Belly and Side Dump Opinions

I haven't done side dumps but have years of end/belly dump experience.

Belly dumps are the easiest types of "dumps" you can haul:

1. They are stable, with a low center of gravity
2. All the wheels stay on the ground
3. You keep moving forward when you dump - no stopping
4. They are pretty tough and can take a lot of abuse
5. Very versatile: you can do rock, dirt, asphalt etc.
6. Easy to maintain with no hydraulics - all air operated

Once you learn how to to operate it efficiently, knowing what gear to be in when dumping and how to time the gate opening to tie into the windrow, its actual fun. In the beginning as well as when the job is greasy, you will get stuck and have to be pushed or pulled out. Don't get frustrated, it happens to everyone even if you've been doing it for years, but with experience you'll keep it to a minimum.

My only concern would be your back. It's pretty rough on the body since you bounce around in the cab all day it could aggravate your back injury.

Other than that get loaded, before you dump lock in the rears and keep the RPM's up, you'll do fine.

Good Luck!

 

He's right and me too....experience with a belly dump....loved the work, real easy ( and dusty ) ....hardest thing I did was take golf club and clean material off side boards but it got a bit rough in the cab........sometimes you have to gas on it across a bumpy area and pop the doors to help spread it and sometimes the dozer is rough on the push bar but not always......

I got out because the market was saturated and I lost a lot of time....waiting but that's Texas...your deal might be different.

Get a back brace and give it a shot......

Good luck

 

Side dumps are real hard on trucks and your nerves the first few dumps but you will get over the feeling that its wrong to tip 25 tons on its side. Trailers are pretty expensive and have a tendency to crack the tub and frame so keep an eye on things. A hockey stick is good to scrape the edge of your box on either one. Bellys are the easiest with very little backing unless paving and then it's still easy. Be careful of sticky material in both, saw two trucks flopped on their side within an hour from sticky stuff. Don't load saturated material level with the sides of the side dump, vibration will separate the liquid to the top and spill out, bad when it's contaminated material. Good luck, have fun, I try to every day.

 

im a o/o and do both side and belly dump work. i started in it with almost no experience in dump work. i got a good deal on a belly dump trailer and decided to give it a go and did well. belly dump is a little easyer to get the hang of. by the end of your first day you should have a pretty good handle on it if you got a head on your shoulders. after a while you get the hang of where to set your chains for what spread the operator wants. if the blade tells you he wants a 120 foot spread your want them chained up so they don't open a ton. if they want you to dump in 30-40 feet set them things to open as far as they can. biggest thing is communicate with the equipment operators. if you just pull in and dump your load wherever and how ever you feel like it your likely to get run off.

belly dump is a little easyer as you just set your chains or stops depending on how your trailer is setup to determin your spread and once your set there all you got to do is place the trailer where they want it and flip a switch and drive off.

side dump is a little harder but not much. if they want a spread you put in your pto put it in gear and control your spread by how fast you raise the tub as you drive along. if your hauling big stuff such as rip rap or concrete rubble angle your truck to the side your dumping drop your load and then back your truck straight up into your trailer then kick the front end around to clear the pile with your trailer.

side dump is more versatile you can haul a larger variate of materials. and more options on how you can place a load. there is also less of them out there hauling witch is a bit of advantage.

 

you still doing belly dump racerbiker ?