The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Right Dump Truck

Dump trucks come in all different shapes and sizes, axle requirements, engine types, body styles, materials, and even your dump truck’s transmission are all factors that need to be considered. Luckily, this article breaks it all down for you, starting with, what is a dump truck? 

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In this article, we will cover the different parts of dump trucks, the best place to buy a dump truck, the best dump truck brands and models plus their specs. 

What is a dump truck?

A dump truck, known also as a dumping truck, dump trailer, dumper trailer, dump lorry, or dumper lorry or a dumper for short, is used for transporting materials (such as dirt, gravel, or demolition waste) for construction as well as coal.

A typical dump truck is equipped with an open-box bed, which is hinged at the rear and equipped with hydraulic rams to lift the front, allowing the material in the bed to be deposited (“dumped”) on the ground behind the truck at the site of delivery. 

Dump Truck Specs, Features, and Requirements

When evaluating your needs for a dump truck, it's crucial to research the legal requirements. This section highlights a few key points to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.

Here are the top criteria when buying a dump truck:

Dump Truck Axle Requirements

The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) specifies the maximum operating weight for a dump truck, including the chassis, body, engine, fuel, operator, and cargo load. Federal laws are in place to protect highways and bridges from excessive damage caused by vehicle weight. These limits are based on the number of axles on the truck, with fewer axles allowing for a lower weight limit. Specific GVWR requirements vary by state, so it's crucial to visit the USDOT for your state-specific requirements. Note that USDOT has exemptions for certain vehicle types.

Super Dumps are a popular option for higher weight limits. They have four to seven axles and can legally carry payloads ranging from 19 to 26 tons. They combine the payload capacity of trailers and transfers with the maneuverability and quick turnaround time of a standard tandem dump truck, making them highly productive and profitable.

Dump Truck Engine Types

Dump truck engines range from 300 to 600 horsepower. It is essential not to overestimate your requirements and purchase more horsepower than necessary, as it will increase operational costs. When selecting an engine, consider the load being carried.

Here’s a list of popular dump truck brands and their commonly used engines:

• Freightliner: Detroit DD13, Detroit DD8, Cummins L9, Cummins X12
• Kenworth: PACCAR Powertrain
• Peterbilt: PACCAR Powertrain
• Mack Trucks: MP 7, MP 8
• Western Star: Detroit DD13, DD15, DD16, Series 60
• Volvo: Volvo D11, D13
• International: Cummins B6.8, L9, International A26

Dump Truck Body Styles

Dump trucks come in various body styles, each with its own strengths and limitations. The three most common styles are traditional rectangle, half-round, and semi-elliptical.

The traditional rectangle style offers the most room on the floor, making it ideal for heavy loads. It has a low center of gravity, providing strength and agility. The half-round style has greater resistance to impact due to its semi-circular shape, is lighter, and can carry a greater payload. Its shape prevents materials from sticking to the floor, but it is not suitable for hauling equipment or pallets. The semi-elliptical style is a hybrid, offering a floor similar to a rectangle but with a semi-circular shape for better load handling.

Dump Truck Body Materials

The choice of metal for a dump truck depends on the task. Steel is best for carrying abrasive materials like asphalt, gravel, and concrete, offering better protection but weighing more. Aluminum is lighter and more suitable for carrying non-abrasive materials, offering a greater payload capacity and corrosion protection but at a higher cost.

Manual vs. Automatic vs. Integrated Transmission

Dump trucks come with manual, automatic, and integrated automated manual transmissions. Manual transmissions offer more gear options and better maneuverability, which can match engine speed to the task. In contrast, automatic transmissions cause less operator fatigue, ideal for long hauls. Integrated automated manual transmissions combine the benefits of both, providing efficient energy use and a comfortable experience.

Best Online Sites For Dump Trucks

Choosing the right dump truck site is a crucial part of the purchasing process. It should offer valuable customer support, financing options, and expertise in evaluating specs to help you find the most suitable equipment.

Commercial Truck Trader

Commercial Truck Trader is a popular website for buying and selling commercial vehicles, including dump trucks. You can search by make, model, location, and other criteria to find the right dump truck for your needs.

Shop Dump Truck on Commercial Truck Trader.

