Operating a Belly Dump

I'm not sure about the laws where you are, but in tx the dot loves to make sure you have the tarp on and a chain locking the doors shut while you are on the road. Be prepared for over axle tickets, almost impossilbe to axle out. Always check with you customer before you dump out if they want the gates wide open or not. Most trailers will have pins you can set to limit how wide the doors will open, therfore making a longer skinnier windrow. If your trailer does not have pins you can use a chain, there will be a place on the front of the doors you can hook a chain into, you can control how wide the doors open by making the chain longer or shorter. Some customers prefer to open the doors themselves using the valve on the side of the trailer. If they decided to do that make sure to drive slowly while dumping because they will be walking beside your trailer holding the valve. Usually when I dump I lock the power divider on the truck put the truck in gear and let the clutch out while flipping the switch to open the doors, its better to already be rolling when you open them. Just remember you WILL get stuck everynow and then, the best thing to do is just wait for the contractor to bring a machine to push you out.... That's about all I can think of right now, if you have any more question feel free to ask away

 

It's safe aslong as the latches hold, I think that goes for just about anything that dumps, Belly dumps, End dumps, Rolloffs, dumping Vac Tanks, Theyre all safe until something fails, Ive never had a problem and never have seen a guy dump a load on the ground other than once when he hit his gate instead of his lift axle.

 

I've seen two loads dumped on the highway, don't know if the guys accidentaly hit the switch and opened the doors or if something failed. The worst one I have seen though, a guy pulled up at the scale house on i-35 and got the light to pull up for an inspection and right as he was crossing the scale his doors opened and he dumped the load all over the scales. I'm pretty sure he got a ticket for that... The chain is just a backup safety, in Texas its the law, but most don't do it. For me it takes 30 seconds or less, I get out to pull the tarp over the load then hook the chain on the front of the doors and hammer down.

 

Company in Cleveland, Ohio starting a big job. We are looking for owner/operators with quarry dumps. The job starts mid July and may run till end of year.