hockeyhead
Gold Member
I agree with bigtiller we are talking 2 yards, shovel it in the bucket, have it delivered, or come up with a dump trailer,
Using FEL to dump trailer?
- Thread starter npaden
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Your trailer looks like the axles are mounted fairly close to the back. This create a smaller increase in force on the tongue if the wheels come off the ground than if they were farther forward. (That is a good thing /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) Also seems like you got a support bar running diagonal to the front center of the frame which would decrease the chances of your tongue bending during lift.
Other options:
If you some sort of incline somewhere, put the trailer on it (rear would be downhill) and chock the wheels. You wont have to lift as high to get the dirt out. Maybe could keep it on the wheels this way
I see you have a scraper, maybe you could use this to pull some of the dirt off and lighten the load before dumping. (Or take it all off) Not sure how much weight your trailer can hold, so careful with how much down pressure you use with that or the FEL if you choose that route.
Watch your fenders!
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Good luck
Other options:
If you some sort of incline somewhere, put the trailer on it (rear would be downhill) and chock the wheels. You wont have to lift as high to get the dirt out. Maybe could keep it on the wheels this way
I see you have a scraper, maybe you could use this to pull some of the dirt off and lighten the load before dumping. (Or take it all off) Not sure how much weight your trailer can hold, so careful with how much down pressure you use with that or the FEL if you choose that route.
Watch your fenders!
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Good luck
tlbuser
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( I am going to get 2 yards of pea gravel to put in my pond.
Nathan )</font>
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Try it with dirt at home first. Tongue weight should be 10% of the total so two tons of rock (including the trailer weight) )</font>
Big difference between the two:
2 tons = 4,000 lbs.
2 yards = ~ 5200 lbs.
Nathan )</font>
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Try it with dirt at home first. Tongue weight should be 10% of the total so two tons of rock (including the trailer weight) )</font>
Big difference between the two:
2 tons = 4,000 lbs.
2 yards = ~ 5200 lbs.
daTeacha
Veteran Member
The weight will vary a lot depending on the rock of which the pea gravel is made. I can easily carry a level bucket of crushed limestone with just a back blade in place on the rear, but 2/3 a bucket or less of igneous stuff with 900 lb on the rear is a little toward the spooky side.
Have you ever seen those roll up tarps for unloading pickups? They cost about $25. Think of heavy duty window shade with a crank on it. You stretch the tarp on the bed, put your load on it, and then wind up the tarp to unload. They're not big enough for the trailer bed, but the idea might be.
Put a heavy tarp or maybe some connected sheets of OSB or something on the bed. Attach chains or similar to the back end. Have some lengths of rope or small diameter dowel across the bed under the boards. Attach the chains to the tractor or a tree, and then pull the trailer out from under load or pull the load off the trailer. That should get most of it off easily.
Of course, you could always have it delivered for a lot less hassle, but that wouldn't be any fun to talk about. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Have you ever seen those roll up tarps for unloading pickups? They cost about $25. Think of heavy duty window shade with a crank on it. You stretch the tarp on the bed, put your load on it, and then wind up the tarp to unload. They're not big enough for the trailer bed, but the idea might be.
Put a heavy tarp or maybe some connected sheets of OSB or something on the bed. Attach chains or similar to the back end. Have some lengths of rope or small diameter dowel across the bed under the boards. Attach the chains to the tractor or a tree, and then pull the trailer out from under load or pull the load off the trailer. That should get most of it off easily.
Of course, you could always have it delivered for a lot less hassle, but that wouldn't be any fun to talk about. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
<font color="blue">Of course, you could always have it delivered for a lot less hassle, but that wouldn't be any fun to talk about.</font>
Exactly! I actually have a guy that lives down the road from me with a 8 yard dump truck that would probably deliver it for $20 but where's the fun in that?
Exactly! I actually have a guy that lives down the road from me with a 8 yard dump truck that would probably deliver it for $20 but where's the fun in that?
Well I called the guy up with the dump truck and he wanted $50 to haul the rock for me. Kind of odd because this is the same guy that sold me fill dirt that he had to load and haul about the same distance for $60 for an 8yd load. He wouldn't have to load the rock and I would be paying for the material apart from the hauling. The gravel only costs $25.
Looks like I'll probably be doing the trailer thing.
Looks like I'll probably be doing the trailer thing.
