How to Fix a Hydraulic Dump Trailer System

DumpLine4 - Hydraulic Dump Trailer SystemFelling Trailers manufactures hydraulic dump trailers ranging in capacities from 4,500 – 30,000 lbs. Each trailer has a hydraulic pump system that operates the raising and lowering of the hydraulic cylinder or hoist that raises/lowers the dump box. If your Hydraulic Dump Trailer System is not working properly, we are here to help. We recently talked to our Warranty Coordinator, Scott Brown, to get his expertise on fixing hydraulic dump trailers. Below are some troubleshooting tips for issues that may occur with the regular operation of a hydraulic dump unit.

Trouble Shooting Hydraulic Dump Trailer Systems

My hydraulic dump trailer is leaking fluid, what should I do?

Safety Prop in Place-Felling - Hydraulic Dump Trailer System

Always have the safety prop in place before inspecting the dump trailer.

Before inspecting for leaks, make sure that the box is up. Always use the safety lock bar to hold the box up. View the Operating Instruction Felling Hydraulic Dump (PDF).

What is the leak caused by?

Typically any leak is caused by a battery with a low charge. The weight of the box is putting pressure on the system so as the box is lowered, the pump can’t keep up with that pressure due to the low battery. Then it creates excessive pressure causing the oil to blow out of the breather on the tank. We have seen some cases that the breather is plugged with so much dirt that it creates excessive pressure and cracks the tank. It is advised prior to the use of the hydraulic system to look over the unit and ensure it is free of debris and dirt.

I am having issues with keeping the battery charged. What battery chargers do you recommend?

There are some very useful battery chargers that can help. Be aware, however, that to charge your dump trailer system, the tow vehicle has to be running and the headlights need to be turned on. Both examples below can be purchased through Felling Trailer’s Parts & Service Department at 866-335-5464 or email at [email protected].

Email Felling Parts & Service

Trickle Charger – Trickle chargers are very convenient because they allow you to always start the day with a fully charged battery. Click here for more info on a trickle charger.

Solar Panel Charger – The solar panel charger is also a great choice. If you don’t use the trailer every day, you can be assured that when you do use it, it will have a fully charged battery. Click here for more info about how the solar panel battery charger works.

How many cycles can an average dump trailer run before the battery is depleted?

If you are doing short runs between cycles – approximately four to five. If you are driving 100 miles between cycles, then you would probably get more, since the additional distance would allow for more charging time for the battery.

Order Parts Here

The hoist is stuck in the dump position, what should I do?

Square Coil - Hydraulic Dump Trailer System

Square Coil

Round Coil - Hydraulic Dump Trailer System

Round Coil

Looking down on the pump there is a square-shaped coil (down) and a round-shaped coil (up), generally, you can loosen the nut onto each coil and swap them around, which then allows you to lower the box. It is possible to continue to haul with the trailer this way by swapping the coils around until the new one arrives. Note: This is a temporary fix until new parts are received to replace the defective parts and/or pump.

After my unit is fixed, what type of hydraulic fluid should I fill it with?

Fill the tank to approximately half full. The type of hydraulic fluid should be automatic transmission fluid.

If you have more questions regarding the hydraulic pump system, or maintenance or operation of another Felling Trailers product, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-335-5464 or fill out this simple form. Thank you for putting your trust in Felling Trailers!

Comments

  1. I had no idea a leak with the hydraulic system could simply be caused by the battery not being fully charged. I guess it makes sense, if the battery isn’t charged enough to support the press, then the pressure will build till the oil gets pushed out. I will have to tell my friend who has a dump trailer about this so he can keep it running smoothly. Thank you for the information!

    • Jose aguado says

      I have a trailer the battery seems is sufficiently charge but when I try to lift it the pump will not run,any idea of what the problem could be?

      • Good Morning Jose,
        The pump should have a relay mounted on the outside of the motor. I would try jumping that by taking a wire and touching both large terminals. This will bypass the relay which if the pump works then the relay will need to be replaced.

        Hope this helps,
        Felling Trailers

  2. my trailer will not raise and I’m have a lot of oil coming out of the rear in of the cylinder. I did notice that I had a low battery at the time. What is going on here ?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Dennis,
      If its leaking at the cylinder I would guess a blown seal on the cylinder.
      The other thing to watch is if the battery is low and you are lowering the box down, the pump is turning so slow that with the weight of the box pushing down on the pump it creates pressure, which typically the oil will spray out of the tank fill cap which is also the breather. But if the breather is plugged it looks for a spot to relieve the pressure, sometimes I have seen it actually crack the plastic tank.
      If you have additional questions feel free to call our Parts & Service Department at 1-866-335-5464

      Felling Trailers

      • I have a dump trailer it raises and lowers just fine but when it’s all the way up it leaks down slowly what is the cause for this and how much would you charge me to get it fixed

        • Hello Clark, It could be a hydraulic cylinder or even bad o-rings in on the valve body. If you have more info we could troubleshoot it a bit more for you.

          Hope this helps,
          Felling Trailers

          • I’m having this same issue. Did you figure out or know how to jack it up safely.

          • Felling Trailers says

            Hello Crystal,

            To lift the dump box you can try lifting it up with a loader or jacking it up, which you may need to remove a hose to do so.
            For more information or parts assistance please call 1-866-335-5464 or visit our Parts’ website https://store.felling.com/.

            Have a good day,
            Felling Trailers

          • My dump trailer is sending power to both up & down solenoids at the same time…. brand new less then 10 dumps on pump – beyond frustrating can you all help me?

          • Hello Jeff,
            Could be a bad contact in the switch, can he send a trailer vin?

            Hope this helps,
            Felling Trailers

  3. Can I connect my trailer to my trucks charging system with a splice of the large power wire that power my electric hydraulic plow? Since I would never be using them at the same time I figured this would solve the constantly read or under powered battery problems. If I can splice this should I remove the battery in the trailer or connect it together with it?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Eric,
      To answer your question, yes you would be able to do so. This would allow you do dump your trailer without draining your battery. But, I would suggest leaving your battery connected in case something with your charging system would fail.
      Thanks,
      Felling Parts & Service Department

  4. Tom Wilfong says

    i have a 10 ez dump trailer and sometimes it will dump just fine and other times it will not it puts presure on it but will not dump. it was working just fine the other day & the next day it was setting at the same place & in would noty dump

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Tom,
      I will refer your question on to our service department and get back to you soon.

      thanks much
      Felling Trailers

  5. Kevin Cotterchio says

    Can you give advise? My dump trailer very slowly lowers if I leave it up for any length of time. The battery was low, but I have since fully charged it, but it is still lowering. The rate of lower is about 1/2″ in an 8 hour period. I see no leaks of any kind? What could it be? Thanks

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Kevin,

      In reply to your question on your hydraulic dump trailer, I suspect that you may have an internal leak in your hydraulic cylinder or in the pump both of these would allow the oil to pass through with not external leak.

      Felling Parts & Service Team

      • Mine goes up just fine but powers down at about 1/2 speed, it sounds like gobs of air is coming from somewhere when I lower it, everything is tight,

        • Felling Trailers says

          Hello Jeremy,

          Assuming that the battery has a good charge, I would then pull the valve and check the O-ring condition. The square coil on top of the pump controls the down function, you can remove the coil and then the valve will turn out of the housing. Something to keep in mind is that if the battery has a low charge and you lower the box this can cause pressure in the system because of the weight of the box and a pump that is barely turning the system will build pressure and usually shoots oil out of the vent cap.

          Thanks,
          Felling Trailers

          • Lorne Gillard says

            I have a dump trailer (my first), and the battery is located underneath and is dead. The battery is in a case, so how do I raise the dump enough to either charge the battery or replace?

          • Felling Trailers says

            Hello Lorne,

            To lift the dump box you can try lifting it up with a loader or jacking it up, which you may need to remove a hose to do this.

            Thanks,
            Felling Trailers

  6. Jeff brady says

    Hi, I have a homesteader dump trailer. It has been sitting for a year or so before it was given to me. I put a set of cables from my diesel to the battery because it was dead and wanted to see what it would do. When I hit the up or down button on the the controle the pump motor will run and I can hear what I believe to be the solenoid click, but all that happens is the body will shift a very small amount and that’s it. What could be the issue?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jeff,
      This is a good question, with your trailer having sat idle for that amount of time there are several factors that may be coming in to play. Read below for some trouble shooting checklists.

      In the case where the start Solenoid just clicks and the system is not engaging, check the following:

      1. Carbon buildup on contacts in start solenoid
      2. Rust inside motor
      3. Loose wire from start solenoid to DC motor
      4. Cracked housing on start solenoid

      For the case where the cylinder won’t extend, you can check the following:
      1.Check Voltage at Start Solenoid when trying to run Power Unit (Voltage May be below 9.5 volts)
      2.Check to see if power unit is bypassing over the relief valve
      3.Improper fluid in reservoir (viscosity to high)
      4.Check Directional Valve Section D/A
      5.Check Packing on Cylinder Section

      Another set of check points if the dump struggles to lift the load:

      1. Low battery
      2. Poor ground
      3. Gear pump sucking air
      4. Directional valve half shifting D/A
      5. Debris in relief valve

      We hope this has been of help.
      Felling Parts & Service Team

      • Thanks for. The great tips on your web site my dump trailer had a bad ground from the solenoid to the frame on the up side.

        • Michael Goodrich says

          Installed new remote for dump trailer, just keeps on clicking.
          Tested battey have13v, tested start solenoid wire while pressing remote in up position, had 12-13v, tested lowering valve coil wire while pressing down button, had 12-13v.
          My remote is 3 wire, power up, gravity down.
          I have worn myself out trying to get my dump trailer to raise, does nothing but click, click, click at lowering coil.
          Motor simply does not engage.
          Dont know if i’m hooking up solenoid wrong, or coil is bad, etc.
          If you can help, would be greatly appreciated.

          • Good Morning Dan,
            If this is a KTI brand pump I would suggest calling the Service Department at KTI, they are very good to work with and should be able to help
            KTI Service Department 949-752-8818

            Hope this helps,
            Felling Trailers

      • How do u adjust the valve if it’s stuck?

        • Felling Trailers says

          Hello Brice,

          I’m not sure of any adjustable valve on the pump that we use here at Felling?

          What is the issue that you are experiencing? With a bit more information we may be able to figure out what you will need to do to get the trailer back in working order.

          Thanks,
          Felling Trailers

  7. I have a flo n dump truck that snap’s the connection nut(from the hose to the operational valve) on the bottom of the lift piston while raising .I’m aware THAT THEIRS ROUGHLY 500 PSI DURING LIFT OPERATION YET I HAVENT FOUND A RESTRICTION IN THE SYSTEM TO CAUSE THIS DAMAGE

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good afternoon Kirk,

      The system for a dump truck, dump box is different than that of our dump trailer system. We would suggest to contact the manufacturer of your unit for troubleshooting.

      Felling Parts & Service Team

    • I have a big tex 7×14 dump trailer. It just started giving me problems. It dumps fine but keeps freezing up on the way down like it’s stuck but if I go up and down with the remote it will finally come down

      • Hello Jason,
        Could be losing power to the coil, I would check the connections and make sure they are clean.

        Hope this helps,
        Felling Trailers

      • I have the same problem, terminals are tight and clean. Did you find the issue?

        • Felling Trailers says

          Hi Logan,

          Depending on the brand of pump, there could be a loose or bad wire at the coil. Typically, there is a up and down coil on the top of the pump with two wires running to each.

          Hope this helps,
          Felling Trailers

  8. My trailer is not lifting, though it has no load on it. I thought it was the battery so I bought a new battery, it didn’t solve the the problem. Is there a way I can lift the trailer box so I can check the solenoid?

    • Felling Trailers, Inc. says

      Good afternoon Al,

      You question has been referred to our Parts & Service department and we will have an answer for your shortly.
      Felling Trailers

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good afternoon Al,
      It is suggested to put power to the opposite side of the solenoid and see if it engages. If it does then you will need to replace the solenoid.

      Felling Trailers Parts & Service Department

  9. I have A 5 ton dump trailer, when I lift to dump it works fine but when I bring it down. and it gets to the last cylinder it starts shaking and vibrating while coming down. still comes down but it is very rough and noisy.

    • Felling Trailers, Inc. says

      Hello Jason,

      I have sent your question on to our Parts & Service Team and will have an answer back to you soon.
      thanks Felling Trailers, Inc.

  10. Check the wires in the plug in for the control.One of mine was broke not letting the dump box down because of a bad connection

  11. My trailer lifts up and lowers when it’s empty. But, when it has a load, it will not lift. Any suggestions to help troubleshoot would be great. Thanks.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good afternoon Jeff,

      I have sent your question on to our Parts & Service Team and will have an answer back to you soon.
      thanks Felling Trailers, Inc.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Jeff,

      Assuming that this just started I would suspect that the pressure relief valve may be inoperable, and may need to be replaced. To check the valve you will need to hook a pressure gauge to the pump to check the actual pressure which should be 3000 psi. If parts are needed we do have an online parts store, see the following page link to our Hydraulic Dump Trailers http://store.felling.com/dump-series/
      If you need further assistance please contact our Parts & Service Department at [email protected] or 1-866-335-5464
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service Department

  12. i have a trailer replaced line now it has trouble going up and down and motor gets hot

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jerry,
      Did you replaced 1 line or 2? If you replaced two lines it is possible that you hooked them up backwards, but if you only replaced the one, then I would put a pressure gauge on it to see what the pump is putting out. Assuming that this issue just started, it could be the pressure relief valve or could be a low or bad batter. The longer the pump runs the hotter it gets, so if its just barely lifting and you hold the button down the motor can get real hot.

      Thanks Felling Trailers Parts & Service

  13. My 14′ dump trailer just buzzes when I push up or down it did this often and I would wiggle the solenoid and it would start working the ground had got so hot over heavy use it melted off the plastic covering it now it is just bare wire and it got stuck in up position so I swapped the round and square up down and got it down when I was going to put a new up part on it would not work at all only buzz even when moving the solenoid and ground do you think it could be the ground solenoid or connection of ground to solenoid or possibly something else

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Michael,
      I suspect that it may be the relay, if you jump between the two studs on the relay with a wire and then try it, if it works then the relay will need to be replaced.If you need replacement parts, we do have an online parts store, see the following page link to our Hydraulic Dump Trailers http://store.felling.com/dump-series/
      If you need further assistance please contact our Parts & Service Department at [email protected] or 1-866-335-5464
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service Department

  14. My trailer spilt all the oil when I tried bring it back down the battery was poor is there something I have to do before putting in more oil???

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Mac,

      If the battery is low and you lower the box it will build pressure and spray out the breather. You will need to re-fill the tank to the mark on the reservoir tank with automatic transmission fluid.

      Thanks much Felling Trailers Parts & Service

  15. Jerald Richards says

    My dump trailer lowers crooked one cylinder is extended about 1 1/2″ longer then the other

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jerald,

      The thing to do is run the box clear to the top in the dump position, then measure the amount of the shaft extended on each cylinder. If that measurement is the same there may be a restriction in the line or cylinder but if one cylinder is extended more than the other it could be a twisted box or hoist.

      Thanks Much,
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service Dept.

  16. My dump trailer lifts fine, even with a full battery it over flows the tank on the way down . If I lift it again it doesn’t have enough fluid to go all the way up. It’s a dual action system.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Matt,

      Have you checked the breather in the fill cap? You need to make sure that it’s not plugged, if plugged it could be the cause of your issue.

