Renting a Dump Trailer in Denver: What to Know Before You Book

A dump trailer turns the worst part of a project — getting the rubble, sod, dirt or roofing off your property — into a drive to the recycler and a pull on a lever. It is the trailer we rent most, and the one people most often under-size or overload. Here is what to know before you reserve one from our Wheat Ridge yard.

Two sizes

Trailer	Bed	Payload	Tows behind	Best for
6×10 dump trailer	6 ft x 10 ft, tandem axle	About 7,000 lb	Half-ton pickup, 2-5/16 in ball, 7-pin plug, brake controller	Concrete and asphalt tear-outs, roofing, full yard cleanups, skid steer loading
5×8 dump trailer	5 ft x 8 ft	Lighter loads	Half-ton pickup or full-size SUV, 2-5/16 in ball, 7-pin plug	Small patio tear-outs, mulch and gravel, tree trimmings, garage cleanouts

Both have a hydraulic lift on a battery that we send out charged, and both fit down an alley. The 6×10 is the one to take for anything involving concrete.

Payload is the whole question

A dump trailer’s bed is bigger than its payload. Broken concrete weighs about 2,000 lb per cubic yard loose, wet clay close to 3,000 lb, dry gravel about 2,500 lb — so a 6×10 bed, which holds 3–4 cubic yards heaped, is at its 7,000 lb limit with two yards of concrete or a bit more of dirt. Roofing tear-off runs about 250 lb per square (100 sq ft) for one layer of asphalt shingles; a 25-square roof is one full load, two if there are two layers.

Load heavy material forward of the axles and spread it evenly; a pile at the tailgate lifts the truck’s rear wheels and makes the rig sway. Overloading is the one thing that damages a dump trailer — bent axles, blown tires — and it counts as misuse, which the damage waiver does not cover. If in doubt, make two trips; the recyclers are close.

Where to dump in the Denver metro

• Clean concrete, asphalt and brick go to a concrete recycler, which charges far less than the landfill and usually takes it by the load. Several sit along I-70 and I-25 within 20 minutes of Wheat Ridge; separate rebar and keep dirt out and the rate stays low.
• Sod, dirt, branches and yard waste go to a compost or green-waste facility, or to the county transfer station. Clean fill dirt is often accepted free by landscape suppliers — ask.
• Roofing, drywall and mixed debris go to the landfill or a transfer station, charged by weight. Tarp the load: Colorado fines for unsecured loads, and shingles fly.
• Most facilities close by 4 or 5 pm and some close early Saturday. Check hours before you load, and reserve the trailer for the day you can actually dump.

What your truck needs

A dump trailer is a tandem-axle trailer with electric brakes. Your truck needs a 2-5/16 in ball, a 7-pin round plug and a working brake controller — most late-model half-tons have one built in; older trucks may need a plug-in unit. Your tow rating has to cover the trailer (about 2,500 lb empty for the 6×10) plus the load, so a half-ton is fine for the 6×10 and a full-size SUV can handle the 5×8. We check the hitch, plug and lights before you leave and rent ball mounts, adapters and straps at the counter.

Loading it

• By hand: back the trailer as close to the pile as you can and load from the front forward. Two people with wheelbarrows fill a 6×10 with concrete in an hour.
• With a machine: a Bobcat skid steer loads over the side in minutes; a Toro Dingo TX1000 does the same through a backyard gate. Rent both on the same order.
• Breaking it first: a 65 lb electric breaker breaks a 4 in patio into liftable pieces in an afternoon; cut the edge first with a demolition saw for a clean line against what stays.

Dumping it

Pull onto level ground, set the truck’s parking brake, and raise the bed slowly. Open the tailgate before you lift, stand clear of the sides, and never crawl under a raised bed. If a load sticks, lower and lift again rather than rocking the truck. Lower the bed fully and latch the gate before you drive.

Rates and what to bring

The 6×10 rents from $130 per day and the 5×8 from $95 per day, with weekly and 4-week rates that are much lower per day for a long project. Bring a valid driver’s license (18+) and the card you reserved with; a refundable deposit hold for the order total is placed when the rental starts. Bring a tarp; straps rent at the counter if you do not have them. Reservations need 24 hours’ notice — call (303) 423-7448 for same-day.