Dump Trailer Suggestions??

[jbarry06248]

I own a tree service and I'm starting to look into dump trailers. Sick of unloading from pickup or equipment trailer. Looking at probably 12' long, dual axel. Will be primarily using to load and dump logs and chips.

Anyone have suggestions or things I should be thinking about? For instance, one I looked at normally had 24" metal sides, but has optional 44" sides. Would the 44" be useful enough when chipping into or loading logs, or should I just build up the sides when I need to?

Thanks.

John

 

[SWI Don]

The tree service my brother works with has a I believe 20' dump trailer with the tall sides. It is a gooseneck trailer with 2- 10K axles. They tow it with an F450 4x4 and it requires that much truck. Usually they haul a skid steer in the back to load it with.

This sure looks like the piece may be the exact trailer.

http://www.hhtrailer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221&Itemid=407

I think they really like it. It might be a little bigger than you want. It basically leaves "loafs" of wood when they dump.

Don

 

[aandabooks]

How are you going to be loading it? I would think that would dictate the side height. If I were to buy one, I would want the largest and heaviest rated axle that I could afford and make sure I have the truck to pull it if it were fully loaded.

It would also depend on how close an average job is to the dump site. Might not want to spend way more money on a huge trailer if most jobs are a very reasonable drive to dump a load and come back empty.

 

[046]

that's a NICE trailer!

The tree service my brother works with has a I believe 20' dump trailer with the tall sides. It is a gooseneck trailer with 2- 10K axles. They tow it with an F450 4x4 and it requires that much truck. Usually they haul a skid steer in the back to load it with.

This sure looks like the piece may be the exact trailer.

I think they really like it. It might be a little bigger than you want. It basically leaves "loafs" of wood when they dump.

Don

 

[corndogg]

I'd go with a 14 footer. A guy i know does all of his tree work with a felling ft-14d It has 24" sides and a split swing gate in the back. It's the cadilac of dump trailers but it's a few years old now but still looks new. He put wood sides on it 18" or so and Pulls it with a 1ton van 351. Works good as he keeps all his gear in the van.

 

[wdchuck]

I've used a 6x12 box over wheels, and it can be towed with a 5.4L F250 just fine.

What I would do different though, is use a 7x14 with box between the wheels, a three way tailgate, and build up the sides as you need them, more options that way. Around here I've looked at the Maxi-Dump, very nice trailers, will go for around $9K with all the trimmings, but you will be hard pressed to break that trailer for years to come, they don't cut corners anywhere.

If you need to watch a budget, make sure you are comparing apples to apples,
axle mfgr
box bottom guage
tailgate
hydraulic pump
lift type
overall curb weight,

$6400 is the going rate for a typical 7x14, but you need to know what you are getting.

Go to Lawn Site . com and search there for dump trailers, you will find some excellent threads, plenty of feedback, pictures, and neat combos(flatbed/dump)

 

[jbarry06248]

Thanks for all your replies so far. Just to clarify some of your questions. Will be pulling with 2007 Tundra (10,000 capacity). The trailer will be loaded with our New Holland tractor 55hp. Hauls alot, usually with forks, have to get a grapple one of these days.

John

p.s. thats an awesome trailer in the pick. unfortunately cant haul that...YET!

 

[wkpoor]

I have a 6x10 Moritz I pull with a 1ton Van. If you are just using it for wood the bigger size would be alright. If you go putting dirt or gravel in it look out:jawdrop: . I weighed mine with a load of dirt and it weighed 12,000lbs. and it is only a 6x10. Moritz builds a quality trailer but might pay a little more for. I've heard say some dumps loaded with dirt or gravel can't lift their load. The Moritz handles whatever I put in it with ease. All the seems and weld joints on the Moritz are seem filled before paint so as to limit rust streaks and crusting at the joints.

 

[tanker]

Thanks for all your replies so far. Just to clarify some of your questions. Will be pulling with 2007 Tundra (10,000 capacity). The trailer will be loaded with our New Holland tractor 55hp. Hauls alot, usually with forks, have to get a grapple one of these days.

John

p.s. thats an awesome trailer in the pick. unfortunately cant haul that...YET!

I did'nt realise a Tundra was that heavy of a truck.I thought it was just a 1/2 ton.

 

[redprospector]

What ever you do, don't buy a Texas Pride dump trailer unless you're willing to spend a chunk of money & time to make a trailer out of it after you buy it, and if you do don't expect Texas Pride to stand behind it.
I have an 8' x 16' deckover that is a good trailer now that I've spent about 1500.00 to make it one.

Andy

 

[wdchuck]

What ever you do, don't buy a Texas Pride dump trailer unless you're willing to spend a chunk of money & time to make a trailer out of it after you buy it, and if you do don't expect Texas Pride to stand behind it.
I have an 8' x 16' deckover that is a good trailer now that I've spent about 1500.00 to make it one.

Andy

I've come across similiar sentiments in my searching.

 

[jbarry06248]

The Tundra transports my tractor, which weighs about 7,500 lbs. fully loaded, without a problem. Or a pretty sizable load of logs on the trailer. My equipment trailer weighs 2,400 lbs. Tundra also pulls my Vermeer BC1000 easily. Obviously at 10,000 lbs it has its limits though. Been in business for a little over a year. A bigger truck just has to wait.

I love taking the trees down. Everything after that can sometimes feel like work. ) Especially moving logs and chips. Need a way to make it easier so its not such a pain. Hence the need for a dump trailer.

 

[STLfirewood]

You also need to look at the weight of a dump trailer. I have 3 of them. One weighs 3600#s. It's a 6 1/2 x 12ft. It has 40inch sides and it a deck over. I have 2 14x7ft dump trailers. One is a Bri-Mar and the other is a Foster. I like them both. But the Foster weighs in at a little over 5k and th Bri-Mar is not far behind. I can easily stack 5 tons on wood on one. That make that trailer 15k on your bumper. I wouldn't want that behind any half ton. I would go with at least a 14ft trailer though. The slide in sides are nice. Usually it's chaper to buy them with the trailer rather then trying to make them. The Foster has a hydraulic jack. That is the very nice. It doesn;t matter how much you have on it it will take it right up.

Scott

 

[redprospector]

I love taking the trees down. Everything after that can sometimes feel like work. ) Especially moving logs and chips. Need a way to make it easier so its not such a pain. Hence the need for a dump trailer.

Haha. Yep, I alway's say cutting trees is like Elk hunting. Once you pull the trigger the fun part is over, and the work starts.

Andy

 

[cvdirtrider]

Dump Trailers

I came close to buying one too but got a pretty good deal on a 1995 F-800 dump truck for 10K and 134K miles.

Make sure you get 10K axles, and make certain the hydraulics can lift the load. I had one priced with a grapple on it but that was 18K. Trailer weight is another factor, good trailers weigh more and then add a respectable load and before you know it, you might be in trouble with the DOT......

I have a New Holland tractor too with pallet forks that I use to load the logs onto the dump. The tractor also powers my morbark chipper. I use the dump to pull the trailer with the tractor and the dodge cummins pu to pull the spiderlift/alturnamats, ect.

 

[drmiller100]

get the biggest you can afford and tow.

i've got a 16x8x5 tall gooseneck. worth its weight in gold.