Which dump trailer to buy?

[Jhenderson]

Why is a trailer not a “ Good Setup”? Been running my present GN for 9 years. It’s 30 years since I first went to dump trailers. Never even once considered going back. Use it about 50- 100 days a year. I’ve never been anywhere I couldn’t get to the customers desired dump site. I’ve replaced the springs and hardware once In 9 years. That cost was about 1/3 of a years insurance on a truck capable of hauling the same load, which is two cords of green tree length firewood . How much money would I make after hiring that $200, two cord load hauled for me? You’re looking to fix a non existent problem.

 

[KiwiBro]

Why is a trailer not a “ Good Setup”?

I'm not suggesting it isn't. I haven't the motivation to explain it and even if I did, would lack the manners to do so diplomatically.

 

[Jhenderson]

I'm not suggesting it isn't. I haven't the motivation to explain it and even if I did, would lack the manners to do so diplomatically.

I dislike diplomacy. speak your mind.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I'd gladly supply a dump trailer, and load it, and pay a flat rate for someone to do deliveries. Scheduling with a customer and third party driver might be an issue. And maybe if something got bumped or hit, that might be a problem. But it is a thought.

 

[motorhead99999]

All I know is if you live somewhere where they use salt on the roads pick the one with the least amount of box tubing. I have fixed three dump trailers this year where they rot and rip the hinges off or where the cylinder mounts to the frame

 

[sean donato]

Does your state have different classes of non cdl licensing? I know Texas does. I imagine others do also. All you need to do is go to the FMCSA website for clarification on on the federal law. The officer charged you under the wrong statute. I’d be consulting an attorney to recoup my expenses.

The 10,000lb weight of the trailer alone does not constitute a CDL license requirement. The combined weight of truck and trailer exceeding 26,001lbs is what the rule is based on. You can pull a 12,000lb trailer with a truck that weighs 12,000lbs with a combined weight of 24,000lbs and not need a class a cdl license. If the combined weight is over 26,000lbs and the trailer is under 10,000lbs you would need a class B cdl, If the combined weight is over 26,000lbs and the trailer weighs over 10,000lbs you would need a class A cdl license. Some state may have different laws, but as per the Fed law, the 11,000lb truck with the 14,000lb trailer only had a combined weight of 25,000lbs. The DOT cop is wrong unless the PA rule is in addition to the Fed rule. I would seek my $4k back.

I'll be speaking to the manager about this monday. We (thought) we were good about such things with dot, as they like to slam you every chance they get around here. Trailer is perm plate. Truck was properly registered(as far as I know) DOT cop said (to me when I asked ) the kid couldnt pull it because the trailer was over 10k lbs, and he didnt have his class A cdl.

His fine might have had something to do with the fact the kid driving was under 21 years old.

Hes actually just turned 22 a few months back. Has his permit since last year, couldnt get a test scheduled from the covid crazies closing penndot down for so long. At any rate well have to get the big bosses to look into it deeper. It was a costly mistake, that now doesnt seem to make sense. As I've had my class A for years, and years now this sort of problem never crossed my mind. Kids the first higher that didnt have his cdl.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

My understanding, in Michigan, you can get a cdl at 18 for intra state. 21 for inter state.
And yes, Secretary of State is backed up.
My license is currently expired, although I did mail in for renewal.
And tabs on one car are expired and have not been able to clear up that mail in issue.
I got a DOT fine for not being registered with DOT, plus no fire extinguisher, no flares or triangles.
I told him I asked if registration was required when I got the title transferred, paid sales tax, and plated.
Secretary of State desk person did not know and asked a supervisor. Answer, NO.
DOT actually put up his hand and said stop. Secretary of State doesn't know. He did a road side inspection, which was good (I also had a current DOT inspection and stickers by a mechanic) and politely wrote me $500. in tickets.
DOT registration is free, but I had a guy do a nice door decal for name, town, and DOT number and a stripe. A few hundred bucks, plus triangles and fire extinguisher. Just re-registered for bi-annual, even though the trucks for sale, not plated or insured, to avoid fines.
It is overly complicated, and seems to be so on purpose to police for profit. I tried to comply at Secretary of State, and they don't know the rules, yet they issue commercial vehicle plates.
Edit: Again just my understanding, Class B cdl is for straight trucks over 26,001. If pulling a trailer under 10,000, the Class B is good. Straight truck over 26,001 and railer over 10,000, a Class A is needed. (as Mudstopper said) You may need endorsements for air brakes, hazardous material, or over 16 passengers. Farm plates is another matter.
Because my Chevy 3500 pickup is gvw at 12,800, I'm going to need a Class A cdl for combined gvw rating over 26,001 and some type of DOT registration for the pickup.
Also, the pickup needs to be plated for the combined weight rating of truck and trailer.

