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Dump Trailer's Tailgate Opens Hydraulically
Brenden Janssen says his dump trailer works better than anything on the market. That’s because it’s equipped with a tailgate that opens and closes hydraulically.
    “It can be dumped as quickly or as slowly as I need,” says Janssen. “It’s designed to be pulled by a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup because I wanted something that I could pull behind my pickup if I had to haul scrap metal to the junkyard.”
    The 10-ft. long by 8-ft. wide dump trailer has 30-in. sides. It’s equipped with a 12,000-lb. axle, dual wheels, and hydraulic brakes. It’s made from a 1/8-in. thick steel plate bent for strength and has stake pockets inside the box that allow for side extensions.
    But what makes the trailer unique is the hydraulically-operated tailgate. It’s operated by 2 small lift cylinders off an old self-propelled swather. The cylinders are attached to a length of 1 1/2 by 3-in. rectangular tubing that’s bolted on top of the tailgate. As the cylinders are extended they slide the entire tailgate assembly up above the trailer.
    A metal box bolted onto the trailer’s tongue contains a 12-volt pump, battery and a pair of valves. One valve is used to dump the box and the other to raise or lower the tailgate.
    “It works similar to the hydraulic-operated tailgates found on manure spreaders,” says Janssen. “I burn a lot of wood during the winter and plan to use it to haul and dump logs and firewood. The raised tailgate provides a lot of clearance, which will let me fill the trailer with odd-shaped material such as firewood or construction materials, and dump them without worrying that anything will catch on the tailgate.
    “I don’t understand why manufacturers don’t build hydraulic-operated tailgates like mine on their dump trailers—the hydraulic power is already there to use anyway. Why fight with a tailgate when you can pull a hydraulic lever to open it?”
    The trailer has a 75 degree dump angle. “The steep angle is important if you’re hauling sticky material because it slides out better,” says Janssen.
    A hydraulic reservoir is mounted behind the box and underneath the trailer. Expanded metal steps on both sides of the trailer make it easy to get inside.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brenden Janssen, P.O. Box 75, Vega, Alta., Canada T04 2H0 (ph 780 674-0033).


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2013 - Volume #37, Issue #6