What You Should Know About Dump Truck Capacity
Dump trucks are primarily used for the transport of material from one site to another. The bed of the dump truck is raised hydraulically and the material, for instance sand or gravel, pours out of the bed onto the ground where it is then used for the project at hand. Dump truck capacity is primarily a function of the size of the chassis, the number of axles needed to support the load and obviously the size of the bed. A standard 2 x 4 dump truck would be quite capable of transporting loads of 10 tons or less.
Dump trucks can be found for sale in all major cities in the United States, usually at lots that specialize in the sale of trucks and medium duty truck parts. If one has to answer the question ‘how much does a dump truck hold?’ the answer would be along the lines of ‘just how much do you need it to hold?’ or ‘how deep are your pockets?’ Dump trucks come in a wide variety of models, some only capable of carrying ten tons of material, others, such as the Caterpillar 797F can carry up to 400 short tons, so there’s really no answer to the question of how much a dump truck can carry, dump truck capacity is all relative to the industry and application of the dump truck.
Used dump truck values fall into the same sort of category, how much a truck is worth is a function of its condition, carrying capacity, mileage, age and other factors. In general dump trucks hold their value pretty well. However, in recent months the second hand market has seen an oversupply of most industrial machinery, including dump trucks due to a high level of failed businesses. For this reason used dump truck values are down. When purchasing a used dump truck several factors need to be taken into account. The age and road worthiness being the two main issues. Always make sure that certification is available showing that the vehicle is fit for road or any other use. In states where there are strict emissions always older vehicles may not be road worthy. In the case of some of the older vehicles it may not be possible to retrofit any device which will lower the emissions so that they conform to modern legal requirements.
In line with legal requirements always check to make sure that all the parts of the truck conform with state and federal law. There are laws governing tire wear and damage. Be sure to check the state of the tires and make sure that minimum tread depth is in line with regulations. Also be aware that dump trucks may require that the driver be in possession of a license that enables him or her to operate heavy vehicles, much like tractor loaders. Operating these vehicles without the correct license may result in significant fines and / or jail time.
If these common sense precautions are followed the purchase of the correct dump truck should not present any significant problems. Keep in mind the job you want to accomplish with dump truck. This will allow you to select a truck with the proper dump truck capacity.
