Buying a Tipper Trailer: What you need to know
We know tipper trailers are an essential tool to your construction company to deliver and dump materials such as gravel, sand and rubble. A tipper trailer is easier to use and more convenient than dumper trucks as a truck is single vehicle. A tipper trailer has the ability to make quick trips back and forth to transport and dump the load without attaching and detaching the vehicle – or should a quick quote need to be done, the trailer can be unhitched at any point, including left on site for loading.
What are some things to look out for when buying a new tipper trailer?
Tip Type
There are two types of tipper trailers:
- Hydraulic tippers- these are sturdier and used for heavy lifting.
- Electric/mechanical tippers- designed for a much lighter load.
Hydraulic tippers are useful for ease of use, when the weight is too much for the operator to wind up or tilt by themselves. Most hydraulic tippers are remote controlled, making it easy to dump materials.
A tipper trailer is also available as a 1-way tipper or 3-way design. Generally speaking, 3-way tippers are more convenient and effective for material off loading – especially on city streets. This eliminates the need to reverse into driveways or be more targeted when offloading. It is also brilliant if you carry out trenching, you will be able to drop part loads at different points on the road or street.
Payload
If you are buying a tipper trailer, you probably know how heavy the load you intend to carry is. Most materials are bought by the ton or an increment of a ton. The amount a tipper trailer can carry is referred to as the payload capacity or carrying capacity of the trailer. Try remember, the lighter the trailer tare weight, the greater the payload (based on fixed ATM). Most inexpensive trailers will only have a low payload capacity as they also have a high tare weight, due to the fact that they use heavy materials on frames to construct their trailers. We have a post about trailer payload and weights, Read more about payload and tare weight.
Tare Weight
Tare weight is the weight of the trailer without extras or tools. The lighter the trailer, the better fuel efficiency. A lighter trailer can be towed by smaller vehicles and will have a lower yearly national road rego fee. When purchasing a tipper trailer, you will want to look for a heavy-duty but lightweight trailer, irrespective of the whom you purchase from. In this example, A2b trailers, has the Variant 3-Way hydraulic tipper 3017TB, this has a tare weight or 880kg and a payload capacity of 2,120kg. 3000kg ATM.
Material
It is important to look for a tipper trailer made with durable materials to withstand harsh use, heavy materials and rough conditions. In particular, the base of the trailer should be durable, so it does not scratch when dumping materials. Scratched surfaces can lead to corrosion which is very costly to repair and maintain. Variant has specifically manufactured their trailers with galvanised steel bases and chassis and aluminium sides for durability and longevity.
Braking
Most trailer manufactures and dealers use overrun braking on vehicles up to 2 tonnes. However, as an importer of European trailers we have full certification for overrun braking up to 3.5 tonnes. Overrun braking is a simple yet effective braking system.
Other features
Tipper Trailers should come with a jockey wheel and tie down points as standard features. A Jockey wheel will balance the trailer, even when it is not attached to the vehicle. Tie down points will help to secure your load and gives you peace of mind that your goods are transported safely.
Your trailer is going to get a bit of wear and tare over time. It might be a good idea to consider buying a spare wheel with your trailer, it’s always handy to have one nearby in case of emergency. Buying a spare wheel at the same time as your trailer also ensures that you are purchasing the correct wheel for your trailer. There are a lot of wheels out there and not all will be compatible with your trailer.
A tipper trailer needs will fulfil all the requirements of a labour intensive job , handle tough conditions and last a long time. It is worth purchasing a high-quality product in the first instance, rather than buying a cheaper alternative and having high maintenance and repair costs in the long term.
