Dump Trailer?

Big Chris

It seems to me that everyone I've talked to and posts I've read agree that dumptrucks are a money pit and a pain to keep road legal. Have any of you with small companies gave up on dumptrucks and subbed out all hauling of materials and then bought a dump trailer for ocasional use such as cleaning up a jobsite, small ammounts of concrete, hauling away stumps,etc . It seems to me that it could be a viable alternative if you bought on of the heavier GVW gooseneck models. I see landscapers using them just wonder if any guys more into excavation tried them. Thanks

Chris

lukachuki

I have both a small dumptruck and a dump trailer. I have to say that I love both of them but if i had to get rid of one it would be my dumptrailer.

I used trucktraderonline.com to find a class 7 dumptruck formerly used by the state of Virginia to spread salt. I bought it for $15000.00 with 32,000 miles on it and I drive it almost everyday...it's like a big pickup truck. I use it to haul dirt and debris and also to pull my little trackhoe and tractor.

My dump trailer on the other hand is nice for leaving on job and hauling light materials like trash and yard debris etc but struggles with dirt and especially concrete which really beats it up.

As far as keeping road legal I have not found it "yet" to be all that difficult and if you stay in state the DMV treats it almost like a big pickup truck...at least mine did...no usdot registration or anything.

hope this helps...but IMHO don't be scared of a little dumptruck.

The image below is a newer model of my truck...mine is a '91

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TMatt142

I think dump trucks or (tandems) have their place for sure. My uncles owns between 50-60 tandems. Most are used for dirt work, about 20 are used specifically for hauling batch from their three batch plants. They work for my uncle though because their is a lot of import and export from job to job to pits in MN. Trailer dumps tend to be too large to get into tight areas, as well as weight issues on the job sites and on weight restriction roads. Tandems go through off-road situations better than trailers usually and......their are a lot of drivers out there quite frankly, that cant really handle trailers. He feels that in the long run, it is fiscally more viable for him to own these tandems than rent from ITO's because, A) If they work for you, they'll show up for work, and B) Scheduling them is more controlable, whereas with ITO's, your at the whim of THEIR schedule and C) Maintainence is easier to keep up on if it is taken care if in house. So I think given certain situations, tandems CAN be quite profitable.

denick

Chris,

We haven't owned one. I have watched guys with them because I had thought of one for our tiny excavator and skidsteer. The draw back for us is maneuverability. We go off the pavement or driveway a lot. trying to swing a trailer around with a load on it ( remembering fill is 3,000 lbs a yard) and not on the truck makes a mess from what I have seen. The way they dump is also a problem when dump dirt or gravel, as they aren't high enough for the load to stack itself and they spread the load as dumping.

I think for demolition debris, and other things where you are able to stay on hard surfaces it would be a handy thing if you already have a truck that can handle it and are good at backing a trailer.

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rino1494

We've been looking for one for a few years now. The would come in handy for us for hauling stumps and shale.

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