# Dump Trailers



## sb47 (Oct 26, 2018)

I have been thinking about getting another trailer mostly to make wood delivery's with and I want some opinions from those that use them.
I'll be pulling it with a 1/2 ton short bed with spring helpers for extra capacity.
I only need it to carry a single cord at a time and my truck is limited so the smaller the better.
Witch begs the first question. 5x8 or 5x10 or 6x8 or 6x10 or even 6x12? (I'm leaning towards a 6x12)
I want tandem axles with breaks for sure.
Lift type, single vs. duel cylinder, telescopic or single stage? Scissor or direct?
Power up, power down or power gravity down?
I think low sides with side board option would be more useful vs. high sides.
What have you used and did you like it (yes, no) Did it do the job and how reliable? Pro's and con's of the different types. Best brands and build quality info.
Thanks


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## ChoppyChoppy (Oct 27, 2018)

If you ask me, a dump truck is a better choice. Cheaper, easier to get into yards, don't need a tie up a truck, etc, etc.

I have 5 dump trucks, 4 are 1 or 1.5 ton. I have maybe 25-30k total into them. Around here a decent dump trailer runs around $10,000

Power up and down. Gravity down sucks in the winter. Have had to climb into the bed and help it down on a -25* day. And yes my 200lb ass was enough to help.


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## T. Mainus (Oct 27, 2018)

We use an 8x14 PJ trailers deckover for all of our deliveries. Roughly 100 cord this year. I prefer the deckover over a regular dump for 2 reasons. It sits higher so it dumps better. The lower trailers do not dump as nice because they are so low to the ground. With the fold down sides of the deckover, we can use it for hauling materials and load/unload from the side with the forklift as well. Ours is power up and power down with a scissors lift. It dumps wood just fine but if you load it up with gravel that gets heavy in a hurry. How are you loading the trailer with wood. We dump the wood in the trailer from our bags, and the 8x14 is barely big enough to haul a cord of wood. The deckover has shorter sides, only 18" though. We dump 2 bags in and then we have to flatten the pile out before we empty the 3rd bag in the trailer. I like our trailer, the PJ's are known for having crappy paint jobs. The paint is just flaking off ours right now. Ours is rated for 14,000 LBS. A full cord of wood is heavy. We pull ours with a F-350 SRW V-10 Super Cab. Truck handles it fine, stopping is the only real issue that you have to be careful with. We also have our trailer wired directly to the truck battery as well. We can do 8-10 deliveries a day and never have a problem with the battery running low. Before we did that you had to be careful, after maybe 4 deliveries the battery would start to get low. Had to plug it in while loading to get the charge back up. For us the trailer makes more sense than a separate dump truck. This time of the year we are using the hell out of it, but after firewood season it just sits not getting used. During summer you might do 1 delivery a week at the most. We bought ours used, paid 5 grand for it, new I believe they are in the 7-8 grand range now. The picture shows the trailer with a cord of wood on it. Couldn't imagine trying to deliver firewood without one.


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## Husky Man (Oct 27, 2018)

wiring to the vehicle charging system is definitely the preferred way, but ask any RV'er about the value of two 6 volt Golf Cart batteries wired in series, you get way more capacity than 2 12 volt batteries wired i parallel.

I can't imagine a dump truck being cheaper in any respect, from purchase, to maintaining it to insuring it and licensing it, where is the cost savings? I can see it being more convenient at the delivery, but I don't see it costing any less, in any way.

Doug


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## sb47 (Oct 27, 2018)

My 1/2 ton tows my 16' heavy duty utility trailer with a cord of splits just fine, but I also run breaks on both axles for better stopping. The biggest problem I have ran into with delivery's is narrow driveways. I stopped doing delivery's a few years ago and I donn't get a lot of request but this year I have over 100 emails requesting delivery's so I may have to rethink doing them again. I like to just toss the wood in (no point in being neat for the ride to the customer only to dump and go) and I would just do dump and go delivery's only. I can't see running a second vehicle as a valid alternative. From my research the scissor type has the advantage of lift power and stability. I haven't decided on deck height just yet but I will mostly be hauling firewood most of the time and I'm only guessing that firewood splits should slide out fairly easily. Although I may find more uses for it after I have one.


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## farmer steve (Oct 27, 2018)

go with a deckover and power down. elecric brakes are a must. you mentioned 6x12 and that may be barely big enough for a cord with out adding sides. i have a 6x10/22"sides and cannot fit a cord tossed in. if you can swing it buy new. used dumps are usually abused by firewood guys.


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## sirbuildalot (Oct 27, 2018)

What is your truck rated to tow?

A 6x12 dump trailer is going to weigh in the 3000-3500 lb range and a cord of wood, depending on species could be 4500-6000 lbs. Supposing your truck is rated to tow the weight, and you stated that you want to haul a full cord, I'd go for the 6x12. You can throw the splits in loose and still get the full cord. That would be tough to do with a 5x8 or a 5x10 trailer. Unless you had very tall sides on it. I agree with you that lower sides are a better choice. More stable while towing, and easier to load.

As for specifics on cylinders and type of dump, I cant offer any useful commentary.


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## Oldmaple (Oct 27, 2018)

I considered a dump trailer for my tree service. My problem was any trailer with a GVW over 10,000 lbs (which is most of them of a decent size and quality) requires a class A CDL. If you use it commercially (which you would be doing) then you need the license. No sign on the truck then how would they know, hang a sign on it and all bets are off. Commercial MI state police are a real PITA.


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## muddstopper (Oct 27, 2018)

I built my dump trailer so I cant comment on different brands. Mine is 6x10 with 2ft removeable sides. I dont sell or deliver firewood, but I love my trailer for hauling logs home. I used a single double acting cyl, but I have it connected to the hyd with a open center solenoid valve. It powers up, but gravity feeds down. I can connect the down solenoid and have power down if I want to, but have never needed it. I also have my electrics connect straight to my truck battery by using Anderson connectors. Ths keeps the trailer battery charged and provides extra power for dumping. I too have found that just running off the trailer battery, that you run out of power making multiple dumps.
My choice of size is 6 ft in width for the simple fact my JD Gator wont fit on a 5ft wide trailer, even my zero turn with the 54 inch deck dont fit well on a 5 ft trailer. A 6x10 with 2 ft sides will hold 120 cuft of wood stacked level with the top of the sides, round it up a little and you can fit a cord easy. Hauling 10ft logs, I can round it up pretty good and throw a strap across the top and haul more than a cord. Backup to where I want to dump and just raise the bed and drive out from under the logs. If you take your time, the logs will stay in a stack. I also sometimes use my trailer as a catch deck for the splits coming off the splitter. I just back the trailer until the bed is under the splitting wedge and let the splitter push the wood into the bed. Then back the trailer under my wood shed and stack off the trailer. Beats picking up splits and carrying the splits inside the shed. Brakes on both axles is a must and I pull it with a F150 4x4


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

I would say with a half ton 6x12 would be about the biggest you could tow. I think a 14ft would be too big with a cord of wood on it. I agree with comments above, I would buy a new one, usually used trailers have issues with breaks, bearings and lights and are usually starting to rust. By the time you fix the issues, you have the same money into them. I’ve never seen them substantially cheaper than a new one.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> If you ask me, a dump truck is a better choice. Cheaper, easier to get into yards, don't need a tie up a truck, etc, etc.
> 
> I have 5 dump trucks, 4 are 1 or 1.5 ton. I have maybe 25-30k total into them. Around here a decent dump trailer runs around $10,000
> 
> Power up and down. Gravity down sucks in the winter. Have had to climb into the bed and help it down on a -25* day. And yes my 200lb ass was enough to help.


Hmmm. You can buy a brand new 8x16 deck over gooseneck here for around $8900 with a tarp. I ageee a dump truck can be had cheaper but dump trucks for that price would also be considerably older. You also have an engine and other vehicle related items to maintain and you have to insure another vehicle.


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## sb47 (Oct 27, 2018)

sirbuildalot said:


> What is your truck rated to tow?
> 
> A 6x12 dump trailer is going to weigh in the 3000-3500 lb range and a cord of wood, depending on species could be 4500-6000 lbs. Supposing your truck is rated to tow the weight, and you stated that you want to haul a full cord, I'd go for the 6x12. You can throw the splits in loose and still get the full cord. That would be tough to do with a 5x8 or a 5x10 trailer. Unless you had very tall sides on it. I agree with you that lower sides are a better choice. More stable while towing, and easier to load.
> 
> As for specifics on cylinders and type of dump, I cant offer any useful commentary.