Truck Paper

Truck Paper is another online marketplace that specializes in commercial vehicles, including dump trucks. You can browse their inventory of new and used dump trucks and filter your search by location, price, and other factors.

Shop Dump Truck on Truck Paper.

Construction Equipment Guide

Construction Equipment Guide is a website that covers news and information about the construction industry. They also have a classifieds section where you can find dump trucks for sale.

Shop Dump Truck on Construction Equipment Guide.

Richie List

Richie List is a global marketplace for buying and selling used equipment and machinery, including dump trucks. You can search their inventory by location, price, and other criteria to find the right dump truck for your needs.

Shop Dump Truck on Richie List.

Rock & Dirt

Rock & Dirt is an online marketplace for heavy equipment, including dump trucks. They have a wide selection of new and used dump trucks for sale from dealers and private sellers across the country.

Shop Dump Truck on Rock & Dirt.

Truckntrailer

Truckntrailer is an online marketplace for commercial vehicles, including dump trucks. You can browse their inventory and filter your search by location, price, and other factors to find the right dump truck for your needs.

Shop Dump Truck on TrucknTrailer.

The Bottomline

Commercial Truck Trader and Truck Paper are popular sites, but you can find the ideal dump truck on any of these websites. Understanding what to look for in a dump truck and where to find them for sale will allow you to focus on specific brands and models that suit your needs.

Best Dump Truck Brands

Freightliner, Kenworth, Peterbilt, and Mack Trucks each make their own series of dump trucks. Whether you are looking for a new dump truck or a used dump truck for sale, all of these brands offer high-quality options. 

7. International Trucks

There’s a new breed of vocational truck that redefines the standard for uptime and productivity. Introducing the new International HV Series. Redesigned from the inside out, the interior was crafted with driver and body company feedback to ensure the most comfortable and productive environment possible, while the exterior continues the powerful styling of the WorkStar. 

• Cab Options: Day Cab, Extended Cab, Crew Cab
• Transmission: Automatic, Manual, Automated Manual
• Engine: Cummins B6.8 (200-360 HP, 520-800lb.-ft. torque), Cummins L9 (260-450 HP, 720-1250lb.-ft. torque), International A26 (365-515 HP, 1250-1850lb.-ft. torque)
• Axles: 113” BBC Set-Back Front Axle, 113” BBC Set-Forward Front Axle, 107” BBC Set-Back Front Axle, 107” BBC Set-Forward Front Axle

Introducing the new International HX Series. The latest, greatest, biggest, baddest, toughest, most premium, precision sledgehammer. Built to endure, thrive and dominate any assignment, the HX Series can handle whatever you throw at it. And just like you, the HX Series can take it on the chin and keep moving forward until the job is pinned down into submission – all without breaking a sweat.

• Cab Options: Day Cab or Sleeper Cab
• Transmission: Automatic, Manual, Automated Manual
• Engine: International A26 (365-515 HP, 1250-1850lb.-ft. torque), Cummins X15 (430-605 HP, 1650-2050lb.-ft. torque), 
• Axles: 120” BBC Set-Forward Front Axle Truck or Tractor, 119” BBC Set-Back Front Axle Truck or Tractor

More Information about International Dump Trucks. 

6. Volvo

Volvo Trucks is one of the leading heavy truck and engine manufacturers in the world. Today, Volvo Trucks manufactures a broad line of on-highway and vocational Class 8 vehicles. 

Dump trucks have to be tough, period. If there’s a pile of dirt on the job site, you drive over it. If there’s a pool of water, you drive through it. And you do it day after day. 

That’s exactly the truck Volvo built the Volvo VHD to be. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was built out of cast iron with a thousand horses under the hood. It’s that strong, rugged, and dependable. In other words, it’s just what you need to get the job done.  

The axle-forward VHD 300-day cab is a perfect solution when payload requirements demand a bridge-law complaint wheelbase. It offers an easily customizable chassis, up to nine power take-off options, and a factory-installed piston or gear pump.

The axle-back VHD 300-day cab is ideal for job sites that demand tighter turns. The cab offers amazing visibility for a more panoramic view of the work area. And the axle back configuration offers Volvo’s best-turning radius for dump applications.

