Steel Grain Trailers

Used extensively throughout the United States, hopper bottom trailers are common sights on our nation's freeways and play a significant role in American agriculture, though you might not know it just by looking at them. To many, hopper trailers look just like normal trailers or gondolas, but a hopper bottom has two distinct tricks up its sleeve.

First, it typically features an open top to enable quick and easy loading of grain or other materials, and in this way it is similar to a gondola scrap trailer that also features an open top. However, as hopper bottom trailers are usually filled with material that has a tendency to fly away in transit, like grain, these trailers typically feature a rolling tarp on top, which prevents the material inside from blowing or otherwise exiting out of the trailer.

Second, and most importantly, a hopper bottom trailer typically has two hoppers on the base that can be opened to deposit material from both halves of the trailer -- one for the back and one for the front. Operated by a crank handle, a sliding plate at the base of each hopper quickly deposits any material inside out the bottom with ease, which means, for the most part, that unloading needs no extra manpower or tools beyond just a few quick actions by one person.

As an integral part of harvest, hopper bottoms are used as a crucial link between grain carts and the final destination. It all starts with the combine harvester, which harvests crops from the field via reaping, threshing and winnowing, and unloads the harvest into grain carts. The grain carts in turn fill up the hopper bottom trailers, which are then attached to a semi tractor for transport locally, regionally or across the country. Once the grain gets to its final destination, the hoppers are opened via the crank, depositing the load into low-profile grain augers, which transport and store the grain in large grain bins, also known as silos. Or the grain is transported to the local elevator.

What is a grain hopper trailer?

Semi-trailer with sloped floors to haul grains and other commodities that will gravity flow out the bottom of the hoppers into storage or warehouse locations.

How much grain does a semi trailer hold (bushels and tons)?

Typically trailers range in length from 24’ to 42’ and have capacities varying from 740 bushels to 1135 bushels. Total allowable Gross Vehicle Weight ranges from 40,000 lbs. to 68,000 lbs. depending on length and axle configuration.

How many axles does a grain trailer have?

Demco grain trailers have 2 axle configurations.

What is a hopper bottom trailer?

Semi-trailer with sloped floors to haul grains and other commodities that will gravity flow out the bottom of the hoppers into storage or warehouse locations.

How much does a hopper bottom trailer weigh?

Typically, Demco steel grain trailers range in length from 24’ to 42’ with weights of 6600 lbs. to 11,200 lbs.

How are spread tandem axle hopper bottom trailer for getting in and out of the field?

Demco does not make these because the width, length and angle of field approach make using a spread axle trailer difficult in this application. Avoiding dropping any axles off of the approach determines the ease of use.

How to operate a hopper bottom trailer?

When placing hopper above conveyor, swing auger, pit, or standard auger, then hopper doors are opened manually to the appropriate flow rate via crank handle or electric motor.