[ezzrider]

I own an 08 F250 Crew Cab 4x4 diesel truck but this post has absolutley nothing to do with my truck but I believe there are truck owners in here that can help me out. I dropped off my utility trailer which is 6 1/2' x 12' with 2' sides to be loaded with horse manure for compost in my gardens. That is 156cubit feet if loaded up to the 2' sides. Anyone know how to compute the approximate weight of 156 cubic feet of horse manure? My trailer is a single axle rated at 3500 lbs but recommended load weight is around 2000 lbs. Any ideas?

Well I made it this morning back to my house with the trailer but it was touch and go. I brought a portable air tank and pumped up the tires or I would have never left the stables. I do not know my exact weight on the trailer but it was definately over capacity. You live and learn.

 

[PunisherGT3]

If you check online, it looks like horse manure has a density of about 62-63 lb/ft^3. I believe they are using lbf (pound-force which is weight) instead of lbm (pound-mass) for the density. Multiply your volume by the density and it will give you your weight in this case.

156 ft^3 * 63 lb/ft^3 = 9828 lbs.

 

[ezzrider]

I pray that you are wrong!!!!!! Please don't let that be almost 10,000 lbs being loaded on my 3500 lb axle!! Holy crap. I asked the lady at the horse stables and she told me late today that people have had trailers like mine (single axle) that have made it ok?

 

[PunisherGT3]

If she says you should be fine, then I would believe her. I just looked up horse manure density on the internet, so it can all be different I'm sure on the density. The place you are getting it from should be able to tell you the density if they just weigh a small amount of it (a bucket full maybe so you know the weight per volume).

 

[ezzrider]

Thanks. I ran by the stables this afternoon to look at the trailer and the tires looked a little depressed if you know what I mean and that started my concerns. Of course the trailer is sitting in grass. I will know in the morning as I am going to get my trailer and of course it is raining right now.

 

[737tdi]

ezzrider: If I can interject a little advice for your trip tomorrow... If you own a couple of decent floor jacks throw them in the back of your truck just in case. Do you have a spare that will fit the trailer? If it's going to go bad the first thing will probably the axle bearings. Have they been lubed lately. Don't know how far you've got to go, if far stop every few miles and check for excessive heat at the bearings. Try to watch for smoke out your rear view. The reason I'm going here is that I had a failure like this on my trailer and didn't notice it until the bearing had disintegrated and started doing major damage to the axle. Oh and also take a breaker bar and socket to remove your lug nuts just in case.

 

[ezzrider]

Thanks. The saving grace is I do not have far to bring the trailer home - less than 10 miles give or take on a road I can drive slow. I actually lubed the wheel bearings and checked tire pressure right before I brought the trailer to the horse stable. Actually right now I do not have a spare tire for my trailer. Go figure. I have had one in the past but my son used the trailer and had a problem with a tire that blew out and he used my spare. I do have a good floor jack though but without a spare tire I am not certain if that would help. I actually feel really stupid for not considering the weight issue before now. The lady at the stable told me they have filled many trailers in the past so I was sort of going by what she said until this afternoon. I have conducted a little more research and found one website that stated Horse Manure weighed between 250 to 600 lbs per cubic yard depending on the moisture content (other websites have higher estimates though). If I read correctly there are 27 cubic feet in one yard and my trailer filled to the 2' level would have 156 cubic feet. It looked as if it was around 3/4 full this afternoon. Full it would hold 5.78 cubic yards (dang I should have figured this out before). So if the 250 to 600 lb per cubic yard ratio is correct then my trailer full would weigh 1445 to 3468 lbs depending on moisture content. If it is 3/4 full (I am guessing) that would be 117 cubic feet or 4.33 cubic yards with a weight range of 1082.50 to 2598 lbs. I hope this is the case. Of course it has been raining here all evening - what else. I will just have to wait and see tomorrow morning. Thanks for your input.

 

[ezzrider]

Well I made it home with the trailer but it was obviously overloaded. I am hopefull someone in this forum has input as I am certain there are Ford 6.4 diesel truck drivers with experience hauling manure.

 

[2x6 bulldog]

That is a bunch of manure!

 

[ezzrider]

Yep and I had to shovel it out of the trailer when I got home with a 105 degree heat index. I appreciate the humor though.