|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
I'm buying a 1-ton trailer that is "dump ready". I need to add a cylinder with 24" stroke and hook it into the tractor. The dump cylinder can probably be connected in place of the hydraulic top cylinder. A few questions please.
1. Will any 24" stroke cylinder work? Any special features to look for?
2. Should I go to a hydraulics shop to get custom hydraulic hoses made? Or is there a safe and reliable way to DIY the hoses?
3. Are the hydraulic quick disconnects pretty much interchangeable?
|
|
 Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Mark, you sure are a master of digging up online information. The company lists a hydraulic kit for the DT-2000 but not the DT2000-TM (which is the one I'm buying). I sent them an inquiry and will hold off buying the hydraulics until they reply. Most of the ATV dump trailers use battery operated hydraulics so that's probably what it is but their reply should clear things up.
EW, I'm hoping to not have to do much fabrication. The trailer is supposed to be dump-ready so the lift geometry is already established. Hydraulics wise I'll use the same big hoses that operate my top-and-tilt cylinders so that should be OK. Not sure of the I.D. of those but the O.D. is a good inch or more.
Thanks for the good info everyone.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
On the TM model Northern told me that any 24" stroke cylinder would work but didn't mention any sort of kit. A Millside response should clear that up. Cylinders seem pretty standard so this will probably be one of those projects where most time spent will be in the chasing down of the right parts.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Will do. BTW, good call on the need to increase the slippery characteristics of the deck. A piece of sheet metal sized properly and screwed to the deck should fix that right up.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Here is Millside's response to my question about their dump kit for the DT2000-TM trailer.
"Sorry for late reply
yes we have a hydrualic dump kit available with hoses all you will need in the adapters from the hose to your tractor
kit cost299.99us plus frieght
please advise "
Northern says the trailer shipped yesterday. I think I'll wait for it to arrive before deciding on the dump kit. Millside didn't give much detail and I'm pretty sure their kit won't be completely plug-and-play anyway.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
When assembling hydraulic connectors I've heard teflon tape is a no-no. What type of thread sealant should be used (if any)?
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Thanks, Kenneth. These are all NPT threads so it looks like teflon tape all the way.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
The cylinder and hoses haven't arrived yet but they're both supposed to be 1/2 NPT. I don't know if they have machined ends or not but will keep the teflon on the threads.
Good thought about drainage. The trailer bottom has individual boards so water should drain fairly easily now. When the sheet metal bottom goes in that might become an issue. What should I do to the trailer hydraulics to allow for that? The hoses will hook to the rear tractor ports using quick disconnects.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
The tractor hydraulics are all Pioneer connectors so that's what I'll be using. They don't drip much, maybe a drop on disconnect, although they do seem to always be covered with an oily dust coating. I always relieve pressure before disconnecting.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Rigging up an integrated box support is a good idea. Shouldn't be hard. Thanks, Art.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
On my tractor the hydraulic lines to the rear are 3/8". Art recommended half inch lines to the dump cylinder but there probably isn't any advantage to that from a performance standpoint due to limitations in the rest of the circuit. However, using half inch lines does simplify the connections since I don't need any 1/2-3/8" reducing fittings. Would there be any problem using half inch lines in a circuit if other lines in the circuit are 3/8"?
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Thanks EW. I've been involved with some other "flow" type applications where cavitation and laminar flows came into play and didn't want my ignorance to screw something up.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Why is a two-way cylinder not advisable? That's what I bought but it's not installed yet so it's still returnable.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Thanks but I don't understand this at all. The existing tilt cylinder at the rear of the tractor has two ports connected to two quick disconnect couplers. I was planning on disconnecting the two tilt cylinder hoses and connecting two hoses from the dump cylinder in it's place. Why won't this work?
And how would a single port cylinder hook up to a two-port QD system? Hook to one port you have pressure, hook to the other you have return. How can one QD coupler do both?
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Light goes on! Thanks Murf and EW for the great help. This weekend the cylinder gets installed and then I'll be able to measure for hose length. Hopefully by next weekend it will be up and running.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Thanks, Murf. Now I'm worried about how fast the dump box might take to drop but I guess that will be revealed after testing.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Murf, I was thinking of using both sides as my backup plan. Maybe one of those travel limiting shaft collars would keep me out of trouble on the downstroke.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
I hear ya and don't want to rip anything apart. Powering the cylinder down was my backup plan only if the box drops too slow. But now let's call that plan C. Maybe plan B should be adding some weights to the front of the box. Heck, I don't even know if it's a problem yet.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Argh. The 4" tie rod cylinder is too thick and won't allow the dump bed to drop all the way. A 3.5" welded cylinder might work but I'm going with a 3" to make sure. Another week or two till engineering tests begin.
