Teach me about dump trailers

[27RMT0N]

So I've always avoided hauling wood, because, well, it's heavy and I don't want to deal with it. I've generally convinced customers to just leave it in the forest, cut it up into firewood rounds (which... some.... get around to actually splitting) or just tell them to get someone else to haul it away who can show up with an excavator and load whole logs into their own truck. But every once in a while I've agreed to haul wood away for certain customers and it's always a pain in the butt, because the only way I can do it is cut the pieces small and lift them by hand into the back of a chip truck which is like chest high, then you have to climb in and push/stack those rounds into the back to fit everything. It's just no fun. So I'm finally looking at other options.

What I'm probably looking at, is a 12x6 10,000 pound trailer to keep it under CDL territory. A dump trailer would obviously allow me a much lower load-floor to put wood in, and I could use my wood cart to wheel chunks straight into the trailer. You can also load over the sides if you don't get a high-side model. I could use it to haul gravel for my driveway, and compost for my garden as well. I sort of don't want to buy an excavator, but a dump trailer with 6-7k of payload would let me haul around a small one that could load the trailer, then you'd go dump and come back for the excavator with the same trailer.

There seem to be lots of brands/models out there, and here is one of my local dealers offerings. The 'Norstar' is the cheap one and I really never buy the cheapest of anything, but it's funny the lightest built, cheapest trailer then gets rated to carry the most weight, as they all wind up right under the 10k limit. The 'Iron Bull' is obviously the heaviest built model at 4,085 empty, a full 1,500 heavier than the 'Norstar'. The 'Big Tex' and 'Diamond C' are somewhere in between, but still on the lower end of that spectrum. Obviously empty weight is only one factor, but I assume it is some measure of how solidly something is built. Though it also takes away from payload and plus or minus a thousand pounds could really affect the options for hauling a piece of equipment in the trailer. Beyond build quality, they are all pretty similar with various features and options.

Thoughts, experiences? If you click the image it should expand to be easier to read.

 

[chiselbit]

You will find a lot of other uses for it too. I’ve got a big Tex that I’ve been beating on for years. It’s still in good shape. Mini x with grapples will change your life. And of course have a digging bucket too, it’s fun to just dig big random holes

 

[27RMT0N]

I do occasionally work with a buddy who has a mini and we talk about him getting a grapple every time we wind up working together.

I focus on, and people really just call about climbing or small felling jobs. Forestry/thinning isn't in my area of work and won't be for the foreseeable future, if I ever even want to get into that at all. But flexibility is always a good thing, so if I buy a dump trailer I'm trying to think into the future as well.

 

[ATH]

I've had a 6x10 for 20 years...I upgraded to a 7x14 last year for more space.

I haul brush, B&B trees, sometimes a piece of equipment, rarely mulch, more rarely soil, more rare stones or big wood. With that I'm not convinced I needed super heavy duty and even if I were looking for that, I wasn't seeing too many drastic differences. There were certainly some that are cutting corners and some that are adding things that probably don't matter. I think Big Tex is a safe brand...they are huge.

I bought from Appalachian Trailers...a regional supplier. I don't think they even have dealer network which saves a big chunk.

Their standard trailers have gravity down ... they'll upgrade but it was almost $1000. In the winter it might take another 10-15 seconds to get down... probably no difference in the summer. So power down wouldn't be important if I were buying again.

Old trailer has single cylinder scissor lift while new trailer has dual straight cylinders. If I were pushing capacity I'd probably have bought a scissor lift. Appalachian has that upgrade but wasn't worth it for me.

I'm not typically going long distances so no spare tire needed.

I do have ramps, which I don't use a ton, but they are great when needed. See how easy it hard it is to get them in and out as part of your decision making process. The new one is sooo much easier than the old. I have to crawl on the ground to pull the old ones out ...not so on the new. The standard ramps are 8' steel. They offered an upgrade to 10' aluminum. Sometimes I wish I did that (like, every time I pull the out)...but I don't use them a bunch so not a big deal.

If you want to raise the sides some have posts designed to slide a 2x down into. I made some hinged boards on the old trailer. New one cam with slots. I haven't used them yet because there's pretty much always enough room.

