What is a Dump Truck? Everything You Want to Know

What is a Dump Truck Everything You Want to Know

Dump trucks are heavy machinery used to transport large volumes of loose materials such as dirt, sand, ores, gravel, and demolition waste across mining, civil or major construction sites. You’ll likely need a dump truck if your upcoming mining or construction project calls for the transportation of loose material. Rigid rear dump trucks and articulated dump trucks are the two most sought-after dump trucks for hire.

Large numbers of power generators are available for rental from accredited suppliers all over Australia thanks to our directory. These suppliers provide a wide selection of generators that can be used for most national projects and operations. You can get in touch with any of our numerous dump truck hire suppliers directly and without paying any fees, whether you need to hire track mounted dump trucks, high rail dump trucks, front tip dump trucks, site dumpers, or even underground dump trucks.

For more information, continue reading.

What Dump Truck Do I Need?

Selecting the appropriate dump truck for your project or operation is crucial because they come in a variety of types and configurations, each designed for use across a range of different applications. Popular uses include using articulated dump trucks for civil and mining operations, rigid rear dump trucks for use in conjunction with hydraulic excavators in mining, site dumpers and front tippers for use in compact or low capacity operations, track mounted dump trucks for operations that require work on sandy, bog, dirt, snow, or muddy terrain, hi rail dump trucks for use in railway projects, and underground dump trucks for use in both hard-rock and soft-rock undergrou

How Does a Dump Truck Work?

Typically, dump trucks are loaded with dirt, sand, or minerals by another machine, which it then transports to the destination and dumps. The hydraulically powered dump box, which enables operators to lift and tip loads, is therefore a dump truck’s most important feature. If you want to put it simply, when the dump box needs to be emptied, hydraulic hoist systems are used to lift it.

The Different Types of Dump Trucks

Articulated Dump Trucks

In the civil and mining industries, articulating dump trucks—which have hinges between the cab and the dump box—are extremely common. Large, powerful dump trucks called articulated dump trucks are used off-road to move bulk loads over challenging terrain. Moxy Engineering is a well-known producer of articulated dump trucks, and over time, many in the earthmoving sector have come to refer to articulated dump trucks simply as “Moxy trucks.”

Typically, Moxy dump trucks are all-wheel drives, and when steering the vehicle, the operator will use hydraulic rams to pivot the front cab section in relation to the dump box rear. A Moxy truck is the ideal off-road vehicle due to its ability for its wheels to travel in the same direction.

Because of their smaller turning circles, articulated dump trucks are also great for large projects with some space restrictions. Consider one of the many articulated dump truck hire suppliers on iSeekplant if you need to move bulk materials from point A to point for your upcoming sub division, civil, or mining project. There are many different articulated dump trucks available for hire, ranging in capacity from 10 tons to more than 40 tons.

Site Dumpers & Front Tippers

Site dumpers and front tippers are your best options if your project requires something more compact. These trucks have a carrying capacity between 1 and 10 tonnes and are both safe and sturdy in small work spaces because the driver is at the back of the machine, protected by roll-bars.

Site dumpers are convenient, small vehicles used for off-road load transportation on construction sites. They are available for rental in a range of configurations. Site dumpers are designed with a 180° swivel skip bin, making them incredibly versatile earthmoving tools that enable precise backfilling. No matter how muddy or slippery the conditions, you can enter and exit any tight access areas on your job thanks to front tippers’ sharp pivoting and oscillating capabilities.

Site dumpers are very common in the construction and civil engineering sectors for all the aforementioned reasons. Check out the dependable site dumper and front tipper dump truck hire suppliers in the iSeekplant database to hire one for your upcoming project.

Rigid Rear Dump Trucks

One of the most common models of dump trucks available for hire is the rigid rear dump truck, which is ideal for use with hydraulic excavators in the mining industry. Only mining and quarrying applications use these machines, which can be astronomically large.

For off-road mining and heavy dirt hauling projects where you might need to dig out roads and need a truck to haul the enormous amounts of dirt to another location, rigid rear dump trucks are ideal. Because of their enormous capacities, rigid rear dump trucks are the least flexible and require a great deal of training and expertise to operate.

Our rigid dump trucks have superior hauling abilities, allowing them to handle even the largest payloads. At iSeekplant, we have suppliers for rigid rear dump trucks with capacities ranging from 30 tonnes to 400 tonnes.

Track Mounted Dump Trucks

The majority of rubber-tired haulers find it extremely difficult to operate track mounted dump trucks due to the challenging terrain, which can include rough, uneven, slippery, steep, or soft terrain. This is where track mounted dump trucks, also referred to as crawler carriers and dump trucks, come into play.

