket. Where was that "delivered" price delivered to? The US?

...

 

[Piston]

That was for Delivery to MA. I asked them if they have an 8' long model of the same trailer and M waiting to here back about it. I think I'll stick with the smaller one but interested in the price difference.
I also have an email out to Pronovost regarding they're smaller trailers. I believe they sell through dealers so if there is one nearby it could possibly save on some shipping costs.

 

[newbury]

Following with interest because I also feel the need for an off-road trailer.

With only a 2 ton capacity and two wheels how much advantage does one get with hydraulic dumping versus the extra cost?

I've mainly been following surplus military trailers such as:

which sold for $575 in Devens, Massachusetts April 6th, 2016 Surplus US ARMY Tank Automotive Command M105A2 Cargo Trailer in Devens, Massachusetts, United States (GovPlanet Item #79861)

I was figuring I could "dump" it by lifting the tongue with the FEL with an appropriate hitch on the FEL (probably a pintle).

 

[number9L]

I've got several milsurp trailers.

That's an M105-A2: VERY large and has air brakes (i.e. No brakes behind a tractor). They are HEAVY DUTY, have a landing gear that can handle the trailer loaded to the max and have parking brakes. Google Images for pics of them behind vehicles, dwarfs my wife's Yukon. IMO, $500 is WAY too much, I've had 4 of them in fresh rebuild condition and paid $250-300 ea for them.

An M105-A3 was the last gen of the 105's. They are nicer and have surge brakes which are really nice, as well as parking brakes. They do have a cheap and flimsy landing gear that needs used with caution.

An M101-A2 / A3 (often listed under the M116 chassis designation) is proper size for use behind a vehicle and has surge brakes, parking brakes and 8-lug wheels which are very common. The A1 version has no brakes.

If you are just using on flat ground, the 105 may be ok, but unless you have a BIG tractor its gonna be nose diving. On hills, I would not want one loaded down pushing my tractor.

IMO, the 101-A2 /A3 is just right behind normal cuts or farm tractors. They're like about like pulling a pickup truck bed behind you.

You will see people claim they are "dump able" but in fact they were not designed to dump, but to be easily replaceable sections in the field, so I've read. People do leverage the design of the trailer and dump with them.

...

 

[crazyal]

If you get one I would love to know how well it works for you. Everything I've bought I've either had to beef up or it didn't really fit my needs (the model you are looking at has sides that are almost 3 1/2" feet high, that would be a lot of work loading firewood into it). My current small trailer is one I made but it doesn't dump and it's a little too small for my side by side/ tractor. Because I use it for firewood the high sided trailers are kind of not an option (plus they are easier to tip in the woods) but neither is low ground clearance. As for lights and wiring, I've always made heavy steel protections for them. I find the round lights fit inside a piece of heavy wall pipe nicely with expanded steel to protect the lens. I don't really have the time to make a new trailer but it's probably what I will do unless I see something that fits my needs and looks built to take abuse.

 

[bcp]

You will see people claim they are "dump able" but in fact they were not designed to dump, but to be easily replaceable sections in the field, so I've read. People do leverage the design of the trailer and dump with them.

...

The M101 tongue is made to fold up for shipping.

build-yourself/359396-winch-dump-tr...396-winch-dump-trailer-build-post4480487.html

Bruce

 

[Piston]

The military trailer is a good idea as well, and I had thought about that in the past. Unfortunately, the last thing I need right now is another project.

 

[newbury]

<SNIP>

An M105-A3 was the last gen of the 105's. They are nicer and have surge brakes which are really nice, as well as parking brakes. They do have a cheap and flimsy landing gear that needs used with caution.

An M101-A2 / A3 (often listed under the M116 chassis designation) is proper size for use behind a vehicle and has surge brakes, parking brakes and 8-lug wheels which are very common. The A1 version has no brakes.

If you are just using on flat ground, the 105 may be ok, but unless you have a BIG tractor its gonna be nose diving. On hills, I would not want one loaded down pushing my tractor.
<SNIP>

The 105 is listed as having a capacity of 3,000 lbs. The 101 only about half that (based on the TM's I downloaded from Steel Soldier). The 105 has a cargo body 108" long, the 101A3 only 8" less at 100".

The FEL on my M4700 carries up to 2,000 lbs, what's a BIG tractor?