_M_
Member
<font color="blue"> (The only caveat I can think of with this senario is the possibility that as you raise the loader, the ball won't pivot properly as you get higher. You may get a binding before the trailer is high enough to dump.) </font>
<font color="black"> I thought of this too, but I intend to dump the bucket as I lift so that the tongue won't have to pivot on the ball. I'll also do this down hill as someone else pointed out. My loads won't be very heavy and the trailer is sturdy and aluminum. Soon we shall see. </font>
<font color="black"> I thought of this too, but I intend to dump the bucket as I lift so that the tongue won't have to pivot on the ball. I'll also do this down hill as someone else pointed out. My loads won't be very heavy and the trailer is sturdy and aluminum. Soon we shall see. </font>
It didn't work for me. I tried picking the front of the trailer up with chains and that didn't work at all. I'm not sure how the physics work but I couldn't pick the front of the trailer higher than 3 or 4 feet.
I put the bucket under the tongue of the trailer and that worked better but I still couldn't get the front of the trailer up high enough to really dump the rocks. It was pretty scary and I was trying it with barely any rocks in there at all. I got all of the trailer wheels off the ground but it still didn't really dump.
I took some pictures. If anyone is interested I'll post them.
I put the bucket under the tongue of the trailer and that worked better but I still couldn't get the front of the trailer up high enough to really dump the rocks. It was pretty scary and I was trying it with barely any rocks in there at all. I got all of the trailer wheels off the ground but it still didn't really dump.
I took some pictures. If anyone is interested I'll post them.
Okay. First picture is where I hooked chain around the tongue of the trailer to pick it up. Something funky was going on because I could BARELY pick it up at all. My rear tires were floating and the trailer was only about 2' high and both sets of tires were still on the ground.
Believe it or not, this is the highest that I could lift it this way:
I barely had any gravel in the trailer so I figured what the heck and tried to just pick it up with the bucket under the very end of the hitch. This worked amazinly better but still not good enough. If there had been a real load of gravel in there I'm not sure I could have picked it up much farther than the chain picture.
Here it is with the bucket under the tongue. Both sets of tires are off the ground.
That looks impressive from that angle but with a 16' trailer it really wasn't enough of an angle to dump the gravel. Here is another view of it at the same height.
I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and pay $50 to get a load of gravel delivered to me. It was a pain in the butt shoveling that tiny bit out by hand and I'll have pea gravel stuck in my trailer for the next several years.
I would rate this as a failure.
FWIW, Nathan
Believe it or not, this is the highest that I could lift it this way:
I barely had any gravel in the trailer so I figured what the heck and tried to just pick it up with the bucket under the very end of the hitch. This worked amazinly better but still not good enough. If there had been a real load of gravel in there I'm not sure I could have picked it up much farther than the chain picture.
Here it is with the bucket under the tongue. Both sets of tires are off the ground.
That looks impressive from that angle but with a 16' trailer it really wasn't enough of an angle to dump the gravel. Here is another view of it at the same height.
I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and pay $50 to get a load of gravel delivered to me. It was a pain in the butt shoveling that tiny bit out by hand and I'll have pea gravel stuck in my trailer for the next several years.
I would rate this as a failure.
FWIW, Nathan
3RRL
Super Member
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OK last attemp here...don't laugh too hard.
Have you tried backing up real fast and then slamming on the brakes yet? How stong is your hitch?
Another thing to try is take off your side boards and drive real fast in a tight circle?
I know... crazy but tilting it didn't work...?? Maybe? LOL...
Have you tried backing up real fast and then slamming on the brakes yet? How stong is your hitch?
Another thing to try is take off your side boards and drive real fast in a tight circle?
I know... crazy but tilting it didn't work...?? Maybe? LOL...
It's pretty much as I first posted, the rear of the trailer hits way too soon to be able to get much of an angle on the dump.
It's a rather precarious and possibly dangerous way to do it with a full load on board as well.
Let me suggest that you get a good, strong tarpauline that has eyelets on the ends, fashion a system of hooks that will end up with a place that you can hook a chain from your tractor that will evenly pull all the hooks at the same time, then load the gravel on the tarpauline and pull it off when you get to the dump site.
You can either leave the trailer hooked to the tow vehicle, or you can chock the tires well and raise the front end of the trailer onto something to get more angle first, then pull off the load.
This has worked well for me in the past. I used clothes line wire threaded through the eyelets and a chain that met at the middle of that.
John
It's a rather precarious and possibly dangerous way to do it with a full load on board as well.
Let me suggest that you get a good, strong tarpauline that has eyelets on the ends, fashion a system of hooks that will end up with a place that you can hook a chain from your tractor that will evenly pull all the hooks at the same time, then load the gravel on the tarpauline and pull it off when you get to the dump site.
You can either leave the trailer hooked to the tow vehicle, or you can chock the tires well and raise the front end of the trailer onto something to get more angle first, then pull off the load.