I probably wouldn't have bought an attached tarp on a roller bit it came with it ...and it's great.

Old one has pump under the bed. It's in the tongue toolbox on the new. Without a toolbox for the pump, I have a storage toolbos where I keep the tarp. With the pump in the tongue box, I cannot do that ..but they roller tarp is there. In theory it's easier to work on the pump of it's not under the bed. .I've had to repair the pump once and replace it a year or two ago ...it was pretty easy to jack up the bed with a floor jack then wedge it up to fix it, so I wouldn't make a decision based on pump location.

OK...to the pump. Research what brand hydraulic pump they are using and don't go cheap there. There are good American made pumps so I'd shy away from a China pump...not just because of the pump, but that also tells me they are cutting corners.

 

[96coal449]

Don't forget the used market. I find a lot there and they always sell quick. Good deals on good units.
I'm not ready to get one yet but, I generally find them half priced of new for good conditioned units. I'm pretty much favoring the Big Tex and Diamond C models......I'm also looking for the 12'ers.

 

[96coal449]

Their standard trailers have gravity down ... they'll upgrade but it was almost $1000. In the winter it might take another 10-15 seconds to get down... probably no difference in the summer. So power down wouldn't be important if I were buying again

If only dumping half a load of whatever and moving trailer to dump the rest elsewhere, power down is easier on the chassis with the added weight.

Old trailer has single cylinder scissor lift while new trailer has dual straight cylinders. If I were pushing capacity I'd probably babe bought a scissor lift

I have seen some side mounted dual cylinders get bound up from lifting uneven loads. I prefer the scissor lift too.

 

[Boomslang]

For where you are I would splurge on galvanized.

3 stage hoist will have more lifting power than a scissor hoist.

Get the biggest one that you can. You'll end up using it more than you think. Some days when I'm doing light work I'll take the dump trailer instead of a chipper, park it under the tree, and then I can just drop stuff right in. Saves on cleanup time. Also a good backup if my chipper ever goes down for an extended period. I wouldn't do huge removals with just a trailer, but pruning, hedges, and small removals are all possible to keep some money coming in while equipment gets fixed. I had to do that for a couple of weeks last year waiting for a new axle for my chipper.

Get something with rear jacks so you can use it while unhooked and not worry about it tilting up on you.

Ramps are nice to walk, roll, slide thing up.

They usually hold good resale value if they're not crazy rusted (hence galvanized) or beat up.

I bought a 7x14 Miska last year and it was a game changer. I use it to haul equipment (mini, stump grinder), deliver mulch and gravel, haul wood and brush. It's awesome for hedges and shrubs if you do them. A pickup truck and trailer is all I usually go with.

I think it's a small piece of equipment that everyone should have.

 

[pcpTR33]

I’ve rented a Norstar here in MI from a marketplace guy, I had zero complaints about it, he’s had it two years now and aside from another contractor rigging spar directly into the trailer and denting the floor up pretty good it’s actually held up really well, pulled well enough with 7k# worth of spruce. Biggest killer here on dump trailers is winter/salt/brine exposure. One thing I was told to look at is thickness of the floors especially in our business.

 

[96coal449]

For where you are I would splurge on galvanized.

3 stage hoist will have more lifting power than a scissor hoist.

Get the biggest one that you can. You'll end up using it more than you think. Some days when I'm doing light work I'll take the dump trailer instead of a chipper, park it under the tree, and then I can just drop stuff right in. Saves on cleanup time. Also a good backup if my chipper ever goes down for an extended period. I wouldn't do huge removals with just a trailer, but pruning, hedges, and small removals are all possible to keep some money coming in while equipment gets fixed. I had to do that for a couple of weeks last year waiting for a new axle for my chipper.

Get something with rear jacks so you can use it while unhooked and not worry about it tilting up on you.

Ramps are nice to walk, roll, slide thing up.

They usually hold good resale value if they're not crazy rusted (hence galvanized) or beat up.

I bought a 7x14 Miska last year and it was a game changer. I use it to haul equipment (mini, stump grinder), deliver mulch and gravel, haul wood and brush. It's awesome for hedges and shrubs if you do them. A pickup truck and trailer is all I usually go with.

