What are tipper trucks used for?

Corporate Car Hire·Van Hire · 7th October 2020

A tipper truck is a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that has a tipper body on its rear. Commonly referred to as dump trucks, tipper trucks are used to help the construction world complete projects quickly, efficiently and safely. The job of a tipper truck is to lift and transport loose building materials such as asphalt, construction aggregate, dirt, grain, gravel, sand, snow and wood chips in bulk efficiently around a worksite. So let’s delve into how tipper trucks operate, so you can better understand how they’re used.

tipper truck in a quarry

How to operate a tipper truck


To prevent damage to the equipment and personal injury, every operator needs to remember the following:

  • Loading operation – if a tailor is disconnected from the tractor, it should not be loaded with cargo as this can cause it to overturn
  • Always load a tipper truck evenly – distribution is important when filling the tipper body, as this too ensures it doesn’t overturn.
  • Before unloading the material inside the tipper body, the tractor must be firmly grounded and the tailor and tractor need to be perfectly aligned.
  • Before fully alleviating the tipper body into the air – you need to make sure it does not come into contact with obstructions such as trees or overhead power lines. Also, make sure that the semi-trailer pneumatic suspension has a lowered air suspension before raising the tipper.
  • Once you’re sure that all appropriate checks have been made, it’s time to unload the cargo. This needs to be done continuously in one fluid motion – do not increase the vehicle’s RPM whilst unloading.
  • When tipping the materials, it must be checked that there isn’t a blockage at the rear of the tipper. If this is not checked and there is a blockage, the tipper could turn over.
  • If the load is blocked and the body of the tipper is elevated, do not be tempted to jerk the body or drive forwards whilst in the lifted position.
  • The cylinder should only lift and lower the tipper body in order to release the construction materials. Once this process has been completed, the body must be lowered promptly after. Never drive around with the tipper up in the air – driving with the cylinder lifted can affect the vehicle’s stability.
  • During the operation, the cylinder should not be put through the effect of lateral forces. A tipper cylinder should not be extended more than 30 minutes at a time.
  • Do not go underneath an extended tipper body – after unloading the trailer retract the cylinder fully.
  • After 1 min, set the tipping control to neutral.
  • Ensuring proper use of the hydraulic system will ensure effective use of the tipper system.
  • Unauthorised use of a tipper and adjustments to the pressure settings is prohibited. 

 

Things to inspect before using a tipper truck:

  • Check the hose which connects the cylinder with the hydraulic system
  • Check the quick release couplings
  • Check the brackets
  • Lubricate pivot points and tightening bolts that fix the brackets into place
  • Check the cylinder pressure – to find out what the pressure should be, look at the cylinder’s tight plate. 
  • Check the oil levels in the hydraulic system – the level needs to be between the two gauges to ensure proper and full cylinder extension. 


Benefits of tipper trucks

  • Lift heavy goods with ease – saving the effort of manpower, tipper trucks do the work for you, so you don’t have to break a sweat. 
  • Deposit heavy goods directly on site – thanks to the tipper feature, you can drive your materials directly to their required location and unload without having to do it yourself. 
  • Agile manoeuvrability – even with extremely heavy cargo, a tipper truck can transport and provide precise unloading. 
  • Cost-effective – hiring one tipper will cost a lot less than hiring several people to lift, carry and deposit heavy materials from one site to another. 
  • Variety of tipper options – tippers range in size, from 26 tonnes to 3.5 tonnes, and plenty of other options in between – there’s a perfect sized tipper for any job. 

Tipper truck hire is a common service amongst people who are looking to complete construction projects, as tipper trucks help to quickly distribute heavy construction materials around a site. Tipper trucks can help with materials such as:

  • Asphalt
  • Construction aggregate
  • Dirt
  • Grain
  • Gravel
  • Sand
  • Snow
  • Triple mix
  • Turf
  • Wood chips

In the search of tipper truck hire near you? Turn to Gatwick Car & Van Rental – as we offer tipper truck hire too! We provide low-cost and high-quality vehicles to customers throughout Gatwick, Crawley and the surrounding areas of London. With a free pick-up and drop-off service, you can’t go wrong. Contact our friendly team today and see how we can help you.