How much does a farm tip trailer cost and why?
Aug 28, 2024 Posted by Sarah Morrall
What TIP’s the scales on Tip Trailer pricing?
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A question we come across often is what drives the cost of our machinery, and we know you don’t always want to pick up the phone and have a conversation with a salesperson in the initial considerations, maybe you would like to upgrade but you’re not sure if it’s in the budget or perhaps you’re not sure what you need or what’s included.
If you are considering buying your first or upgrading your tip trailer you are probably aware that it is not going to be a loose change scenario. But when you begin the initial process of enquiring it's common to have no idea of what the final cost of a unit may be and what factors and customisations make up the overall costs. In this article, we are going to try and fill in some of the gaps to ensure that when you are ready to pick up the phone you have a solid background.
So when we talk cost there are multiple factors, of course, there is the burning question of “How much am I up for” and I will get to that. But I wanted to run over what makes up that cost first so you can have a good understanding of these contributing factors which will allow you to better compare the value in different trailer brands and models.
There are 8 key features that drive the cost of a trailer up or down. Let’s dive in…
Functionality
The more functions a trailer has the higher the engineering, material and labour costs that go into it. In the example of a Delmade trailer we wanted our trailer to be functional in as many ways as possible, so we made sure to engineer it with removable side panels to take you from a tip trailer to a bale trailer and flatbed, complete with tie down rails along the entire span of the unit.
Little things like this really do make a difference because in addition to what a standard trailer would have you have the cost of pins and lugs to make them removable, each panel had to be light enough to be lifted by one person but also re-enforced to prevent any warping under load. Things such as the gravel spreading chains and the bale extension are all additional functionality extras and all impact the cost.
Deck
The material thickness and width of the deck, some trailers have a reduced deck width of around 2.2m others will have a full width 2.5m deck meaning that you can utilise all of the space available remaining road legal, this might not seem much, but it can be the difference between an Excavator fitting on the tray or not or having enough space to store ramps while transporting the excavator, a narrower tray may mean you can’t safely load and cart bales from your paddock. So it’s a really good idea to check the deck dimensions and the dimensions of what you need to carry to ensure the trailer will safely do the job you need it to do.
Deck material and thickness are another consideration. Most trailers will offer a deck made from either Wooden slats or Metal, both options have their purpose and going with wood can reduce the overall weight of the trailer, they are also easily replaced post wear and tear. But it’s worth considering the lifespan of them relative to the tasks your trailer will undertake. If it’s likely that you will be carting large amounts of wet or mucky materials such as mud or gravel a metal deck will likely withstand the moisture better over time than wood.
Not all metal decks are created equal either, when you are looking at a trailer it’s important to understand the thickness of the deck for example: the Delmade trailer is made from 6mm thick steel but different brands vary, the thicker the steel the less chance of denting and rusting. On top of the deck thickness, it’s really important to look at the bracing underneath the deck and ensure that the options you are considering have a suitable amount of cross bracing to support the weight under varying distributions.
Chassis
Trailers withstand a large amount of pressure and in farming situations it can be often on awkward or undulating angles, meaning that you need strength and reinforcement that runs the entire span of the unit to keep everything in place and prevent any chassis warping or twisting. If insufficient size or thickness steel is used in the chassis construction the unit will be more prone to warping or damage.
The Delmade tip trailer range chassis is crafted from 200 x 100 RHS at 9mm thick for example. So when you are looking to purchase a trailer and compare models this is one thing that should make your comparison list, and assessing your own requirements needs consideration to, if you are only carting bales on flat paddocks chassis strength is less important than if you are carting an excavator or gravel on hilly terrain so make sure you put a value on its level of importance to you personally.
Wheels
You may not think that wheels would make a lot of difference in a tip trailer but when you get out and about in wet conditions you will find out fast.
Having a large wide tyre is a distinct advantage, for more than one reason.
Firstly, they allow the ground pressure to be distributed more evenly meaning you will get better traction less sinkage and bogging meaning you will leave paddocks or roadways cleaner and more accessible for future use.
Secondly, they are going to give you more stability and manoeuvrability, backing a trailer with 8 tonne of gravel isn’t always an easy task especially on a drawbar in wet conditions so a wider tyre will allow better travel over the ground and make you task easier whilst keeping the trailer as level as possible in the relative conditions.
So when selecting a trailer something with a wider floatation tyre around 400mm for example is a trusted option.
Axles & Suspension
These can vary in size and configuration; the general rule is that something 6t or over in capacity would have a tandem axle set up allowing for best weight distribution and travel so that is something to always check in your research.
There can also be variance in Axle size in most cases if we were looking at an 8t tip trailer, most would have tandem axles of 60mm to 70mm the wider the axle diameter the more strength you can expect.
Another factor that will affect trailer pricing is the type of suspension that the trailer has. Many trailers have what is called walking beam suspension. The benefit of walking beam suspension is that it allows both wheels on each side to move independently keeping the weight evenly distributed allowing greater traction and stability in undulating terrain. Other trailers have a spring suspension system – the thing to consider with the spring system is that when the trailer is tipped up all the load is goes to the back end which can make a trailer with spring suspension unstable and dangerous to operate.