      Felling Trailers Parts & Service

  17. My trailer will lift, but will not hold in the “up” position. It bleeds back down rather quickly, basically like it’s not holding the pressure. It is not a telescopic cylinder. Could this be due to a low battery? Thanks

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Mitchell,
      This should not be a battery issue, but without knowing what brand of pump system is on the trailer, it is tough to be sure due to the fact that each manufacturer uses different set-ups. The first thing I would check is to make sure that your oil level is at the recommended running level. Secondly, check all hoses and fittings to make sure they are all tight and that we do not have any leaks in the systems which would allow for oil to leak out. Third, check and see if there might be a backflow/check valve inline that might be bad and allowing oil to flow back through the system. If all of these scenarios look good, you might have to look more into pump issues.
      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service

      • Mine does same thing it wont stay up…no leaks

        • Good Afternoon Cody, A couple of questions and I can pass this on to our service department for there advice. What is the brand of trailer. Also what is the brand of the pump that is installed on your dump trailer.
          If there is any other info you can provide that also would be helpful.

          Thank You
          Felling Trailers

  18. Chris Saylors says

    Good Day,
    I have a farm built, dual scissor ram, single pump system. Only one scissor system will work at a time. As the load shifts or if I disable one side the other scissor system works like a champ. How do get both sides to work in unison? Do I need some sort of priority flow control valve installed? If so where in the system and what type do I need? 14′ trailer. My system is a 5gal reservoir tank. It supplies dual 5in D rams(33″L) w/2in D rods each. HPU by Bailey 309-235A DSA1S1602S20H-25 12V 1.3GPM@2500PSI SGL ACT w/20ft remote. Pwr up/gravity down. Thanks, Chris

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Chris,

      What we would recommend is a flow control valve similar to the ones we use on our bi-fold ramps, part number 1001792.

      Thanks
      Felling Trailer’s Parts Department
      1-800-245-2809

  19. My trailer will rise all the way up and stay there it will not go down!

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jacob,
      If it’s a Felling trailer you can swap the two coils around on the top of the pump. The square coil controls the “down” and the round coil controls the “up” so if you swap the two around it should come down which if it does and won’t raise then the square coil needs to be replaced.

      Thanks, Felling Trailers Parts Dept.

  20. Glenn Deppe says

    Hello,
    My trailer has been working fine. I had problems last fall and replaced the solenoid and cleaned out the inside of the starter motor because everything had become covered in rust. But up until this morning, it had been running great. On my second load dumping, about 1 foot into the lift, the motor sounded like it had a dying battery. I could hear the motor slowing down. Not wanting to damage anything, I lowered the load and hooked up my battery charger. But my battery was putting out 12.7 volts. I tried to lift, and only got a clicking out of the solenoid. So, I disconnected every contact on both the positive and negative sides and polished them well, still only a click. I pulled apart the starter and cleaned the rust buildup on the inside contacts, still only clicking. I checked my connections and grounds again, still only a clicking out of the solenoid
    Please help me, am I missing something simple? Has my starter itself just finally gone? Is there a way to check it out?
    thank you very much for your time and con

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Glenn,
      A quick way to test the motor is to use a good battery and jumper cables. Hook the cables to the battery and then hook the positive cable to the positive post on the pump and then the negative cable to the ground post on the motor. This will bypass everything and just power the motor which should make a squealing sound (it’s not going to pump fluid but should bear down) which if it does then the motor should be good if it does not make a noise then it has an issue. If the motor is bad you can take it to a local electric motor repair shop or call Felling Parts & Service or order online at http://www.store.felling.com, a complete new motor/pump.

      Thanks Felling Trailers

      • Will DeLorey says

        The problem I’m having with my dump trailer is that all it will do is make squealing noise when u push up or down and this is when it’s hooked up properly. What could be causing this?

        • Good Morning Will,
          It sounds as if the pump is “deadheading”, possibly the valve is not opening on the pump so the fluid is unable to flow. I would check the coil on top of the valve to make sure that it’s still good. If your pump is a power up and power down, you can try swapping the two coils around, if the box then goes up you would know it’s a bad coil. If the box does go up, you will need to swap the coils around again to bring the box back down.

          Hope this helps,
          Felling Trailers

  21. Melissa Karaliunas says

    How can I lower a hydraulic trailer if it won’t go down and I need to take it for repair?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day Melissa,
      If you have a KTI pump, (this is the same pump that we have used for the past 10 years or so) you can remove the round coil, (this controls the up function) by loosening the nut on top and the two wires. Then swap the round coil with the square coil, (this controls the down function located next to the round coil). After the coil swap is done, you can then lower the box. Note: By continuing to swap the two coils, the trailer can be used until you receive the new square coil that is typically the reason why the box won’t lower. These parts can be purchased from our online parts store http://store.felling.com/

      Thanks, Felling Trailers

  22. I hit the up or down bottom
    Motor solenoid just clicks
    Replaced solenoid same problem
    Jumped motor on pump w/ battery same problem
    Up & down solenoid both working
    What are the steps to replace the motor on hydraulic dump lift?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day Phil,

      If it’s a KTI pump which we have used the past 10 years or so I would try swapping the round coil and square coil around, the round coil controls the “up” function so it may be just a bad coil. As far as replacing the pump you would disconnect the wires and hoses, then remove the old pump and install the new which should be a fairly simple swap. After the pump swap has been made fill the tank up about half way and work the box up and down which will work the air out of the lines then make sure the tank is filled to the mark on the side of the tank.

      New coil $22.95
      New pump $435.95, order here http://store.felling.com/

      thanks Felling Trailers

  23. Good Morning: I have an Easy dumper trailer that goes up fine, but won’t come back down unless I bleed a line.
    It is power up and gravity down with only one coil.
    Fenner 1787*AC
    12 Volt Pump

    I have changed the coil and changed the solenoid with no luck

    The original problem was I was at the dump, and the bed was all the way up.The hand control was broken, so I had to jump the terminals to get the bed back down( shorted something out?)
    This is after I let someone borrow it not knowing that they broke the controller.

    Possibly the wrong solenoid?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Greg,

      I am not familiar with a Fenner pump, I would have thought that it was the coil, but since you already replaced it, I would suggest having a local hydraulic shop take a look at it or depending on their labor rate you may be better off replacing the pump which runs $435.95. This can be purchased online through our parts website http://store.felling.com/

      Thanks, Felling Trailers

  24. Hi. I have a 2010 7×12 gatormade dump trailer. Its eorked great for me until the other day when at about halfway up, it stopped lifting and started making a horrendous noise. It went back down when I pushed the down button, but wont go back up. Does that sound like its the round coil thats the problem? Is the unusual noise typical in that situation?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day Jeff,

      Typically when the coil is the issue, the pump will do nothing. With the noise that you are hearing, I would look at the cartridge that the coils attach to. It would seem like the pump is trying to pump but it can’t push the oil through. To purchase the parts needed, visit our online store http://store.felling.com/.

      Thanks, Felling Trailers

  25. Jim O'Brien says

    The 12V wire from the battery to the solenoid heats up so much that the casing on the wire has melted. Also, the wire from the Up/Down controller that connects to the same 12V port on the solenoid also melted and caused the wire to burn off. The cable from the battery is a #2 and the connection is tight.

    Any thoughts?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jim,

      Typically we see this when the battery is low and the operator is trying to get that last cycle out of the battery before it completely goes dead. The charging wire ends up pushing a lot more amps than the wire is rated for thus heating it up and melting the wire.
      To order the needed replacement parts go to http://store.felling.com/

      Best Regards,
      Felling Trailers

  26. Jake Hambleton says

    My trailer is new this year, works fine but just has a bit of a jiggle on the way down … is this something to worry about ? I typically just take it down extra slow so it doesn’t do it badly, it is a 5 ton dual Cylinder model

    Jake

    • Hello Jake,

      Would you be able to take a short video of the trailer as is lowering so that it can be compared to other trailers? You can email the video or link to the video to [email protected].

      Thanks
      Felling Trailers

  27. shawn w thayer says

    I have a u-dump trailer that I have been working the bugs out of. If I raise it the entire amount up sometimes it sticks and will not come down until I apply pressure. It returns by gravity. I have cleaned the vent in the reservoir but have had no luck preventing the sticking when raised 100% high.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Shawn,

      I would check the pivot pins, if there is rust on the pin and bushing they can bind.

      Thanks
      Felling Trailers

  28. James jones says

    2009 Parker performance 16 tandem dump, pulled the solenoid checked with battery seems to be open and closing, installed new battery’s, when you hook up the final ground of battery’s it starts going up with no one on the switch. I switched the small terminal wires on solenoid it still does it. Is the solenoid just no good, or the switch have a short in it. There’s only three wires from switch green,white, black. Green goes to square one wire thing on motor. Black to hot side of solenoid which also has positive from battery to the same post. White to small post closest to large positive post. Ground from motor to negative side of solenoid. And ground from solenoid mount screw to motor, to small post closest to main ground on solenoid. So am I lost yes. Is solenoid just have short in it? Or does main switch have short in it? Or does that one wire square thing mounted to motor need replaced? Battery’s I removed were dead and seemed very hot, battery’s looked like low on fluid even though there no maintenance. I installed brand new battery’s. keep in mind my construction guys use this so I don’t always really no what they might have done, cuz not sure if I run a day care or a construction company,act like bunch of 3 year olds and never have a idea how anything got broke or ran over. Standard with idiots. Needing answers in peculiar Missouri.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello James,

      The solenoid could possibly be stuck open and may need to be replaced. If you are able to disconnect the switch and then put power to the pump, if it does the same thing I would look at the solenoid but if it only does it with the switch in place that would indicate a possible bad switch.
      Parts available at store.felling.com

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  29. Paul Goebel says

    Hi there,
    I have a dump Trailer that won’t raise. New battery, and when I turn on/up it only clicks. The actuator that clicks moves the pin in (with cover plate off) but nothing more… Anything I can rule out?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Paul,

      I’m not sure which brand or style of pump you have. However, there should be a coil to control the up and possibly another if it’s power down. If it has two coils, you can swap the two around to see if it lifts which if it does you will need to swap them around to bring the box back down.
      For any parts needs, you can order online at http://www.store.felling.com

      Thanks
      Felling Trailers

  30. Hi, not sure if this question has been asked and I did not read through all the questions and answers: my question is, my cylinder on my dump trailer has what looks like a pressure relief but. I thought it was a damaged nut and decided to change it out and put a solid nut. When I went to lift the box, I noticed it did not lift to its full capacity. I went back to remove the nut and place back the original one and when I did that I was hit in the face with hydraulic oil. I am thinking that the original nut has its reason for having this relief hole, but nonetheless I think it’s damaged. What is the purpose for this type of nut and what is it called and where can I find a replacement?

    • Felling Trailers, Inc. says

      Good morning Jose,
      Some of the dump trailers have a check valve on the cylinder to keep the box from free falling in case of a broke hose. As far as finding one I would send a picture of it to Felling Parts, [email protected] and we should be able to find the right one for you.
      Thanks, Felling Trailers

  31. I just purchased a dump trailer with dual cylinders and when I lift the bed it does not come up level. I’ve measured the rams at half stoke and they were both the same. I’m not sure if one is weaker or slower. I haven’t been able to put a load on it to see if it has enough power to lift. Any explanations?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day Lawson,

      Something that can be tried is adding a “Proportional Flow Divider” this will keep the pressure equal to both cylinders. The other thing to check is that the cylinder mounting to make sure that they were placed correctly and match.

      If you have further questions feel free to contact our Felling Parts & Service Department at 1-866-335-5464 or via email at [email protected]

      Thanks Much,
      Felling Trailers

  32. Rene Navarrete says

    I have a 16′ long brimar, a few months ago it would go up but then have a hard time going back down. I gressed the cyliner and seemes to work better. Then shorlty after it stopped going all the way up- it seems as if one of the two cylinders is getting stock first coming down and then going up- it is sticking in the same spot, right at the place where the ‘second’ cylinders comes in nd out.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day Rene,

      This may possibly be that the cylinder rod is bent? Or there is internal damage in the cylinder(s). For parts replacement you can order online at http://www.Store.Felling.com or call our Parts & Service Department at 1-866-335-5464.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  33. i have a Big Tex dump trailer with a Bulcher Hydraulic pump, it is both power up and power down. can i change the down side to free flow down and if so what is the procedure? only want to free flow down to save battery charge time for multiple dumps.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good day, Will
      I am not familiar with the Bulcher brand pump however, most pumps will allow for different valving, so the pump becomes gravity down. I would watch the pricing for just the valve vs. a new power up gravity down pump as I have seen that sometimes there is much of a difference between the two so it might be better to just replace the pump. One other thing to consider is a good deep cycle battery, if you don’t already have one on the trailer, we have much better luck with deep cycles than just a regular battery.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  34. I have a trailer that has had very little use in five years or so. It has been sitting now for at least three months without a battery. When i hooked the battery back up it will not work. Any suggestions as to what the problem is?

  35. I have a 6 yard dump trailer with scissor lift. When it is raised about half way fluid starts leaking from a valve on the underneath side of the cylinder. The higher it gets the more fluid it leaks. Any suggestions?

  36. HI my 08 14ft felling dump trailer keeps draining my battery when not in use it is a new battery and I had it checked any idea what could be draining the battery thanks much

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Ryan,
      A battery will always discharge on its own, so if its sitting for a long time (a few months over winter something like that) it may be normal however if it’s a shorter period of time then I would look for a draw. The pump could be drawing it down or we have seen a few trailers that because of corrosion issues the taillights are actually powered drawing off of the battery with the trailer disconnected from the tow vehicle.

      All the best,
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service

  37. My model 70 lp big tex has a hard time raising a load. I have to lighten it and I’m not over loading it

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Edgar,
      Is this something that the trailer has done since new or has recently started?

      It looks like the trailer is rated for 4800 payload, however that does need to be evenly distributed. If the load is evenly distributed and under 4800 I would start by making sure that the battery is fully charged and would have the battery load tested to make sure that it’s giving the pump what it needs to operate correctly. If the battery test ok, then you have to look at the pump. I’m not familiar with the capacity of the pump that Big Tex uses, but typically most dump trailers require 3000 psi, so I would confirm (usually a tag on the side of the pump) working psi of that pump and confirm that the pump is putting out that required psi.

      I’m not sure how old the trailer is in this case, but I would look strongly at the battery and make sure that it is a deep cycle battery which are designed to be ran down and charged back up without sulfating the battery which cut the life of the battery greatly.

      All the best,
      Felling Trailers Parts & Service

  38. Edgar Morton says

    Thanks
    Sorry it took so long to get back with you . To me the trailer has done this from the start.
    So now I always add a little more weight at the back.
    I was told the pump could be adjusted so it would have more lift power and when it’s emptied, lowering it would take longer
    Anyway I’m use to adding a little more weight to the end.
    I was just curious.
    My trailer is about 10yrs old and is in very good condition …not to many dings or dents .and every once in a while I repaint it
    THANKS FOR REPLY

  39. Rodrigo escamilla says

    Hello,

    I have a 2015 Load Trail dump trailer. I believe it has the KTI hydraulic motor. The issue I’m having is when I lift the trailer it only goes about half way up and the battery dies, I purchased a brand new battery and it’s still doing. Any idea what may be causing my battery to die?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Rodrigo,

      Before we can answer your question to the best of our ability, we need a bit more information. Is this pump a power up power down style pump or just a power-up gravity down?