5000lbs stock but I have added helper springs rated for an extra 1000lbs. Yes I know the axle is the limiting factor but I have been hauling cords on my utility trailer with no issues. My utility trailer is not a cheap light duty trailer ether, it's a heavy duty trailer and weighs almost twice what a cheap one of the same size does.
I agree new is the way to go for several reasons. 1 your not buying someone elses problems and 2. most want almost as much as a new one anyway.
I would probably only make a few delivery's in a single day so I don't think the battery would be an issue and I can always have the truck charge it as i'm driving.


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## Del_ (Oct 27, 2018)

I've got a 6 x 12 with 2 ft. sides. Single rear gate. Two axle of course.

It is exactly what you need. It is 144 cubic feet so a stacked cord would fit easily. A tossed cord would be slightly mounded which works out fine. A 4 x 4 pickup would be best for moving it around and even then be careful about going off road.

The 6 x 12 bed also comes in handy for moving equipment around if you've got some nice ramps.

Mine tows like a dream.

If you can get wheel sizes the same as your pickup truck. It will make it easier to find used tires. An no, I don't worry about using trailer tires, but then I don't grind tires turning on pavement when I can avoid it, and I usually can.

I've had my dump trailer going on 20 years now.


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## rarefish383 (Oct 27, 2018)

We were cleaning out the filing cabinet today, and my wife pulled out the title to my trailer. Held it up and said, you've had this since 2006. Best tool I ever bought. It's a 5X8, with fold down drive on ramp. Can put mt BIL's 4X4 Kubota on it. The tailgate also hinges from the top so you can put gravel in it and chain the gate so it only opens a couple inches, and spread gravel. Diamond plate fenders and other step points. I put the live edge sides on it , just because. Stacked to the top is 1 cord. Thrown in probably couldn't do it. I'ts 5000 pound rated with electric breaks. When you start adding the second axle, you start to push the GVW of the truck. This trailer was pretty much made for half ton trucks. I love mine, brought home 4 loads of wood this week. The drive on ramp is a must. I use it all Year for the walk behind, JD 265 mower, Kubota 4X4 FEL. Mines a Pequea, when I bought it had a 5000 pound rating, 2 5/16 ball, breaks, 6 lug wheels, diamond plate fenders, tie down rail, lights in steel steps, for $3500. For the same price Bri-Mar and EZ Dumper were 3500 pound rated, 2 inch ball, 5 lug wheels, no breaks, no drive on ramp, stamped tin fender, and exposed cheapo lights. The other brands could build a trailer like mine but it was much more expensive. I went by my dealer a few months ago to get new bearings and they sold their Pequea dealership. He said shortly after I bought mine they skyrocketed the price and they were no longer competitive. When I asked if they lowered the quality or were they still heavier and better trailers? He kind of hedged the question and said his new line of trailers would do everything a half ton could handle. The Pequea website still shows my trailer and it's rated as a commercial unit. I just found a new 2019 C500 and it's listed at $3,999.


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## rarefish383 (Oct 27, 2018)

OOPs,


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## sb47 (Oct 27, 2018)

I don't mind going longer on the length, maybe 6x14 but I do want to stay with a 6' wide for easier access to narrow driveways.


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## Jhenderson (Oct 27, 2018)

Oldmaple said:


> I considered a dump trailer for my tree service. My problem was any trailer with a GVW over 10,000 lbs (which is most of them of a decent size and quality) requires a class A CDL. If you use it commercially (which you would be doing) then you need the license. No sign on the truck then how would they know, hang a sign on it and all bets are off. Commercial MI state police are a real PITA.



You only need a class a cdl if gross combined wt is over 26,001. Trailer wt over 10K only matters when the tow vehicle is over 26,001. A 14K trailer towed by a 10K pickup doesn’t require any special license.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

sb47 said:


> I don't mind going longer on the length, maybe 6x14 but I do want to stay with a 6' wide for easier access to narrow driveways.


Just food for thought but a 8x14 and a 6x14 are actually roughly the same overall width. I much prefer a deck over trailer. Can hold more and I like the fold down sides.


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## Sandhill Crane (Oct 27, 2018)

Jhenderson said:


> A 14K trailer towed by a 10K pickup doesn’t require any special license.


Actually it does in Michigan. The tow vehicle needs to be plated to cover the total combined gross vehicle weight of truck and trailer, regardless of the trailer having it's own plate.
Edit: example: 10,000 gvw truck + 14,000 gvw trailer means truck needs to be plated for 24,000 cgvw.
Edit: re-read your post and your speaking of operators license. If sell or delivering a commodity (firewood) you need a chauffeurs license below 26,001. Which I believe means you need a physical and drug test.


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## Woodcutteranon (Oct 27, 2018)

I have a Griffin 6x10 dump. I added boards so my sides are 2.5' tall. I hand load a cord and the four rows, even with the tops of the boards equals 1 cord. I chose the trailer over a dump truck simply because I don't have a loader or a conveyor to load the DT. I pull my trailer with an F150. So far so good.

I agree with recommendations for power up, power down for cold weather. Mine have dual rams and they seem to work fine. My only beef with the Griffin is the paint is absolutely crap. I had it on wet, winter roads just 5 trips and the paint is practically gone from the salt. My 1 year old trailer looks 20 yrs old. Crap paint. Also what annoys me is the paint was also put on lazy. If you lift up the D rings in the bed there is raw steel behind them. The painter didn't take the time to lift the D rings to paint behind them. If you are going to pull your trailer in the winter I would recommend you pay a little extra for a quality paint job...powder coat paint etc.

The pic below is when my trailer was new last summer. This was before I added the side boards.


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## Sandhill Crane (Oct 27, 2018)

I've been reading this comment about poor paint for years. Is there a company that does a good job with prep and paint on their trailers?


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## Del_ (Oct 27, 2018)

sawjunky23 said:


> Just food for thought but a 8x14 and a 6x14 are actually roughly the same overall width. I much prefer a deck over trailer. Can hold more and I like the fold down sides.



I've had both and I much prefer the lower between the wheels 6x12. It is much easier hand loading and for loading equipment using ramps. 

I've seen some nice 6 x 12 's with ramps that slide up underneath the dump bed. A great option and better than a tall tailgate ramp set up.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Oct 27, 2018)

sawjunky23 said:


> Hmmm. You can buy a brand new 8x16 deck over gooseneck here for around $8900 with a tarp. I ageee a dump truck can be had cheaper but dump trucks for that price would also be considerably older. You also have an engine and other vehicle related items to maintain and you have to insure another vehicle.



Have to insure a truck either way. I don't own any pickups, just the dump trucks.

How about register, insure, etc a trailer? 4 more tires too.

I did the trailer thing for a while, won't do it again. It's a pain trying to get into yards. Some it's a pain just with the truck, would be impossible with a trailer.

And dealing with a heavy trailer in the winter? At least with the dump truck the ~ 10k lbs of wood is helping with traction.

Have no use for a tin can bed truck.

My trucks are anywhere from 81 to 97.
Right now using an 83 C30 with 12ft bed. Small block, 4 speed. Bought it 5 years ago, have put about 30k miles on it delivering wood.
Also have an 82 that's the same, just an auto trans.
Cheap to keep fixed and parts are easy to get.
The 2 F450s are not ready yet, "on the to-do list" haha.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

Del_ said:


> I've had both and I much prefer the lower between the wheels 6x12. It is much easier hand loading and for loading equipment using ramps.
> 
> I've seen some nice 6 x 12 's with ramps that slide up underneath the dump bed. A great option and better than a tall tailgate ramp set up.


Agreed. If you are planning on hauling a skid loader or similar in it a lower bed is better.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> I've been reading this comment about poor paint for years. Is there a company that does a good job with prep and paint on their trailers?


Not that I’ve seen


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## T. Mainus (Oct 27, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> I've been reading this comment about poor paint for years. Is there a company that does a good job with prep and paint on their trailers?



I bought a Midsota tilt deck for moving the forklift between the 2 shops about a year ago. They promoted there paint pretty good when I was looking at them. I think everyone has the same opinion that trailer paint is not going to last but Midsota seems to be making it a positive for them that there paint will last. Its a year old and still looks like new. Sits outside all the time.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 27, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> Have to insure a truck either way. I don't own any pickups, just the dump trucks.
> 
> How about register, insure, etc a trailer? 4 more tires too.
> 
> ...


I get what you are saying. You only use your trucks for business then yes it makes more sense.
I assume the op like most people already has a pickup that he doesn’t plan to sell so purchasing a dump truck would require all the things I stated during my previous post. 

I use my truck for other stuff besides hauling firewood, like pulling my fifth wheel camper and gooseneck flatbed so I have to keep the “tin can bed truck” around.


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## sb47 (Oct 27, 2018)

The inside dimensions on my utility trailer are 16'x82'' . It's 103'' wide total witch I think is the max width and is hard to get into narrow driveways.
I loaded it this afternoon for a delivery in the morning.
I mesured my 6x12 cargo trailer as a comparison and it's 92'' wide, 13'' narrower then the utility trailer.


