End dumps, any advice?

I saw a driver tweak his frame on his truck because he unloaded on unlevel dirt. Ruined the trailer and truck without turning over....

 

Common sense here but I didn't see it mentioned. Always dump the air out of the truck and trailer suspension (some trailers don't have air suspension though)

Forgetting air in the truck isn't too bad (still not the best... you'll feel why when you do it lol) but forgetting air in the trailer is a big no no. That's why many of the new trailers are set up to dump the suspension when you unlock your gate hooks.

 

Always use the trailer brakes, never let the trailer walk up to the tractor when dumping.

 

That only applies to a frame-less dump trailer ... and its also a matter of opinion to a certain extent. Based on the volume of material your hauling sometimes you need the trailer moving towards the truck to give you that extra room needed to empty the trailer. Put one set of brakes on at a time, but NEVER both. Sometimes you gotta set the trailer brakes, lift up, once the load releases switch to the truck brakes. Keep lifting pulling the trailer away from the load and emptying the trailer good. Then switch back to the trailer and bring her down pushing the truck forward.

Best to be nice and clear with info when guys are starting out because if he's hauling all kinds of stuff he might end up hauling lime. In which case you don't want any brakes on at all other than your foot on the pedal if your hauling with a framed trailer. Setting your trailer brakes on a framed trailer while dumping lime in a squishy field is a nice way to lay the truck down on it's side.

Best for lime and snow is to keep your foot on the brake and once the load starts pushing you in the ### you release a little pressure and creep forward in a controlled fashion.

 

I carried a small spirit level and laid it on the rear axle if I was in doubt about a level surface, but just as important is making sure the surface is solid so one side doesn't sag. I was so nervous for the first several dumps, but you gain confidence as you go along. Only occasionally did I get an iffy dumping surface.

 

Alot of the times we dump are in bar ditches off the side of the highway so its always kind of a nerve rack.

 

Hows it going???

 

The weather was brutal last week, my tailgate paws froze back shut in about 5 mins of having it open to dump a load.
The gauges can take a while to figure out... I tend to run 4 piles hauling a lot of things. 2 piles in the first 3 bows then 2 piles in the back 3. Usually will get tractor to about 83-84lbs and 80 on the trailer before dropping my tag. Get into lower weight stuff and throw that all out the window. Heck ive loaded right up front to back and not been close to weight ...
If you can do it, it seems to give a better reading leaving tractor brake off loading the front and trailer off when loading the back.
Soy hulls or anything grounded up into a powder will typically take loading the trailer right full and even then you likely wont be heavy. Canola is light but with the wrong load out guy you can get in trouble in a hurry. If you do load these and your allowed on the trailer you can pack these down some with a broom as they load. Or if time allows drive around and stab the brakes a few times or bounce it around the parking lot then load a bit more..
Many of the powdered things will also come in pellet form, which you'll get heavier weights without having to over fill the trailer