Dump trailer and Powerhorse Chipper

ClimbingTN

ClimbingTN

Branched out member
Location
Columbia
@Merle Nelson linked me to a video that Reg had a small chipper on the back of his truck. I took that idea and came up with my version. The 5” chipper/shredder is from Northern Tool. The chipper works great and creates small chips/shreds. We chipped about 3.5 yards in no time. Chip photo during chipping. There’s a learning curve with the machine. You “can’t” fill the bottom of the hopper with a bunch of pine needles. You also can’t force feed two 5” pieces at the same time. The chipper drum pulls branches in pretty quick. The chipper weighs 408lbs. It’s balanced well and pretty easy to move. I have a ball on my tractor to tow around. I also welded a pneumatic tire caster under the foot stand to roll it around and onto the trailer. Now to the dump trailer. I welded a receiver and bought an aluminum carrier off FBMP. It’s rated for 500lbs. I also put a chain binder between the trailer and the carrier to relieve some tongue pressure. I put a hand winch on the chipper to pull it on a trailer or truck bed. My Dewalt hammer drill pulls it right on. I strap both sides for more stability. NOW the BAD news…I didn’t think about the extra weight on the back of the 10ft dump trailer. The weight upsets the balance and makes the trailer sway. After 45 mph a slight abrupt movement gets crazy fast. It doesn’t do it with just the tractor/grapple/stump grinder loaded. I have to have the tractor facing forward because the grapple rests on the front toolbox. Now I’m rethinking my setup but, carrying all 3 pieces isn’t doable with what I have.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4999.jpeg
    IMG_4999.jpeg
    1,005.7 KB · Views: 29
  • IMG_4996.jpeg
    IMG_4996.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 29
Last edited:
ATH said:
Is it too heavy even when the trailer is loaded? That's a lot of weight sticking way out. Any way to put that on the tongue of the trailer? Bandit has a chipper/dump trailer: https://banditchippers.com/product/chipper-chip-box-combination/

You'd still have to play with some balance, but should be easier to get there.
Click to expand...

Yes it’s too much weight on the back of the trailer even when fully loaded. The tongue is too short to go on the front. I thought about reducing rear weight by removing the stump grinder but, then I’ll loose the counter weight for the grapple.
 
I’d rather carry it off or leave it on site than use one of those, genuinely.

Anyway, carry on, I won’t comment again.
 
My own two cents would be that the wheels/ axles are now too far forward on the trailer when you have the extra 500 lbs of swing weight out back there. Changes the center of gravity of the trailer. Funny story, I saw the same kind of thing years ago when working commissary for an airline for summer job while in school. When they came out with L1011's and stretch DC-8's/ 707's there were more trolleys and plug in ovens for larger economy and first class. So somebody just lengthened the lift box but didn't move axles further back on the frame. Still remember following behind one of the new "extended" commissary trucks and watching alll the first class ovens (with steak dinners inside!) go bouncing off the end of the truck as it now bounced and swayed away over bumps on the way from the flight kitchen to the ramp. We ate well on night shift! At that time delaying gate departure was about $350 a minute for contractors . . . the wheels got moved real quick like and ride went back to normal. Maybe same in your case.
I have one of these chippers and really like the thing for small trees and pruning jobs. They have their place in the scheme of things. Really like the smaller chips, though, for flowers beds and the like. Everybody I work for with it ends up keeping the chips for mulch.
Cheers guy.
 
Mick Dempsey! said:
I’d rather carry it off or leave it on site than use one of those, genuinely.

Anyway, carry on, I won’t comment again.
Click to expand...
I am definitely on team leave it on site, but I am fortunate enough to have enough folks around here who can deal with that. I would like to have a little chipper like that eventually to make mulch to leave for people, as most folks will use them instead of burning the material. Our area has a county/state sponsered program for free chipper service, so if planned appropriately, they can get that done free of charge, so I will likely never bother buying such a machine; only if the program loses funding and ends, which is unlikely.
 
Last edited:
ATH said:
Is that a 10-ft dump trailer? I had a 6x10 dump trailer that I have used since 2006. Bought a 7x14 one last year... Now I spend way less time trying to get brush to fit.
Click to expand...
100% I had a friend with a 6x10 help me with a load once. Once. I pay a little more now for my buddy with the highwalled 7x14 to help me when I need it.
 
Yes it’s a 5x10 at 2800lbs. I’m going to do some measurements again and I’ve looked at some light weight 14ft dumps. I tow it with my single cab Ram 5.7 with max tow 3.92 gears special order. No I don’t want another truck. I’ll leave wood or debris on site when possible. The chips are nice size. I had a landscape gardener snap the chips up. I also chipped a maple today for a neighbor. It was amazing to get that much shredded pine with no loading. It just works for me but, more studying is needed.
 
evo said:
Spec sheet says ~8k empty weight. And a 8 yard capacity x ~500 per yard.. so ball park can’t haul more than half a box before cdl land.
Wonder what the weight difference is with the smaller chipper, might level out a bit.
Click to expand...
Depends what you are towing it with...my F250 is rated to tow 14K. The truck's GVWR is 10K...so combined truck and trailer is below 26K. No CDL required.

And even if it was CDL land, that's rating, not actual load.
 
  • Love
Reactions: evo
Merle
didn't you used to have a 6" chipper on a trailer combo?
I have always been a fan of platform dump trailers for 1 man band companies or secondary crew vehicles
I have wanted to develop an all in one mini tree service (loader, chipper, stumper) dump trailer
problem is no way around it not becoming a CDL setup
lots of guys and companies don't want to go there
 

Attachments

  • P1040840.jpg
    P1040840.jpg
    239.8 KB · Views: 14
  • trlrAvDavey.jpg
    trlrAvDavey.jpg
    10.3 KB · Views: 13
  • 20160925_165510.jpg
    20160925_165510.jpg
    817.5 KB · Views: 14
  • BlueHoovTrailer.jpg
    BlueHoovTrailer.jpg
    57.4 KB · Views: 14
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom