I’ve been wanting a dump trailer for awhile now. Unfortunately with current prices its just not in my budget. The model/size I'd want went from 4-5k to 7-8k. I have this very heavy duty 5x10 trailer I got for free a few years back. The axle, tires, frame, springs, etc. are all able to withstand a 6-7k load. It also has electric brakes. I'm debating removing the 2" thick Oak decking and the toolboxes, then building a secondary frame that pivots on the ears that are already on the trailer with a 1.5" solid rod as the hinge point. It would be powered with a hydraulic 12-15 quart power pack and piston. The sides would be formed steel, probably 11-12 gauge with a bend and square tube welded to the top for rigidity. I want to be able to use it on and off road. I'm hoping to keep the weight down as much as possible. Anyone else do this sort of project? I think I could have a decent dump trailer capable of hauling a full cord for 1/4 or less of the cost of a new 6'x10' tandem deck over like I wanted.
A (normal) single axle trailer will not withstand a 7000# load. That trailer looks to be built very heavy! We have one similar that was made to haul a small 6 wheeled crane. I think Ditch Witch might use a trailer thats similar. What does the title rate the trailer weight at? Ultimately the axle rating is key...
You are probably right. I should have said 7k including the trailer weight. I'm hoping to keep it around 1500-1800 lbs. empty. I think if it could haul 4-5k even I'd be happy. The rating is unknown. No tags. It was an asphalt roller trailer. The A frame, side rails, and crossmembers are all 4" x 3/16" true C channel The axle is 3" diameter There are 8 leaf springs per side 8-14.5 load range F 12ply tires-rated at 2800 lbs each Pintle hitch 1.5" thick x 10" oak floorboards Crossmembers approx. 2' apart Estimating it weighs about 900 lbs empty Has brakes
I deleted the 5,000 lb part, because my research shows a 3” axle is 6,000-7,200 lbs. I had assumed 5,000, but was off
I get that, Lets look at what you want then work it backwards. A full cord weighs as much as 6ooo pounds. Add 1500# for the trailer, (i believe you're past the 7200# capacity of the single axle trailer.) But these are workable numbers.
Originally I’d wanted to build one from scratch. Something along the lines of the Weber Lane Supertilt WL4TS with 9.5L x 15 implement tires. Rated at 8,000 lbs. I was going to build mine 9’x6’. I realize it’s off road agriculture. It’s be for my 21 acres and short trips near my house with farm plates. The cost of new steel killed that dream, so I shifted focus to repurposing another trailer I already had which would allow me to save a lot of time and money. https://www.weberlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Supertilt-Brochure2.pdf I actually have their WL1SS which is 4'x6'. Would have been easy to model the bigger one off of.
I’ve hauled some decent loads on it. Only around my house though. The bottom middle log is a 1500 lb Red Oak
Possibly a cylinder. I know where there's quite a few hanging around. I doubt I could find a scissor lift assembly reasonable. I like the designs and looks of the off road trailers like the Supertilit's and Berkelman's welding, etc. The wider tires would be good for stability and ground pressure exertion. They are almost always deck overs as well, so narrower on woods trails and less chance of snagging a tree or stump on a fender or tire. My 4x6 trailer uses a single way hydraulic cylinder with hydraulic up and gravity down. Runs off a tractors rear remotes. I want my "new" trailer to be able to have self contained dumping ability so any vehicle capable of towing it can. What size steel would you use for the secondary frame rails and crossmembers? Do you think 3" c channel would be heavy enough? Maybe 4" for the 10 foot rails and 3" for the 5 foot crossmembers?
Scissor lift from a barge wagon (look in craigslist). Sometimes can be had for 2-400 bucks. They are also found under flare box wagons, could put the wagon box and hoist directly on your existing trailer and have the best of both worlds. Pull 6 bolts and have a flat bed, insert 6 bolts and have a dump box trailer. Heider galvanized flare box wagon w/ hoist on John Deere 953 running gear | Farm Machinery & Implements | Online Auctions | Proxibid
I think 4" rails and 3" cross members would be enough. What is your trailer built from? Can you match what's there?
The trailer is built from 4" c channel. I do have access to some 4" channel, as well as two 5" channels that are 20 feet long, but I think they'd be overkill for this size trailer and would add additional unwanted weight.
The off road trailers seem to use 3/16" thick box tube a lot where as the on road trailers tend to use c channel.
I agree with TurboDiesel I have a single axle trailer that works very well and I’ve had more than 2 but less than 2.5 face cord on it. I definitely wouldn’t want to put more than that on the trailer or go faster than about 40mph with a load like that. Never been on scales with it to see what kind of weight that is, but have a hard time believing it anywhere near 7,000lbs
Keep in mind this isn't your typical single axle utility trailer with a 2000 or 3500 lb axle, and with angle iron construction. This trailer was custom built by someone to be super heavy duty but still small in footprint to carry an asphalt roller. I think its easy to see single axle and assume the typical trailer you see at places like Lowe's or TSC. This isn't one of those trailers. Its literally twice or more as heavy built from the tires to the axle to the frame to the leaf springs to the hitch
White Ash form about 3 miles from my house Red Oak rounds from my SIL's across town. About 8 miles away. Made 7-8 trips like this. Black Locust job from an hour away. Pulled this home going 65mph. I made another trip with Jo to western MA, another Black Locust adventure. The point is this CAM trailer is built half as heavy and has hauled dozens and dozens of loads like these through the years. Many going on highways, 30-50 miles. There's no doubt in my mind that the loads often far exceeded the 2260 lb load the trailer is rated for. Some of the loads were more in the 3000-3500 lb payload range. If the black and red trailer wont haul a full cord of any hardwood I get access to I'll eat crow. Be it Red Oak, White Oak, Ash, Hickory, Rock Maple, Black Locust, Cherry, Black Birch, etc, etc.
Check out the smaller telescopic cylinders. Bailey has some. I bought one a few years ago for a dump bed build, but haven't used it yet because of steel prices. They dump super easy and don't require high pressures like scissors.