I think it's a small piece of equipment that everyone should have.

I 2nd all this. I will note though, a 12'er is easier to maneuver than a 14 in tight spots. That and there's the CDL thing......

 

[Boomslang]

I 2nd all this. I will note though, a 12'er is easier to maneuver than a 14 in tight spots. That and there's the CDL thing......

That's why I prefaced it with get the biggest you can financially, logistically, and legally. I initially had a 10 footer, but quickly outgrew it.

We have more lax regulations where I am. Pretty much don't need a CDL until you get into tri-axle trailers

 

[27RMT0N]

Lots of good thoughts here. We have a lot of tight hilly gravel driveways here and maneuverability is pretty important. It is tempting to get a larger 14k trailer because there really isn't any enforcement on our little islands, and it would let me haul a bigger excavator if I were to get one, but if there were ever an accident, that's where it would bite you in the butt.... I bet at least half the various contractors around here are running around here overweight, but I don't want to be one of them.

 

[RyanCafferky]

My only regret with buying a dump trailer last year was that I didn’t buy it 15 years ago. From the research I’ve done Diamond C is top notch. I was about to pick one up when a friend sold me his Eagle dump trailer for such a good deal I couldn’t turn it down.

We use it to haul the Avant and stump grinder, hauling wood and debris from jobs, and I take it to do small jobs when I just want to drive my truck and don’t want to drive the truck and chipper. For our big removal projects it is gold because we can be chipping all the big stuff and all the fluff, dirty material, and rakings can just go straight in the dump trailer.

 

[Jehinten]

With hand loading, look into a roll off trailer. I don't know if they make one under cdl. You can set the box on ground level and load, then raise onto the frame. You can switch beds as well if ever needed.

Or there is the option of fold down ramps built into the tailgate like this
A buddy of mine has this on his 16' dump trailer. It's very nice not to have to carry ramps around. The ramps are rated for 6000lbs I believe. I have loaded his trailer with a mini skid, driving up the ramps and stacking debris until it was too full to spin the mini around in the trailer, then I finished the load by loading through the open doors. These swing open with barn doors, but no spreader gate due to the design.

 

[Boomslang]

Same style gates I have and they are amazing. Not too worried about spreader function since that's not what I use the trailer for.

 

[27RMT0N]

That does look handy. For whatever reason I've yet to see that design advertised and yah, I'd never be using it to spread gravel or whatever either.

 

[Chris Schultz]

My ctx100 will load logs over the 4’ wall of my dump trailer. Not sure what the overall elevation of that is, but it’s pretty handy being able to lift that high….. that 7x14x4’ trailer puts in some work!

 

[southsoundtree]

Consider a 6.5x12 if you can find it from a mfr you like.


Consider an arch on the front for a winch/ winch redirect.

 

[flushcut]

IMO one inevitable failing to a dump trailer is going to be the battery. At some point it will not have enough juice to lift the hoist fully when loaded and it will happen at the most inconvenient time.
I ran heavy gauge welding cable under the truck back to the trailers hydro motor with a few Lemco connectors. Worked great!

 

[ATH]

Don't forget the used market. I find a lot there and they always sell quick. Good deals on good units.
I'm not ready to get one yet but, I generally find them half priced of new for good conditioned units. I'm pretty much favoring the Big Tex and Diamond C models......I'm also looking for the 12'ers.

Around here, I found anything used that looked worth buying (with just quick online look - I didn't actually go check any out) was a couple thousand less than new. You probably gotta figure on putting new tires...so that's $1000. So I just saved 10-15% to buy used instead of new? No thanks.

 

[ATH]

IMO one inevitable failing to a dump trailer is going to be the battery. At some point it will not have enough juice to lift the hoist fully when loaded and it will happen at the most inconvenient time.
I ran heavy gauge welding cable under the truck back to the trailers hydro motor with a few Lemco connectors. Worked great!

I have long jumper cables...or can even pull the battery out of the truck if need be to get it dumped. I usually know when the battery is starting to die based on how quickly it goes, so if it die's, that's probably on me for not checking it. But it has happened, so I'm not disagreeing. Just saying it doesn't happen when I pay attention.