Dump Trailers Equipment

Question: Dump truck drivers: how long are belly dump and end dump trailers (usually)?

(Posted by: . on 2007-11-13 20:52:53)

And, how long would you estimate the total combined length of this tractor/ belly dump trailer combination to be: http:/ / en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Image:Belly_dump_2005- 12- 15.km.jpg Thanks.

Posted by: Marilyn B on 2007-11-13, 21:03:02

The lanes are on highway are supposedly 10-12 feet wide. That said, then the above dump truck looks like it easily covers three lanes so it's probably about 36 feet long---just a guess-timate. Did you try looking here? gsnet.com/ inventory/ Trailers/ DumpTrailerBottomDump/ default.asp The first one listed is 32 feet long, others are 40 feet--just the belly dump alone.

Posted by: Wired for Sound on 2007-11-13, 22:50:37

You normally won't find a trailer of any configuration shorter than about 38 feet. This is due to the "bridge laws ". These are used to calculate the weight per span on a bridge so that the total gross weigh of the truck isn't on one bridge span at any given time. (it get's real complicated and even after 30 years in a truck, I still don't understand it all without the charts to figure them with. ops.fhwa.dot.gov/ freight/ publications/ brdg_frm_wghts/ index.htm ) Anyhow... by the looks of the picture you are asking about, the Kenworth T600 tractor looks to be about a 240 inch wheel base, so the overall length of the truck/ trailer combination would be somewhere around 62 feet. It's a rough estimate, but it should be within a couple of feet either way. I hope this helps....