Tractor-Towable LARGE Dump Trailer

RoyJackson · Apr 30, 2002

Have you checked out
www.easternfarmmachinery.com they sell dump trailers from 1 1/2 to 20 tons.

Here's the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.easternfarmmachinery.com/scripts/catalog.pl?F=S&K=Trailer&SC=Y&ST=Y&X=500&V=Brief&ID=04301427446478103207>link to that site</A>.
That link goes directly to the trailers, BTW...

Anonymous Poster · Apr 30, 2002

After reading through these replys I feel lucky I bought my dump trailer here in the mid-west. The prices I read are high compared to what I paid to the manufacturer in Tenn about 6 years ago $2950...+ tax. 6x10x2 with two 3500Lb axils. I use the trailer with a 3/4 ton Chevy 350 auto 4x4---I may be conservative but about 5500lbs is all I feel comfortable with behind the truck. The truck is rated at 8600lbs gvw. I don't pea on any it's just what I bought at the time. The trailer has a 12 volt hydralic dump and works very well as long as I remember to charge the battery-----I suppose I could connect it to the alternator with an isolated wire. The trailer always gets a look at the dump, it is handy as a pocket on a shirt. Cartage is not that much and for safety sake cheep, so I always get bulk loads delivered by the pros. Best to youall.

Mainah · May 1, 2002

I've looked at gray market tractors (McConnel and LandTrac) that have a round trailor light connector (I assume a 6-way) mounted on the rear of the tractor which ought to pass current on to the trailer's electric brakes as it does from a pickup. Wonder if Kubota has something similar?

[A soon to be Kubota 3710 owner...this weekend hopefully

]

fractal · May 2, 2002

Uhh, after showing how little I knew about towing on the safety forum, I checked out the DOT web site. I suspect by "not over highway use" they mean "it ain't DOT approved so don't tow it on public roads".

To summarize what you can find at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/39342.htm , any trailer having a GVWR of 3000 pounds or more must have brakes on all wheels if you want to tow it on the street. Any trailer having a GVWR of less than 3000 pounds but MORE than 40% of the GVWR of the towing vehicle must also have brakes on all wheels. Thus, if your tow vehicle weight less than about 7500 pounds and you want to tow a 2999 pound trailer ... you need trailer brakes (and brake lights and reflectors and turn signals and .... the list goes on). Surge brakes haven't been legal for years. I can carry more gravel in the bucket of my 2000 pound kubota than I can legally pull on the road in a reasonable trailer without (electric) brakes.

There are some exceptions made for ag equipment but I suspect you would be hard pressed to prove that the gravel you want is involved in the production of food

Of course we all know that what is legal and what you can get away with are two different things.

MJB · May 2, 2002

The trailer light connector is most likely only for powering the trailer lights. You would still need to have an electric brake controller in order to operate the brakes on the trailer. There may be a spare terminal or two in the light connector to allow you to wire the brake connection through the same connector though. John Deere also has an optional trailer light connector available on at least some of its models. I don't know if Kubota does or not. Hope this helps.

Charlie_Iliff · May 2, 2002

Fractal:
I haven't done any research beyond the url you posted, but note that the regulation quoted is the federal standard for commercial vehicles. State licensing standards vary, and you have to look at those, as well. Maryland's requirements for private vehicles are a pretty close match to what you found, as I recall.
I did not see where you found that surge brakes are not legal. In Maryland, I am advised by a trailer dealer that they will become illegal soon for commercial vehicles, for the reason that the operator can not activate them from the driver's seat. They are available on new trailers, however, and I built a boat trailer a few years ago using them.
Hydraulic surge brakes are perfect for use with a tractor, because they do not require any activator or wire. I doubt many electric activators would work well at tractor speeds. Electric brakes require adjustment of the activator for trailer load and conditions. Surge brakes are self regulating. Their greatest advantage is in downhill turning situations, where they automatically reduce or eliminate potential jacknife loads where electric brakes might not be activated at all.
That being said, of course, surge brakes are not well understood in the industry, or among the regulators, and are fairly rare these days.

Mainah · May 2, 2002

MJB....I think you are right about the spare terminals. I used to frig with those flat, 4-connector trailor hitches brushing the contacts and dowsing them with WD-40 to make them work for my boat and utility trailors. A wise old colleague told me to switch to the round, 6-way connectors about 5 years back. The truck-mounted socket has a weather cover that is spring loaded to stay shut. Since using them I've never had a problem with getting trailor lights to work. With Maine's tough winters that says something.
Anyway, there is a spare terminal in the plug marked, if I remember, for the electric brake. Since I'll be buying an 18' dual axle trailer with the tractor that has electric brakes I'm hoping the dealer will be willing to hook things up on the trailer end for me. Thanks for your input...and I'll be sure to ask the 'bota dealer about the socket for the tractor when I see him tomorrow. Thanks for your input...

rozett · May 2, 2002

yea, the round connector is now the industry standard and is know as the RV connector. Here's a site with the pin-out information. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.marksrv.com/wiring.htm>http://www.marksrv.com/wiring.htm</A>

bgott · May 3, 2002

Surge brakes are installed on every rental trailer that requires brakes. If you don't believe me, stop by a U-Haul lot and take a look.

fractal · May 3, 2002

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Surge brakes are installed on every rental trailer that requires brakes. If you don't believe me, stop by a U-Haul lot and take a look.

<hr></blockquote>

I do believe you. Just that while at the dot site I read http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/393reg.htm which says:
<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

§393.48 Brakes To Be Operative

Question 1: Do surge brakes comply with §393.48?

Guidance: No. Section 393.48 requires that brakes be operable at all times. Generally, surge brakes are only operative when the vehicle is moving in the forward direction and as such do not comply with §393.48 (see question number 1 in §393.49).

<hr></blockquote>

Dunno if United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulatory Guidelines apply to where you live, but here in overregulated california, I am pretty sure they do.