Dump trailer questions

[Bmyers]

My dad and nephew love auctions. They ended up winning a 2005 Bri-Mar 12K dump trailer, which my understanding is the Bri-Mar is now owned by BWise Trailer Company.

The trailer has been really used, but hydraulics look like they have been replace, pump is in good condition, and battery is a year old. The cost was just over $5,000 with buyer fees and everything like that.

Some of the items we know we need to do:

• Pull tires inspect the brakes
• Lube axles and all the other grease fitting joints
• Tighten latch on the toolbox
• Replace the chains for tailgating rock
• The side running light cover broken and needs replaced

The outside of the trailer the paint is flacking off in spots and plenty of rust. That is an easy issue to take care of and make it look better. During that process, we will replace the DOT reflective stripes.

My nephew will be adding a solar panel to the toolbox to keep the battery charged.

One of the items about and I'm wondering and looking for some advice.

We are discussing if we should use some of the spray in bedliner for the inside of the dump trailer? Is it worth the cost? Will it create issues.

Any words of wisdom or advice on dump trailers would be appreciated.

 

[Yooper]

You want the bed to be as slippery as possible. The bed liner I’m picturing in my head may cause issues when dumping sand or brush because of the texture.

I have gotten way more use out of my dump trailer than I imagined when I bought it. Good luck to you and I think you have a good plan for it.

 

[Lil Foot]

In the high country where my dump trailer lives, most of us use the dump primarily for hauling fire danger fuels to a burn pit- pine needles, leaves, branches, logs, etc..
I have watched one old trailer that someone sprayed with bedliner- it tilted past "normal" dump angles, and nothing slid out. They had to help it get started with rakes to get the load to slide.
My loads rocket out of the trailer without assistance.
I imagine it would be the same with other materials- not a game changer, but something to think about.
I bet fine stuff like sand, clay, or dirt would would leave a lot in a bedliner coated box.

 

[Lil Foot]

Oops, Yooper types faster than me.

 

[D2Cat]

I have a 16' tilt bed trailer I use to haul big round bales of hay on because it's terrible for hauling anything else. It has tread plate deck! I think it may have been built or modified by a HS shop class and they built it stout, but not good for dumping. I'd say keep the deck slick as possible.

 

[Bmyers]

Thank you all for the advice about the deck surface. I had not thought of the need to have the least amount resistance.

Any other recommendations or guidance is always appreciated.

 

[McMXi]

Thank you all for the advice about the deck surface. I had not thought of the need to have the least amount resistance.

Any other recommendations or guidance is always appreciated.

I have two dump trailers, a 16ft and a 10ft and I agree that slick is better.

I applied Herculiner to the tub of my Jeep almost 25 years ago and it's great in that application. I've also applied Herculiner to a couple of truck beds over the years and had a couple sprayed by professionals. The "new" F-450 came with the Ford factory applied spray-on bedliner. I'm a fan of protecting some surfaces, and a plastic bedliner over a spray-on bed liner is the way with a truck unless you have a gooseneck trailer, but for a dump trailer that is intended for loads to slide out, slick is better. Bedliner material in a dump bed wouldn't last long and would be a pain to repair compared to the ease of applying fresh paint with a roller.

 

[biketopia]

At the water treatment plant where I work, we have a 20+ foot dump truck that all the fine solids are dropped into during the treatment process, think sticky, silt/mud, & organics. We installed a liner specific to dump trucks that allows that stuff to not stick and empty the truck, but we also have a bed vibrator to get it going. For fine dirt, it works well, I wouldn't want it in a dump that will haul stone, rocks, or logs, etc It's just asking to get broken. Fresh rolled on rustoleum or tractor implement paint is all I'd use in the bed, if anything.

 

[Bmyers]

Thank you all, I have officially marked the bed lining off my list and it won't be happening. This trailer is no beauty queen, just trying to make it last longer. I think with knocking off the rust and old paint from the outside and giving it some TLC, it will make it look a lot better. Yet, the reality is that it works just fine and we plan on hauling several loads of old scrap metal, we will be getting a few loads of rock, and have brush and old logs that we will be hauling, so there is no need for us to even attempt to make it a beauty queen, just a nice old workhorse.

Plus, we aren't going to get the least bit upset with the first scratch since there are scratches all over.

 

[ayak]

If you have any seams along the bed that could take a bead of silicone sealant, that’s time well-spent.
This is what I use:

 

[D2Cat]

Thank you all, I have officially marked the bed lining off my list and it won't be happening. This trailer is no beauty queen, just trying to make it last longer. I think with knocking off the rust and old paint from the outside and giving it some TLC, it will make it look a lot better. Yet, the reality is that it works just fine and we plan on hauling several loads of old scrap metal, we will be getting a few loads of rock, and have brush and old logs that we will be hauling, so there is no need for us to even attempt to make it a beauty queen, just a nice old workhorse.

Plus, we aren't going to get the least bit upset with the first scratch since there are scratches all over.

Get some of this. Put in a spray bottle, and spritz all rusted areas after loose stuff is brushed off. You'll be amazed. https://www.amazon.com/jecudi-Ospho...3545875&sprefix=rust+osph,aps,203&sr=8-7&th=1

 

[RCW]

If you have any seams along the bed that could take a bead of silicone sealant, that’s time well-spent.
This is what I use:
View attachment 151536

That’s good stuff. I patched a crack in the bellows gasket of our washer with that and a piece of bicycle inner tube.

Held for almost a year until we bought a new washer and dryer.

Was @D2Cat ‘s recommendation if I recall.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

my advice...
install backup lights ! wiring, if 7 pin, is already there in the box on the tongue.

 

[parttime1017]

My Bri-Mar trailer is about the same age. I'm in the process of rewiring low cost wiring job by factory.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

My ancient dumper got an electrical upgrade....about 15 years ago
cable from truck goes to one of those 7 studded trailer connector boxes, then wires go through 1/2" poly pipe to a second 'box' at the back. keeps the wires safe and dry.
BTW, if you're working on a dump trailer with box high in the air, be 100% sure to BLOCK it. In the event the hydraulic hose breaks, that box comes down faster than Superman flies !

 

[Yooper]

Oops, Yooper types faster than me.

I highly doubt that! Its just that I’m in an earlier time zone.

 

[Lil Foot]

BTW, if you're working on a dump trailer with box high in the air, be 100% sure to BLOCK it. In the event the hydraulic hose breaks, that box comes down faster than Superman flies !

Good tip!
I think most (if not all) dump trailers come with a safety stand.
About 4:15 in this vid.

 

[McMXi]

Good tip!
I think most (if not all) dump trailers come with a safety stand.
About 4:15 in this vid.

Both of my PJ dump trailers have the safety stand.

One of the convenient features of a dump bed trailer or hydraulic tilt deck over trailer (I have one of those too), is that you can clean and maintain the frame or do other service work a lot easier compared to a fixed deck trailer. I'll be honest and say that I don't know if my PJ deck over trailer has a safety stand or not. I would think it does but should check on that.