I am thinking of purchasing a side dump trailer. Really would like an do appreciate your input and suggestions. I have noticed another contractors highway tractor a Ford LTL9000 that pulls a side dump and its frame cross braces are all bent, from the back of cab to the axles - I assume from the twisting of the truck frame when the side dump tilts to dump, what do you think? Any experience with side dump trailers? Which would you stay away from and the reasons? Which make do you like and the reasons why? Is there a manuf. whose side dump does not once it raisers the box to that point where its over center and it DOES NOT quickly tilt over but rather slowing finishes tilting over? Thinking air ride suspension, any comments? Three axles with last axle a lift, any comments? Also will look at used side dumps, any comments on what to look out for in the used market? They are expensive new, I have a quote for a nicely equipped side dump at $81,000.00 all taxes FET & State sales tax. With what ever you reply it be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
L.S.B, it's late, but I'll respond to a few questions, catch up some more tomorrow. First, when you dump, you always want to have the tractor and trailer bent somewhat. Not a lot, just enough so the plate can tip to allow for flex. The primary reason for this is so you can back away from the pile. As far as brands go, I wouldn't recommend a Jet, Circle R, or Sidump'r. I feel the Jet and Circle R are cheap, and the Sidump'r needs high pressure hydraulics due the the cylinder design. IMO best brands are (in no particular order) Smithco, Side Dump Industries, Trail King, and CPS. I'm going to mention something you didn't at this point. Whatever you are going to pull it with, you need to know or decide how the wet kit is set up. If you already have a spool valve on the truck, you don't need one on the trailer. If you have a truck set up for a live bottom, all you need is a trailer with the valve on it and an auxiliary cord. My preference is to have the valve on the trailer, other's opinions may be different.
Coming from Michigan we don't use side or belly dumps. So I can't tell you what to look for. I don't care for ether one also. A couple contractors had some, after flipping them over they decided they where not the way to go. We use Michigan gravel train and end dumps for everything. End dumb can dump on top of the pile that is already started or spread dumb it pretty even, if that's what you need.
They're OK with granular material, but I have quite a few pics of brand new heavy spec Paystar's on their side with side dump trailers on a rock job I was on a couple years ago. Any big boulders in them, will take them over.
Hello any further input on your thoughts on side dump trailers? I have looked at a jet side dump video on youtube it shows the trailer frame fairly steady when dumping not lifting off the ground. You mention they are cheap what do you mean, what should I look out for?
I looked at a lot of trailers before I got my CPS. It was probably a cosmetic thing, but I just didn't care for the frame design on the Jets. Another thing that steered me away is there are a lot of Jet hopper bottom grain trailers around here, and they just don't impress me. Inferior trap mechanicals, paint is shot in a few years, just all in all a cheap trailer. I wanted a Smithco or SideDump Industries, but the price on this CPS was too good to pass up, and I could rent it to see if I liked it. It is a 2014, 8' spread, air ride tridem, air lift third axle, tarp, hydraulic valve on trailer. It was used, but no dings or dents in the tub. Got it for $36,500 through Johnson Trailer. You haven't said what you're going to be hauling, and it does matter regardless of what some guys say. If it'll mainly be sand, gravel, washed rock, a square tub will suit you fine. If you're going to be hauling dirt (black, clay, wet, dry, muck, whatever), you will probably want a round tub. As far as stability, they can all tip over. The thing to always remember is once you get past a certain point, you are committed to dumping. It's when you stop tilting the tub they go over. Or, the trailer axles are on bad ground. Dumping too slow could also cause it I suppose; you want good hydraulics on your truck. In regards to end dumps, I would believe there are at least 3 end dumps tipped over for every side dump that goes.
An old grey truck driver once told me that there is only two kinds of end spill drivers, those that have laid one on it's side, and those that are going to someday. I never did, but then I'm not dead yet either....
Ya buddy. Do you run around dumping many anymore?? That comment is like a couple I heard growing up. Old hoe guys had told me "you're not a operator until you've pulled down some power lines" or "slid one off the trailer". Hate to admit it, but I've done both.
Yair . . . Not really qualified to comment but I am surprised at lack of mention of the different methods of tipping . . . all side-dumps are not created equal. In the style shown in Shimmy1's #6 post the whole tub appears to tip . . . The common ones I have seen have high sides which drop and almost touch the ground, a good portion of the load is shed in that first movement and then the secondary rams cut in and the body tilts to tip the rest. This of course helps to keep the load clear of the wheels when tipping three or four trailers on a road train. The first type I ever saw many years ago had a rather involved setup where the floor slid/tilted as well as the side opening. . . it certainly worked well but to my eye would be easily damaged. Cheers.
End tippers are quickly falling out of favour for the road resheeting we do here in the bush, firstly for the falling over issue and secondly for the need to have a grader on hand to rill the gravel to the side of the road. These are remote roads, but we sometimes have a mile of two of gravel out on the side of the road for a week, and good side tipper operators can lay a rill out as neat as any grader. These door tippers are typical of the trailers we are using now. http://www.azmeb.com.au/bowl-floor-door-side-tipper
Look pretty similar to ours over here. I am kind of intrigued by the door design. Would allow the load to slide out sooner, probably just about eliminating rollovers. Nice.
Yes, the door mechanism is very clever, works well and doesn't require extra ram to operate. Some say the door would help keep the trailer upright if things get ugly for some reason.
Nice!
Just my opinion but there are good and bad points to all the side dump trailers. Look closely at the Jet trailers though....because of the trunnion mounted cylinders and there symmetry the tub does not speed up and dump fast at the end of the stroke. This constant speed is so much easier on the truck and "reduces" the risk of tipping everything over. I have done a lot of research on the subject and I would buy a Jet first then probably a Side dump'r........again, just what fits my situation.
FWIW a Sidump'r needs a high pressure wet kit to tip. Most trucks just have a standard 2500 psi kit.
I pulled this from Sidump'r web site..........Just an FYI. "What are the wet kit requirements to pull a Sidump’r Trailer? Due to our single, 3-stage hydraulic cylinder, our wet kit requirements are unique and different from our competitors. So that you do not compromise your warranty, we ask that you please follow our specifications: Minimum of a 25 gallon tank, 42 gpm pump @ 1800 psi using 1” lines. This will also enable you to achieve the optimum cycle time of 17 seconds"
Maybe I should have checked a little better. I was told by a hydraulic shop and two different trailer salesmen that a Sidump'r needed special wet kits. My apologies for the misinformation.