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## T. Mainus (Oct 27, 2018)

Here are some pics of the Midsota.


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## Del_ (Oct 27, 2018)

sawjunky23 said:


> Agreed. If you are planning on hauling a skid loader or similar in it a lower bed is better.



I also use aluminum ramps to roll some pretty good sized rounds into the bed by had. Also use a DR Powerwagon with an aluminum ramp and can move good sized rounds a long distance in the Powerwagon and the wagon is at the exact height as the dump trailer bed so it's an easy roll. This is another reason I wouldn't want a ramp for a tailgate as it would be in the way. My tailgate swings to one side.


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## homemade (Oct 28, 2018)

Not to hijack, but I too am looking at dump trailers. This weekend, the guys in our crew hauling wood. We had three truck/dump trailer combos hauling logs and brush. Two trailers were 7x14 and one was a 6x12. Now I know the 6x12 doesn’t seem that much smaller, but it felt like loading a wheelbarrow compared to the other two. 

Now I’m starting to look at 96” x 14” in deck over configuration. I know it’s much bigger then what the op is looking for, but the flip down sides of a deck over means I won’t need a separate flat deck trailer if I want to haul palletized material. I also do some landscaping so, the larger captivity to haul mulch would be nice.


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## Jhenderson (Oct 28, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> Actually it does in Michigan. The tow vehicle needs to be plated to cover the total combined gross vehicle weight of truck and trailer, regardless of the trailer having it's own plate.
> Edit: example: 10,000 gvw truck + 14,000 gvw trailer means truck needs to be plated for 24,000 cgvw.
> Edit: re-read your post and your speaking of operators license. If sell or delivering a commodity (firewood) you need a chauffeurs license below 26,001. Which I believe means you need a physical and drug test.



Those are State by State regulations and each State is a little different. The post I took exception quoted Fed CDL regs. I’m pretty familiar with them, having been towing dump trailers with pickups since 1992. My current setup uses a srw 3500 and a PJ gn dump rated at 18,500 for a gross of 28,500lbs which puts me in class A CDL regs. Contrary to what some believe, although I previously held a class B it wasn’t required with my 3/4 ton towing a 14,300lb dump because the gross was under CDL even though the trailer was over 10K. I was required to have a heath cert because the gross combined wt was over 10K. That’s a R.I. State reg. Throw in DOT number requirements ( if your operation requires them) and things can change again. 
As for paint? None of my PJs had any. They were all powder coat over bare steel. They all started peeling within 3-4 years. It seems as though the major manufacturers have gone to a primer/ paint system recently. It’s more expensive because of EPA regs but it’s far superior.


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## Ryan'smilling (Oct 28, 2018)

homemade said:


> Not to hijack, but I too am looking at dump trailers. This weekend, the guys in our crew hauling wood. We had three truck/dump trailer combos hauling logs and brush. Two trailers were 7x14 and one was a 6x12. Now I know the 6x12 doesn’t seem that much smaller, but it felt like loading a wheelbarrow compared to the other two.
> 
> Now I’m starting to look at 96” x 14” in deck over configuration. I know it’s much bigger then what the op is looking for, but the flip down sides of a deck over means I won’t need a separate flat deck trailer if I want to haul palletized material. I also do some landscaping so, the larger captivity to haul mulch would be nice.



I'd love to know what you decide on. I'm considering selling my big deckover equipment trailer in favor of a gooseneck dump. If you find a dealer in Wisconsin with a good price and product, be sure to post about it!


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## homemade (Oct 28, 2018)

Ryan'smilling said:


> I'd love to know what you decide on. I'm considering selling my big deckover equipment trailer in favor of a gooseneck dump. If you find a dealer in Wisconsin with a good price and product, be sure to post about it!



I think I’ll be looking in the slightly used market. A new one is up in the $8500-9000 range. Seams like pj trailers are better quality over Bri-Mar. Those are two brands I have been up close and personal with. I would like to look at big Tex brand or some others brands. The closer pj dealer is 45 min away but I’m willing to drive several hours if it means I’m saving $1000.


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 28, 2018)

Ryan'smilling said:


> I'd love to know what you decide on. I'm considering selling my big deckover equipment trailer in favor of a gooseneck dump. If you find a dealer in Wisconsin with a good price and product, be sure to post about it!


 My FIL looked all around and there is a dealer in West Salem WI who seemed to have the best prices. A Lamar 16ft deckover is 8400 bucks


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## Jhenderson (Oct 28, 2018)

homemade said:


> I think I’ll be looking in the slightly used market. A new one is up in the $8500-9000 range. Seams like pj trailers are better quality over Bri-Mar. Those are two brands I have been up close and personal with. I would like to look at big Tex brand or some others brands. The closer pj dealer is 45 min away but I’m willing to drive several hours if it means I’m saving $1000.



I’ve had 2 PJ dump trailers . The quality was good except for the aforementioned paint problems which seem to have gotten better. No real issues other than regular maint. The one bit of advice I’d offer is to check the axle manufacturer. I think they’ve gone to all Dexter now but earlier models can have Rockwell. I special ordered my 2011 model year, GN with 8K oil bath axles. It came with Rockwell’s. There’s nothing wrong with them and they’ve served me well, but everything in the brake and hub is just a little different than standard Dexter parts. That makes seals, brake shoes, bearings, etc a little harder to get and a little more expensive.


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## outdoorsman0490 (Oct 28, 2018)

Just my .02 for delivering firewood with dump trailer.
When I was in college I had an 06 Chevy 1500 with the 5.3; reg cab reg bed.

Getting a dump truck for deliveries wasn’t an option.
I bought a new cam 5’ by 8’ single axle dump, 6000lb gross, payload was right at 4500lbs.

This was a perfect setup that I ran for many years, delivering hundreds of cords.
I made wooden sides just over 3’ tall or so and it carried a stacked cord level with the tops of the boards.

Trailer was super light when empty, and truck hauled it fine when loaded, had its own breaks.

Cost about 3500 new or so; used it for like 5 years, then sold it for 2500.

Even hauled a smaller kubota tractor in it for a while.

The short truck and short trailer; I was able to back this thing into some really right places.

Once I got a 6/12, I started doing deliveries in the dump truck because the trailer was too big to fit all the time.


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## homemade (Oct 28, 2018)

Chances are, I won’t be purchasing anything until a year or two. Just doing my research now and waiting on a deal.


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## sb47 (Oct 28, 2018)

The way the wood is flying out the door I wont need to do any delivery's after all. I could use a dumper for collecting logs though. Being able to just dump and go I could collect more logs.


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## unclemoustache (Oct 29, 2018)

$5,000 for this piece of junk. Works great!


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## sb47 (Oct 29, 2018)

unclemoustache said:


> $5,000 for this piece of junk. Works great!
> 
> 
> View attachment 682170




And all the extra expense that goes with it.


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## DSW (Oct 29, 2018)

I get a LOT of tough delivery spots and I don't even sell much wood. 

I've been in spots where getting my F250 to physically fit was difficult, let alone maneuver it. Not to mention up hill, down hill, busy street, soft ground, etc.. 

Even single axle, tiny trailer would put me on the street at least half the time. Mine doesn't dump but that's why I went with a full size trailer. It's going to restrict me either way might as well have something I can move cars, skidsteer, etc with.


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## sb47 (Oct 29, 2018)

No paint problems with this brand. I would not buy this brand because they lie in there add. But being galvanized is a plus.


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## homemade (Oct 29, 2018)

T. Mainus said:


> We use an 8x14 PJ trailers deckover for all of our deliveries. Roughly 100 cord this year. I prefer the deckover over a regular dump for 2 reasons. It sits higher so it dumps better. The lower trailers do not dump as nice because they are so low to the ground. With the fold down sides of the deckover, we can use it for hauling materials and load/unload from the side with the forklift as well. Ours is power up and power down with a scissors lift. It dumps wood just fine but if you load it up with gravel that gets heavy in a hurry. How are you loading the trailer with wood. We dump the wood in the trailer from our bags, and the 8x14 is barely big enough to haul a cord of wood. The deckover has shorter sides, only 18" though. We dump 2 bags in and then we have to flatten the pile out before we empty the 3rd bag in the trailer. I like our trailer, the PJ's are known for having crappy paint jobs. The paint is just flaking off ours right now. Ours is rated for 14,000 LBS. A full cord of wood is heavy. We pull ours with a F-350 SRW V-10 Super Cab. Truck handles it fine, stopping is the only real issue that you have to be careful with. We also have our trailer wired directly to the truck battery as well. We can do 8-10 deliveries a day and never have a problem with the battery running low. Before we did that you had to be careful, after maybe 4 deliveries the battery would start to get low. Had to plug it in while loading to get the charge back up. For us the trailer makes more sense than a separate dump truck. This time of the year we are using the hell out of it, but after firewood season it just sits not getting used. During summer you might do 1 delivery a week at the most. We bought ours used, paid 5 grand for it, new I believe they are in the 7-8 grand range now. The picture shows the trailer with a cord of wood on it. Couldn't imagine trying to deliver firewood without one.
> 
> View attachment 681758



This is what I’m looking for. Now just waiting on a deal. I know Texas residents can get the trailers un painted. Wondering if it’s worth having it painted by me using quality primer and paint.


