Even the best maintained, best working articulated truck is only as good as the bed it carries on its wheels. From long-term wear and tear to big box breaking collisions, the tipper on a truck can reach the end of its usability before the rest of the machine does. If this happens and you still have a good working tipper, you may soon be looking for a used, replaceable tipper to get your machine back up and running. The good news is that the situation may be the opposite of yours – the bed lasts longer than the truck – which means that a search can usually find a suitable replacement.
As with every old part, we check used bins or beds early and often in our salvage process. This ensures that we know exactly the condition of our used parts and can communicate with interested searchers. To help you in your search, we have put together this short buying guide so that you know what to look for or what information you need.
If you are an experienced articulated dump truck operator, you may be able to determine the true condition of your dump truck with just a few quick glances. However, if you’re not sure what to look for or you just need a refresher, some of the main points to focus on in your search are
The points where the bed lift cylinders connect to the side of the tipping box of the case are usually strong focal points when the bed is being lifted and lowered. These connection points can be affected by overloaded boxes or shocks every time a load is unloaded, so extra care should be taken to ensure they are in good working order.
Hard or repeated impacts on the sides of the bin can cause the pin lugs to bend and damage their connection to the bin. And as the pin holes often undergo frictional and heavy movements, they can also become deformed if they are not properly maintained and cared for. Bent lugs or damaged pinholes can cause problems when the box needs to be fitted to a new machine, so any problems should be documented and clearly communicated.
As with most parts, joints or welds where one piece meets another are usually more prone to cracking than other parts. Looking at key joints in the board can help you spot future problems with the box – even if a crack doesn’t mean the box still won’t work for you.
Strong, well-connected plates or professionally re-welded joints can turn problems into scars, but care should be taken to ensure that repairs are completed smoothly and stand up to the rigours of the articulated tipper being asked to do the job. An experienced seller will document any visible repairs and be able to clearly communicate to you the extent of these repairs.
Most used dumpsters you find will certainly have some rust on them and can always be sanded and painted if required. However, while a little cosmetic rust won’t affect the performance of the box, a box with a rusted out floor could mean it needs repairs to get to a good working level and you should plan ahead for these repairs.
If you have found a replacement tumble bed for your machine and early information leads you to believe it meets your own requirements, you may be wondering how much you should pay for it. Like most things, the cost of a used dumpster comes down to a range of issues from availability to shipping. To help ensure that you and the seller agree on a good price for the box, consider the following factors:
Today, taking a few photos of the entire box, as well as close-ups of the box area, is as easy as pulling out your phone and tapping your fingers, so most sellers will be happy to send photos to show the condition of the box box. Once both you and the seller have clear pictures, you will be in a better position to agree on what both parties consider to be minor dents or serious damage.
Used dumb beds for sale are large, heavy and can be significant. Knowing the cost of actually turning up at your doorstep early in the buying discussion can help you ensure that the box you find fits into your budget. Experienced sellers will keep track of the weight and dimensions of the box and will be able to quote you the cost of shipping, or can provide you with that information if you prefer to arrange delivery yourself.
At first, finding used articulated tipping boxes can seem daunting. Demand for specific dumpsters can be high as dumpsters are often hard hit on the job and dumpsters are of interest to DIY builders who repurpose them. But with some searching you are also likely to find an effective method. These inspection tips are based on some of the methods we use to inspect the bins we salvage, so hopefully they will help ensure that you don’t just find a replacement bin – you will find the perfect one to get you back up and running.
As always, if you need help with your search, please feel free to contact one of our parts specialists. They can search our stock and our interconnected national parts network quickly and easily
