Dump trailer and/or flatbed

[Sandhill Crane]

I've been looking hopelessly for a reasonable dump truck.

When I sold the gmc 5500 12’ flatbed I had a dozen people wanting it if it was a dump. I guess besides dreaming they couldn’t read the add.

Edit: Medium duty trucks are cheap, and there’s a lot of them to choose from. Just need to add a dump or tipping landscape bed.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

ss396driver: Post #7

This is the first I've seen a weight distribution hitch on a dump trailer, which seems good to keep weight on the front steer axle.
Does it restrict tight backing turns?

 

[svk]

Upon thinking further: There is a "truck body" shop about 90 miles from here that everyone seems to be happy with. I am going to give them a call and see how much for a dump box. I can pick up a rust free southern truck during my travels and drive it back north. If I use the truck only for plowing my private road (which does not see salt) and only drive it on the highway in the spring/summer/fall it will last indefinitely stored in my garage. This would be so helpful when hauling wood and I also need to haul many yards of gravel to repair my roads over the next year.

 

[svk]

I would want to look at more brands, but for limited use, this might be the ticket for me.
https://www.saferwholesale.com/Dump...ku=BUY+.+5531000+8FT+STEEL+DUMPER&Click=35179

 

[svk]

Update. Ordered the 8’ Dumper Dogg yesterday.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

My 02’ Chevy 2500 HD has 71k miles but the outside of the box is getting pretty rusty. Since the truck itself has so few miles I though I might remove the box and put on a flatbed with stake sides. Since it’s a single cab with 6.0 it’s relatively light (6100 lbs) So I can sneak into relatively tight spaces with it.

I’d also like to take the plunge and get a dump trailer. 12’ would be sufficient. Also, it could haul an eventual UTV and or ATV in it. I find myself needing to haul gravel and wood often enough that it would pay for itself. Right now I need about $1500 in gravel (delivered price) which I can get for free if I haul myself. Obviously that’s not going to cover the whole trailer but definitely would front a portion of one.

Has anyone converted to a flatbed and not been happy?

Gas engine single cab is 6100lbs?

My Dodge 2500 quab cab diesel weighed that.

My duallie C30 with 12ft dump bed is also about 6k. F350 duallie 4x4 also with 12ft dump closer to 7k.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Put a dump box on the truck. Best thing I ever bought for firewood, farm, around the place.
if you can afford it. Do PTO powered and go heavy on the rams. Nothing worse than not being able to dump. I’ve borrowed electric dumps a few times and you have to be super careful or they won’t dump.

I've actually had more issues with PTO dumps.

 

[babybart]

Update. Ordered the 8’ Dumper Dogg yesterday.

But don't you still need a bed to put it in?

 

[CUCV]

I loved the PU dump I had... I even bought it back twice. I made sides for it and a 4' high tailgate and it held a cord very nicely. Most recently sold it to a friend who also sells firewood.

 

[svk]

But don't you still need a bed to put it in?

Well cosmetically the outside of the box looks like crap. The inside is solid. Since this is a work only truck I’ll deal with the rusty quarter panels.

 

[svk]

Gas engine single cab is 6100lbs?

My Dodge 2500 quab cab diesel weighed that.

Yes.

For reference my 03’ 2500HD diesel short box quad cab weighed 7400 and my 98’ 2500 long box ex-cab with big block and Tommy lift weighs 7000.

 

[svk]

I know that this box isn’t going to do all of the things that a PTO driven dump truck box would do. But I’m also not needing to spend big bucks on a 4wd dualie to put the box into.

I have a small road improvement project at my cabin where a standard dump truck can’t fit into and I haul firewood. So I’ll just determine what’s safe to haul (and dump) and stick to that amount or less.

Like one of the guys on this site says “don’t get greedy” when hauling heavy loads.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Don’t be afraid of 2 wheel drive. With a locker and little gas engine there’s not any weight up front. If I was in mud or deep sand and I’d take this truck over my 17 Chevy duramax with all terrain tires.