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  40. Rick Herald says

    Is it possible to hook up a remote lift control on dump trailer? Let me back up, I have a twelve foot dump trailer a single wheel duel axle thirty five hundred pound springs al around. I don’t know brand the trailer was built in 1985, but man does it work when I need it.
    I use it sometime to lay down gravel on my drive way, would be nice to be able to do this without someone in the truck driving while I or someone else raises the bed with the corded lift button. What would have to happen to be able to leave the corded lift button, but also be able to use a remote ( some time friend use my trailer) would not want to lose the remote. Besides if they use the trailer there has to be some kind of work for them. Right!.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Rick,

      We do have two options for addiing a cordles remote option.
      Option one is the Kartech brand which we have on hand and ready to ship. The second option is the Alta brand, this would need to be ordered through our Parts department. The Kartech is higher in cost but is a better quality. Whichever route you would like to go contact our Parts & Service Team at 1-866-335-5464 or email [email protected]

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers
      The Kartech is a better quality remote but you pay the price.

  41. Hello, I have a 2017 H&H 22′ Speedloader car hauler trailer and has power up and power down. When I have a load on it like a truck and accelerate the front of the deck starts to lift a few 3-4 inches (has no deck lock on the power tilt model). Could this be a battery issue as well?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Walt,

      I wouldn’t beleive that it is a battery issue, but more of an air in the system, or a leaking o-ring on the valve body.
      A few questions for your Walt –
      Does the deck come back down right away, does it hold, or does it come down slow? Is this a new trailer and always done this or was it working fine and just started doing this?

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  42. One day our 14′ Felling dump trailer didn’t want to lower back down. Sounded like it was stuck…. I tapped the up button a couple times then finally the down started working. Then next day it got stuck again up but this time, after tapping the up then back down a couple times and not moving, it finally blew a line and lowered till it got too low on fluid. Fixing the line now but what would the possible causes be? Is it a pressure issue? It was almost like it was raised to high and stuck. Thanks!

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good morning Josh,

      Sounds like possibly a bad coil, I would suggest if it acts up again to swap the two coils around that are located on the top of the pump. There is a round shaped coil (up) next to a square coil (down) on the top side of the pump if you raise the box and it will not lower then switch the two coils around. This should lower the box and would indicate that the square coil is bad and would need to be replaced. If you wanted to continue to use the trailer while waiting for a new coil you can still operate the pump you would just need to continue to swap the coils to raise the box and then lower. This is something that we have seen in the past. As far as the blown line I’m not sure the cause of that, the pump and hoses are rated for 3000 psi which is the maximum output of the pump.
      To order parts go to Store.felliing.com or call 1-866-335-5464.

      Thanks, Felling Trailers

      • So, what I did was move the wire coming off the coil to the other coil and it works. I have to push the up button to go down when the up wire is moved to the down coil…. so for now I’ve just been moving the wire back and forth. I guess I need to check the wiring closer.

        • Felling Trailers says

          Hello Josh,

          If it the box is not coming down without switching the wires on the coil that would indicate that you would need to replace the square-shaped coil. The square coil controls the down cycle and the round coil controls the up cycle.

          Part # LC2-08-S-58 $24.95
          To order parts go to Store.felliing.com or call 1-866-335-5464.

          Thanks, Felling Trailers

  43. Hello,
    I have a dump trailer that wont lift. This trailer has a manual lift like a botte jack that works fine. When I use the battery to lift I feel a click and hum sound from the motor and solenoid. Works fine to bring the trailer back down to the down position. Could this be the solenoid or the motor that needs replaced? how would you check theses parts?

    Kevin

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Kevin,
      Without knowing a brand of the pump there is some gray area but with our pumps, there are two solenoids located on the top of the pump. The round shaped solenoid controls up function and the square-shaped solenoid controls the down function if you swap these two around and the box raises then that solenoid is bad. If you find that you do have a bad solenoid you can continue to use the trailer but will need to swap them around to raise and lower the box until you receive a new solenoid.
      To order parts go to Store.felliing.com or call 1-866-335-5464.

      Thanks, Felling Parts & Service

  44. Pat Montgomery says

    I have a Monarch pump. The positive wire melted the post of the battery it got so hot while hosting a load up. I hooked booster cables to bring it the hoist down. The wire got so hot it started melting the casing of the wire. What do you think is the issue?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Pat,
      Was the battery low on charge when you tried to lift the box? We have found that in the case where the battery is low on charge and trying to lift the box (drawing max amps) that the charging wire will heat and can actually melt that wire.

      I would suggest making sure that your battery is fully charged or if you use the trailer daily I would look at possibly wiring them directly to the charging system off of the truck. We have had a lot of success wiring directly to the truck as this eliminates a lot of issues with just using the single battery system on the trailer.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  45. DAVID Moloney says

    Please help, Ifor Williams Tipping Trailer Manual Release Screw won’t stay in even after cleaning, tapping gently etc. Subsequently the trailer slowly lowers. I loaned it to a friend and there is evidence that the screw was manipulated with a pliers or a vice grip. Trailer was serviced recently and is fully fit. Any suggestions, please? Dave

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello David,

      I am not familiar with the system that Williams uses for their tipping trailers. I would suggest contacting their parts and service department or visiting their website for assistance in service the trailer.

      Kind Regards,
      Felling Trailers

  46. Chris eaton says

    I have a load trail dump with an kti pump. Everything worked just fine until I left it in the pasture and the cows chewed off all the wires. ( lid broke a while back) . I rewired all the controle box back and now i just get a clicking sound. I dont know if i am missing something, there is a two wire going inside the back from underneath the toung. I am assuming that is the battery charger but not sure.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Chris,
      Can you confirm the wiring is correct to KTI’s, this has been emailed to you for reference? If so, then I would look at the solenoid, typically we have found when they make a clicking noise they are inoperative.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  47. Jaymi Barrows says

    Hi, My control up/down switch hasn’t been correctly hooked up since I bought it, only one button would work and I just switched my poles to go up or down. I’m having trouble with the whole thing now and just replaced the solenoid but it didn’t fix the problem. I am wondering if you can tell me why it would be hooked up like that and how do I do the whole thing right. Im just starting with a mess and any kind of help would be great thank you!

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jaymi,

      Before the trailer leaves it is inspected which part of that process is to run the box up and down so I suspect some type of component failure. The first thing I would look at is the remote, using a volt meter you can check to see if you have power going to the switch and then when the button is pushed is it sending power to the pump. If that test out fine then I would look at the coils that are located on the top of the pump, the round shaped coil controls the up function and the square-shaped coil controls the down function. If for example, the box will not raise, you can switch the wires from the round coil to the square coil then try running the box up, if it raises then that would indicate that the round coil is bad and needs to be replaced. This is the same if the box raises but won’t lower, switch the wires around and if it comes back down then this would indicate that the square coil is bad and needs to be replaced.
      If replacement parts are needed, you can order parts through our online parts store at https://store.felling.com/ or call 1-866-335-5464.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  48. Nick Wright says

    Hi!
    I have a 12′ dump trailer. It seems to go up and down fine, however, I noticed that recently it was leaking hydraulic fluid around where the box is located in the front of the trailer. It is a power up, power down system. I recently powered up when there was slightly low battery and then powered back down. It seemed to never run out, but I suspect that this possibly could have contributed to the issue. Do you know what the issue could be? Thank you!

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Nick,
      Typically most leaks are caused by a battery with a low charge when the box is coming down the pump can’t keep up with the pressure. This creates excessive pressure causing the oil to blow out of the breather on the tank. You may want to also check that the breather is not plugged with dirt, this can cause excessive pressure too that could result in cracks in the tank.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

      • I have a KTI Pump. I am having the same issues with the reservoir cap blowing off and fluid spraying everywhere. My battery is new and fully charged and the breather is clean. I have noticed on the remote that I can slightly press the “down” button to lower the bed and the pump motor does not run OR I can fully press the “down” button and the pump motor runs as the bed is lowering. Which is the proper way to press the button? And also any other ideas what could cause the fluid to continually over flow besides an overfilled reservoir, low battery, or dirty breather?

