I think the guys in Canada have an edge on us below the border. Can't do it in MD and I'm pretty sure it's no in PA also, Joe.
Dump Trailer or Chipper?
- Thread starter ChrHerrman
- Start date
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stumpjumper83
ArboristSite Operative
Glad you bought a chipper, they are a necessity more so than a trailer for the tree work.
When I started, I rented a 12" from the local rental yard, and blew into a dump trailer, made sides from 2x4's and metal roofing, worked like a charm.
Next thing I would be looking at is a dump truck If I were in your shoes. Older single axle med. duty trucks are cheaper than 1 ton pickup dumps and are heavier duty. I'd look at a 16' dumping flat bed w/ removable sides. They are awesome for hauling gravel and mulch, chipping into, carrying firewood and logs, you can pull the chipper behind them or another trailer with a skidsteer or something on it, just plain handy.
You should be able to find a single axle dump, 26-33k gvw with a gas motor for 4-5k, 2x for diesel but they are worth every penny.
When I started, I rented a 12" from the local rental yard, and blew into a dump trailer, made sides from 2x4's and metal roofing, worked like a charm.
Next thing I would be looking at is a dump truck If I were in your shoes. Older single axle med. duty trucks are cheaper than 1 ton pickup dumps and are heavier duty. I'd look at a 16' dumping flat bed w/ removable sides. They are awesome for hauling gravel and mulch, chipping into, carrying firewood and logs, you can pull the chipper behind them or another trailer with a skidsteer or something on it, just plain handy.
You should be able to find a single axle dump, 26-33k gvw with a gas motor for 4-5k, 2x for diesel but they are worth every penny.
Really?! How much weight on a rear axle? You know it's gotta be less than than 20k, right?
Jeff
so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what 
where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
LXT................
where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
LXT................
Blakesmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what
where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
LXT................
I know what you mean, LXT, but we all started somewhere. ####, 4 years ago I only had a Toyota and a few chainsaws. Nothing wrong with giving the guy some pointers and helping him out.
ChrHerrman
ArboristSite Lurker
Clarification
Just a little clarification...I do have a new 08 Chevy pickup that I pull my dump trailer with. It is only a 1/2 ton but it handles weight better and can outpull my old 89 F250 that I got rid of (not to mention look a lot better). I know that a dump truck is next on the list but that will be a few years down the road. For now a new chipper is enough money spent. I plan to chip into the brush or into my dump trailer on jobs. I also sub out a friend who has a farm for bigger jobs to use his F650 dump truck, skid loader, and deck over trailer. It does not make much sense for me to buy all this equipment when he is close and available at a reasonable rate.
I do tree removals on the side from my teaching job during the day. I do not feel the need, nor have the money, or the amount of work lined up to make buying a lot of equipment a feasible option right now. I am certainly not an arborist nor a tree expert but I know enough about take downs to be safe and make some extra money.
I had a feeling towing a chipper in tandem with a trailer was probably not legal and would look awful goofy, as well as impossible to back up, but I wanted to see what others out there do. I figured at least a few people out there have either encountered or thought about this problem before. Is that not what this site is for?
I realize I do not have all the proper equipment to be a full fledged tree business right now, but as Blakemaster pointed out we all have to start somewhere.
By the way, I do not believe I have ever complained about cheap customers or hacks in any of my postings. I have been seeking some information about setups, chippers, woodsplitters, and dump trailers, but have not complained about jobs or customers.
P.S. I have actually used my little old tracer stationwagon to pull my woodsplitter before. Sorry if this offends you.
Just a little clarification...I do have a new 08 Chevy pickup that I pull my dump trailer with. It is only a 1/2 ton but it handles weight better and can outpull my old 89 F250 that I got rid of (not to mention look a lot better). I know that a dump truck is next on the list but that will be a few years down the road. For now a new chipper is enough money spent. I plan to chip into the brush or into my dump trailer on jobs. I also sub out a friend who has a farm for bigger jobs to use his F650 dump truck, skid loader, and deck over trailer. It does not make much sense for me to buy all this equipment when he is close and available at a reasonable rate.
I do tree removals on the side from my teaching job during the day. I do not feel the need, nor have the money, or the amount of work lined up to make buying a lot of equipment a feasible option right now. I am certainly not an arborist nor a tree expert but I know enough about take downs to be safe and make some extra money.
I had a feeling towing a chipper in tandem with a trailer was probably not legal and would look awful goofy, as well as impossible to back up, but I wanted to see what others out there do. I figured at least a few people out there have either encountered or thought about this problem before. Is that not what this site is for?
I realize I do not have all the proper equipment to be a full fledged tree business right now, but as Blakemaster pointed out we all have to start somewhere.