With the added benefit of being able to maneuver in spaces too small for larger machines, the crawler dump truck is specifically made for off-road applications. Transporting material across soft, slippery terrain, such as muddy or sandy construction sites and marine environments, is done with the help of track-mounted dump trucks. Their tracks assist in evenly dispersing the dump truck’s weight and guard against the vehicle becoming stuck.

Rubber tracked crawler carriers are best made by Morooka, an industry leader. Rubber tracks on the Morooka truck have no joints and can travel at a high speed while exerting little force on the ground. If you are working on difficult, unstable, or loose terrain, hiring a track-mounted dump truck may be the best option.

Underground Dump Trucks

Underground dump trucks are made for high production, low cost per ton hauling in underground mining applications, and carrying payloads of 30 to 55 ton and more. Hard-rock and soft-rock underground mining and tunnel building both make use of underground dump trucks.

Operators on these projects frequently put in long operating shifts. As a result, in addition to safety, which is always the most important factor, underground articulated truck manufacturers have made driver comfort a top priority. Many contemporary underground dump trucks are now ergonomically designed for comfort, control, productivity, and to reduce operator fatigue.

Hi Rail Dump Trucks

Hi-rail dump trucks are designed to be used in the construction and maintenance of rail systems, including the movement of track ballast (crushed stones) next to rail lines. The high rail dump truck has rail wheels that enable it to travel both on and off railroad tracks.

The term “high rail dump truck” refers to a vehicle that can travel both on a conventional road and on rail tracks. In essence, a hi rail dump truck is a dump truck with all the features of a “normal” dump truck but the ability to drive on rail lines by lowering its rail wheels.

What is a Dump Truck Everything You Want to Know
What is a Dump Truck? Everything You Want to Know

Choosing the Right Dump Truck

Below, we have prepared a glance sheet with all the most relevant information you will need if you’re looking to buy a dump truck that will best suit your budget and performance needs:

Body Styles

Three different body types are available: the conventional rectangle, the half-round, and the semi-elliptical.
There will be more spread if the dump box is shaped like a conventional rectangle because it will have more space on the bed’s floor. This shape is well-liked for the strength and agility it provides with a low center of gravity when carrying a heavy load.
Due to the semi-circular shape of the steel, the half-round style can withstand impacts better than the rectangular variant. It has a lower overall weight and a bigger payload capacity because it doesn’t need cross-members for support. A cleaner dump cycle is made possible by the shape’s increased resistance to material adhering to the floor. Because it’s not flat, the half round has drawbacks when it comes to transporting machinery or pallets in the bed.
It is thought that the semi-elliptical style, also known as the bathtub or tub style, is a cross between the traditional rectangle and the half-round. By way of illustration, this body type has floors similar to the conventional rectangle body type but a haul shape similar to the half-round body type.

Body Metal

The best metal to use for a dump truck depends on the type of job it will be used for because not all metals have the same tensile strength. Steel and aluminum are the two primary choices.
Because steel offers more protection than aluminum against potential damage, it is the best material for transporting more abrasive materials (such as asphalt, gravel, and concrete). Steel is used in many different forms and grades, ranging from A-36 to AR-450 or AR-500, depending on the application.
Due to its lighter weight, aluminum is an excellent material to transport non-abrasive materials. It provides more corrosion protection and a higher payload capacity. However, compared to steel, aluminum is more expensive and requires more repairs.

Engine

Dump truck engines typically produce between 300 and 600 horsepower. One word of advice: don’t buy too much horsepower based on an inflated estimation of your requirements. When you put the truck into service, you will pay for this. When choosing an engine, take into account the weight of the load you plan to transport. While being overpowered is undesirable, being underpowered is also undesirable.

Transmission

Dump trucks with manual transmissions have lots of gear options. By doing so, operators can increase maneuverability and match engine speed to the task at hand. This benefit is not provided by an automatic transmission, but because there are fewer gears and no clutch, long haul jobs are less tiring for the operator. An integrated automated manual transmission is the third choice. Due to the fact that they provide both an efficient energy expenditure and a comfortable operating experience, this is growing in popularity among buyers of dump trucks.