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## rancher2 (Oct 29, 2018)

Steel trailers and salt just isn't a good match. We have sand blasted trailers and used the highest quality paint and salt will take its toll. We have three grain trailers for the farm two steel and one is aluminum. The two steel ones never get used in the winter and stay looking new. I have one dump trailer take sees a little salt and I just touch up the paint every so often. The rest of the dump trailers I have never get used in the winter on the road.


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## JeffHK454 (Oct 29, 2018)

sb47 said:


> No paint problems with this brand. I would not buy this brand because they lie in there add. But being galvanized is a plus.



I’m betting that’s a $10K to $12K trailer..looks heavy too.


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## sb47 (Oct 29, 2018)

JeffHK454 said:


> I’m betting that’s a $10K to $12K trailer..looks heavy too.


There is a galvanizing plant about 2 miles down the road from me. They do large galvanizing to. They run 24/7, I know this cause I hear them dragging and dropping steel all hours of the night.
I wounder what they would charge to sand blast and dip a trailer.


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## sb47 (Oct 30, 2018)

My list of wants when I buy one (or have it made)
6'x12' scissor type lift with adjustable hitch.
Beefed up duel axle with breaks on both axles.
16'' steel rims with 14 ply tires.
4'x4' heavy duty jack.
Roll up tarp.
Expanded sheet metal under the frame so things can be stored under the bed. (access would only be with the bed lifted)
Two spare tire mounts.
Flat bar welded along the entire length of the sides for strapping down cargo.
D-rings mounted on the inside walls instead of on the floor.
Crank up (tong jacks) mounted on both sides at the rear for loading heavy equipment (can also be used to jack up the trailer to change a tire)
LED lights with cold weather wiring and extra break lights with back up lights.
Duel battery set up.
Power up, power down with a third option to gravity down.
Diamond plate fenders with extensions all the way down the sides so I can walk all the way down when securing a load.
Tool box for straps/chains and binders.
Pockets for extension boards on the sides.
And of course bearing buddy's.
Maybe and extendable work/cargo light.
Small crane for lifting loads.
Thats it so far.


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## sevensandeights (Oct 30, 2018)

sb47 said:


> No paint problems with this brand. I would not buy this brand because they lie in there add. But being galvanized is a plus.




What makes you say this? 

I have a N&N dump trailer and love it. 6x12 10k gvw and it cost me about $6k US dollars. I bought it a year and a half ago when the exchange rate was favorable. Drove from Pennsylvania to Ontario to pick it up and had no issues getting it back across the border or titling it in PA. Had to pay 13% Canadian tax but filled out a form to get a full refund (took about 8 weeks).

Telescopic front mount 3 stage lift, tarp kit and adjustable hitch come standard. Aluminum box to house the controls. I got the "light duty" model so no ramps (available but extra and are side mount). Empty trailer weight is 2700#.

Heavy duty version has ramps that mount underneath and the entire trailer weighs considerably more. I didn't want to mess with DOT regulations with trailers over 10k GVW. If I went with trailer over 10k GVW, my local trailer store said I would have to register my truck (2008 GMC 2500 Duramax) and trailer in combination at an annual fee of $400+! I know there is a lot of debate about this but I didn't want to bother. Bigger trailer costs more and is heavier so payload isn't significantly more.

I live in the rust belt so paint/powder coat wasn't an option - most look awful within a few years. I also looked at aluminum from Mission trailer in New Hampshire (IIRC) but a 10K GVW trailer was $10k!


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## rarefish383 (Oct 30, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> I've been reading this comment about poor paint for years. Is there a company that does a good job with prep and paint on their trailers?


My Pequea is 12 years old and has most of it's paint. I've scraped steel on steel in a few places. MD is a salt state and my under carriage is in great shape.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Oct 31, 2018)

sb47 said:


> And all the extra expense that goes with it.



Like? Need a truck to pull the trailer, so why not have the truck do the job of the trailer?

I just bought another square body dump truck. 8x12ft bed. Gave 3k for it.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Oct 31, 2018)

JeffHK454 said:


> I’m betting that’s a $10K to $12K trailer..looks heavy too.



I bet more than that. A 14k Mexican labor built with shifty paint dump trailer is $10k.


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## DSW (Oct 31, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> Like? Need a truck to pull the trailer, so why not have the truck do the job of the trailer?
> 
> I just bought another square body dump truck. 8x12ft bed. Gave 3k for it.



Most of these guys probably have a dependable daily pickup they drive. Assuming you have that and don't plan to give it up, the trailer is definitely less hassle than adding another vehicle.


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## sb47 (Oct 31, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> Like? Need a truck to pull the trailer, so why not have the truck do the job of the trailer?
> 
> I just bought another square body dump truck. 8x12ft bed. Gave 3k for it.



Because I don't want to drive a dump truck as my main transpo.


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## sb47 (Oct 31, 2018)

sb47 said:


> Because I don't want to drive a dump truck as my main transpo.



And I like getting more then 8 mpg


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## JeffHK454 (Oct 31, 2018)

sb47 said:


> And I like getting more then 8 mpg


My old diesel 6.2 Chevy dump gets 16-18 MPG when empty..hell it gets better mileage than my new 6.7 Superduty and it’s doubled as our spare car for the last 15 years. With that said when you get a cord a Oak in the old C30 it’s pretty slow with only a 185 HP dragging 13,000 LBS.


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## Pcoz88 (Oct 31, 2018)

Ck out bwise trailers ultimate dump trailer.


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## Woodchuck71 (Oct 31, 2018)

Ive got an OLD F600 ('77) that we use around the farm.Trip to the quarry once in a while.6 miles round trip.Dumps 9 tons no problem.Put 8 logs on it to get back to the homestead a while back (3+2+3),bed was FULL.40" log or so.Knotty .Chain and boomer holding it on top.
Better then a trailer for ME,but I'm not in the selling business either.Around 5 mpg...so ,I dont drive it to town for ice cream.Friend has a dump trailer,works great for his use.Paint is mostly gone after 5/6 years.


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## sb47 (Oct 31, 2018)

DSW said:


> Most of these guys probably have a dependable daily pickup they drive. Assuming you have that and don't plan to give it up, the trailer is definitely less hassle than adding another vehicle.



I agree. I don't mind driving a pickup every day. Today's trucks are as nice as any car and I suppose a 1 ton dully could qualify, but again who wants to go to the grocery store in a dump truck.
Besides a pickup is more versatile then a dumper. To many extra fees go along with a separate vehicle vs. a trailer.


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## sb47 (Oct 31, 2018)

My old utility trailer didn't start showing rust until it was 15 years old. I wounder if you painted a trailer before it actually needed it if it would last longer.
Here is my utility trailer after I hand painted it with a brush with barn paint. Looks ok to me.

Before






After


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

sevensandeights said:


> What makes you say this?
> 
> I have a N&N dump trailer and love it. 6x12 10k gvw and it cost me about $6k US dollars. I bought it a year and a half ago when the exchange rate was favorable. Drove from Pennsylvania to Ontario to pick it up and had no issues getting it back across the border or titling it in PA. Had to pay 13% Canadian tax but filled out a form to get a full refund (took about 8 weeks).
> 
> ...



He lied twice. Can you spot them?


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

This one has some nice features.


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

I ran across this. This would be a good way to get more out of a dump truck then just a dump truck. You could even bob tail around without a bed or change to a different bed.


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## Husky Man (Nov 1, 2018)

I Really like that Dump Trailer, Now I just have to win the lottery


Doug


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## sevensandeights (Nov 1, 2018)

sb47 said:


> He lied twice. Can you spot them?



I lied twice or the dude in the video?

The guy in the video owns a dealership in Ontario - he is not the manufacturer. N&N trailers are made in Montreal.


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

sevensandeights said:


> I lied twice or the dude in the video?
> 
> The guy in the video owns a dealership in Ontario - he is not the manufacturer. N&N trailers are made in Montreal.



He told 2 little lies in the video. Not a big deal, but if you own the dealership and all you do is sell trailers you should know the product inside and out.
He made 2 statement's about the trailer that is not true. Since I have been researching them lately, I'm fairly familiar with whats being offered. I spotted them rite away.
I'm sure it's a quality trailer, I just prefer the truth so I can make a good decision. If he lied twice, what else is he lying about.


