How do you tow/move a non-running dump truck?

[Lanse]

Hey guys!

So, for one of my next projects I've decided to build a dump trailer. Today, I'm considering how to source many of the parts I'll need to actually make it dump, and one of my ideas is to:

>buy non-running dump truck off craigslist ($1500 gets my my choice in a LOT of them)
>bring it to my place
>remove hydraulic components and possibly bed
>scrap the rest of it or sell it as a non-running cab and chassis for $200-$1000
>have lots of parts for very little money

Does this sound like a reasonable plan? I'm looking for advice here and I have very no experience working on hydraulics and operating dump trucks; in case you cant tell!

If I'm going to do this, I'll need to haul one of these things 30-100 miles one way. Who do you even call for this?!? What kind of trailer could it fit on? Anyone know the curb weight of a C70 sized dump truck? Some of the listings I've found say the trucks will run, just presumably not well enough to make the trip. What might this cost? I live in the DFW metroplex if that would help estimate anything...

Before people state the obvious, I want a dump trailer not a dump truck. Yes, the truck would be cool, but it would also cost me hundreds of dollars to register and insure every year, and I'll only be using this thing occasionally at most. Also I'd have to maintain another engine/transmission/front end/electrical systems/etc which I dont really want to do, and also a big part of this, is building a dump trailer would be an awesome build series for my internet welding show, especially if its done with scavenged parts. I sure wouldn't mind keeping a cool 40 year old engine running for hobby use, but I dont really want to be messing with it when its being temperamental and costing my business money.

I'm planning on building something on 14k axles (2x 7000 axles) with brakes and a pintle hitch. I'm not opposed to cutting down a used trucks bed and welding it up to be a little shorter, I want this thing to be about 10-14' long.

Also, if you guys know anything about hydraulics and could help me source a scissor lift and cylinder, that would be GREATLY appreciated. Those two things alone will cost me almost $2000 from the sources I've found with the looking Ive done, so you can see the appeal of buying a $1500 dump truck and selling what I dont use for $1000 later on.

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[jeremy in NE]

If you are going to buy a complete truck just take the cab, motor and tranny out and fold the frame rails in to make a hitch. Use the hydraulics from tractor to operate hoist. I would think you could tow one home if the tires held air and there were some type of brakes. Good luck

 

[T in NE]

Best bet would be the yellow pages, look for a towing company. If they don't tow that large, they should know someone.

A small Honda engine with a hydraulic pump would be slick. Or put an engine driven pump on your pick-up.

The hoist with the dump box should do the trick.

I'd go 9 or 10 feet, 9 is long enough for a backhoe to dump into.

What are you thinking of hauling with it? Dirt adds up to a lot of weight in a hurry.

Why not use the whole back half of the truck, and put dual tandem axles under it to save some rolling weight and less height? I'd imagine the typical Gooseneck dump trailer box is a lot lighter than the typical steel dump truck box. 2 feet deep vs 4 to 6?

Are these actual dump trucks, or grain bodies? Grain bodies don't hold up to dirt real well.

 

[T in NE]

Or for that matter, run the pump that you get off the parts truck with the Honda engine. That way valves, pump, reservoir, etc, are all matched already.

 

[casecollectorsc]

Tow it with a tow bar or a chain thru a piece of pipe if it doesn't have brakes.

 

[oc-18guy]

I will say I have seen pretty decent dump trailers for $1500-2000 and all you have to do is use it. so maybe look around a little.

 

[jm.]

My first thoughts are what are you going to pull this trailer with. Two 7000 lb axels , why not just use the dump truck axel. using your prices you could buy a ready made used one from craig,s list. Farmers cut old 2 ton trucks to make dump trailers all time around here but you need the weight of 100 hp tractor to handle the front if don like that. For what you are thinking you might be looking for a smaller truck like a dual wheel one ton with dump. That would be easy to make a trailer dump out of. I can find those around here for 800 to a thousand.

 

[RBoots]

I have an L9000 Ford single axle, double frame equipped w/ front plow mount, belly blade, 5 yard dump box with headache rack, M11 Cummins and a 10 speed Eaton, and it weighs 24,350. That may give you an idea of weight of a truck.

 

[notjustair]

When I bought my 1958 grain truck it had a blown head gasket. It was a good deal so I bought it even though it was a ways away. It took two hours to pull it home with a chain at 50mph. It can be done safely if you find someone to help you who isn't an idiot.

 

[Lanse]

Thats a heavy truck! Thanks!

 

[Jeff NWOH]

This one weighs in around 14k.

