Key Inspection Areas When Buying a Used Dump Trailer

Posted on: 19 August 2020

Dump trailers are considered one of the most critical pieces of equipment on any construction site. The reason is that dump trailers are the go-to machines for delivering and removing building materials. Since start-up construction companies need to keep their operational costs low, second-hand dump trailers offer the best proposition. However, you need to be careful when buying used dump trailers, and particular attention must be paid to individual parts. This article highlights critical dump trailer parts that start-up construction companies must inspect.

Lift Mechanism

Dump trailers are useless without a lifting mechanism because it elevates the container to a dumping angle. Dump trailer lifting mechanisms can either feature a single hydraulic piston or a dual-piston mechanism. If you are an established construction company, then a dual-piston dump trailer is not a bad choice. However, start-up construction firms should stick to a single-piston lifting mechanism since such trailers are cheaper to acquire and maintain.

Lowering Mechanism

Once a dump trailer is empty, it must be lowered to its original position. Different dump trucks have various lowering mechanisms, with the most popular being power down and gravity down. As the name suggests, a power-down lowering mechanism needs energy, which it draws from a truck's battery. However, it can significantly cut your battery power; therefore, it is not the right choice for a start-up construction firm or construction projects in remote areas. Additionally, because the power down mechanism engages batteries every time a trailer lowers, you must inspect the batteries regularly, which increases operational expenses. On the other hand, gravity down dump trailer lowering mechanisms let gravity do all the work, thereby enhancing the service life of batteries.

Rear Gates

Dump trailers must have rear gates to make it easy to remove construction materials. However, you should be more concerned with the type of gates that a used dump trailer has. The most common types of dump trailer gates are single door and barn door. Single door gates are dangerously heavy and tend to wear fast, which could be a problem in used dump trucks. Additionally, their long length makes it difficult for a dump truck to pull too close to a building. On the other hand, barn door rear gates are lighter and easier to operate. Consequently, they do not suffer from premature wear, and they allow dump trucks to approach loading and offloading zones as close as possible.

To find trailer parts for sale near you, contact a construction equipment supplier.

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