 

[Jhenderson]

I'd gladly supply a dump trailer, and load it, and pay a flat rate for someone to do deliveries. Scheduling with a customer and third party driver might be an issue. And maybe if something got bumped or hit, that might be a problem. But it is a thought.
[/QUOTE]

what do you think is a fair price for a man and truck capable of legally towing your trailer?

 

[Jhenderson]

My understanding, in Michigan, you can get a cdl at 18 for intra state. 21 for inter state.
And yes, Secretary of State is backed up.
My license is currently expired, although I did mail in for renewal.
And tabs on one car are expired and have not been able to clear up that mail in issue.
I got a DOT fine for not being registered with DOT, plus no fire extinguisher, no flares or triangles.
I told him I asked if registration was required when I got the title transferred, paid sales tax, and plated.
Secretary of State desk person did not know and asked a supervisor. Answer, NO.
DOT actually put up his hand and said stop. Secretary of State doesn't know. He did a road side inspection, which was good (I also had a current DOT inspection and stickers by a mechanic) and politely wrote me $500. in tickets.
DOT registration is free, but I had a guy do a nice door decal for name, town, and DOT number and a stripe. A few hundred bucks, plus triangles and fire extinguisher. Just re-registered for bi-annual, even though the trucks for sale, not plated or insured, to avoid fines.
It is overly complicated, and seems to be so on purpose to police for profit. I tried to comply at Secretary of State, and they don't know the rules, yet they issue commercial vehicle plates.
Edit: Again just my understanding, Class B cdl is for straight trucks over 26,001. If pulling a trailer under 10,000, the Class B is good. Straight truck over 26,001 and railer over 10,000, a Class A is needed. (as Mudstopper said) You may need endorsements for air brakes, hazardous material, or over 16 passengers. Farm plates is another matter.
Because my Chevy 3500 pickup is gvw at 12,800, I'm going to need a Class A cdl for combined gvw rating over 26,001 and some type of DOT registration for the pickup.
Also, the pickup needs to be plated for the combined weight rating of truck and trailer.

I got a bunch of grief when I showed up for my class A with my pickup and GN. When I finally asked if I needed a class A upgrade from my B to drive my combination they said of course you do. Well duh? That’s what you get when you outsource your testing to retired Teamsters. They don’t want any new licenses to begin with when they’ve got guys riding the bench at the union hall. What really threw them for a loop was when they tried to pull my air brake endorsement and I said they couldn’t. You can’t take something from me I’ve previously earned because I’m upgrading. That took about an hr at the dmv to straighten out.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

A 12 or 14ft dump bed on a 1 or 1.5 ton would alleviate much of that DOT headache.

 

[Jhenderson]

A 12 or 14ft dump bed on a 1 or 1.5 ton would alleviate much of that DOT headache.

How does one legally deliver a cord of wood on a 1ton?

 

[milkie62]

I have a 7x12 BriMar dump trailer which I purchased new in 2008. Never seen salt and is never used past approx. Nov 1st or before the end of April. powder coating was coming off in sheets. My trailer has never been overloaded since it always goes on a scale at the gravel pit. The shackles are constantly wearing through and one day with 2 yds of topsoil on the shackles on one of the axles broke.Had to ratchet strap the axle and drive slowly home. talked to a guy about a custome built galvanized trailer. he has been in business for about 30 yrs and he said the galvanizing holds up excellent. Also he said on a dual axle trailer slipper springs are needed to alleviate the tearing of shackles. I am also going to have a log arch built on the rear of mine that is removable so I can winch logs into. Mine will be rated at 5k lbs but will have either 6k or 7k axles just in case .

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I ordered a dump trailer Sept. 9th, and took delivery this Wednesday, fourteen weeks later as promised.
It's bigger than I pictured, and overkill for sure.
So far it is impressive, but time will tell.

 

[Jhenderson]

What are the specs ?

 

[babybart]

And the pics?

 

[Sandhill Crane]

What are the specs ?

I'm guessing your asking me about the dump trailer.
16' high side; bumper pull; 15,400 gvw; just under 10k payload. So, 7k axles and max 1,400 tongue wt.
Generally tires or wheels are the limiting factor.
While waiting for the build I emailed the builder to know what the wheels were rated for, as I could not find a spec for them. They replied within three hours, 4060 pounds.
At some point I would like to upgrade the tires to Goodyear, US built Endurance, or a light truck tire.
I did not upgrade the axles/tires to 8k, for lack of need and cost. I would have liked bigger brakes and heavier duty tires, but I think as noted earlier, those parts are harder to find and lots more expensive per wheel, and did not upgrade the tires to heavier imports.
I did not did not order any options.
I ordered the trailer having never personally seen this brand.
Had I seen it on the lot I'm sure I would have walked away from it and down sized. For one it tracks wider than the truck, which I never considered. Two, with high sides it's very big. I've loaded 14' dumps in the yard and had to heap them to get one cord loose thrown, so I went with 16' as many of my customers have ordered 1 1/2 cord, and would have ordered two, but that would mean an extra delivery with the previous truck. I think 16' high side could haul two cord, and seasoned weight of 4k per cord hardwood.
Several thing lead me to this choice. Or should I say dart game of choices. Originally it never made the short list, simply because of price.
After reading comments here, emailing the box store trailer boys, adding up option costs on other trailers, and reading disheartening reviews on line about upgraded axles/wheels and only getting the wheels (discovered after ordering brake parts a year later); and stabilizer legs that had to be welded on after delivery!
My first choice was Sure Trac, sold locally. 18 week lead time, and couldn't nail down a price for the trailer or shipping.
This made it back on the short list for a number of reasons, and is what I ordered; (milkie62 and motorhead99999 comments noted)

