Dump Truck Capacity Chart
Body volumes and legal payloads by truck type — with the rule the chart exists to teach: truck bodies are rated in loose cubic yards, and for dirt and stone the legal payload runs out before the volume does. Volumes are manufacturer ranges (estimate-only); the weight limits are federal regulation with real state variance.
Capacity by truck type
| Truck | Body (loose CY) | Typical legal payload (tons) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-axle | 5–8 | ~6–7 | The consumer delivery truck — ~5–6 CY of gravel by weight |
| Tandem-axle (10-wheeler) | 10–14 (bodies to 16) | ~13–15 (state-dependent) | Hauls ≈8–12 LCY of gravel — weight-limited before the box fills |
| Tri-axle | 14–17 (to 20) | ~16–19 | — |
| Quad/quint-axle | ~16 (14–18) | ~17–22 — the most state-dependent payload in the fleet | Quads exist because of state bridge-law differences |
| Super dump (trailing axle) | 19–26 | up to ~26 (7-axle reaches the full 80,000 lb) | Trailing axle buys legal weight |
| End dump semi-trailer | ~23–26 typical (units to 40+) | ~23–25 on an 80k combo | Capacity varies with length and side height |
| Side dump trailer | 21–26 | ~23 | Dumps without raising a body — wind-safe |
| Belly / bottom dump | ~23–25 (level; boards add) | ~24 | Windrow placement for paving trains |
What a tandem load really is, by material
| Material | Realistic tandem load |
|---|---|
| Mulch (~600–800 lb/CY) | Full bed — 10–14 CY (volume-limited) |
| Topsoil / dirt (~2,000–2,400 lb/CY dry) | ~10–12 CY; less when wet |
| Gravel / crushed stone (~2,400–2,900 lb/CY) | ~8–12 CY tandem; ~5–6 CY on a single-axle delivery truck |
Estimating hauls
Trucking math runs in loose yards: bank volume × (1 + swell) = the volume the fleet actually hauls — the swell factors and material weights feed the two constraints, and whichever fills first (weight or box) sets the loads-per-day. The conversions chart walks the full bank-loose-compacted chain.
Common questions
How many cubic yards does a dump truck hold?
The body and the law give different answers. A tandem carries a 10–14 CY body but a ~13–15 ton legal payload — so it hauls a full box of mulch, 10–12 yards of dry topsoil, and only 8–12 yards of gravel before the scale, not the sideboards, says stop. For anything heavier than about 2,000 lb per yard, quote loads by weight.
How much weight can a dump truck legally carry?
The federal frame: 80,000 lb gross on interstates, 20,000 lb per single axle, 34,000 lb per tandem group, with the Bridge Formula limiting axle groups by spacing — that formula is why quad-axles and trailing-axle super dumps exist. State bridge laws and grandfathered limits vary widely — check the state DOT.
How many trucks does an excavator keep busy?
The haul-cycle math: trucks needed ≈ (load time + haul + dump + return) ÷ load time. A 2-yard excavator loading 12-yard trucks at 6 passes each loads a truck every ~4 minutes; on a 20-minute round trip that is 5–6 trucks to keep the machine digging. Under-trucking idles the excavator; over-trucking stacks trucks — the cut-fill chart covers the balance side.
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