You couldn’t give me another 2wd truck locker or not. Yes the diesels are heavy no matter which flavor but I’ll take a 4x4 with Open diffs vs a locked 2wd any day.

 

[svk]

We were hauling cedar logs with my friend’s 2wd F150. Literally got stuck on wet grass when the front wheel got into a rut and then the rear tires gummed up with grass and mud. 3 1/2 mile walk home to get my truck and we saw a bear on the way.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

My buddies 2500 Chevy got stuck in my backyard and that has the g80 Eaton locker. I didn’t know it wasn’t a 4x4. I pulled him out with my 4Runner lol. I’ll never own another 2wd truck or suv, they’re useless once they drive off the pavement. That comment normally sparks the 2wd defenders talking about Baja trucks being 2wd blah blah blah.

 

[SS396driver]

ss396driver: Post #7

This is the first I've seen a weight distribution hitch on a dump trailer, which seems good to keep weight on the front steer axle.
Does it restrict tight backing turns?

No problems at all . I put them on all my larger trailers .

 

[SamT1]

a locker and TSL’s on a truck with 60% + weight over back axle is a whole nother ball game than some street tires on a truck with the opposite weight distribution. You need a locker and real off-road tires. Even what they sell as “mud grips” are designed for highway driving and they don’t clean out like a real tire. Yea it would be better if it was 4x4, but you’d still want the rear locker.

I’m serious when I say my 2x4 dump is far more capable than my 17 Chevy diesel With allterrains. I’m not saying you could put a locker on the Chevy and take off the front axle and it would be better than it is today. If the Chevy had the same tires and the dump it would probably outdo it. But today’s standards for what is descent off-road would be a 3/4 ton with all terrains.

 

[SS396driver]

a locker and TSL’s on a truck with 60% + weight over back axle is a whole nother ball game than some street tires on a truck with the opposite weight distribution. You need a locker and real off-road tires. Even what they sell as “mud grips” are designed for highway driving and they don’t clean out like a real tire. Yea it would be better if it was 4x4, but you’d still want the rear locker.

I’m serious when I say my 2x4 dump is far more capable than my 17 Chevy diesel With allterrains. I’m not saying you could put a locker on the Chevy and take off the front axle and it would be better than it is today. If the Chevy had the same tires and the dump it would probably outdo it. But today’s standards for what is descent off-road would be a 3/4 ton with all terrains.

If you look at my 68 bis ply real mud tires 4:56 HO52 posi with granny gear. Does great but 4 wheel drive on my dodge works better

 

[SamT1]

If you look at my 68 bis ply real mud tires 4:56 HO52 posi with granny gear. Does great but 4 wheel drive on my dodge works betterView attachment 880256

I’m a fan of those old bias tires.
These are what I run.
https://www.4wd.com/p/super-swamper-33x12-50r16-5lt-tire-ssr-radial-ssr-53r/_/R-BKBW-SSR-53R
Excellent load rating. Quiet on the highway. Good street manners on wet pavement and stuff. Treadlife seems ok. I’ve put 6k miles on a set in a year and they look new still. I’m going to guess they make atleast 15k miles, but could surprise me.
they clean out great like swampers are known for in mud. In sand they have awesome flotation.
Puncture resistance is great. I run over tons of stuff in the wood patch and have yet to even need a thorn flat repaired. Mesquite has nasty thorns on trees injured by cattle or run over when small.
These are available in common sizes too for unmodded vehicles.
Probably not a good grocery getter tire though that just goes off-road On Saturday due to treadlife and price.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Trailer question:
rim description: 16" x 6" j (eight lug alloy wheels) I also found some rims on line while trying to answer this myself, that are alloy with steel inserts where the lug nuts contact the rim.
What does the (j) indicate on a trailer rim description? Speed rating? Weight rating?
I found something to indicate 62 mph, but that doesn't seem right?
I was told in a company email, trailer manufacturer, the rims are rated 4,060 pounds.