Looking for a used dump trailer

[Birdyman88]

plays with some old hippies

That's cool. Nashville is great town. Oh, and haggle with Dustin a little. He probably makes more money than all of us, lol.

 

[ATH]

Used dump trailers move quickly up here in NH. I see used and abused trailers go resonable but anything that looks decent gets 75 to 85 percent of dealer retail. Im told that tube steal frames and powder coat are both conducive to corrosion. Hawke is an off brand that a local dealership carriers that has some appealing qualities.

I've had a Hawke since 2006. Early on the hydraulic motor went bad and they replaced it (I did pay $50 for rush shipment...but wouldn't have had to pay anything if I waited). Otherwise routine maintenance: I've replaced tires and the battery, greased the bearings, and changed the hydraulic fluid once...(probably should do that again.)

 

[porcupine]

Yeah a used dump trailer is a gamble fir sure. Bought mine new in 2012, some of the best money ever spent. Still works good but It's seen some heavy abuse. Cycles to failure applies to us all.
The paint on most trailers wont last 5 years of use. Nobody spends the money on those epoxy heavy duty paints at the factory as it drive up the price too far. Best move long term would be buy new and paint before use. Maybe truck liner?

 

[Luzl78]

B wise trailers build a great dump trailer but you’ll pay over $9,000 for it but all the problems that have been pointed out have been eliminated on their trailer.

 

[Joeybagodonuts]

Thanks @colby. I appreciate the thoughts. Right now I also have to deal with only having a used 1/2 ton Tundra to haul the trailer with. I hear you about the down time and “new guy” mistakes. Good thoughts. I don’t want to burn up my truck by hauling a trailer that is to heavy for it. I am jealous of your 16 yard capacity though. . .

Dump trailers are great!
Your smart to consider that your going to be tugging with a 1/2 ton.. When i first got mine i lent it out a few times only to end up cringing as i watched friends drive away practically dragging their bumpers with the trailer only unloaded.. I ended up having to go out & pick it up both times after they loaded it. After that & the jack getting mangled cuz of ride height issues on their smaller trucks, i said no more.

If i were you & wanted a sizeable one bad enough, I'd buy the size you want, but only after getting a set of set air bags you can fine tune with.. In the mean time don't go crazy with over loading... but after you make some $$ with it, buy the truck you intend on towing with. The bags really aren't hard to install if you have any talent at all with a wrench.. really tit..

This don't help you with a brand.. buts it's just what I've experienced with smaller rigs & d-trailers..

 

[B_Strange]

Dump trailers are great!
Your smart to consider that your going to be tugging with a 1/2 ton.. When i first got mine i lent it out a few times only to end up cringing as i watched friends drive away practically dragging their bumpers with the trailer only unloaded.. I ended up having to go out & pick it up both times after they loaded it. After that & the jack getting mangled cuz of ride height issues on their smaller trucks, i said no more.

If i were you & wanted a sizeable one bad enough, I'd buy the size you want, but only after getting a set of set air bags you can fine tune with.. In the mean time don't go crazy with over loading... but after you make some $$ with it, buy the truck you intend on towing with. The bags really aren't hard to install if you have any talent at all with a wrench.. really tit..

This don't help you with a brand.. buts it's just what I've experienced with smaller rigs & d-trailers..

Thanks! What are air bags? Not too sure what you are talking about but it sounds interesting. I really don’t want to push this truck too hard. If it goes belly up then I am back to using my daughters 2WD Ford Ranger.

 

[Fivepoints]

I think he's talking about helper air bags for towing. They provide more rear spring rate to keep the truck from sagging when loaded. I have them on my f250. Really makes a big difference when towing. Even with that, towing a dump trailer with a 150 sized truck is probably asking for problems long term. Tree debris is heavy.

 

[Birdyman88]

@B_Strange What year is your tundra, and is it 4WD?

 

[B_Strange]

@B_Strange What year is your tundra, and is it 4WD?

Tundra is 2000 4WD. I think it is rated for 6500 lbs towing. Dustin at Outlaw said he would sell me a 5x10 or 6x10 Lamar.

 

[B_Strange]

I think he's talking about helper air bags for towing. They provide more rear spring rate to keep the truck from sagging when loaded. I have them on my f250. Really makes a big difference when towing. Even with that, towing a dump trailer with a 150 sized truck is probably asking for problems long term. Tree debris is heavy.

Ok. I have never heard of those. I’ll check em out. I hear you on debris being heavy. I’m tapped out cash wise so can’t buy another truck now. I’ll have to tow baby loads until another truck is possible. Thank you for the reminder and help! I appreciate it!

 

[southsoundtree]

Transmissions are very expensive.

6500 towing is about 3-4000 trailer weight, then payload.

The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.