This has worked well for me in the past. I used clothes line wire threaded through the eyelets and a chain that met at the middle of that.
John
WVBill
Veteran Member
You might want to consider a Load Handler . I got one for my pickup truck and was able to easily off-load over 1600 lbs of gravel. I'm sure you could figure out how to attach it to the back of your trailer instead of the tailgate. The sliding piece on my Load Handler is at least 12' long.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You might want to consider a Load Handler )</font>
Exactly. This is the same principal as what I said above. I like this load handler thing. It sure looks as though it would work just fine adapted to a trailer.
The only thing is, unless npaden is going to be getting loads and loads, he's going to pay more than having it brought in to get one of these. Although I could see a future for one myself.
John
Exactly. This is the same principal as what I said above. I like this load handler thing. It sure looks as though it would work just fine adapted to a trailer.
The only thing is, unless npaden is going to be getting loads and loads, he's going to pay more than having it brought in to get one of these. Although I could see a future for one myself.
John
Nathan, I just looked at your home page and just about freaked when I saw your log home. It looks almost exactly like my cousin's in Louisiana. The inside walls are similar looking, but much of the inside is different. Very beautiful home.
Even the chimney is in the same place and it has the same placement of dormers . I wonder if it came from the same company, which I don't know anyway.
John
Even the chimney is in the same place and it has the same placement of dormers . I wonder if it came from the same company, which I don't know anyway.
John
Thanks. It is from Brentwood log homes. It is the "Lakeside" model except we changed around a bunch of the downstairs interior walls and added a 2 story garage on the end. Here is a link to the floorplan - http://www.brentwoodloghomes.com/lakeside.htm
Harborfreight has a 3,000lb version of the Cargo LoadHandler for $109.99 and I have a 10% off coupon from them so that would get it to right around $100. If it really works good I could justify spending the extra $50 to get something I could use down the road. It lists the dimensions at 52"W X 15'L so it would get the bulk of the gravel unloaded. I could scoop a few buckets off the trailer to start if it was to heavy. I think I'll go ahead and try that.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91872
Thanks for the input.
Harborfreight has a 3,000lb version of the Cargo LoadHandler for $109.99 and I have a 10% off coupon from them so that would get it to right around $100. If it really works good I could justify spending the extra $50 to get something I could use down the road. It lists the dimensions at 52"W X 15'L so it would get the bulk of the gravel unloaded. I could scoop a few buckets off the trailer to start if it was to heavy. I think I'll go ahead and try that.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91872
Thanks for the input.
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( I think I'll go ahead and try that. )</font>
I'd try to determine in the store whether it can be adapted to your trailer. There may be a little work in getting it hooked on. I'll have to go over to HF and see one.
Keep us up on how it goes, okay? Also, thanks for the plans. I'm going to call my cousin and see if he has his. He bought it from the first owner, and may not have them.
John
BTW, my cousin's has a garage on the end where yours is as well. They sure are nice homes.
I'd try to determine in the store whether it can be adapted to your trailer. There may be a little work in getting it hooked on. I'll have to go over to HF and see one.
Keep us up on how it goes, okay? Also, thanks for the plans. I'm going to call my cousin and see if he has his. He bought it from the first owner, and may not have them.
John
BTW, my cousin's has a garage on the end where yours is as well. They sure are nice homes.
I checked out the loadhandler's website and they had a link to some pictures of a guy who has it on a flatbed trailer. It's a smaller trailer but it looks like it should work. My only worry is that it looks like the crank needs to be off to the side a bit so I might not be able to center the tarp on the trailer but I did some math and I think I should be able to get it within a couple inches from center.
I have some caliche that I want to add to my road, and have been thinking about buying or building a dump trailer but didn't think I would use it enough to justify it, so this might be a good option.
More pictures here - http://www.firechat.com/loadhandler
I have some caliche that I want to add to my road, and have been thinking about buying or building a dump trailer but didn't think I would use it enough to justify it, so this might be a good option.
More pictures here - http://www.firechat.com/loadhandler
Nathan, I'm glad you started this, as it appears we've both possibly found a way to make things easier thanks to WVBill, who has had good ideas before.
If I put one of these on my trailer, it will be easier than doing it the way I posted earlier. It's not always easy to get the tarps hooked just right to pull off the trailer, and this way, the tarp won't still be covered on the ground as in my method.
John
If I put one of these on my trailer, it will be easier than doing it the way I posted earlier. It's not always easy to get the tarps hooked just right to pull off the trailer, and this way, the tarp won't still be covered on the ground as in my method.
John
Here are some similar links:
