Brian James tipper trailer, good or bad?

[The dogwalker]

I’m looking for a new tipper trailer and it seems like Brian James Cargo Tipper 2 is what Im looking for and I’m curious about if it’s any good?

I will visit a reseller to have a look but that’s a 2,5 hour drive and if the trailer is rubish I’d rather spend those 2x2,5 hours climbing trees.

 

// Markus

[Dan Maynard]

I have a Brian James Cargo Connect Compact and very nearly bought a tipper at the time.

 

One sales point I really liked is the beams sit adjacent when it comes down whereas on an Ifor the beams sit on top which means the deck is a lot higher. I like low deck for easy loading.

 

I've also seen Nugent advertised and there's a new dealer near me but shut at the moment. Would be really interested to know how they compare.

[nepia]

I have one o walker of dogs and like it a lot.  However if the intention is to drop large logs onto it from a height and smash the sides about with diggers, tractors etc don't get one; the sides are double skinned so don't flatten out with a sledge or digger bucket.

The high sides are light weight too but I'm a sole trader so am the only one using my kit.

There are 3 pairs of in-floor lashing points; why not one more pair I don't know; it would make a difference.

The catches/securing mechanisms are simple and easy to work.   Removing the sides and extending the posts is likewise; quick, easy and safe.  The rear doors are barn doors which is fine but I keep forgetting to open them before I reverse into a tight unloading area!

Towing with my Navara is no problem at all.

The tipping mechanism is easy to access and hasn't given me any problems; there's a kill switch in the side of the frame at the front and a trailer hitch-type plug on the end of a decent wander lead with magnetic control box.

The bed is low which is good for loading and for low centre of gravity but it does mean that when tipping you have to draw out the load in a caterpillar as it quickly backs up from the ground to the trailer bed.

 

I'm very happy with mine.

 

Questions - ask away.

 

Jon

 

 

[monkeybusiness]

I have been put off Brian James by a 3.5 tonne plant trailer I bought to replace a 2.7 tonne Ifor. It kept cracking across the body and required regular welding (it was only running at 2.5 tonnes laden) - I’ve gone back to Ifor now. Also have had 4 Ifor tippers and they’ve all been fantastic.

[The dogwalker]

56 minutes ago, nepia said:

I have one o walker of dogs and like it a lot.  However if the intention is to drop large logs onto it from a height and smash the sides about with diggers, tractors etc don't get one; the sides are double skinned so don't flatten out with a sledge or digger bucket.

The high sides are light weight too but I'm a sole trader so am the only one using my kit.

There are 3 pairs of in-floor lashing points; why not one more pair I don't know; it would make a difference.

The catches/securing mechanisms are simple and easy to work.   Removing the sides and extending the posts is likewise; quick, easy and safe.  The rear doors are barn doors which is fine but I keep forgetting to open them before I reverse into a tight unloading area!

Towing with my Navara is no problem at all.

The tipping mechanism is easy to access and hasn't given me any problems; there's a kill switch in the side of the frame at the front and a trailer hitch-type plug on the end of a decent wander lead with magnetic control box.

The bed is low which is good for loading and for low centre of gravity but it does mean that when tipping you have to draw out the load in a caterpillar as it quickly backs up from the ground to the trailer bed.

 

I'm very happy with mine.

 

Questions - ask away.

 

Jon

 

 

Jon! O great carryer of wisdom and experience.

About the thin skinny sides, I like to be careful with my stuff but do the thickness of the size give me reasons to look elsewhere?

 

I will tow with a Isuzu D-Max so I’m not really worried about that part .
 

How is the aerodynamics with the high sides, do the wind suck out any chips/debries? Or do you cover the top when transporting small fraction goods?

 

//Markus

[david wood]

i borrowed one of these to move some timber and it had lot of good points and one bad.

good was it sits low, tri axle so towed well, sides good to take on and off, tip mechanism seemed good with very tall twin rams.

 

most hated but easy to overcome point was logs kept sticking in at taildoor, there are a lip either side when door off of about 3/4 an inch and big lumps were attracted to it like a magnet and then a bugger to move.  bit of plate popped in to make it sledge past would solve. 

 

overall a fantastic trailer i thought. 

[nepia]

10 hours ago, The dogwalker said:

 

About the thin skinny sides, I like to be careful with my stuff but do the thickness of the size give me reasons to look elsewhere?

 

 

How is the aerodynamics with the high sides, do the wind suck out any chips/debries? Or do you cover the top when transporting small fraction goods?

 

//Markus

If you're careful the sides aren't a problem; I guess the construction is of internal corrugation or similar.  The sides are in no way flexible or even apparently fragile; it's just that if you do dink them you can't get behind that skin with a hammer.  My trailer's 16 months old and the sides are all A1.

Aerodynamics; the top halves of the high sides are perforated with large holes as I expect you've seen.  Chip would fall straight through them in a constant stream so I line the inside of the trailer with a trampoline safety net.  I don't cover the top and as far as I can see have the same amount of chip at the end of a journey as at the start.

Towing a full load is essentially dragging a large rectangular block through the air so in scientific terms the aerodynamics won't be good.

[nepia]

9 hours ago, david wood said:

most hated but easy to overcome point was logs kept sticking in at taildoor, there are a lip either side when door off of about 3/4 an inch and big lumps were attracted to it like a magnet and then a bugger to move.  bit of plate popped in to make it sledge past would solve. 

 

overall a fantastic trailer i thought. 

I'll have a look at this later but I don't think it's an issue for me; chip slides out just fine.  And I'll be tipping logs today too so will keep an eye out.

[david wood]

1 hour ago, nepia said:

I'll have a look at this later but I don't think it's an issue for me; chip slides out just fine.  And I'll be tipping logs today too so will keep an eye out.

not sure how it will do with split logs, we were tipping large sections of a stem, 3 and half foot long and easily 2 - 3 foot accross at butt so when stacked up high sides it was really frustrating.   

[Mike Hill]

I have had a twin Axel Brian James tipping trailer for going on 6 years.It carries a tracked chipper or wood chop/logs every day.

 

No gripes at all with it.

 

I have never had a load in it that it wouldnt tip,it towes well and is easy to reverse.

 

I feel that it's more trailer for less money than an Ifor