        • Good morning Cody, This is the advice our Service Department has given.

          “If you are building pressure and have a fully charged battery I would check and make sure that you are getting the full 12 volt to the pump, if you are not getting the full 12 volts the pump will turn slower and then with the weight of the box will build pressure as you lower it.”

          Let me know if this helps.
          Felling Trailers

  49. I have an EZ dumper trailer, it goes up fine but will not stay up. it is not a power up/down trailer just up. What can I check to fix it?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Dan,
      I would look for any external leaks first, then if there are no external leaks I would pull out and inspect the O-rings around the spools. If the spools are good then you could have an internal leak in the cylinder. For replacement parts go to Store.Felling.com or call our Parts & Service Team at 1-866-335-5464.
      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  50. Hello,
    I recently caught the electrical cord under the tire and ripped it in half. I spliced it back together making sure the colored wires matched up. Now when I push up and down I only get a buzzing and no lift or downward motion. Trailer worked great before this happened. Any help would be appreciated.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Chris,

      Assuming the buzzing noise is coming from the motor, I would recommend getting a new harness. More than likely the buzzing is caused by a bad connection somewhere.

      If this happens to be on one of our trailers or off of a KTI pump assembly, the following items should work. Depending on the age of the trailer you might not need all three parts, but by replacing all three parts you eliminate any concern of any other damaged areas in the rest of the harness.

      74-03 – PIGTAIL FROM MOTOR TO MAIN EXTENSION
      74-06 – 15’ MAIN EXTENSION
      395-55 – CONTROL BOX W/6” CORD

      These parts can be purchased on our Part’s website https://store.felling.com/

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  51. I have a 2016 Quality steel 14ft dump trailer . Raised it the other day and when I went to lower it it would not go down. charged the battery a little and got it down . now with a full charge battery it just clicks . put a new solenoid on and still does the click once and nothing.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jim,

      Can you confirm that you have 12 volts on the pump side of the solenoid? If so then I would look at the coils. I’m not sure which brand pump Quality uses but there should be two coils on top of the motor (could be square shaped or round shaped), one of the coils controls the up motion and the other controls the down motion. These coils can easily be swapped which is an easy way to see if your “up” coil is bad. If you swap them and the box will raise but now won’t lower than you know that the coil is bad and should be replaced. If you find that this is the problem and need to use the trailer while waiting for the part to arrive you can continue to swap the two coils around to raise and then lower the box. If you are in need of parts feel free to visit us online at https://store.felling.com/

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  52. CARL W BRUCE says

    My ol dump truck just clicks when I go to raise the bed.. start the truck drive a bit then it raises sometimes.. shut it off then it clicks again often raises ar times.. the pump is running off the truck battery…help

    • Felling Trailers says

      Good afternoon Bruce,

      I would suspect that you may be in need of a new battery. In order for the battery to stay charged the vehicle-truck needs to be running during the dumping cycle. The more dump cycles vs the amount charge time with the vehicle running can deplete the battery charge.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  53. Walter Bentley says

    I have a 6-ton Anderson trailer, it won’t raise it just makes a winding noise. So I first bought a new battery thinking the battery is bad. Still did not raise. Then I drained and pumped out all old hydraulic oil and put in new. It is still just making a winding noise. I’m hoping someone has an answer for me. Please help.

  54. Not sure what kinda trailer or pump I have (no name on pump and bought used with no title) its a 7×14 dual ram. But I had it about 1 foot up when I disconnected the battery to change it out and it went back down. Once I had new battery connected now it barely goes up and falls back down when I let off

    • Good afternoon Justin, Our service dept. is stating it could possibly be a sticky valve, they suggest putting a gauge on the hose to see how much actual pressure the pump is pumping out.

      Let us know if that helps,
      Felling Trailers

  55. I have a 2015 tx pride dump trailer it’s a 7×14 with 3 ft walls bumper pull. When we raise or lower it, it sparks inside the motor/oil reservoir box. I throughly maybe a grounding issue so I put a board under the motor so it doesn’t contact the metal of the trailer but it won’t work at all if we did this. Cleaned the battery and terminals, changed batteries with a newer one that I have on an identical trailer , still have the problem. I would very much appreciate some advice. Thank you sir.

    • Good Afternoon Marcus,

      This is what our service and parts supervisor is recommending.
      “I’m not sure which brand of pump is on the trailer but some these hydraulic pumps that are used in these heavier applications are very light pumps and as you know sparks are never good. I would suggest either replacing the pump which typically runs about 400 dollars or I would pull the pump and have it bench tested at a local starter/elec. shop.” Scot Brown

      Hope this helps, if you have any more questions feel to give us a call at 1-800-245-2809

  56. Clarence christman says

    Have a small dump truck with a 12 volt hyd pump like on a lot of trailer it acts like it looses prime if you put a little air pressure in tank it will raise but one you stop you have to blow air in it to get to go up

    • Good Morning Clarence, Our Parts and Service Manager has this advise for you. “Is this something that it just started doing? It sounds as if the oil tank isn’t big enough so there isn’t enough oil but this should have been issue since day one so if it just stared doing it I would guess a bad O-ring on the cartridge on the pump.”
      Hope this helps you, feel free to reach out with any other questions.

      Thank You
      Felling Trailers

  57. Mike S
    Just bought a 2015 Belmont dump trailer, 7×12 gravity down. Not sure on brand of pump, my issue is when I try to load a skid steer with the factory ramps the entire bed lifts to the up into the lift portion, like there is no pressure to the piston. I have an adjustable pressure relief valve that is stock. I have tried every adjustment with no difference except the speed of the gravity down ( that makes me assume the adjuster works). I’ve seen a million guys load skid steers onto dump trailers with out this issue. Any ideas?

    • Good Morning Michael,

      Our parts and service supervisor has a couple of questions and suggestions.

      “I tried to access Belmont Trailers website to figure out what style pump they use but was unable to open their site. It would help to know the brand pump?

      When you are loading the skid loader, is the box all the way down in the transport position or slightly raised? If it’s in the transport position when you are loading I would try raising the box slightly. Depending how far your pivot point is behind the axles and with only being a power up you could be compressing the air that is on the top side of the cylinder which is allowing the box to raise. I would try raising the box some and see it that makes a difference.”

      If you can find out the brand of the pump let me know and we can dig into this a bit more for you.

      Thank You
      Felling Trailers

      • It’s labeled, Bucher hydraulics. I’ve tried to load with the bed lifted some to reduce the pitch, also tried in the transport position. Also tried forward and backwards. The pivot point is exactly 24 inches from the center of the rear axle. Does the pressure relief adjustment valve have anything to do with it? I can’t believe I can’t load a machine onto a dump trailer, really embarrassing. Thanks for the replie.

        • Good Morning Mike,
          Our parts and service supervisor tried pulling some information from Bucher’s website but was unable, see that they have some distributers in the USA and I would give them a call and see what their thoughts are in regards to this issue. I wouldn’t think that the pressure relief would be an issue but I just don’t know enough about their pumps.