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## sevensandeights (Nov 1, 2018)

Bash the dealer then - don't bash the trailer . . .


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

sevensandeights said:


> Bash the dealer then - don't bash the trailer . . .



The dealer represents the brand, bad dealer= bad brand.


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## JeffHK454 (Nov 1, 2018)

sb47 said:


> The dealer represents the brand, bad dealer= bad brand.


OK..I give , what are these lies ?


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

JeffHK454 said:


> OK..I give , what are these lies ?



I want to give others a chance, but I will revel soon if no one guesses. I'll pm you.


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## JeffHK454 (Nov 1, 2018)

sb47 said:


> I want to give others a chance, but I will revel soon if no one guesses. I'll pm you.


The points you pm ‘d me caught my ear also...


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## sawjunky23 (Nov 1, 2018)

sb47 said:


> I want to give others a chance, but I will revel soon if no one guesses. I'll pm you.


Sent ya a PM with my guess


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## firecatf7333 (Nov 1, 2018)

You'll be able to find a used 6x10 in texas and your stuff doesn't rust down there. Put 3' sides and you can fit a cord on it. That would be the lightest setup for your f150 which would be a good match. You can find a used one for 3 grand no problem and back that anywhere you need to go. I prefer gravity down bc it doesnt use battery juice but its not a big deal either way. I had a 16ft gooseneck and backed into yards all the time. Never once couldnt fit. I now have a 7x 14 bumper pull and it feels like I'm maneuvering a wheel barrow when backing into spots. wouldn't get a fancy dump trailer and over think it....it will get beat up anyway. Dump Truck is alot more maintenance


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## sb47 (Nov 1, 2018)

firecatf7333 said:


> You'll be able to find a used 6x10 in texas and your stuff doesn't rust down there. Put 3' sides and you can fit a cord on it. That would be the lightest setup for your f150 which would be a good match. You can find a used one for 3 grand no problem and back that anywhere you need to go. I prefer gravity down bc it doesnt use battery juice but its not a big deal either way. I had a 16ft gooseneck and backed into yards all the time. Never once couldnt fit. I now have a 7x 14 bumper pull and it feels like I'm maneuvering a wheel barrow when backing into spots. wouldn't get a fancy dump trailer and over think it....it will get beat up anyway. Dump Truck is alot more maintenance



Goosnecks are easier to back up because you can jackknife them a lot more. I considered putting a goosneck set up on my step side but I have never seen a step side pulling a goosneck. PJ trailers offers a power up/down with a third option gravity down to save battery life. I probably wouldn't need to dump more then a few times a day so battery life may never be an issue. A duel battery set should power it up and down at least a dozen times before you lose power. I have hear some do have an emergency gravity down but from what I hear it dumps the hydraulic oil on the ground or in the battery box. Seems to me like it would be a simple thing to wrought the overflow back into the oil tank. All the used ones I have seen so far are as much as new ones. Resale seems good on most any type trailer.


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## Waltzie (Nov 2, 2018)

sb47 said:


> I ran across this. This would be a good way to get more out of a dump truck then just a dump truck. You could even bob tail around without a bed or change to a different bed.






I have a switch and go system. Can’t find a single thing to hate about it.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 2, 2018)

sb47 said:


> Because I don't want to drive a dump truck as my main transpo.



I have a 45mpg diesel VW for my daily driver. Makes no sense for me to drive 10-15 mpg trucks unless I need a truck.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 2, 2018)

JeffHK454 said:


> My old diesel 6.2 Chevy dump gets 16-18 MPG when empty..hell it gets better mileage than my new 6.7 Superduty and it’s doubled as our spare car for the last 15 years. With that said when you get a cord a Oak in the old C30 it’s pretty slow with only a 185 HP dragging 13,000 LBS.



Yeah, I have a 160hp small block.. probably more like 120hp now. Loaded I sit at about 17000lbs. It keeps up with traffic reasonably well.


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## sawjunky23 (Nov 2, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> I have a 45mpg diesel VW for my daily driver. Makes no sense for me to drive 10-15 mpg trucks unless I need a truck.


How does your 45mpg VW diesel pull your camper? Or your boat? Or haul your construction tools? I get your point that your dump trucks work awesome for your lifestyle but what many people were saying is they already own a pickup and it’s simply not cheaper to purchase a dump truck, nor would it be as reasonable to do so.... we all have different reasons for owning the transportation that we do.


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## lknchoppers (Nov 2, 2018)

I have a 10K 6'x10' trailer made by Carry-On. https://www.carry-ontrailer.com/trailers/dump-trailers/ You can get this trailer new for $4500 if you look around. I have made hundreds of deliveries with this trailer. The hydraulic system is great and it has only one hydraulic cylinder, it has power up and power down. It has brakes on two 5k Dexter axles and a spreader gate. I just put 4 new 10 ply tires on it. I prefer the low profile trailers because it's easier to get equipment on like a Bobcat, deck overs are higher so they are harder to get large equipment on. If I were you I would get a 6'x12' 10K trailer and you should be able to get a cord of wood on there without a problem. Get the tallest metal sides you can afford (3' Metal Sides Would Be Perfect), wood sides are ok but if you ever want to haul in logs they break off easy when loading logs with a skid steer. I have dumped 8000# with this setup easily. Once you buy a dump trailer you will open up yourself to being able to pickup logs easily that people want gone and will load for you. Also picking up 4 tons of stone and spreading it if you get a spreader gate is an easy task. Make sure you get one with two doors on the back, one big door is a PIA like I have but I got mine for cheap so I put up with it until I upgrade soon. This trailer and piston setup is great too, I charge it maybe once a month and dump so many loads and it's never dead really hard to believe, I need to count how many loads between charges sometime. My friends with bigger dump trailer that don't charge as they drive always have dead batteries we have to jump. I don't want a dump truck, I can fill my truck with a cord and hand toss it off and fill the dump trailer and dump it. For the driveways I get into a dump truck would never fit or even a dually pickup would never fit. Plus having weighted tags and maintenance on another truck is very expensive, I had two for a while and I thought it sucked...lol. Here I can get a multi-year trailer tag for $90 at the time of registration and never have to pay another registration as long as I own the trailer. I had to back into a city driveway the other day and had 2" clearance on one side and 6" clearance on the other. Typical tight deliveries where I go. I have it on video and you can see it here below.


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## sb47 (Nov 2, 2018)

Here is my list of brands I have looked at so far.Can I have more then one please?
Bri-mar
B-wise
Lamar
Big Tex
Trailtech
N&N
PJ
Load Trail
Gator Made
Sure track
Titan
Towrite
Griffin
PA International
Cam Supperline
D&K
Diamond C


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## Husky Man (Nov 3, 2018)

sb47 said:


> Here is my list of brands I have looked at so far.Can I have more then one please?
> Bri-mar
> B-wise
> Lamar
> ...




You have my permission to have as many as you like, PROVIDED you buy me one of each that you buy for yourself

I'm Really hoping that you get at least one of the B-Wise trailers, as I really like the features on those, do I need to arrange shipping, or will you include that too, in my granting you permission?


Doug


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## homemade (Nov 4, 2018)

sb47 said:


> Here is my list of brands I have looked at so far.Can I have more then one please?
> Bri-mar
> B-wise
> Lamar
> ...



Of this list. Could you arrange the to three or four in highest quality to price ratio. Locally I’ve only really seen Bri-mar and pj. Pj being better build I think.


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## kcurbanloggers (Nov 4, 2018)

sawjunky23 said:


> Just food for thought but a 8x14 and a 6x14 are actually roughly the same overall width. I much prefer a deck over trailer. Can hold more and I like the fold down sides.



Definitely depends on how you’re loading it. The deck overs are great if you have a skid steer at your disposal, but stacking rounds all day any higher than what is necessary is a big trade off. I have a 14k 7x12 with drop axles that makes loading by hand a breeze. You get nearly the same capacity, and if you have to you can always add sides. 
My trailer is a sure-trac which I think is pretty hard to beat if you buy their hd line. You might look in to those. I’m not sure if they make anything smaller than that in the hd line up. All theirs are gravity down — it can be a little slow but has never given me any issue, plus you can get an extra few dumps out of a single charge that way. 
I payed about $7,600 for mine with upgraded axles


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sawjunky23 (Nov 4, 2018)

kcurbanloggers said:


> Definitely depends on how you’re loading it. The deck overs are great if you have a skid steer at your disposal, but stacking rounds all day any higher than what is necessary is a big trade off. I have a 14k 7x12 with drop axles that makes loading by hand a breeze. You get nearly the same capacity, and if you have to you can always add sides.
> My trailer is a sure-trac which I think is pretty hard to beat if you buy their hd line. You might look in to those. I’m not sure if they make anything smaller than that in the hd line up. All theirs are gravity down — it can be a little slow but has never given me any issue, plus you can get an extra few dumps out of a single charge that way.
> I payed about $7,600 for mine with upgraded axles
> 
> ...


