# comparing dump trailers questions.



## zconstruction (Jan 24, 2011)

Yes, I'm from midwest here and was looking for any helpful info on dump trailers, before I purchased one. First one would be how do two cylinders on each side of box compare to a single srcissor cylinder


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## ESSaustin (Mar 27, 2010)

Yes, I have both: twin cylinder and scissor. Both work great and are strong, as long as the batteries are charged.... Don't knowexactly what info you are looking for, but I would suggest to make sure to get one big enough only for your needs now, but think about future growth as well.


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## dave_dj1 (Mar 16, 2010)

My brother has a 10k 6' x 10' dump that has one piston and it works great! I have had it loaded with gravel for my own drive and it dumped it with no problem. We use it all the time for demo removal.
I am going to keep an eye on this thread because I have been thinking seriously about building my own so I would like to see what others have to say on scissor vs piston (s).


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I think any which one will work. The scissor supposedly has more force, but when the dump is down the pistons are pretty much not pushing up but backwards. The higher it goes the easier it is to push. I guess the double piston might handle an off center load better. I've seen another manufacturer online with a cool double piston that ran horizontally and pushed up these arms on each side. Supposedly very stable setup. What is more important with these lifts is if they are power down and up or just power down. Most double pistons are just power up I believe.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Two cylinders = lower hydraulic PSI = longer life but higher upfront cost?


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## zconstruction (Jan 24, 2011)

ESSaustin said:


> Yes, I have both: twin cylinder and scissor. Both work great and are strong, as long as the batteries are charged.... Don't knowexactly what info you are looking for, but I would suggest to make sure to get one big enough only for your needs now, but think about future growth as well.[/QUOT
> 
> The one with twin cylinders. If a heavy load gets shifted to one side, or if the trailer gets loaded with dirt incorrectly to one side. Do the cylinders ever bind or get stuck?


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## zconstruction (Jan 24, 2011)

ESSaustin said:


> Yes, I have both: twin cylinder and scissor. Both work great and are strong, as long as the batteries are charged.... Don't knowexactly what info you are looking for, but I would suggest to make sure to get one big enough only for your needs now, but think about future growth as well.


Sorry missed up last time. Just learning how to work the forum here. So have you ever had any binding issues with the twin cylinder trailer?


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I just bought a 7x12 hawke trailer, single cyl scissor lift. I pick it up later this week

I was going to get a 6x12 but it wasn't much more to go to the 7' wide and I think the 6 looked too narrow. I plan on putting 2' sides on top of the 2' walls.

I can't wait to start using it, I've wanted one for a long time.

I can't stand unloading debris out of the back of my truck anymore, and into the dumpster here at my house. I want that dumpster gone and i'll use the trailer on as many jobs as I can.

I wouldn't buy one with two cylinders.


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## zconstruction (Jan 24, 2011)

ApgarNJ said:


> I just bought a 7x12 hawke trailer, single cyl scissor lift. I pick it up later this week
> 
> I was going to get a 6x12 but it wasn't much more to go to the 7' wide and I think the 6 looked too narrow. I plan on putting 2' sides on top of the 2' walls.
> 
> ...


Could you be more specific of why you wouldn't buy one with two then? Yes I'm also pumped bout pulling the trigger on this deal. The guy in town here that sells them has one 7x14 with the twin cylinders though. Told me he wanted 7800 which is a high I think for my area. I don't know? Looking for info to make a practical decision. Thanks everyone.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

More than a few trailer salesmen have told me you are better off with one large scissor lift than two cylinders. Something about binding and when the loads are uneven inside it.
I never witnessed any problems because I never used a dump trailer with two. I'm sure there are guys on here with two cylinders that chime in. maybe it's not a big deal.

7800 is a little high, but depends on the make/accessories etc.

I paid just under 7 for mine, and it came with two deep cycle batteries, full size spare mounted on the side, 2-way tailgate, roller cover, ramps stored below the dump in the back for pulling machinery inside, and a pintle hitch hookup, also 4 heavy duty Drings inside for tying down equipment.

7x14 is a big one if you have the space on your jobsites. not much longer than the one i bought but if you live in tight areas for work, it could be too big to maneuver around.

Good luck.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

"Seal life is also dictated by the pressure the seal is holding. As the pressure increases, so 
do the forces between the seals and the rods and bores they are sealing. As these forces increase so do 
the friction forces between these components causing a seal under pressure to exhibit more wear than 
one under less pressure. "

so more pistons means less pressure per piston and their seals.

If doubling the pressure means 4x or 8x less life this becomes important. The tradeoff seems to be that compactness gives you less piston lifetime.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

one big piston is going to have a bigger seal and built stronger than two small cylinders with smaller seals and maybe weaker. that's just my opinion though. i'd rather have one cylinder to maintain/worry about down the road than two, less moving parts.


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

But no one has brought up the question of Axles.

Single or double?

I borrow my buddies every now and then, he ordered it with a heavy duty single axle and heavy duty springs. Single piston 7x12. The reason he went single axle was it is easier to move around in the driveway when being stored.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I would want the one that could take the biggest dump, yet make sure it slides out nicely.


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## DeckPros (May 6, 2010)

^^ Hahaha! Eat lots of fiber!


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Have a 6x10 double axle single ram trailer. It has never not lifted what I had on it. It has been over loaded enough , before I got it , that the axles have bent, 6000# trailer rating. It has always worked great as long as I remember to keep the battery charged up. A real pain when up get to the dump and the battery will not lift the load, been there.:whistling Oh mine has hyd brakes too which are nice, really stop you with heavy loads.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Randy Bush said:


> 6000# trailer rating.


How many hp?


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## 6 K (Apr 10, 2011)

I just bought a sur-trac 7x14 7000lbs axels. I went with the dual cylinder with what I felt would be a more stable dumping material. Also just loading the trailer properly makes a big difference. Anyway, I love this thing.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I picked mine up yesterday. It pulled great. I had them put a pintle instead of ball hook up on it. My enclosed trailer has a 2" ball, and the dump trailer would have been 2 5/16"
and I don't want to change them out because I have a nice lock on the receiver hitch.

Now I just need to build the sides. and figure out the best way to extend my two way tailgate up higher. Option one would be to install 1 1/2" steel U channel at the end of each side wall, and then slide 2x8s or something until it's high enough, but then at the dumps i'd have to remove them, might be a pita. 
option 2 would be to have steel/mesh extensions welded up, two of them, and then sit them on top of the double doors and bolt them on using angle iron.

I plan on making the sides out of 2x4 for stakes and 2x8s for side boards. That will get me 29" high above the already 24" sides.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

ApgarNJ said:


> I picked mine up yesterday. It pulled great. I had them put a pintle instead of ball hook up on it. My enclosed trailer has a 2" ball, and the dump trailer would have been 2 5/16"
> and I don't want to change them out because I have a nice lock on the receiver hitch.
> 
> Now I just need to build the sides. and figure out the best way to extend my two way tailgate up higher. Option one would be to install 1 1/2" steel U channel at the end of each side wall, and then slide 2x8s or something until it's high enough, but then at the dumps i'd have to remove them, might be a pita.
> ...


Set the rear up so you have two steel mesh doors. That way u can open above the tailgate and the doors swing all the way around latch onto your sides. Same method used on built up dump bodies that carry mulch and stuff like that a lot.


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