 

[JMS/.MN]

I"d keep looking....I found an older (50s?) 3-5 yard box off of a single axle truck, in a salvage yard, for under $200. Has a St. Paul hoist- parts still available. I can either power the built-in pump, or remove it, plate over the mounting, and run hoses to a tractor. That"s what I did with the first one that I made into a rock trailer.

 

[ss55]

A lot will depend on how you will use it and what will pull it. Will you use it only off-road on your property, or mostly for short and medium distance hauling over highways and gravel roads? What will you pull that with: a farm tractor, another dump truck or a 1/2 ton pickup?

 

[Lanse]

Itll be pulled by a 3/4 ton truck with 1 ton axles under it, or a 40hp tractor. Thus why I'm wanting to stay smaller 14k or less.

I bet if we take a 15000 pound 1.5 ton dump truck, and remove the engine/transmission/front end/cab and weld it up, it'd be only 3000-4000 pounds or so.

 

[jon f mn]

A truck like that is going to weigh 12-16,000 so it will take a good trailer. They are also longer than they look so a 20'+ long trailer to haul them. Depending on how far it is and if you can get the brakes to work just towing it is another option. One thing you need to be careful of is the hoists on trucks like that sometimes don't work well with electric pumps. A very common type hoist is a St. Paul hoist, especially with city or government trucks and those are pto operated only. So be careful what you buy and make sure that a 12v electric pump will operate it.

 

[Janicholson]

I would consider torching off the components you need and putting a temporary hitch under those and pulling it to your shop. If the front half has value, sell it as close to its current location as possible. A tow job on a vehicle that size can be more expensive than the vehicle. Draging it with no power brakes and a person in the cab is probably illegal. Disposing of the remains from the shop, and storage costs are another factor. Just thinking out loud. Jim

 

[wilson ind]

One ton dump, cut off cab make hitch from frame under cab. No bigger if towing with 3/4 tom pickup

 

[Pair-a-dice farm]

I worked at an elevator for 17 years and weighed 1000's of them. A C60 or 70 with a gas engine and 5 speed with a a 300 bushel dump weighs in around 8500-9000#. A diesel or tandem axle will add more. My Ford 9000 with a 3208 Cat and 22' dump weighed 19500#. If it's a gas why not haul it on a flatbed gooseneck?
I 2nd using the frame and hydraulics that are already there. You could change the axles. I've seen the rear axles gutted and the original brakes used on shop built trailers but it may be illegal now.

 

[coonie minnie]

Don't plumb the hoist cylinder directly to a tractor hydraulic. Most of those old systems worked at lower pressure than many tractors. You can burst the cylinder, leaving you with a lot of oil soaked scrap. Please don't ask how I know this!!!

You can operate the former truck PTO with an orbit motor, or something similar.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I was with ya on the tow bar BTDT chose the one that has brakes and have a driver in the truck just in case. I would not go there with a chain and pipe.

I have towed a many with a one ton tow truck, lift it enoufh to get some weight on the sling (works like a tow bar) and go slow 35/40 MPH... I still like to have a driver for sharp turns and to help me if I need to brake it down fast.

Just saying its doable but now that I have grown up not looking for trouble.

 

[JD Seller]

Lanse: A couple of things to think about.

1) Many dump trucks do not use scissors hoist. They use a telescoping cylinder standing upright with a dog house built around it that hooks to the floor/bed frame to lift the bed. Just a heads up. The telescoping cylinder actually is simpler in operation. You just would have the dog house sticking up inside your bed.

2) Frame rail width. The truck frame and bed frame both would be 34" wide. This is the standard truck frame width. This works great for dual wheeled axles. For regular single wheel trailer axles it is way narrower than common. I know you can order your 7000 axles any width you want but with the dump box you want as wide of wheel base as you can easily get. It makes it more stable when dumping.

3) Most dump truck hydraulic pumps are transmission driven. They usually turn around 1000 RPM. I don't know if your planning to use a gas motor driven system. Power it with just your tractor hydraulics ( the oil capacity of most tractors is not enough for a telescoping cylinder the size used in most dump trucks) Most factory pickup pulled dump beds use electric driven hydraulic pumps to lift.

All of this means there may not be as many useable parts as you think on the used dump truck. It all depends on what/how your planning to use it.

P.S. I have done what your thinking of doing. Kind of. LOL I have two that we built just to pull with larger tractors. So basically we just removed everything forward of the bed on the frame. We then just cut the frame and angled it in to a clevis hitch. The first one I ran the dump truck hydraulic pump with a PTO shaft from the tractor. The second one had a smaller scissors hoist so I just plumbed it to run off the tractor hydraulics. We almost never pull either of them with any tractor under a 150 HP. So these tractors have the hydraulic oil capacity to dump the single acting cylinder.

So good luck and keep us posted!!!!