My guess, they are testing on flat ground.




You need to have enough weight in the bed for traction to pull, too.


A balancing act.


Why don't dump trailers get weight distributing hitches more commonly? Infrequent,heavy use??

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[B_Strange]

Transmissions are very expensive.

6500 towing is about 3-4000 trailer weight, then payload.

The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.

My guess, they are testing on flat ground.




You need to have enough weight in the bed for traction to pull, too.


A balancing act.


Why don't dump trailers get weight distributing hitches more commonly? Infrequent,heavy use??

Thanks! You are 100% right on transmissions. I hear you. I get the balancing act of weight for traction and trailer + payload. I am going to have to be very careful but am at the point where I MAY be able to swing a trailer but definitely not a truck. I can rent my old boss’s chipper and chip truck but that is 500.00 a day for the combo. I can dump at his place for 50.00 a job.
I appreciate the feedback and advice. In a multitude of counselors there is wisdom.

 

[Birdyman88]

Tundra is 2000 4WD. I think it is rated for 6500 lbs towing. Dustin at Outlaw said he would sell me a 5x10 or 6x10 Lamar.

Unless you're close to the your dump site, bin capacity will be your biggest Achilles heal, truck towing capacity your next biggest, and trailer weight behind those. An entire 50' single leader, moderately brushy tree (or branch) is estimated right around 3,000 lbs so even a 1/2 ton should be good pulling that. I stack brush-logs-brush and ratchet strap it. If you cut that brush up right, you will be surprised how much you can get on there.

 

[B_Strange]

Unless you're close to the your dump site, bin capacity will be your biggest Achilles heal, truck towing capacity your next biggest, and trailer weight behind those. An entire 50' single leader, moderately brushy tree (or branch) is estimated right around 3,000 lbs so even a 1/2 ton should be good pulling that. I stack brush-logs-brush and ratchet strap it. If you cut that brush up right, you will be surprised how much you can get on there.

Yep I agree with all the above points. I am working on making contacts for dump sites now. Since I don’t have a chipper I’ll need to be creative. I may end up with the burn pile you can see from space and light that sucker off when it is snowing.

 

[Birdyman88]

I am working on making contacts for dump sites now.

For logs, I have 3 contacts in the firewood business close to me that will take hardwood logs. In exchange, one even comes down to site on occasion and busts them up and loads them, and another works for Budweiser and leaves me a case of beer out when I dump. I try to get all the brush in one load, pay the dump fee, then take the logs to those guys. The customer gets charged for actual debris amount, regardless of how I decide to handle it.

 

[Jonny]

Universal fit helper springs are super cheap and easy to install too, something to consider adding.

If you got space for it and live in an area that sees winter weather maybe get in on a little firewood business. Since you’re not chipping it, and may be paying to dump debris anyways, you can salvage the hardwoods.

I don’t think anyone is getting really rich on firewood, but can make for nice spare cash during winter months or free heat if you burn wood at home/shop/garage.

Maybe the guy running the racket at 7-11 with the goofy little bundles of wood for 8$ is getting rich.

 

[Birdyman88]

Maybe the guy running the racket at 7-11 with the goofy little bundles of wood for 8$ is getting rich.

My guy that leaves me the beer is the one supplying the 7-11. He sells the bundles to the store for around $3.50 each. He sold 3,000 bundles last year.

 

[B_Strange]

My guy that leaves me the beer is the one supplying the 7-11. He sells the bundles to the store for around $3.50 each. He sold 3,000 bundles last year.

Whoa! That is pretty amazing! I rented a 7x10 to use on Friday to see how the Tundra does towing it. If it does well i’ll look super hard at the Outlaw Trailer deal.

 

[TimberJack]

Timbrens are another brand of spring helpers you could chech out.

 

[Jehinten]

I’m tapped out cash wise so can’t buy another truck now. I’ll have to tow baby loads until another truck is possible

This will not be the most popular option but I recently bought an old Ford 1 ton instead of the trailer (won't be popular due to the age of the truck) but it has been working out great for me. I'll attach a few pics of it. It has an 8'X12' flatbed that can be used for hauling equipment (miniskid, attachments...) , brush, logs, and occasionally a chip box. Before this truck I had a half ton Silverado that I felt I was limited to a 6x10 dump as well. With this truck the dump trailer isn't needed as badly as the truck can do all of the same jobs, besides dump, and when the time comes for the dump trailer I can now handle a larger one for more debris. The cost of this truck was $1100 and I feel like it paid for itself the first week.

The picture with the chip box was with a full 8x8x4 box along with the mini and pulling the chipper. It did great with the load, the same with the rental dump trailer with 3-5'x40" pine logs and the stump cut and mini loaded on the flatbed. I find it to be very versatile and capable for the money.