# What is the purpose of this truck trailer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774 "2010-06-03T14:56:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/1 "2010-06-03T14:56:38Z")
On the way into work today, I passed a truck with a trailer type that I have never seen before. Take your typical joe average tractor-trailer type trailer (basically, a box), and remove the roof, and remove the back doors. Now, add a ladder between the bar on top going across the back (it’s just a bar since there is no roof) and the floor of the trailer. I couldn’t tell if the ladder was permanently affixed to the trailer or not. Anyone know what this was? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/2 "2010-06-03T15:08:36Z")
I’ve seen a trailer similar to the one you describe used to carry scrap tires to the recyclers. Load it up and secure a mesh of nylon straps over the end and head off down the road. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/3 "2010-06-03T17:29:32Z")
Possibly used to haul insulation? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/4 "2010-06-03T17:34:18Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > I’ve seen a trailer similar to the one you describe used to carry scrap tires to the recyclers. Load it up and secure a mesh of nylon straps over the end and head off down the road. Sounds like this to me, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/5 "2010-06-03T17:41:22Z")
I have seen such trailers used to load-up/haul-off broken limbs and cut-to-length deadwood after ice-storms and tornadoes here. The open rear makes for easy drag-off unloading, ime. Sometimes, there’s a type of ‘cherry picker’ attached on the bigger ones for big loads (at rear), but trailer-type is same, I think. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/6 "2010-06-03T18:49:39Z")
Apparently, it was a “tipper trailer”. It looked exactly like this one, except that the back panel and two crossbars had been removed. The ladder was still on the back though. > **[Solutions](https://www.trailking.com/solutions/)** > > Our primary goal is your success, and our trailers are customized for unique challenges. For over 40 years, Trail King has been making “impossible” hauls possible. Together we can create a solution that is just right for your team. Thanks to all who replied. Your ideas of what it was used for gave me enough info to google until I found one like it. I don’t know what this one was used for, but generally you dump stuff into the top of them (like tires or tree branches) then tip the whole trailer to dump the stuff out through the back. I assume they removed the rear gate to make it easier to unload whatever they dumped into it. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-truck-trailer/541774/7 "2010-06-03T23:55:39Z")
I was going to ask this identical question some time back. I started noticing these trailers on every commute. But then I started paying more attention and noticing them in their loaded configuration as well. They are used as you described. A lot of times the roof was a heavy duty tarp tied down and the back was just a slat slid into place.