Had someone ask a question today. Would we consider buying a dump box or a walking floor to move some product for them. Sure, trailers are usually a good investment, but none of our trucks have a wet line.

Any ideas?

A dump uses a one line system, and a walking floor uses a 2 line system.

You can have both on the truck, figure on spending around $3000 for one and adding around 600 or so pounds to the truck.

BOTH require a 50 gallon hydraulic tank, although a floor only needs 20 or so gallons, most dump trialers will need around 45 gallons.

Also a frameless dump trailer requires a "blocked" 5th wheel, what do I mean? the 5th wheel CANNOT pivot forward or backward, because the trailer frame does, they make a 5th wheel specifically for this application, although most guys (like me when I had a dump)use a homemade setup.

Personally, for only a few jobs, I'd pass.

Thanks Maniac.

Where is the hydraulic pump mounted and how is it powered?
I think I've seen a dump box set up where the tank is on the trailer. Is that possible? I would like to have the entire setup on the trailer but how would I power the pump?

PTO Power Take Off. Bolted to the side of the transmission. Most engaged by air to run off a countershaft in the transmission.

You can have the tank on the trailer, then you will need a 2 line system, BUT not the same 2 lines as a floor, they work in different pressure ranges.

The hydraulic comes off of the Power take off on the transmission, it can be a direct drive (most popular) or a shaft drive, no real difference, just some guys prefer the shaft drive, as for ease of mounting mounting.

Trailer mounted tanks are not as popular because then you would be limited to using the same truck all the time, plus the pump works harder sucking the oil from the trailer tank into the truck pump, where when the tank is close to the pump it is easier on the pump, that is why they recommend mounting the tank on the deck plate behind the cab, so the oil can gravity towards the pump.

I have never seen a walking floor trailer with a tank on it, but that doesn't mean it can't be done, but it also means having to buy 2 tanks.

Look here Chelsea Power Take Off PTO Units & Parts..

And here Muncie Power Products: Power Take-Offs, Fluid Power Products, Hydraulic Components

Crap. I was hoping there was some way to avoid buying another truck with a wet line. I really don't want to add a wet line to any of our other trucks. I was hoping it could all on the etrailer. No way of using hydraulic motor & pump set up ike on an RGN?

Thanks for the links I will have a look.

Not, sure about either a dump or walking floor, but have seen Honda motors and pumps on belt trailers. Not sure why it wouldn't work. Might be a little slower than the PTO, but would depend on size of motor, and pump.

I've never seen a pony motor used that way on a dump or a floor, I think it might have something to do with the pressure output, but I'm not positive.

I don't know if you guys are from the north or not but I'll throw this out anyway. Will walking floors work with a wet bulk product in the cold weather or will they freeze up? Some of this product may be spent grain and it's ~50% moisture.

We used to put an antifreeze mixture down on our walking floors to keep them from freezing up. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didnt.