Axle Requirements

The maximum operating weight allowed for a dump truck is its gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, which takes into account the combined weight of everything. This includes the vehicle’s chassis, body, engine, fuel, driver, and cargo load.
Highways and bridges are shielded from excessive wear and tear brought on by vehicle weight by federal laws. These restrictions are determined by the quantity of truck axles. The less axles a dump truck has, the less weight it is legally permitted to tow on public roads.
In fact, Super Dumps dominate the market for heavy equipment precisely for this reason. A Super Dump can legally carry payloads of up to 19 to 26 tons and has four to seven total axles. Super Dumps maintain the maneuverability and quick turnaround time of a typical tandem dump truck while carrying payloads comparable to trailers and transfers. The Super Dump is the most efficient and profitable dump truck on the road thanks to its special mix of high payload and speed.
More details on state and local laws governing axle numbers and weight can be found by clicking this link.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DEALERSHIPNot every dealership is created equal. However, their involvement in the purchasing process is crucial, from assessing specifications and choosing the best equipment to providing helpful customer support and financing options.
“A lot of people like to stay minimal, but we take pride in building robust trucks that are going to have lasting value in their second life — when it is time to trade it or sell it,” says Chip Howard is the product manager at Custom Truck One Source, the country’s first true single-source manufacturer of specialized trucks. “There are 26 of our locations in the country., a deep network of service and support staff, and we have a 24-hour call-in center. Only 10% of our dump truck business is rental, but our customer support provides the same level of assistance to both clientele categories.”
The largest selection of dump trucks in the country can be found at Custom Truck One Source, which carries a wide range of specifications. This includes options specific to a particular region that are functional from California to the Northeast. Even in the final quarter of the year, when people would rather invest in equipment than taxes, our supply never runs out.

Facts About the Dump Truck

You might find it interesting to know that dump trucks have played a significant role in industry and construction for well over a century, both in America and internationally. Here are a few significant events in the history of dump trucks, along with some interesting facts and figures about these tools that are essential for hauling, building roads, and most other types of construction work.

  • Transporting loose materials for construction, such as sand, gravel, or demolition waste, requires the use of a dump truck.
  • A dump truck may also be referred to as a tipper truck or a dumper truck.
  • By automating the unloading process, a dump truck has supplanted the conventional truck design. Large amounts of loose material—up to hundreds of cubic yards—can be unloaded simultaneously by automatically tipping the bed.
  • A typical dump truck is equipped with an open-box bed, which is hinged at the rear and equipped with hydraulic rams to lift the front, allowing the material in the bed to be deposited (“dumped”) on the ground behind the truck at the site of delivery.
  • The dump truck is thought to have first been invented in the farms of late 19th-century western Europe. In 1896, Thornycroft created a steam dust-cart with an automatic tipper.
  • Dumping mechanisms were first used to transport materials on horse-drawn, two-wheel carts that were frequently used in coal mines and on railroads before gasoline or diesel engines were developed. These “dump trucks” were tub-like containers attached to the rear gate hinges.
  • The Fruehauf Trailer Corporation and Galion Buggy Co., two small equipment manufacturers, created the first motorized dump trucks in the United States., and In or around 1910, Lauth-Juergens was one of many. Wood Hoist Co. introduced hydraulic dump beds. shortly thereafter.
  • Due to the tremendous demand created by the war, dump truck manufacturers prospered during World War I.
  • Typically, a dump body is mounted to the frame of a truck chassis, creating a dump truck. The bed is raised using a horizontal hydraulic ram and lever set up between the frame rails or a vertical hydraulic ram mounted under the front of the truck’s body, and the back of the bed is hinged there. The tailgate can be configured to swing up on top hinges (and sometimes also to fold down on lower hinges), or it can be configured in the “high-lift tailgate” format, wherein pneumatic rams lift the gate open and up above the dump body.
  • Most standard dump trucks sold in the United States have one front steering axle and one or two rear axles, which typically have two wheels on each side. Tandem rear axles are almost always powered, and front steering axles are occasionally as well. Sometimes additional weight is supported by unpowered axles.
  • In order to increase the equipment’s rigidity and keep it from bending or breaking under heavy loads, the frame used in both new and used dump trucks has been specially reinforced.
  • Due to the rise in construction activity and increased government spending on roads and highways, dump truck sales are still increasing. The high-value equipment market, which will experience renewed sales and lead to sales figures reaching $89.3 billion by 2020, includes rigid dump trucks.

Final Words

For a big job, a dump truck is a big tool. In light of Tucker Paving Inc. sometimes has a mighty big job to do or several comparatively smaller-size jobs to do at the same time, several dump trucks are in the TPI vehicle fleet.

A dump truck can be very enjoyable. Children adore it when a member of our team pulls up in a dump truck for a community touch-a-truck day or a show-and-tell or career day at a nearby school. It’s wonderful to watch the delight and excitement on children’s faces as they roam around, touch one of our dump trucks, sit in the truck cab, and take the oversized wheel of one.

A BIG THANK YOU FOR READING.

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