There are many reasons to consider purchasing a pre-owned dump truck, but first and foremost, it must make business sense. Before beginning your search for buying a used dump truck, have you explored all your options? Like purchasing new.
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from KNOW-HOW.
While it's unusual to start an article about purchasing a used dump truck by asking whether you have thought about purchasing a new one, it is an important topic to address.
While a low-maintenance dump truck doesn't exist, whether you purchase new or used, there are many advantages to purchasing new.
Pros
Cons
There are many excellent reasons for buying a pre-owned dump truck.
Pros
There is no FET Tax on used vehicles (FET is an extra 12% of the purchase price for new trucks)
Cons
Once you've determined that a pre-owned dump truck is the best choice, it's time to decide what type of dump truck works best for your business. Dump truck sizes differ depending on your application.
Light duty (>10,000 pounds) ' This is basically a pickup truck or small flatbed truck with an electric dump. Smaller dump trucks are good for landscaping and other lightweight materials.
Medium duty Trucks (10,001 to 26,000 pounds) ' While heavier than a pickup truck, a medium duty dump is usually a single-axle truck that can carry more weight. The medium duty truck can be found in both gas and diesel engines. The medium duty dump truck is excellent for tight spaces, and construction job sites, and can be driven by anyone with a Class A license.
Heavy Duty Truck (>26,000 pounds) ' Severe duty dump trucks require a Class 8 driver's license and can be used for heavy duty construction both off-road and on-road. You can find heavy duty single axle, tandem axle, as well as tri-axle dump trucks. Many will also include a lift axle configuration if they need to carry extra weight.
While choosing the right class of truck is important, equally as important are the specifications you choose.
A truck's dump box is as important as any spec you will need to know. Choosing the wrong type of dump box could prove to be costly.
Before choosing a dump bed, you must first know what you are hauling. A versatile vocational dump truck that hauls a variety of materials, i.e., dirt, debris, sand, and rocks, is going to have a much different body than one that only hauls bark or lightweight materials.
Knowing what you are hauling will not only determine your truck body but it will help you determine:
Note ' Choosing a dump body with a chassis that has no factory service dealership nearby can be problematic and expensive. Obviously, if you have your own shop or a good mechanic close by that can get parts, you have more options available. There are hundreds of excellent body manufacturers throughout the country but make sure service and parts are readily available.
What is the best dump truck to buy? While this is a personal choice and may be determined by your location, it is important to note if you love an iconic trucking brand, you have plenty of options. Here are major manufacturers of Heavy Duty Chassis that work well for dumps.
Peterbilt ' Peterbilt is a popular brand for good reason. Peterbilt makes a great commercial truck that is known for its reliability and styling.
Kenworth ' Kenworth dump truck models are popular for a reason. The Kenworth brand is known for toughness and reliability.
The company is the world’s best tipper trucks supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Mack ' Mack trucks are synonymous with construction. The Mack granite dump truck today is powerful and durable.
International ' International brand commercial trucks, once known as the International Harvester company makes medium, heavy duty, and severe duty trucks.
Freightliner ' Freightliner dump trucks are known for being versatile and are America's most popular selling semi-truck.
Volvo ' Volvo is one of the leading heavy truck builders worldwide. While not as popular for use as a dump truck in the states, Volvo makes a broad line of Class 8 trucks to choose from.
Heavy and Medium Duty Dump Trucks
Medium and Light Duty Brands
Here are excellent places to find used dump trucks for sale.
Print Magazines
Printed magazines still exist. You can find Truck Paper Magazine at truck stops or have it mailed to you weekly.
Online
Most people today find private party trucks for sale online, where they can see 1,000s of vehicles across the state, across the country, and across the world.
Top online Sites
While you can find thousands of used trucks for sale on the internet, there are a few big players who dominate the used semi trucks space.
Truckpaper.com is not going to win any awards for design and layout. But, if you are searching for private party trucks, TruckPaper.com is the leader.
Other popular sites for finding and buying private party include: Craigslist, Commercial Truck Trader, Facebook Market Place, and Iron Planet.
Once held in muddy fields, reserved for wholesalers and large companies, auctions have become mainstream and are a viable place to buy trucks. With the help of Ritchie Bros., in-person and online auctions have become fashionable. You can even buy a new truck at an auction.
With that said, if you are new to the trucking business, we strongly recommend that you think twice about buying from an auction. Buying used dump trucks at an auction offers too much risk compared to the reward.
A reputable used truck dealership is an excellent option for anyone, but especially for a first-time buyer.
A smart used truck salesperson doesn't want to sell you one used truck, they want a customer for a lifetime.
