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Dump Trailer:

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
I'm looking for a trailer to be used for jobsite cleanup and demolition type work. Have located one that is about 22.5' long and heavily ribbed for the task. I think it is called a 1/4 frame, or frameless type, and has no landing gear so a steel sawhorse support is used when not connected to a tractor. It is spring ride suspension with cylinder recently resealed, suspension rebushed, and newer 5th wheel plate, so a working trailer. Owner is retiring and selling most everything out.

I've never pulled this type trailer. How unstable are they with say sticky clay, or broken concrete hanging up when dumping? Better to go with a full frame trailer for stability?

Thanks,
 

Shimmy1

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Aug 14, 2014
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4,258
Location
North Dakota
I've always heard there are two types of end dump trailers.........one that has never tipped over, and all the rest.

A 22.5' should be fairly stable, and shorter is better. I would definitely put a liner in it if it doesn't have one. Concrete sucks, IMO should only be hauled with a side dump or straight truck.
 

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
Messages
2,687
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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
Should have some photos to post this afternoon. Phone is much smarter than me so need the desktop to resize.

Looking at two different trailers and both are similar. One is outside of Chicago, the other in Arkansas so I'm central to both. Both are "barn door" end gates. Looking at specifically demolition work so want short, and stout for local use.
 

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
Messages
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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
I cannot get these photos from the phone to the desktop to resize. The trailer in AR has sold and I had my daughter send me a FB link to one I'm going to look at in Chicago area. I don't have FB myself:


Another she seen and sent the link:


Another:


I'm looking for a "starter" trailer to get a few jobs done with and look to replace with nicer if I get to making some money. Talking with a buddy this afternoon and he tells me I'd be much better to start off with a frame trailer rather than frameless. I'm aware of the frameless trailers being easy to upset and have some experience getting them back onto their wheels. I don't expect to haul any tearout over 20 miles distant so a long trailer for more capacity is not a leading particular. I expect the loads will be very dense, and not bulky, but heavy.

Ideas welcome.

Thanks,
 

CM1995

Administrator
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Jan 21, 2007
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13,248
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Alabama
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Running what I brung and taking what I win
Yeah I'm not on FB either. Can't see them.
 

mowingman

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Joined
Jul 10, 2010
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1,228
Location
SE Ohio
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Retired
I started out with one about like the red one, only it was 28' long. You will for sure want barn door type gates on the rear. Make sure you have a top cross support beam for them or the sides will bow outward really quickly. I had the cross beam, I think it was actually heavy channel iron, set up about 3' higher than the sides. This allowed for a lot of rear clearance when hauling big concrete or brush. If you haul concrete, a liner would save the floor, but they will tear up also. Do not haul any kind of dirt or clay without putting in a liner. Or, if you do haul dirt, use a pump-up sprayer to coat the inside of the bed with diesel before each load. (Don't ask me how I know). Above all, do not pay too much for it. The type of work you want to use it for will beat up any trailer in no time. I think I gave $7500 for mine, with 8 good tires, about 10 years ago. I am sure the price is way up now, but think "about scrap price" when you buy one.
 

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
I tore down several outbuildings, and old sidewalks at my shop property and learned really fast it's a bitch to get broken concrete slabs out of the back of my end dump truck with a hinged gate when they hung up. Would not have been a problem with a barn door type gate or maybe better loading but once hung up on the end gate, nothing moves without another machine. I only had a skid loader and a backhoe without a thumb to load so haphazard at best.

I like that red trailer as it's short and full frame with the barn door gate. I've asked for more photos of it but haven't received any yet. Hopefully tonight.
 

Shimmy1

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Aug 14, 2014
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4,258
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North Dakota
I have seen a lot of guys take the end gate out, frame up about 3', and frame over and back down to the other side to support the sides. Then, about a 2' slope from the latches up at about a 30° angle with a couple supports to the gate hinge points for support. No tailgate to get beat up, and pretty big stuff will slide through under the support.
 

1693TA

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Feb 27, 2010
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Farmington IL
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Ultimately I removed the end gate from my 51 Mack and ran it that way for several loads. However the square sides to floor bottom joints still hung many a load from sliding out and I had to use the backhoe to get them free. I'm sure the slight angle transition in more modern trailers and dump beds helps this a lot. I cut the floor out of that bed many years ago and never replaced it but that is easily done if I don't get a trailer purchased. I would rather get as much use out of my R model as possible as it's a working tractor where the older Mack is a rather rare "A-40H" series antique.

I have sent another message to the gent in Chicago on that red trailer but still haven't received any additional photos. Using my daughter as third party, (citing my lack of FB account) instills a little delay I'm sure. Once contact is established it's only about three hours distant to look at.
 

1693TA

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Farmington IL
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FAA Radar Engineer, (Retired)
Really didn't think of it earlier but a guy I line bored the rear hinge pins area on his dump trailer made the comment I could use the trailer when needed for my own use to get rid of this breakout. He had taken some three years ago for a ditch fill and I seen how loose that hinge area was and did the job cheap. I called to see if the offer was still good and not only is it still good, he is going to let me use both his tractor and trailer to get the stuff dumped into the ditch at the dump site. I'll pay him to bring his excavator and to load, but it will be so much faster doing this than using the skid steer. I don't know if I'd have enough vertical lift with my 1845C to get over the sides of the trailer either.

I don't have a wet line on my Mack installed yet, but have everything to install one.
 

Jumbo

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Nov 12, 2010
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682
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Black Diamond WA
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retired
An end dump is a necessary evil in the industry. I've pulled one a couple of times. I try to avoid any evil....
 
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