Good morning friends, I have been looking at dump trailers online past few weeks and have been wondering would they really be worth the price of owning. The 7x12 models range from7,500 up to 9,000. I think that’s a lot to invest in a dump trailer for a typical home owner. I rented one some years back and worked own some mulch and load gravel and really liked it. I think then it was about $100.00 a day to rent. What do you guys think.
I bought a 5×10 10k gvw dump trailer about four years ago. Now I wonder how I got by without it. My only regret is not getting a 6 or 7 ×12. The gvw could stay at 10k.
If it were me I would rent 1 for a weekend a couple times and then see how much I used it.. same rough cost basis as Harley rake I found one good weekend in spring gets most of what I need.. $7500 is many years until break even i don’t need to maintain or store it!
I have a 7x14 or 8x14 14000# dump trailer. It’s handy when you need it but it costs a lot to sit there. I think I have $12k into it. I use it to haul a zero turn sometimes and I had to make my own ramps because the supplied ones are too short and have too big of steps for the small tires. Also the supplied ramps are HEAVY. Benefit of owning is it’s always there when you need it and you know the condition of it. I keep mine clean, I’m careful not to smack the lights and break them off, I keep the tires inflated and the brakes set right. I’m probably right at 14000# when I have my Skidsteer with the backhoe attachment on it and that’s plenty for my old f250.
I had a 12' cam superline dump trailer and hated it. once the trailer was loaded it was like a boat anchor if I was on wet ground. 3/4-ton truck, good tires and 4-wheel drive and going nowhere. I'm on the farm or in the woods and have no time for such issues so sold the trailer.
I bought a used 7x14 I use it for fire wood deliveries. It is so more convenient to own my own trailer. It won’t bother me for it to sit when not used. Now if it was for home use where I was only planning on getting mulch,stone etc. a couple times a year renting would make more since.
I had a nice lil 6x10' dump...handy, but I didn't use it near as much as I thought I would...sold it to a member here...they sell wood n use the heck outta it.
Unless you are going to use it a couple times a month, I would probably just rent one. They're nice when you need them, but I wouldn't want to use one for anything other than hauling bulk material (gravel, dirt, mulch) very often.
Been hunting one for months. My budget is the problem. Problem being not enough there to get something that's not all the way used up.
It's nice to have a dump truck, if you use it often, but having it means another engine, drivetrain, insurance, etc. But an inspected, running truck sure is handy! A trailer is a good alternative for occasional dump needs, although it will still need occasional tires, batteries, and maintenance. But a trailer tolerates long periods of sitting much better than a truck does, especially if you put a solar charger on the batteries. Overall, owning a trailer is much cheaper than owning a dump truck. If you only need a dump a few times a year, renting may be the most economical bet, but it can be a hassle, especially when you need something done unexpectedly. You have to weigh out your own needs and try to come up with what works best for you.
I splurged and bought a 6x 12 dump trailer last May. I have used it a dozen times or so. I enjoy having it available at any time, and based on the prices I saw on the few used ones I saw for sale, I am sure if I want to sell it one day, I’ll get a large percentage of the purchase price back.
I have been back and forth own to get one or not. I think I would use it a lot. Getting firewood, gravel, mulch and hauling off junk. If I get get a good deal own one I may pull the trigger on one
What kind of tow rig do you have? Dump trailers need a lot of suspension, especially for a bumper pull.
I have three gooseneck 7x16’ dump trailers that I can rent or borrow anytime I want within 5-30 minutes from me. Generally speaking almost everything I purchase that needs a dump trailer I am better off just having a full size dump truck deliver 3-5x as much with a single load! Rock Quarry takes 75-90 minutes round trip I can haul 12k per trip or I can have a 35k pound load delivered for an extra $150. 4 hours of my time, fuel cost and avoiding wear and tear on my truck is worth the extra $$$. If I was delivering 50 plus cord of wood per year, doing yard cleanup/disposal or landscaping I would own a dump trailer. Otherwise I can’t make the math work in favor of a purchase.