          Bucher Elgin Il 847-429-0700 ( would have the model and serial of the pump when you call which should be on a tag on the outside of the pump)

          Hope this helps
          Felling Trailers

  58. I just got this trail tech 7×14 older dump trailer well I raised it and secured the cylinder lock then carried on greasing the pins the top cylinder pin cannot get at the plate in the way with box up
    Just bought this older 7×14 1400gvw 10 ton trailer tech the problem I’m having is it’s slow to load and retract or lift and return have to wait for the battery to catch up on its trickle charge it drains the battery have to do this a few time going up and same coming down. I made a mistake and forgot the cylinder lock in place then power it down think it pushed the breather cap on the filler cap to blow apart and oil to shoot out. (after id taken it up and got the lockout then when I lowered it is shot a liter of oil out but res didn’t look low, now pump motor will go so far and stall out draining battery voltage and have to wait for the voltage to build up this is the same both ways it is single cylinder scissor lift any ideas I’m thinking it is like fighting against its self hydraulically did a battery drain test on battery it bounces back pretty fast and this is empty.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Tom,
      We suggest to perform an amp test and see how many amps the pump os drawing. If it’s draining a good battery that quickly you may need to replace or rebuild the motor.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  59. I have a 2018 14’ load trail dump trailer. I went to raise it then i lowered it and when I let off the button the motor keeps running. If I push the up button it will go back up and then down again but when I let off the button it sounds like its still running so I pulled off the battery cable. Any Ideas for me to check?

    • Hello Bruce, If you lift the box you can draw air into the system.
      We would suggest to jump the solenoid to see if the motor starts turning, depending on the type of solenoid they can corrode from the lack of use.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  60. Greg Anderson says

    What is the recommended hydraulic oil for a 21013 Felling FT-14DT Hydraulic Dump Trailer? Thanks,

  61. I have a big tex 25du dump trailer the hydraulic pump is not working, where can I buy a new pump? And how do I know the part number or the right pump? Double action, single action? 10 quarts or 15 or 20 quart. any help would be appreciated

  62. Greg Anderson says

    Is Dexron VI the correct fluid to use for my FT14-DT? (If not is there a recommended fluid)?

    Should the hydraulic fluid be changed? If so, how often? Are there instructions on draining and bleeding the lines and cylinders?
    Thanks

    • Good Afternoon Greg, We use Dexron (automatic transmission fluid) in the hydraulic systems for dump trailers and far as a hourly maintenance schedule, KTI doesn’t have one. They recommend that if the oil condition changes such as a brownish color, water appearing in the tank or visual dirt the oil should be changed. Hope this helps you, if you have any other questions feel free to contact our parts and service dept. at 1-866-335-5464.

      Thank You
      Felling Trailers

  63. Dump trailer won’t raise. Pump starts sounds normal for 2 secs then changes to a high pitch noise, Nothing happens during this time. Good battery and fluid. My daughter had the remote switch with the down button pushed while it was already down, it was making a weird noise before I could remove her from the switch. Does anybody have any suggestions?

    • Good Afternoon Ernie,

      On top of the pump (if it’s a Felling) there are a square and round coil, I would remove those coils and swap them. If the round coil (up) is bad it should raise, if it does then we know the coil is bad.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  64. Fred Russo says

    my bed is stick in the up position I have removed the hydraulic hose still cant get bed to come down s this the house or the cylinder

  65. chuck Barrett says

    I have a EZ dumper with power up and power down. The up button raises and the down button is also raising the bed? This just started today. can’t get it to come down

    • Good morning Chuck,
      Possibly loosen the cap on the tank, it could be building pressure.

      Hope this helps.
      Felling Trailers

      • Jesse Peterson says

        I’m putting in a new pump does it matter witch hydraulic hose goes on each new hole on pump

        • Good Morning Jesse,
          If it’s a KTI pump? There are two ports, the A port (top) usually goes to the bottom of the cylinder and the B port goes to the top of the cylinder. Either way will work it just may not match the up/down buttons.

          Hope this helps,
          Felling Trailers

  66. Brandon Robinson says

    I have a brand new 14 foot dump and I have hauled my first load in it and it dumped fine but now it wont go back down. What could be the problem with a brand new trailer?

    • Good Afternoon Brandon
      Can you hear a clicking or any noise from the pump?

      If it’s a Felling/KTI brand pump, you can swap the square coil (down) with the round coil (up) and see if it comes down. If it then works, the coil will need to be replaced.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  67. So I have a dual action dump it works perfectly fine up all the way and they went down all the way for a month or two but now we just don’t seem to raise all the way up when I want to dump it please help me what are some of the things that can make that happen

    • Good afternoon Marcus,
      Run the box up empty, note the height of the top of the box vs. when it’s loaded to confirm that it’s not raising all the way. If the battery is fully charged but it’s not raising all the way, possibly too much weight in the front of the box.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  68. is it possible to put a 14 gvw pump on 10gvw dump trailer im having issues with not lifting it and killing the battery after 4 or 5 dumps

    • Good Morning Danny,
      If this is a Felling trailer, the pump is the same pump.

      Depending on usage (short runs between cycles) it’s possible to wear the battery down in 4 to 5 cycles. If you wire the trailer directly to the charging system on the truck this will keep the battery fully charged and you shouldn’t have any issues. String two cables (1 ga or so) from the battery back to an Anderson Connector near the hitch. Using the same size cable, run two from the trailer battery to an Anderson connection. This makes another connection to hook up when you connect to the trailer but should take care of any charging issues.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  69. Hi
    I have a Big Tex 14LP trailer. It is less than two weeks old. I have about 2 yards of soil and tree debris on the trailer and it will not dump. The battery is fully charged. The hydraulic lines appear to be unobstructed. When I press up the scissor hydraulic presses mid bed and there is minor movement. The end closest to the truck does not move at all.
    Do you have any suggestions?

    • Good Morning,
      We would suggest calling Big Tex to find out with the hydraulic pressure should be and then check the pump with a gauge to make sure the pump is putting out the correct pressure.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  70. Andrew Dutton says

    Hello!
    I have a load trailer and like some of these threads the trailer will not lower. When I press the down button it will go in the upward direction. I am able to swap around the round coil and square coil to get the trailer to lower. I have replaced the square coil and it still will not lower but will go up. I have noticed that if I take the new square coil off and only use the round coil that there is a different noise and more power coming from the motor. What is next step after you have swapped the square coil with a new one and the trailer is still not performing as it should?

    • Good afternoon Andrew,
      Typically the round coil is up and the square is down, if by switching these around the pump will work this is a sign that the coil is bad. If replacing the coil hasn’t fixed it, I would look at that cartridge.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

      • Andrew Dutton says

        Thanks for the feedback… How do I check the cartridge? Or is this a component I can purchase from your company? Any guidance is much appreciated…

        • Good afternoon Andrew,
          If it’s a KTI brand pump?? We most likely depending on the pump, if it’s not a KTI then possibly Bailey Hydraulics. You can call our Parts and Service Dept. at 1-866-335-5464 for more detailed information.

          Hope this helps,
          Felling Trailers

  71. Robert Wilcox says

    I have a 10′ Moritz Commercial dump trailer I believe its power up / gravity down (pump has 1 round coil only) I was doing my pre-winter maintenance and now it won’t come Back down ??? Help ???
    When I hit the dwn button in can hear a fainted click and it releases pressure of from the cylendar but wont budge any further. What am i missing ? Did I raise it to far ?

  72. Hi.
    I have a problem with my trailer, I replaced the hydraulic pump because it only went up halfway, I installed the new one and I have the same problem. it reaches the middle of the road and does not go up.

    • Good Evening Christopher,
      Possibly the cylinder has an internal leak that the oil leak through the piston, if there is a local hydraulic vendor they could possibly check it. We have found that sometimes the price of a new cylinder is about the same price or cheaper than repairing which is something that you should look at.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  73. Hi,
    I have a 20 foot Sure Pull dump trailer. It was lifting the other day but now won’t budge while empty. The pump is running with a new fully charged battery, the solenoids appear to be opening the valves (I removed the valves and actuated them with the solenoid and they click, and sound like they’re opening). I even removed the hose to the bottom of the hydraulic piston and it’s pumping fluid to the piston. Of course I don’t know the pressure.
    I haven’t used the trailer in years, but when I used to I had an issue with it not raising high enough for the load to slide out smoothly. I used to add fluid when it was up to get it to go high enough to dump well (on the way down the excess fluid would spill out).
    I wouldn’t mind buying a whole new pump and reservoir (slightly larger in fluid capacity than I have now) but I don’t know if the pump is the problem.
    Would appreciate your advice,
    Hans

    • Good morning Hans,
      You should put a gauge on the pump to verify that it’s putting out adequate pressure (generally 3000 psi), if you are getting pressure to the cylinder then I would guess you have an internal issue in the hydraulic cylinder.