The brand or origin of the hubs, stubs & axles will also make a big difference both to the quality and longevity of your trailer and the cost. On our Delmade Trailers, we use brand name running gear – whilst you can get running gear a lot cheaper out of China the quality just isn’t the same and we find it's better to spend the extra dollars and get better running gear.
Lift Rams
This is a point of variance in many trailers, there are many options available as far as hydraulic lift rams are concerned.
In the instance of an 8-tonne tip trailer, some manufacturers will choose a single ram, and some opt for a twin ram, both options serve their purpose but when you have the option of twin rams you have increased stability for your deck both during the lifting process as the load is shared evenly and when extended to full height, meaning that there is less chance of the ram twisting if you are unloading on a difficult angle or the load isn’t distributed evenly.
Just dropping back to a single ram can knock a few grand off the price of your trailer but, it also means that one ram is going to be working a lot harder, there is the risk of failure without redundancy and your trailer can get warped or bent from the uneven loads pushing on deck.
Rams are a substantial cost in a tip trailer so damaging one is something you want to avoid wherever possible having two means that the load is shared increasing their lifespan.
One further benefit of twin rams is the location of the ram and how far it extends to achieve the desired tip height. As an example, the Delmade Twin ram system is mounted behind the centre of the deck meaning that even at full to get a 54-degree tip angle the placement is putting less stress on the rams. One other thing to consider when selecting your trailer is oil flow, some tip trailers require a substantial amount of hydraulic oil to operate the rams which comes from the tractor’s reservoir, so it is important to check the oil flow requirements of your trailer to ensure you aren’t leaving your Tractor low on oil.
Finish
The way a trailer is finished has an impact on cost, and it may or may not be something that impacts your decision or even been something you considered. But a trailer with a 2-pack painted finish is going to offer less protection for the steel and it's likely to last and protect steel from rusting for a shorter period especially if it is not primed properly.
If the trailer is finished with a powder coat finish along with a Zinc Undercoating, you get added protection, adding to the life span of the trailer. Zinc undercoating is an extra barrier, if the powder coating is damaged over time this layer becomes the barrier to the steel below rusting out. Plus, the powder coat itself is 2 times thicker than that of a paint making it more durable, and less likely to corrode. It's more weather/chemical resistant and believe it or not better for our environment.
Along with the paint finishes other things to consider are quality hardware, sure it puts the price up, but will in turn reduce the ongoing costs over the lifespan of the trailer. Quality hydraulic fittings and lines, latches and pins all impact the effectiveness of your trailer over time saving you time, money and injuries from equipment that operates poorly.
Options & Features
Value comes from versatility, when you are investing in an implement as large and high value as a tip trailer you want to be able to ensure it's versatile enough to ensure your return on investment. So be sure to check out the optional extras offered by all different manufacturers to ensure you are getting an implement that can multitask for you. What some may sell as an optional extra may be a standard inclusion for other brands so it’s important to look at this when comparing costs to ensure you are putting all options on an even playing field.
Common optional extras are gravel chains and hydraulic tailgates, bale carting extensions, hydraulic jack stands, ramps etc. Some brands may even consider brakes and lights an optional extra.
So there is plenty to consider but the best thing you can do is make a list of what you primarily want to use the trailer for, as well as secondary uses, and list what functions are needed for or complement these jobs once you have these details down you can work out what the most important considerations are for your trailer and begin comparing which brand is right for you.
One further thought
Remember when comparing one trailer over another specs matter but so do design and quality of workmanship. Trailers that may look very similar on paper may be very different in real life so be sure to ask those difficult questions – Do you get many warranty claims? Can I talk to a customer who has one of these units? What is the quality of the welds like?
Just tell me what they are worth!
Ok so if you have made it this far, I really hope the information above has given you some food for thought and broadened the horizons on what you can get and what to assess. But I know you are keen to get pricing, now there are so many variables on the specs etc for trailers so these are ballpark figures, remember pricing varies on size, manufacturing location and brand so there is a lot to focus on.
For this comparison, I worked on 8 tonne tip trailers. The lowest price tip trailer I found during my research was an imported trailer equipped with brakes, lights, leaf suspension and single acting ram for around $32k+ GST. Another option I found was priced at around $36k+ GST brakes and lights were optional extras on this unit, it was again single ram. A Delmade 8 Tonne Tip trailer will set you back around $41k+ GST, with brakes, lights, hydraulic tailgate latch, twin rams, walking beam suspension and gravel chains as standard.
There are so many options available when it comes to tip trailers it’s never as simple as comparing apples with apples.
So, what’s next…
It really comes down to looking at what you want to use it for and deciphering what specs and inclusions are important to you. Then compare the trailers based on that.
To help you with this we have created a comparison tool to help you assess the types of things you need on your tip trailer so you can compare with confidence and make a decision you won’t regret!
- Download the comparison table – load up your data & the price of your trailers
- Make sure you go away and ask the hard questions
- As a minimum – ask about warranty claims & talk to a customer who has one
- Make your decision
Ready to talk or have a question? Give us a call on 1800 335 623 or Enquire Now →
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