Anyone need a brand new 4x24 DA cylinder?
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
EW, BaileyHydraulics.com takes me to autoparts.com (?)
I bought it at SurplusCenter so it wasn't that high, $190 after shipping. I'll accept your $20 offer but it will cost $140 to ship  I listed it on the Portland craigslist for $120. Live and learn.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Thanks, Murf. A 4" cylinder seemed plenty beefy for the trailer size. The trailer measures 80"x40"x18" high. It will be used to haul firewood and wood chips and will probably be piled high at times.
KT, yes the log splitter has a 4" cylinder that is around the same stroke size but it won't work in the trailer either. I don't want to mess with boxing it up and paying to ship it back. It's heavy and shipping is expensive (and I was pounding on the pins with a hammer so they're not in exactly new condition anymore).
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
I ordered a 3" cylinder which should fit. Trailer is rated for 2000 lbs so there should be plenty of capacity to spare If the 4" cylinder doesn't sell I'll keep it as a spare for the log splitter. It's about the right size and the welded cylinder in use now has been cut open at least once from the looks of it.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
At last, almost finished trailer. The trailer isn't a bad deal for the price, but it's not perfect. One of the 1" holes for the cylinder pins wasn't drilled all the way through and had to be filed clean. The bottom cylinder bracket also wasn't quite welded straight so the cylinder didn't line up perfectly. Again, a little filing and that was fixed. And the packaging and shipping was piss poor. But for about $1k, shipping included, I have a 1-ton dump trailer. The only problem now is that when the trailer is fully up it won't come back down without a little help. The solution? Don't raise it all the way up! Here's a pic of the trailer in the down position.
Link:
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Here's one of the trailer in the raised position.
Link:
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Here's a pic of the trouble area. A 4" cylinder was too thick to fit so I ordered a 3". Turns out that was too thick too. The bottom cylinder clevis mount bracket is mounted very close to the pull bar. The solution? A thick stack of washers to space the pull bar down 1/2". If I had done this before the 4" cylinder would have worked! A 2" cylinder would probably fit without any interference.
Link:
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Sorry, they should be smaller now.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
I've been thinking about dumping the pin hitch. By cutting the pin hitch brackets off a 2" channel trailer coupler could be bolted on. I think I'll do that, the pin hitch was a pain to get hooked up. I cut down a couple of bronze bushings and nested them together to get to a 1" thickness required by my spare ball mount. Then I couldn't find a 1/2" hitch pin so I ended up bolting it all together.
Your guess on the wheels is correct. The two wheels on each side bolt to a weldment. The weldment in turn slides onto a 3/4" axle and pivots around the axle.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
I added a pic of how the tandem wheels are mounted.
Link:
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
This trailer was made by Millside Industries in Wallenstein, Ontario and sold by Northern. Unless they imported it from Ohio and slapped a "Made in Canada" sticker on it Millside may have copied the design or vice versa. It seems like a nice little trailer. The wood has pros and cons to it but it's easy to repair, replace and modify if the need arises.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
Beagle, you're right they're extremely similar but they are different. The cylinders on the ones from Country Mfg. are mounted differently and they are rated differently. Country has one with 1" axles that is rated for 2500 lbs and one with 3/4" axles that is rated for one ton but weighs less than mine. Their 1-ton model is priced much better than mine, too. Argh. I might have saved a couple hundred bucks on that one
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
After hauling a few loads of firewood out of the woods today I discovered that the pin hitch has got to go. It is already badly worn from the up and down twisting motion caused by driving up and down hills. Ball hitches handle this motion much better. I can't see pin hitches being good for anything but level ground.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
Adding hydraulics to dump trailer
That's a good reminder Beagle. I use a Bad River hitch on the 3-point which has a chain that limits up travel. It seems to do the job, at least with the pin hitch. The ball hitch will be a little less secure with up-travel. I'll have to add some safety chains and will add one to limit up travel just in case the ball pops loose.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
Gas Generator Weather Protecti
07-21-2006, 21:20 
Digg It 
Del.icio.us 
