Want to buy a dump trailer, kinda torn here.

[TBarD]

I have both a PJ 16'x16K gooseneck dump trailer, and a IB 14'x14K bumper pull dump. The GN is the way to go for heavy hauling. The bumper pull is more convenient for lighter loads like brush. I also have the B&W turnover hitch with 5th wheel adapter.

One thing - with a non-dually truck towing heavy it is easy to overload the rear axle. This can overload and damage the rear tires leading to a blow out, which may not happen until quite some time later - very dangerous (this happened to me, could easily have been killed). I upgraded my truck with 19.5" wheels and commercial tires, load range G or H (standard light truck tires are load range E). This setup is rated 5K per wheel and tire, so can handle a 10K load on the rear axle. On my Dodge Ram the rear axle itself is rated 11K.

 

[joe48]

It's super easy to not realize that your overloaded to the point that your lift will not work. This was about 2/3 full and we had to unload a lot by hand to get it to lift. This was the second load with fully charged dual battery on a 14K gross. Typically you can overload by a ton or two and still lift.... I'm guessing I must have had 18,000+ with trailer and load. It happens easier than you think. I cut loading this short to make sure it would dump. I was wrong. About half full arms to be more safe when your dealing with heavy material. If it's mulch you can fill it full.... dirt, concrete and asphalt will humble you real quick.

with dump trailers you need to match the type of hoist to the way you're going to use it. If just general utility work and only occasional gravel hauling then save some money and buy a twin cylinder under bed hoist. If you're going to haul heavy gravel and sand etc then buy a scissor hoist. A friend of mine has two dumps one of each type and I had explained this to him but he forgot. He was hauling asphalt millings and put about 5 yds on each trailer, the scissor lift didn't even grunt to dump! The cylinder lift I had to build a ramp to get in the back with the loader and empty it out. LESSON LEARNED!

 

[Alabastershame]

Gooseneck for me:

They are so much more agile

They are easier for the truck to handle heavy loads.

When people want to borrow you can ask, do you have a goose neck hook up?

 

[Jackstack76]

I ready page 1 and page 11 - don't have enough time, but I'll chime on a few things here

1. I bought a 14' back in 2013 - opted for gooseneck even though I hesitated on losing the bed of the truck (I've missed it a few times when getting a load of material and going somewhere, but I get by). After towing big loads, NEVER regretted the gooseneck and wouldn't even want a bumper on those. Ironically, as I started typing this in, a lifted f250 went by with a bumper pull dump trailer on our quiet gravel road... squatting
2. It is just for my private use - at 14k rating plus the truck, I've been over 26k a few times when I got overloaded at the gravel pit. Asked a friend on the state patrol about the commercial regs - as long as its private use, it isn't an issue (note that the 17k above is for interstate commerce - probably not going between states and you aren't commercial). I think there is something at the over 14k load limit that takes you into commercial limits for insurance with your trailer and that is why they are always rated at 14k
3. 14' all the way - for resale and space - not everything you get will be dense material. Yes, its easy to overload. I've had to do manual unloading first multiple times... I'm a slow learner
4. For equipment, if you have a flatbed option, go for it. The deck over on these makes it really high for equipment. I've hauled 8k mini-excavators (one I owned and now I just rent when I need it). It works, but it is sketchy loading and I never feel good about the high center of gravity

If you do gooseneck, I love my B&W turnover - gets out of the way for using the truck and I have the 5th wheel adapter which is a tank (and weighs as much). Same friend on the state patrol saw an accident where someone ran a stop sign and got t-boned by a truck pulling a fifth wheel with the B&W and the truck was accordianed... the hitch was fine. Emergency times like that is another time I wouldn't want a bumper pull.

Good info thank you, I’m for sure gonna stick with the gooseneck.

 

[wamendt]

14 foot Moritz gooseneck owner. I’ve hauled 6 tons of gravel, 5 tons of manure, skid steer, mini excavator. Never a problem, ramps are handy and aluminum. The best thing about the gooseneck is the turning radius. You can get in and out of a lot of places that you would never be able to with a bumper pull. My three-quarter ton diesel ram pulls it with ease, really don’t even know it’s there, even loaded.

 

[mcmxi]

I don't have anywhere near the experience of many here when it comes to trailers but I do pull a 16' PJ dump trailer with my '02 F250 7.3L and so far have no issues to report. I haul a full load (~7,500 lb) of firewood off a Titan Class V frame mounted hitch and B&W triple ball "tow and stow" without any trouble. I also have a 22' MIDSOTA NOVA ET utility trailer but have only pulled it empty from the dealer to the house! If my truck didn't have a Snug Top camper shell and Decked drawer system I would have opted for a goose neck version of both trailers. However, as another member pointed out, I can and have moved the trailers with the MX so that's a plus. I need to look into utilizing the electric brakes on the trailers when pulling behind the MX but not sure if that's an option. I plan on upgrading the rear springs this year and will eventually do a lot more to the truck.