 

[Jhenderson]

Nice looking rig. Any low profile trailer is going to track wider than your truck.

 

[tla100]

I'm guessing your asking me about the dump trailer.
16' high side; bumper pull; 15,400 gvw; just under 10k payload. So, 7k axles and max 1,400 tongue wt.
Generally tires or wheels are the limiting factor.
While waiting for the build I emailed the builder to know what the wheels were rated for, as I could not find a spec for them. They replied within three hours, 4060 pounds.
At some point I would like to upgrade the tires to Goodyear, US built Endurance, or a light truck tire.
I did not upgrade the axles/tires to 8k, for lack of need and cost. I would have liked bigger brakes and heavier duty tires, but I think as noted earlier, those parts are harder to find and lots more expensive per wheel, and View attachment 875865View attachment 875866View attachment 875867View attachment 875868View attachment 875869View attachment 875870View attachment 875873View attachment 875877View attachment 875881did not upgrade the tires to heavier imports.
I did not did not order any options.
I ordered the trailer having never personally seen this brand.
Had I seen it on the lot I'm sure I would have walked away from it and down sized. For one it tracks wider than the truck, which I never considered. Two, with high sides it's very big. I've loaded 14' dumps in the yard and had to heap them to get one cord loose thrown, so I went with 16' as many of my customers have ordered 1 1/2 cord, and would have ordered two, but that would mean an extra delivery with the previous truck. I think 16' high side could haul two cord, and seasoned weight of 4k per cord hardwood.
Several thing lead me to this choice. Or should I say dart game of choices. Originally it never made the short list, simply because of price.
After reading comments here, emailing the box store trailer boys, adding up option costs on other trailers, and reading disheartening reviews on line about upgraded axles/wheels and only getting the wheels (discovered after ordering brake parts a year later); and stabilizer legs that had to be welded on after delivery!
My first choice was Sure Trac, sold locally. 18 week lead time, and couldn't nail down a price for the trailer or shipping.
This made it back on the short list for a number of reasons, and is what I ordered; (milkie62 and motorhead99999 comments noted)

Man that trailer is close to my dream! Like the ramp/hinged back gate. Very nice for skidloader. Very clean looking and well put together.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

It all looks good for now.
Milke62, post #52 on running gear; amd moterhead99999, post #45 on box tubing is a real concern.
Like I said, choosing is pretty much a dart throw.

We down sized one car and the medium duty truck.
Next step is a class A cdl.
And research DOT registration, and upgraded truck plates to cover weight of trailer.
I did get a 2 1/2" slide in Titan ball mount and 10k ball to use instead of the RV weight distribution ball mount.
I need to upgrade the ball to 16k.
I also want to get tire scissors chocks like we have for the rv, as I've heard it's not good to load equipment against the trucks automatic transmission in park. Rather in neutral with parking brake set to avoid sheering a pin.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

It all looks good for now.
Milke62, post #52 on running gear; amd moterhead99999, post #45 on box tubing is a real concern.
Like I said, choosing is pretty much a dart throw.

We down sized one car and the medium duty truck.
Next step is a class A cdl.
And research DOT registration, and upgraded truck plates to cover weight of trailer.
I did get a 2 1/2" slide in Titan ball mount and 10k ball to use instead of the RV weight distribution ball mount.
I need to upgrade the ball to 16k.
I also want to get tire scissors chocks like we have for the rv, as I've heard it's not good to load equipment against the trucks automatic transmission in park. Rather in neutral with parking brake set to avoid sheering a pin.

I've never seen a parking pin sheared from something like that.

Using the parking brake while loading and unloading is more than what 90% of people do.
I usually put my truck in 4wd. Took a ride once with the truck's rear tires off the ground and a 5 ton mini excavator on the trailer ramps.

Why are you needing a class A CDL?

Is your setup over 26,000 GCVWR?
Most 1 tons are 10k GVWR, so that allows for a 16k trailer.
I'd not go CDL route for a pickup and trailer unless absolutely necessary. It's a headache that'll likely turn into quite the rabbit hole.

Many trailer outfits derate trailers to 10k for that reason. A pickup and trailer wouldn't get a second glance around here unless it was very obviously overloaded.