Tipper
Also known as: Tipper · Dump truck · Dumper · Tipping trailer · Damperli · Kompressi
A tipper (dump truck or tipping trailer) has an open body that a hydraulic ram lifts to tip the cargo out at the rear. It carries loose bulk goods.
Names in other languages
- English
- Tipper
- Türkçe
- Damperli kamyon / dorse
- فارسی
- کمپرسی
- Русский
- Самосвал
- 简体中文
- 自卸车
- العربية
- قلاب (شاحنة قلابة)
Specifications
Typical figures — they vary by manufacturer and by country rules on weights and sizes.
| Max payload | 25,000–30,000 kg |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 24–40 m³ |
| Loading method | Top |
Typical cargo
Loose bulk goods: sand, gravel, stone, soil, coal, grain, fertiliser, scrap, and wood chips.
In plain words
The body is loaded from above by an excavator, a wheel loader, or a chute. To unload, the driver raises the front of the body and the cargo slides out through the rear gate. Steel bodies are used for stone and heavy materials; lighter aluminium bodies with larger volumes are used for grain, coal, or wood chips.
Tippers are used mostly on shorter routes, for example from quarries, mines, farms, and ports. A tarpaulin cover keeps dust and rain out. Tipping needs firm, level ground, because a raised body can tip the whole vehicle over on soft or sloping ground.
Advantages
- Very fast unloading without any handling equipment.
- Simple and strong for heavy bulk materials.
- Can be filled directly by loaders or chutes.
Limits
- Only for loose bulk cargo, not for packed goods.
- Usually returns empty, which raises the cost per trip.
- Needs firm, level ground to tip safely.
Example from real shipping
A feed mill buys 28 tonnes of maize from a port silo. A tipper trailer is filled from a chute, covered with a tarpaulin, and driven to the mill. There, the driver tips the load straight into the intake pit in a few minutes.
Related terms
- Dry Bulk containerA dry bulk container is a 20' container with loading hatches in the roof and a discharge hatch at the bottom of the door end. It carries free-flowing dry goods without bags.
- Bulk carrierA bulk carrier is a ship that carries unpacked dry cargo, such as grain, coal, ore, cement, or fertiliser, loose in its holds.
- Flatbed trailerA flatbed is an open semi-trailer with a flat deck and no roof or fixed sides. Cargo is loaded from any side or from above by crane.
- Road vehicle typesA side-by-side comparison of the trucks and trailers used in road freight: load space, payload, volume, pallet places, loading method, and typical cargo.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.