My comment was in response to concerns the OP stated about backing the trailer into delivery sites. I was simply pointing out that all of the trailers are approximately the same overall width. The 6x12 is still about 8ft wide it is just some of the width is the fenders which are outside the trailer where as the deck over its all box. Had nothing to do with loading.


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## DSW (Nov 4, 2018)

lknchoppers said:


> View attachment 682974




Good video Wood Boss.

I see what you're saying about narrow drives, I would kill for how those houses are laid out though.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 5, 2018)

DSW said:


> Good video Wood Boss.
> 
> I see what you're saying about narrow drives, I would kill for how those houses are laid out though.



Those are cake to get into.

Add snow and ice and a 30* slope along with at least 1 switchback.


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## lknchoppers (Nov 5, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> Those are cake to get into.
> 
> Add snow and ice and a 30* slope along with at least 1 switchback.



Add some darkness, the rain, some slope, a narrow bridge, I seen about most of it, for the difficult stuff I unhook the trailer and just hand unload off the truck. I got your "CAKE" Buddy. Choppy, Post your pictures or video of this "Tight" delivering you speak of or it didn't happen !!! ...LOL


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## lknchoppers (Nov 5, 2018)

sawjunky23 said:


> My comment was in response to concerns the OP stated about backing the trailer into delivery sites. I was simply pointing out that all of the trailers are approximately the same overall width. The 6x12 is still about 8ft wide it is just some of the width is the fenders which are outside the trailer where as the deck over its all box. Had nothing to do with loading.



Yes you are correct, the 6x10 or 6x12 low pro-trailer will be about 8' wide. Deck over style is narrower but higher and will dump higher piles of firewood. Add sides and I can see it getting tougher to load. There are trade offs to both trailer styles, for me the low pro trailer also carries my skid steer so the lower height is better for my dual purpose. I generally load my firewood with a skid steer, stack it in the bucket by hand then dump it in the truck or trailer. Under the right conditions when I can pick up some firewood loads clean, I'll scoop it with the skid steer but it has to be dry out, no mud and on a hard surface. We have been getting a lot of rain lately so I'm mostly hand loading 2 cords prior to hitting the road to make deliveries. I like this trailer but would never buy one with a single door in the rear, I run into too many clearance issues and it slows me down, I'll probably sell it and get a bigger one next year since my big item purchases for the year are about done. I would like a trailer that has 3' metal side and no wooden sides, the wooden sides are a problem for me sometimes and so is the single big door on the back. Otherwise the trailer is great, I am really impressed how long the battery lasts after dumping so much.


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## sawjunky23 (Nov 5, 2018)

lknchoppers said:


> Add some darkness, the rain, some slope, a narrow bridge, I seen about most of it, for the difficult stuff I unhook the trailer and just hand unload off the truck. I got your "CAKE" Buddy. Choppy, Post your pictures or video of this "Tight" delivering you speak of or it didn't happen !!! ...LOL


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## Sandhill Crane (Nov 5, 2018)

I run a Top Kick 5500 with a 12' flatbed. I figure it cost me approx. 2k a year to keep it on the road; plates $600.; insurance, DOT inspection, and maintenance costs roughly $1,400. annually. Some years more, some years less. Put $500. in it last week. 
To put a new landscape box on it would be about 10k. 
A dump trailer was not an option before as I did not own a pickup. The bigger truck seemed a better choice at the time vs buying a pickup and dump trailer. Now we have a pickup to pull an older rv trailer, which makes the dump trailer option seems a better choice, money wise, over a landscape body.
Neither make money, but would save a lot of time. 
The money spent on a dump trailer or landscape box might be better spent as 25% money down on a processor, which could increase production and cash flow. I need to wait one more year, either way.


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## Husky Man (Nov 5, 2018)

Dayum, I guess there is just NO One Answer that is Best for Everyone, Who'da Thunk?


Doug


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 6, 2018)

lknchoppers said:


> Add some darkness, the rain, some slope, a narrow bridge, I seen about most of it, for the difficult stuff I unhook the trailer and just hand unload off the truck. I got your "CAKE" Buddy. Choppy, Post your pictures or video of this "Tight" delivering you speak of or it didn't happen !!! ...LOL



It happens nearly everyday. Tonight's delivery took tire chains and some maneuvering in a foot of snow uphill and sideslope, and between trees just a bit wider than the truck. In the dark, -5*. Took me a bit to tamp down a trail, but got it dumped where it needed to go.

Or others are a short driveway where I have to block the road to dump.

Anyhow, it's much easier using a dump truck for me.
I used a trailer the first couple years I did wood. Hasn't been used since. Probably will sell it this summer.

No pics needed. Don't believe me if you want, I don't care.


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## lknchoppers (Nov 6, 2018)

I hear ya choppy, I have scuffs down both sides of my truck, replaced tail lights a bunch of times, it's always something. A trailer is just my method of getting two cords into the city on a regular basis, heading out tonight in the rain, loaded last night in the damn rain and mud. We do what we have to do, be safe Buddy.


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## farmer steve (Nov 7, 2018)

sb47 said:


> Here is my list of brands I have looked at so far.Can I have more then one please?
> Bri-mar
> B-wise
> Lamar
> ...




https://www.pequea.com/trailers.php


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 7, 2018)

lknchoppers said:


> I hear ya choppy, I have scuffs down both sides of my truck, replaced tail lights a bunch of times, it's always something. A trailer is just my method of getting two cords into the city on a regular basis, heading out tonight in the rain, loaded last night in the damn rain and mud. We do what we have to do, be safe Buddy.



I haul 2 cords on the truck.


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## Sandhill Crane (Nov 7, 2018)

This is how I do it for now.
There is a cord and a half on the truck.
This works, especially in tight spots with the short wheel base, but is very time consuming overall, to clean the top and bottom of the pallets after sitting out for a year, to cover/strap, and to hand unload.
This year a couple places had equipment to unload the pallets.
Several pick up orders use one ton dump trucks and/or dump trailers that are loaded by cutting the netting a foot or so at a time above the box.
One guy had a 14' PJ low profile (nice trailer) we barely got a cord in. Don't remember if it had a board on the top edge or not.
The plus side, is less handling before delivery and excellent seasoning.
I now hook my straps on top of the rail and down through the stake pockets, as the wood shifts and settles a bit on deliveries. As shown here the straps can come completely loose and swing out away from the truck when driving.


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## lknchoppers (Nov 7, 2018)

Nice firewood setup Sandhill


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## sb47 (Nov 7, 2018)

The whole idea is to reduce the amount of handling of the wood and speed up production in all areas of the firewood production. Time is money and the less time you spend on production, the higher profit you end up with.


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## farmer steve (Nov 7, 2018)

sb47 said:


> The whole idea is to reduce the amount of handling of the wood and speed up production in all areas of the firewood production. Time is money and the less time you spend on production, the higher profit you end up with.


Definitely. Working on a cord of wood i bought now. Still going to handle it 4 times BUT having the dump trailer saved me from handling it 1time and 1 trip extra if I would have had to go back for a second load in the pick-up. More time to post on AS.


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## sb47 (Nov 7, 2018)

farmer steve said:


> Definitely. Working on a cord of wood i bought now. Still going to handle it 4 times BUT having the dump trailer saved me from handling it 1time and 1 trip extra if I would have had to go back for a second load in the pick-up. More time to post on AS.



Yep, times that 1 cord by 100 and the extra work is a big deal.


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## milkie62 (Nov 7, 2018)

I bought a 7x12 BriMar and not happy at all with it. It has never been used after the 1st snow of the year so it has never been in the salt. The paint is peeling off terribly. I plan on selling it come spring and buying something else. Also my trailer has never been overloaded since I must be weighed at the pit. Most I ever weighed was right around 9700 gross. One day one axle ripped out the axle hangers while trying to back up with a load of mulch. I did notice that the same size PJ trailer is about 350 lbs heavier. Have been told that the scissors lift is the best setup,followed by single cylinder and the worst being a dual cylinder. I am looking possibly for a custom built 6x12 12k capacity just for the heavier axles in case I happen to overload it by accident.


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## Sandhill Crane (Nov 8, 2018)

ChoppyChoppy said:


> Tonight's delivery took tire chains and some maneuvering in a foot of snow


One of my first years I delivered in the winter. 
No more. 
I got stuck in the wood lot three times one day, and more often than not after unloading... way to many times. 
Gets dark early, flatbed gets slippery, pallets cake with snow on the bottom, everything is wet and cold, hard on equipment, etc. 
And the best, their driveway is plowed wide enough for a Yugo, and they're pointing with their finger, just put it, ah, over there.
Don't know that a dump trailer would help...