By the way, I do not believe I have ever complained about cheap customers or hacks in any of my postings. I have been seeking some information about setups, chippers, woodsplitters, and dump trailers, but have not complained about jobs or customers.
P.S. I have actually used my little old tracer stationwagon to pull my woodsplitter before. Sorry if this offends you.
so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what
where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
LXT................
blakes.....yes start somewhere, nothing wrong with that....BUT, atleast do it in a some what pro like manner!!!!!
I mean whats wrong with a 1 ton dump & chipper......its those who want pointers & then would haul around a set up as mentioned above that gives this trade the...(anyone can do it title)
I just dont have any use for any one who doesnt wanna do it right, but still wants to make a buck off being cheap themselves!! not the way to do biz & even less professional!!!!
LXT..........
I mean whats wrong with a 1 ton dump & chipper......its those who want pointers & then would haul around a set up as mentioned above that gives this trade the...(anyone can do it title)
I just dont have any use for any one who doesnt wanna do it right, but still wants to make a buck off being cheap themselves!! not the way to do biz & even less professional!!!!
LXT..........
you teach??? so you admit you are not an arborist or a tree expert??..............but yet you SELL jobs & think you know enough on how to do removals?? just clarifying your statements!!
you realize you dont have the proper equipment "right now"!! & admit to pulling a woodsplitter with the family stationwagon!!!
Not trying to be ignorant.......But, you are the type of guy who ruins this trade...........how about I start teaching, like you!! & teach in the same manner in which you would run a tree care biz?? ya think that would be a proper education??? you think parents would be happy? Ill bet the PA dept of education would really like that!!!
seriously.......if you teach, then you should know better & honestly why ruin a trade when you already have a Career???
LXT................
conlan
ArboristSite Lurker
Hey ChrHerrman - You're on the right track and thinking your way through this carefully. Don't listen to lxt, if he was doing so great he wouldn't be wasting his time trying to beat down a small time stater like you. You sound like you are getting into this business slowly and there's nothing wrong with that. It takes a huge amount of money to get fully equiped with all the right equipment, and usually takes time to aquire the stuff you need (or a rich dad who's willing to help you). As you do more tree work and see the money comming in, you can reinvest it back into your business. After you start to build up a client base (it can happen fast) and get more jobs under your belt, you can decide whether you want to make the jump out of teaching and into the tree business full time. I think it is prudent to move slowly instead of a headlong plunge. You may find that doing tree work 5-6 days a week is not for you, and you might rather just do it part time for the exercise, outdoor experience and the rush of climbing and being on the edge of danger. Some guys get into this business because they find it exciting and like the adrenaline rush, then after a few years (or even months) the excitment wears off and it become a regular job. Don't be lured into it full time for the wrong reasons. It can be a very lucrative business once you eventually get all the right equipment. Good luck.
You do not have to like LXT, you are an idiot! Most of us guy's know what tree work is! Dope! I had 2 beer's!
Jeff
oke:
:msp_thumbup:
Jeff
Jeff
stumpjumper83
ArboristSite Operative
Rear axle weights are determined by truck class, about 75% of the gvw will be rear weight.
For instance a chevy c-60 I had was 13k rear & 7k front. In a 10' & shorter truck its impossible to overload it with wood chips. I regularly hauled 5.5 ton on it legally and more occasionally.
Try to stay below 26k or you will need a cdl license, also you need one to haul a trailer 10k+ for commercial purposes.
The manual transmissions in the trucks require double clutching, but that is easy to learn.
The nice thing about a med duty dump is that the bed is bigger than a pickup style, for instance my ford 800's bed is 10' long, 4' high, and 7' wide, can haul alot of firewood in that hole. Fuel use is about 12 mpg.
I use mine mainly for pulling the excavator and dirt and gravel, if tree work were my main income I'd go to a 12'-16' dumping flatbed with removable sides.
For instance a chevy c-60 I had was 13k rear & 7k front. In a 10' & shorter truck its impossible to overload it with wood chips. I regularly hauled 5.5 ton on it legally and more occasionally.
Try to stay below 26k or you will need a cdl license, also you need one to haul a trailer 10k+ for commercial purposes.
The manual transmissions in the trucks require double clutching, but that is easy to learn.
The nice thing about a med duty dump is that the bed is bigger than a pickup style, for instance my ford 800's bed is 10' long, 4' high, and 7' wide, can haul alot of firewood in that hole. Fuel use is about 12 mpg.
I use mine mainly for pulling the excavator and dirt and gravel, if tree work were my main income I'd go to a 12'-16' dumping flatbed with removable sides.
