What’s New in Dump Trailers?

New Mac aluminum end-dumps gleam in the lights of the Mid-America Trucking Show earlier this year. Many lose their luster in day-to-day work, but are still are valued for their light weight and corrosion resistance. Photo: Tom Berg

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Think you’re seeing a lot of aluminum end-dump trailers in recent years? You are. Aluminum’s light weight and resistance to corrosion means they now account for eight out of 10 new dump trailers in the United States, builders say. In addition, there has been a trend toward smooth-sided double-wall dumps and away from the outside-braced, sheet-and-post type. Meanwhile, hardened steel has become the chosen material for steel dump trailers and bodies, which are preferred for loading and hauling of rough materials.

“The market is somewhat regional and industry-specific, where industries transporting rock and demolition debris will use steel, and industries transporting processed materials will go with aluminum,” says Bill Riggs, president of J&J Truck Bodies and Trailers in Somerset, Pennsylvania. “Aluminum has been the material of choice for at least 20 years. Only recently has thin, very strong steel become available.” That makes it usable in some weight-sensitive operations formerly limited to more expensive aluminum. But “due to corrosion of steel, aluminum should continue to be popular for years to come.”

Smooth-sided aluminum dumps are now widely available, notes Charlie Wells, vice president, sales and marketing, at East Manufacturing in Randolph, Ohio. “We were the first, with our Genesis in 2001,” he claims, “and now everybody’s pretty much copied it.” Genesis uses square-tube aluminum extrusions that are welded in a line to form the double-sided walls. The main advantages are inherent strength and confining of dings, dents and bulges to the inside surfaces. Lessons learned from early models required engineers to revise the types of alloys employed and certain structural details – an “expensive learning …Read the rest of this story

Source:: http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/equipment/article/story/2017/10/what-s-new-in-dump-trailers.aspx