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 8, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> One of my first years I delivered in the winter.
> No more.
> I got stuck in the wood lot three times one day, and more often than not after unloading... way to many times.
> Gets dark early, flatbed gets slippery, pallets cake with snow on the bottom, everything is wet and cold, hard on equipment, etc.
> ...



We have snow on the ground usually from mid-October to early May, so don't have too much choice! Normal winter temps don't bother me too much. I've processed wood at -30*. Just dress up and stick heaters on the equipment to get it to start.


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## lknchoppers (Nov 9, 2018)

milkie62 said:


> I bought a 7x12 BriMar and not happy at all with it. It has never been used after the 1st snow of the year so it has never been in the salt. The paint is peeling off terribly. I plan on selling it come spring and buying something else. Also my trailer has never been overloaded since I must be weighed at the pit. Most I ever weighed was right around 9700 gross. One day one axle ripped out the axle hangers while trying to back up with a load of mulch. I did notice that the same size PJ trailer is about 350 lbs heavier. Have been told that the scissors lift is the best setup,followed by single cylinder and the worst being a dual cylinder. I am looking possibly for a custom built 6x12 12k capacity just for the heavier axles in case I happen to overload it by accident.



I was at my Buddy's house a couple days ago, he does quite a bit of firewood. He has a BriMar a little bigger than mine, I think it is a 6'x14' low profile. When I took a close look at it, the metal just seemed thinner and lighter than I thought it should be. My trailer is no gem but it's pretty beefy and I have beat the heck out of it in some situations. I wouldn't buy a BriMar in the future. I like those PJ trailers but they are very high.


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## firecatf7333 (Nov 10, 2018)




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## Sandhill Crane (Nov 10, 2018)

That's a load!


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## firecatf7333 (Nov 10, 2018)

Sandhill Crane said:


> That's a load!



7.5 face cord or 2.5 cord. I know it's back there.


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## Husky Man (Nov 10, 2018)

Kinda Brave, trying that with a Chevy aren't you? 


Doug


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## rarefish383 (Nov 11, 2018)

lknchoppers said:


> I was at my Buddy's house a couple days ago, he does quite a bit of firewood. He has a BriMar a little bigger than mine, I think it is a 6'x14' low profile. When I took a close look at it, the metal just seemed thinner and lighter than I thought it should be. My trailer is no gem but it's pretty beefy and I have beat the heck out of it in some situations. I wouldn't buy a BriMar in the future. I like those PJ trailers but they are very high.


I looked at the BriMar and EZDumper, and bought the Pequea. It was built heavier, many more options, for the same price. I'm in MD which is a road salt state. My trailer is 12 years old and has very little rust on it, and where there is rust, it's just surface rust, no rot out. It's stored sitting on the paved court in front of my house. I first saw Pequea trailers on big heavy equipment and thought my little 5000 pound single axle was built like their heavy trailers. One time I got a load of compost and the guy on the loader asked if I wanted it piled up like when I got mulch. I said sure. My Dodge 1500 weighed about 5800 and when I went over the scales I was a tad over 12,000. Didn't realize that the compost was almost as heavy as dirt. Anyway, the trailer took it, didn't squat it enough to rub the tires, glad it had brakes. That load would have crushed my buddy's EZ. I think I paid about $3500 for mine 12 years ago. Earlier in this thread I looked them up, and my model is still only $3900. They should go on the "gotta check it out list".


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## sb47 (Nov 18, 2018)




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## Ductape (Nov 19, 2018)

I'll add my 2 cents.

I've got a 2004 Bri-Mar I bought used in 2006. It was very lightly used by a landscaper (seriously). Used a little for mulch and more for leaves (with a tall wooden box added on). Mine is a 6 X 10 low pro with 7000 lb. (2 / 3,500 lb) axles. It is a single cylinder with power up / gravity down and has always worked perfectly. I wanted a 10,000 lb trailer, but I just couldn't pass this one up …… since I paid just $2,200 and it really was 'like new'.

I mostly use it to shag my own firewood wherever I find it. I have hauled a little loam to my house with it. I do occasionally sell a cord of firewood here or there by word of mouth. I moved my Kubota tractor with it now and then, back when I still had the tractor.

I made a few mods to it to make it better for me. I added 18" of height to the tailgate. Added 20" of PT boards to the sides and front, and made hinges to make the gate swing to one side. All in all, this trailer has been the second best investment I have ever made. I've done nothing as far as repairs, and (I probably shouldn't admit) I still have the original Chinese Goodyear Marathons on it from 2004. The trailer is just now getting to where it needs some brakes, spring shackles, etc. The trailer has never failed to dump out whatever I have in it. For sure the paint on it isn't great, but probably average for a 2004 dump trailer. It is getting a few rust holes in the left fender from running it on salty roads, but the frame and tub are solid. Within the next year or two I will probably do some type of back yard paint job.

Every now and then I get the itch to replace it with something bigger / better / newer. I've looked at a bunch of different brands that are sold within an hour from home. For me, if I were buying new , I would absolutely consider an all aluminum dump trailer. I'm never hauling stone or gravel, so it would work for me. Money-wise... I would probably end up buying galvanized. I like the N & Ns. No one has mentioned, but several manufacturers have started offering galvanized trailers as an option. Cam and Bri-Mar are two of them. One thing with galvanized trailers.... order it just the way you want it, because you won't want to be welding to it to add this, or change that. You also won't want to drill any holes through it. Also something that hasn't been mentioned is that every manufacturer that I have asked, will de-rate a 12,000, or even 14,000 lb trailer down to 9990 lbs. if you would like them to. This allows heavier axles and bigger brakes/ tires and keeps the trailer CDL exempt. Granted, it leave less legal payload with a heavier trailer, but some may find this beneficial.

In any event, have fun looking at new trailers. Can't wait to see what you buy.


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## Ductape (Nov 19, 2018)




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## DSW (Dec 6, 2018)

Upfront costs of an old dump truck are almost nothing, operating costs could really get out of hand, especially considering you won't really be adding value.

Purchasing a new , decent size dump can be a pill to swallow, but the worst of it should be over. 

Been doing a little brainstorming myself.


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## sb47 (Dec 6, 2018)

As I'm doing chores around the property, I'm seeing many uses for it just here on the property.
I have $2500 set aside and when I get enough to pay cash, I'll pick one up.
I'm gonna start stopping at trailer dealers and get a hands on view.


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## rancher2 (Dec 6, 2018)

sb47 said:


> As I'm doing chores around the property, I'm seeing many uses for it just here on the property.
> I have $2500 set aside and when I get enough to pay cash, I'll pick one up.
> I'm gonna start stopping at trailer dealers and get a hands on view.



Once you get your first dump trailer you will wonder how you lived with out it. The first one I had was a 3/4 ton 8 foot Chevy pickup box trailer I reworked and put a hoist out of a old barge wagon under it. At first only dumped it around the farm so I used the tractor to dump it and later found a 12 volt pump off a rusted out lift gate added that and a long cable and would use the pickup pulling it battery to dump it later added a battery and solar charger. I have several dump trailers today but I still have that one. It has two foot side boards on it today and if you do some stacking you can put a cord of wood on it. I don't use it a lot any more as I have larger trailers now. It doesn't owe me anything and I have shed space so I keep it around to haul what ever the wife needs in the summer hauled and in the fall we fill it with firewood in the shed it goes and that load get burned in the Garn by spring the trailer will be ready for the season.


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## DSW (Dec 7, 2018)

sb47 said:


> As I'm doing chores around the property, I'm seeing many uses for it just here on the property.
> I have $2500 set aside and when I get enough to pay cash, I'll pick one up.
> I'm gonna start stopping at trailer dealers and get a hands on view.



That's probably the smart way. Having a couple other projects going on and wanting decent size rules that out for me right now.

My wife is solidly in the NO, camp. But she's never owned a gooseneck with 9k axles so I'm not sure she can be trusted.


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## homemade (Jan 2, 2019)

Anyone with an update? Did anyone buy something or see something liked or disliked? 

I’ve narrowed my search down to big Tex or pj trailers. Only because that’s the dealers I have local. The pj dealer sells used trailers also. I still would like the 8x14 deck over model but a used 7x14 or even 6x12 might be what the budget can support now. 

The only real difference I found between the two brands is, big Tex comes with oil bath axels. Pi’s are greasable.


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## captjack (Jan 2, 2019)

I snagged a 14x7 trailer years ago for 2600 bucks. It has the 3 ft sides twin cylinder. At this point its getting beat up but has never let me down. Im going to rebuild the dump box at some point. Im thinking 2 ft sides this time. The taller sides are great for construction debris but for logs they get bent up cause of all the leverage against them up high when stacking.