      If it turns out that you do need a pump, we have the complete power up/power down pumps available for $ 465.95.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

      • Can you sell me the appropriate gauge so I can test the pump?
        Thanks
        Hans

        • Unfortunately, we do not, you will need to go to an auto parts store and purchase the parts to build one or find a hydraulic shop and have them test it.

          Thank you,
          Felling Trailers

          • Hello,
            We have a sure trac dual cylinder dump trailer. One cylinder is working and the other side is not moving. There were no problems on the previous load a couple hours earlier.

          • Good Morning Chad,
            This could be an internal cylinder issue or sometimes there is a flow valve between the cylinders, there could be an issue with that flow valve. For more help with this issue feel free to call our Service Dept. at 1-866-335-5464.

            Hope this helps,
            Felling Trailers

          • Good morning, I bought a dump trailer, I bought a new pump and battery. But it still won’t lift up the dirt. Thank you

  74. Susan Calderon says

    Hi I have a 2018 14000 lb dump trailer. When I load my mini excavator into the bed, the front of the trailer bed raises up. The mini ex weighs 9500 lbs. At first the dump bed only raised a few inches but now it’s a foot or more. What’s wrong? I’d love to send you a video. What email would I send it to?
    Thank you I really appreciate your website and any input you can give me.

    • Good Afternoon Susan,
      If loaded, will the box hold in the raised (or somewhat raised) without lowering down on its own? There could be an internal leak inside the cylinder or the valve body on the pump allowing oil to bypass however you should notice the box coming down as it won’t hold the pressure.

      Hope this Helps,
      Felling Trailers

  75. Rolando quinones says

    I bought a used trailer and I changed the pump new and the battery, but the problem is that it won’t lift up the dirt load. We just changed the the motor but didn’t change any hoses.

  76. I have a loadstar dump trailer, when you hit the up button the solenoid clicks but will not engage the pump. Trying to figure out if it needs a new solenoid.

    • Good afternoon Carl,
      To test the solenoid, you can jump the two terminals to see if the pump starts, if it does then you know that the solenoid is bad.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  77. Casey Updike says

    Hello. I have a ’19 Lamar dump trailer that is stuck in the dump position. KTI pump. Remote is making good contact. Both coils check at 5 Ohms. I have swapped the round coil(up) with the square coil (down) and bed still will not lower.

  78. I am on my second dump trailer and have a load king. what can I do to increase the cycle time?
    My first trailer was cheaper but much faster ( same rated weight)
    I am willing to invest time and $ to speed it up

    thanks

    Parker

    • Good morning Parker,
      I don’t know Load King uses for pumps or the capacity, you could check with the manufacture to get the specs of the pump and then see if there is a lager GPM (gallons per minute) pump available.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  79. Matthew Howell says

    I am working on a single.phase dump trailer it goes up but not down. I put a new coil and solenoid on its new remote to not sure what else to do.

    • Good morning Matthew,
      We think it could possibly be a bad O-Ring in the valve body. Feel free to contact our parts and service department to help diagnose to problem at 1-866-335-5464.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  80. Eric Correa says

    Hello I have a Monarch single acting pump on a dump trailer my problem is it doesn’t stay up it looses pressure can you please help.

    • Good morning Eric,
      Could be a bad O-ring in the valve body of the pump or the hydraulic cylinder, you would need to pull them apart to inspect the O-rings which at that point I would just replace them.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  81. Andrew Ringer says

    My trailer had bad batteries. Replaced them both. Trailer goes up and down as it should but at the top it purges fluid out of the cylinder breather bolt. Bolt was actually missing all the small pins that create the screen so I replaced it with a new one and still leaks oil out. Let back down and it doesn’t leak.

    • Good morning Andrew,
      Typically we see the fluid come out of the breather if the battery power is low, the battery power only allows the motor to barely turn, and then the weight of the box builds pressure up in the system. When the pressure builds too high it pushes the oil out of the breather.

      If the battery is fully charged, then I would look for a restriction in the pump, this would also cause the pressure to build and could lead to the oil being pushed out.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  82. Hi can you help me out to find out why my pump blowout the filling cap on the plastic tank receivor

    • Hello Ruben,
      Is the battery low? If the battery is low and you are lowering the box, the pump cannot turn fast enough and the weight of the box will build pressure in the system. If there is enough pressure in the system, the oil will come out of the breather/oil fill cap.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  83. My pre 2003 Bri-Mar dump trailer will not lift. When I press the up switch, I get a click. Tried jumping the solenoid and still does not lift. I removed and replaced the ground wire from the battery to the box/frame and still does not lift. Then I placed jumper cables from the negative terminal to the steel hydaulic fittings attached to the pump body and low and behold, the pump worked. So obviously my pump is not grounded properly. I do have a ground lead to the body of the solenoid, but that does not touch the pump body. The solenoid is supported by a coper bracket attached to the positive lead on the pump and solenoid and is suspended over the pump body. I am not sure how the pump should be grounded. Suggestions?

  84. Hello, I have a dump trailer with a kti hydraulic pump power up gravity down and my issue is that the ram will not extend all the way out. It struggles to extend when its about 90% extended. I have no leaks and a fully charged battery. Any way to fix this? Thank you.

    • Good Morning Anthony,
      There could be a decrease in pressure, I would check the pressure at the pump with a gauge. Typically these pumps should put out about 3,000 psi at the pump.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  85. Good morning,
    My dump trailer goes up about three inches then seems like it struggling then just clicks. Battery was low but is fully charged. There is no significant load in the trailer.

    • Hello Eric,
      If the battery has gone low seral times, it can start to sulfate which drastically reduces its performance. I would first fully charge the battery and then load-test it. It could be putting out 12 volts under no load but then dropping down below the required 12 volts under a load.

      Hope this helps,
      Felling Trailers

  86. Hello,
    When I plug in my wired up/down remote, without even pushing one of the up or down buttons on the remote, it immediately starts raising the box. The only way to stop it from automatically going up when plugging in the remote is to have the down button pushed when plugging in the remote. Once I let go of the down button, it automatically goes up. What could be some of the culprits? Thanks!

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Dan,

      A possible cause of this could be that the controls in the remote are sticking or have burnt contacts on the switch.

      Thanks,
      Felling Trailers

  87. Stephanie Harrison says

    I have a B-Wise dump trailer and have replaced the pump however now it is continuously cycling. When you lift the trailer once you release the up button it automatically comes down.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Stephanie,

      We need a bit more information about the issue you are experiencing. When the box comes down, is the pump running or is it settling?

      Thanks
      Felling Trailers

  88. Stan Benson says

    I have a hydraulic oil leak on my trailer. All of my connections are tight. I just can’t see where the oil is leaking, When the weather turns hot it will leak more than when it is cold. Even if I’m not using the trailer it will leak the Reservoir
    dry in about two days. Do you have an o-ring kit for that.

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hi Stan,

      Your question has been sent on to our Parts & Service Department. You should hear back from them in 24-48 hours. Feel free to visit our online parts store for additional information http://www.store.felling.com.

      Thanks
      Felling Trailers

  89. Both buttons on my control make my bed raise on the trailer, one should lower, how do I fix this?

    • Felling Trailers says

      Hello Jason,
      Check contact in controller to make sure they are not touching each other; this is the first thing to check. If the control is good, then swap the 2 wire off of the square coil with the two wires on the round coil. If the bed will lower, then I would suspect a bad O-ring on the stem valve under the square coil that is allowing oil to bypass its normal path.

      Thanks Felling Trailers

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