How Many Cubic Yards Can My Dump Truck Carry?

When you need to haul massive material loads in your dump truck, capacity becomes a critical factor. Even if you already know your model's official limit, a material's weight per cubic yard comes into play as well. By understanding the factors that contribute to a dump truck's capacity, you can plan your material hauling much more effectively.

Learn How to Think in Cubic Yards

As you look at your truck's capacity and material specifications, you'll see plenty of measurements in cubic yards. One cubic yard equals a section of space 3 feet in length, width and height. When measuring materials in cubic yards, remember that different items have unique densities. The weight of a cubic yard can vary based on material type and wetness. Because of these differences, understanding your dump truck's capacity also involves knowing its weight limits.

Check Your Dump Truck's Capacity Limits

Use your dump truck's official capacity specifications to establish a foundation for its material-specific capacity. The capacity of a dump truck depends on both its volume and weight limits, so even if a particular model has the volume to carry a specific number of cubic yards, the material weight may make the actual volume limit lower. To find your model's volume and weight capacities, check your official documents or perform an internet search.

Understand the Average Weight of a Cubic Yard for Your Material

While planning material hauling trips, take note of each material's weight per cubic yard. A dump truck can carry a much higher volume of a lighter material like mulch than it can a heavier material like stone. The weight per cubic yard of a material varies, but you can generally get product-specific information from the supplier. Many businesses mention a material's weight in their online catalog or can tell you over the phone.

Calculate the Number of Cubic Yards of Material That You Need

With a few simple calculations, you can determine the number of cubic yards required for your storage or work site. Find your required number of cubic yards by:

  • Measuring the length and width of your project space in feet
  • Determining the depth of the area in inches or feet
  • Converting all feet measurements to inches by multiplying them by 12 (ex. 1 foot, 6 inches = 1.5 feet = 18 inches)
  • Multiplying length by width by depth
  • Dividing the result in inches by 46,656 (the inches in a cubic yard) to get the final number in cubic yards

Rent a Dump Truck From The Cat® Rental Store

If you need to add extra material-hauling capacity to your fleet, consider renting a dump truck from The Cat® Rental Store. Our customer service experts can give you detailed information on our available models to help you make an informed choice. We also have flexible rental plans and dealer locations worldwide to keep up with your job's fast pace.

To learn more, browse our dump truck rentalsrequest a quick quote or call us at 1-800-RENT-CAT.

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