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## Ryan'smilling (Jan 3, 2019)

homemade said:


> Anyone with an update? Did anyone buy something or see something liked or disliked?
> 
> I’ve narrowed my search down to big Tex or pj trailers. Only because that’s the dealers I have local. The pj dealer sells used trailers also. I still would like the 8x14 deck over model but a used 7x14 or even 6x12 might be what the budget can support now.
> 
> The only real difference I found between the two brands is, big Tex comes with oil bath axels. Pi’s are greasable.




I didn't buy a dump trailer, but I did buy a new-to-me gooseneck equipment trailer. I'll tell you this much, the 1996 gooseneck I bought has WAY less rust than my 2012 PJ deckover. The powder coat on that PJ is coming off in big sheets, the paint on my older gooseneck is in much much better condition. Personally I am not gonna buy any more powder coated trailers.


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## DSW (Jan 6, 2019)

Such is life I guess but I've heard people complain about the complete opposite, chastising companies for getting away from powder coating.


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## Jhenderson (Jan 7, 2019)

I’ve never met anybody who liked a powder coat finish on equipment. Without the ability to use some type of primer/ sealer any contamination on the metal before coating leads to rapid peeling and propagation of surface rust.


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## hseII (Jan 7, 2019)

Jhenderson said:


> You only need a class a cdl if gross combined wt is over 26,001. Trailer wt over 10K only matters when the tow vehicle is over 26,001. A 14K trailer towed by a 10K pickup doesn’t require any special license.



Not according to the DOT where I’ve been. 

If you are revenueing & it’s over 10k, a CDL is required. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## muddstopper (Jan 7, 2019)

What is a *Class A CDL*? A *Class* A commercial driver's license is *required* to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, to include a towed vehicle that is HEAVIER than 10,000 lbs.
*CDL Class (A, B, and C) Licenses | DMV.ORG*

https://www.dmv.org/commercial-drivers/cdl-class-types.php


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## rancher2 (Jan 7, 2019)

We are seeing a lot lawn services around this area running a lot more single axle trailers than they used to as DOT around here is cracking down on that 10,000 pound rule way more than they used too. Something new in Nebraska that we didn't have before starting 2019 all trailers will have a VIN number doesn't matter if it has been licensed for 30 years as home made. They are now issuing VIN numbers to all trailers and they will be tagged. Around here you throw you double 7,000 pound axle trailer behind your pickup it can start a whole lot of issues.


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## macattack_ga (Jan 7, 2019)

rancher2 said:


> We are seeing a lot lawn services around this area running a lot more single axle trailers than they used to as DOT around here is cracking down on that 10,000 pound rule way more than they used too. Something new in Nebraska that we didn't have before starting 2019 all trailers will have a VIN number doesn't matter if it has been licensed for 30 years as home made. They are now issuing VIN numbers to all trailers and they will be tagged. Around here you throw you double 7,000 pound axle trailer behind your pickup it can start a whole lot of issues.



Pretty sure that's why my "double 7,000 pound axle trailer" is listed as 9,999lbs on the VIN plate.


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## Ryan'smilling (Jan 7, 2019)

macattack_ga said:


> Pretty sure that's why my "double 7,000 pound axle trailer" is listed as 9,999lbs on the VIN plate.



I don't know about other states, but in WI you can register a vehicle at a weight different than it's actual GVWR. For example, I have farm plates on three vehicles, a Jeep Wrangler, an E250 delivery van, and my K3500 dually. Minimum weight class on the registration form for farm plates is 12,000, so that's what they're all registered at. So, I think you can just register a trailer at 9,999# instead of actually having it derated from the factory.


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## DSW (Jan 7, 2019)

Eventually if you strap a cargo hauler on the top of your van to take your family on vacation the government will need 49.99 a month for your added wind pollution license. 


Regardless of whether you use it or not. Naturally.


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## rancher2 (Jan 8, 2019)

Ryan'smilling said:


> I don't know about other states, but in WI you can register a vehicle at a weight different than it's actual GVWR. For example, I have farm plates on three vehicles, a Jeep Wrangler, an E250 delivery van, and my K3500 dually. Minimum weight class on the registration form for farm plates is 12,000, so that's what they're all registered at. So, I think you can just register a trailer at 9,999# instead of actually having it derated from the factory.


Got some friends that have horses and in the warmer time of the year they travel a lot. First they were using a single axle semi with sleeper they had got a RV title for with a three axle horse trailer 21,000 rating with farm trailer plates. No CDL. They went all over the country for years no problem truck had a sign RV not for hire on side. They never stopped at scales. I told them a couple times about the 10,000 rule. I have a full blown CDL with medical card. I run farm plates also because we are farmers. This trailer of theirs empty was way over 10,000. So fast forward a couple years ago they were in southern KS on a Sunday morning headed for home. Got stopped by a new be DOT and got the book thrown at them. Can't pull those heavy trailers behind a RV plated truck without CDL's , log books and lot more. It all went bad as he has a fair amount of money and doesn't like to say yes sir. He ended up in jail for the day. Monday came he got a lawyer involved spend a lot of money and still had to pay the tickets. Had the whole rig towed back home. Today they have a big diesel pusher motor home with a custom built horse trailer with a 9,999 GVW VIN plate on it.


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## Ryan'smilling (Jan 8, 2019)

Yeah, I'm pretty happy to be able to run farm plates on my stuff. It sure makes everything easier.


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## rancher2 (Jan 8, 2019)

Ryan'smilling said:


> Yeah, I'm pretty happy to be able to run farm plates on my stuff. It sure makes everything easier.


Yes they do. You just have to make sure if your running out of state with a trailer all your I's are dotted and your T's are crossed. Any more with the Internet if I need something hauled a long distance I hire it done. I had a antique plow I bought in Montana last year. I had planned to go pick it up then ended up with shoulder surgery in the spring. Put it on a couple web sites a guy called that was in the area going back to Mo he brought it to Ne for $500 bucks I couldn't even start my pickup for that.


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## homemade (Jan 8, 2019)

Place I used to work at ran chevy 3500 work trucks with a tool box bed. They scaled out near 12,500. And then we would pull a 5000 lb trailer behind it on the regular. He would only register the trucks to 10,000. The amount of money he saved on under registering the trucks, would cover the cost of one over weight ticket. 

One guy bucked the system and said it was his license on the line for the boss being cheep. He was shortly fired. I knew the writing was on the wall for me to so I left.


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## Jhenderson (Jan 8, 2019)

muddstopper said:


> What is a *Class A CDL*? A *Class* A commercial driver's license is *required* to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, to include a towed vehicle that is HEAVIER than 10,000 lbs.
> *CDL Class (A, B, and C) Licenses | DMV.ORG*
> 
> https://www.dmv.org/commercial-drivers/cdl-class-types.php



When you read class B it explains any vehicle weighing 26,001lbs or greater. Next it says vehicle described above towing 10,000lbs or less. 
The 10K or less trailer allows tree companies to tow a chipper behind their bucket trucks on a class B even though the combo is over 26,001lbs. 
There’s no requirement for a cdl with a trailer over 10K if the combo is less than 26,001lbs. I ran a 12,400lb bp dump for years behind my 9K pickup. I was inspected on numerous occasions by the commercial enforcement division of our State Police. That was on a class B. I had to re test for my class A when I went to an 18,500lb gn. A cdl is a federal lic and is federally regulated. Your state may require different non cdl license for any combo the choose based on wt but they cant force anybody into a cdl if it doesn’t meet federal requirements.


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## muddstopper (Jan 8, 2019)

I grandfathered into a CDL class A back when it first started. I Had a regular class A before that. My son drive a small bucket truck, under 26001lbs and drives out of state and he has to have a ClassC cdl and medical card because the truck is commercial and crosses state lines. Lots of little rules and regs that are misunderstoodby even by those charged with enforceing the laws. 40 years of towing trailers across the contry and never got a ticket, but have sat on the guardrail while the dot tried to figure out if I was or wasnot legal.


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## sb47 (Jan 8, 2019)

rancher2 said:


> We are seeing a lot lawn services around this area running a lot more single axle trailers than they used to as DOT around here is cracking down on that 10,000 pound rule way more than they used too. Something new in Nebraska that we didn't have before starting 2019 all trailers will have a VIN number doesn't matter if it has been licensed for 30 years as home made. They are now issuing VIN numbers to all trailers and they will be tagged. Around here you throw you double 7,000 pound axle trailer behind your pickup it can start a whole lot of issues.



They tried forcing all small trailers to be inspected. It only lasted 1 year and they stopped requiring inspections on all trailers.


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