We always recommend getting a 3rd party inspection once you have chosen the truck you are interested in. To help you decide whether a truck is worthy of a third-party inspection, we recommend you inspect the engine, transmission, brakes, tires, and truck history if possible. But for a pre-purchase inspection of a dump truck, we recommend you pay close attention to the cab visibility, dump axles, the frame rails, and most importantly the dump body.
Cab Visibility' Often overlooked, make sure the cab offers amazing visibility. A safer experience for the driver is going to translate into better safety, more driver confidence, and lower insurance costs.
Check the Axles ' Dump truck rear axles are under a lot of pressure so they need to be checked with extra care. For an initial inspection to determine whether to proceed with a purchase, check the differential axle housing (pumpkin) for leaks and cracks. If the truck has a locking differential, test it to make sure it operates properly.
Frame Rails ' Pay close attention to the rails for sagging, cracks, rust, and bowing. After you've completed the inspection of the body, make sure to look at the frame rails. Bowing upwards can mean that the dump truck was driven with the box loaded and upright on a constant basis. Sagging frame rails is a sign of overloading. Both these fixes are safety issues and expensive. If you see either of these conditions walk away.
Hydraulic Cylinder ' Inspect the hydraulic cylinder rod to see if it is worn, scored, or bowing. Check for leaks and seal damage, and look at fluid filters for debris or clogs. Make sure hydraulic lines are not leaking, and that there are no cracks or ballooning. If you see any of these signs, call hydraulic cylinder repair mechanic to have it checked.
Controls ' Make sure all inside and outside controls are working properly. If there are remote controls, make sure they are in working order.
Body Inspection ' While it's the last item on our list for an initial inspection, it may be where you want to start. Examine the dump box for rust, thin spots, or corrosion near the headboard. Make sure all mechanics and hinges are working properly. Lack of maintenance or abuse of the box will tell you plenty about the rest of the truck.
Buying used really works well in this application. Dump trucks spend a lot of time waiting to get loaded or unloaded. They usually do short hauls so the miles don't add up as fast as other applications. So it makes a lot of sense to spend less on a used dump truck than it does to buy a new one and have to pay more money, along with a 12% FET Tax.
Hey lad welcome to the forum. Its always good to see someone wanting to get in to business for themselves. I am in the process now, its hard but rewarding.
Depending on what sought of work you want to get into will dictate what sought of truck you will need to buy. Any government work or big company contracts usually want something in super good condition, reasonably new and not an oil leak to be seen, but if your only say delivering dirt around town, or maybe doing some work for the local council, anything that is reliable would be a good start.
I would say look for something that is not a Volvo or Mercedes. They're good trucks, but maintenance costs will really hurt. There lots of cheap Kenworths around, they're easy to work on and parts are cheap. Some of the Japanese brands are quite good, but to me they all seem to ride really rough.
At the end of the day, an old truck will do the same work as a new one, so I'd just look for something that rides well, has been well looked after, and most of all, gives you a great big smile when you drive it...
Regards, DD
Thanks dieseldog,I did not think the Volvo's were that bad but the Merc's are. Others in my price range are scania, inter, UD, but Isuzu seem dearer. Kenworth K series which I love the look of but the Mrs really hates also fall into the price range but the bonneted Kenny's don't. Ford L 8-, and old Mack r series also come into play.So the question is what to realy avoid ?I have an idea on the type of work, which I'm currently doing in a 92 Isuzu 10m tipper. It's just local stuff, general tipper hire, no dog work, and no quarries with no big contracts that require new equipment. I have some contacts within local hire mobs in these parts willing to give me some work. There are some huge projects about to start in my area and there will be a greater need soon for what I described above. I realy don't need to make a huge amout of money, but require to meet costs and a few hundred a week extra. Would love to make enough out of it to get a truck that will make me smile and this is the one of the reasons for making the plunge. I would also like to have a bit more control over what I do.At the moment I get just a street name and a time via text message. I have no idea what the details are till I get there. the equipment is barley enough to do the jobs some days but the the truck owner has no idea as she has taken over the business from her husband.Example : The other week I had to cart sticky mud. was pretty much demanded to be out my door with in 5 min with no notice. I would of sprayed the bin with diesel if I knew it was sticky mud I was carting to make clean up easier. I had a blown brake globe and had no tools at all to fix, the uhf was playing up still and had not been fixed after telling her numerous times over 4 months. When I rang and said I need time to clean the truck at the end of day to prepare it for a different job the following day, the response was that it was not important and to just give it a hose with the garden hose at end of shift. That would of been as useful as painting a house with a toothpick.So I like trucks, I like driving trucks, but I don't like driving trucks for dimwits, hence the want to move into my own rig where I can supply the basics at least. Hopefully build it into something I can be proud and happy to run.
For more information, please visit China Mining Dump Truck Manufacturer.