Clearly a goose neck is the best way to tow a big trailer, but for many of us it simply isn't a realistic or practical option.

 

[Rosher18]

I have a 5x10 dump that I tow behind my '19 F150 3.5L EcoBoost (13,000 lb towing with brakes). GAWR is 5k lbs, and that's pushing the trailer's tires more than anything. It's a single axle bumper pull, and I kind of wish they made a dual axle bumper pull. I think the dual would have better weight distribution.

Might be getting air bags for the F150 to help with leveling.

We also have a '95 F250 5.0L that had airbags from the previous owner. That thing did great pulling it anywhere!

 

[Noelie84]

Wanting to buy a dump trailer, I’ve wanted one for a while as it would be handy. My buddies and I could have used one many times for various things. I’m also humoring some sort of side hustle if I get one. I have a newer 3/4 ton Silverado gas truck with the 6.0 and 4:10’s out back. If I buy one I’m just going to go for one in the 14k trim.

I see a lot of guys pulling these things and nine times out of ten they’re a bumper pull. Toss a skid steer in one and unless you’ve got a one ton Dually I see a lot of these trucks with the front end reaching for the moon. Obviously they cold have loaded it a little tongue heavy ect.

I don’t have a skid steer but that’s another purchase down the road. That said I do have a 20 foot bumper pull electric tilt speedloader in 10k trim so that’s probably more ideal for hauling/loading/unloading a skid steer.

What I’m torn on is if I should go 12 or 14 foot. Should I go for the gooseneck? I’ve never pulled a gooseneck before, I get the obvious pros and cons to one. With my truck now it’s rated for 14k which I think is a stretch for it being a gas truck. Just seems if you loaded a 14k dump trailer to the max with a bumper pull that might get sketchy especially with such a short trailer.

Price wise I’m another 675$ to go gooseneck, drop in the bucket compared to the price of the trailer already. If a guy could have both bumper pull and a gooseneck that would be great but that’s not a option for now. I should also add I don’t have a gooseneck hitch in my truck so I’ll be out another 600$ or so for that.

Just need some guidance thanks in advance!

I have a Suretrac 12 foot 14k bumper pull and don't have any issues with sag or sway. I'm hauling it with a '15 Ram 2500, no suspension or tire upgrades. If you're looking to haul equipment and maneuvering room isn't an issue, go with the 14 footer. That way you've got a little more room to adjust where it rides, so you can balance your load better and control your tongue weight.
A goose neck will give you a little more flexibility with how you position the load, but if you're not working in tight quarters then the longer trailer would still be better. The downside is that it can't lift to quite so high of an angle for dumping, but the difference is pretty negligible.

Edit- I'm not great at taking pictures while I'm hauling, so I've only got these 2 of firewood in my trailer, and then 2 with it maxed out with a 16 foot rental from before I bought my 12 footer

Green Oak:

Wet topsoil.

not a lot of squatting going on. You just have to distribute the load correctly, to maintain the proper tongue weight.

 

[metro60]

I have owned dozen of trailers over the years. Bumper pull trailers are a lot easier to hook and unhook but that is about the only advantage they have over a gooseneck. I have a 7x14 14k Lamar gooseneck dump trailer and really like it. I put my skid steer in it once (way overloaded) for a five mile trip and it worked fine. If you are going with a 14k trailer I would strongly recommend a gooseneck. Heavy bumper pull loads behind light trucks are scary.

As to length I really like the 14’ but definitely wouldn’t get longer. a few years back I had a 16’ dump and it was far to easy to overload it to the point it wouldn’t lift. The 12’s seem too small to fit various things in and the 14’s seem just about perfect. I haven’t used the dump feature or hauled any dirt/gravel with mine in about six months but I have used it a ton hauling other things. Last week I used it to pick up a grain drill 300 miles away, the week before that I hauled two tons of deer corn to the ranch, I haul my UTV in it a lot, I have even stuffed a army truck in the bed once.

i agree 14" is just the right size i pull it with a 250 and installed air cushions to help with the weight and it works great even when i way overload my 14k dumper main question also should be do you want in between the wheels or over

 

[Acre Garden]

Why I bought a 12ft bumper pull.

• Vehicle tow capacity minus weight of trailer = legal/safe load you can put into the trailer.
• I can fill a 12-foot trailer with more material then I could have a 14ft trailer because of the added weight of the 14ft trailer. This is the safety aspect of my reasoning.
• I do not have a GN. I do now but I have not installed it and I already purchased the 80”x12ft bumper pull.

Towing capacity 2011 Tundra 10,000LB

3570LB 83” x 12’ 12,000 capacity, available capacity minus trailer weight 8,430 (approximately 3 yrds of material)

4200LB 83” x 14’ 14,000 capacity, available capacity minus trailer weight 9,800, But vehicle capacity minus trailer weight = 5800lb available capacity.

Comparison BigTex 12XL and 14XL-14.