Dump trailer load calculator
How much can your trailer legally carry, and how many cubic yards of material is that? A box that looks half empty is often already at its GVWR.
Result
You can haul up to
3.3 yd³
of gravel (dry), with 9,300 lb of legal payload.
- Legal payload
- 9,300 lb
- Cubic yards at GVWR
- 3.3 yd³
- Box volume, level full
- 7.3 yd³
- Level-full box weight
- 20,440 lb
- Fill before GVWR
- 45% of the box
- Tongue weight at GVWR
- 1,400 lb–2,100 lb
- A level-full box of gravel (dry) weighs about 20,440 lb, over the 9,300 lb payload. Stop at roughly 45% of the box.
- Over 10,000 lb GVWR, commercial use can trigger USDOT number and CDL rules depending on your truck. Do you need a CDL?
How the math works
Payload = GVWR − empty weight. The GVWR is the most the loaded trailer may weigh. Subtract what the trailer weighs empty and what is left is what you can carry. Read more in GVWR, payload and empty weight explained.
Cubic yards by weight = payload ÷ material weight per cubic yard. Dense materials like gravel, wet sand and clay hit the weight limit long before the box is full. Light materials like mulch and wood chips fill the box first.
Box volume = inside length × width × side height ÷ 27. That is level full; a heaped load holds more volume and weighs more.
Material weights here are typical loose weights. Moisture changes them a lot — wet topsoil can weigh 30% more than dry. When it matters, weigh the loaded rig on a certified scale. See the material weight chart for typical ranges, and how to load a dump trailer for where the weight should sit.