The VNR 300 cab brings the precise refinement of the driving environment to a lightweight, efficient day cab. The cab interior is thoughtfully organized to keep daily-route drivers productive, comfortable, and happy.

More Information about Volvo Dump Trucks.

5. Western Star Trucks

Western Star has a long history of building Class 8 commercial trucks that deliver more so you can do more. And they upped that commitment in 2020 with the Western Star 49X, possibly the best vocational truck ever built. The Western Star’s drive to deliver more reached a new level with the new 47X. 

Combined, the X-Series family of trucks breaks new ground in safety, durability, technology, and versatility for heavy haulers, log haulers, over-the-road tractors, boom trucks, dump trucks, mixers, and more. They are purpose-built trucks that can take on anything.

WESTERN STAR 47X

Rugged and highly maneuverable, the Western Star 47X is the solution for applications where visibility, handling, and weight savings are critical.

• Engine Displacement: 9L to 13L
• Horsepower/Torque: 260/860 to 525/1850
• Bumper to Back of Cab: 111.6” (110.8” with SF Bumper Bridge Formula Bumper Mounting})
• Forward Visibility: Best
• Air Filtration and Dust Capacity: Excellent
• Max Sleeper Length: 48”
• Turning Radius (20′ body length): 34.0’

WESTERN STAR 49X

Built for the toughest jobs, the Western Star 49X has the components and power to deliver dependable performance in the most demanding conditions.

• Engine Displacement: 12L to 16L
• Horsepower/Torque: 350/1350 to 605/2050
• Bumper to Back of Cab: 121.5’

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• Forward Visibility: Very Good
• Air Filtration and Dust Capacity: Best
• Max Sleeper Length: 72”
• Turning Radius (20′ body length): 35.4’

More Information about Western Star Dump Trucks.

4. Mack Trucks

The Mack Granite is a series of heavy-duty (Class 8) and severe service trucks built by Mack Trucks. It has a long, low-profile hood and a high-visibility cab. The Granite, with its extra heavy-duty chassis, high ground clearance, and high-visibility cab, was designed to be operated on construction job sites. 

Dump trucks are the first standard packages for the Granite Series. Typically 6×4 (three axles, two driven) lift axles are available. Body modifications can add lift axles and extended trailing axles for higher weights.

• Engine: MP7 or MP8
• Cab Configuration: Day Cab or 36” Sleeper
• Horsepower/Torque: 325/1260 to 505/1860
• Transmission: Manual, Automatic, or Automated Manual
• Axles: Front Axles (Mack UniMax Axles with Integrated Hub) or Drive Axles (Meritor “S” Cam Q-Plus Breaks)

More Information about Mack Dump Trucks.

3. Peterbilt

Peterbilt Motors Company, founded in 1939, is an American manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. A subsidiary of Paccar, which also owns fellow heavy-duty truck manufacturer Kenworth. 

Peterbilt is an iconic trucking brand. Their red oval design script-style lettering logo can be found on trucker clothing, truck hats, and more. Peterbilt makes up about 13 percent market share. Peterbilt is an iconic and beloved trucker brand.

Peterbilt currently manufactures 14 different models of vocational and medium-duty dump trucks, each of which can be customized to fit your exact needs. Their most popular model is the Model 537.

The Peterbilt Model 537 dump truck is dependable, customizable, and incredibly fuel efficient. The 537 is designed to take on your biggest and toughest jobs.

• Cab Structure: Aluminum Intensive Cab
• Transmission: PACCAR 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
• Axles: Front Axles (PACCAR 20K, Dana, Meritor, Steertek: 8k-14.6k), Rear Axles: All current carry over
• Front Suspension & Steering: Mono and Multi Taper Leaf Springs, Rating 8k-20k
• Rear Suspension: Single Drive 13.5k-31k New PACCAR taper leaf 13.5k and 18k. New PACCAR Air Leaf 18k

More Information about Peterbilt Dump Trucks.

2. Kenworth

Kenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks with offices based in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. Kenworth is one of three major truck divisions and brands under the parent company PACCAR.

Kenworth has six models of trucks that can be converted to dump trucks. The Kenworth dump truck models are as followed: Kenworth T880 dump truck (most popular), Kenworth W990 dump truck, Kenworth W900 dump truck (limited