How much does gravel weigh?

[chemist]

So, I used my new 1500 to bring home a cubic yard of rather wet modified 3/8" gravel today--I did put a piece of plywood in the bed to protect it and it kinda worked--guess it's my method of doing the spray in liner prep...laffs...

Anyway, wow it was something else to watch the truck get loaded! It sank down quite a bit--almost regretted doing it. One note: to the guy who loaded it, one cubic yard meant a heaping scoop from his loader--might have been slightly over a yard... However, after seeing how well it went up the mountain with that load. Went 55 mph the whole way and didn't really have to shove the gas peddle at all...

But how much do you think that weighed back there? I'm reading estimates of 2700#, which I absolutely can't believe. But if that's true, it that doesn't account for the dirty modified gravel nor the moisture weight, right... You think I was around or over 3000# back there?

[ksukats57]

Originally Posted by chemist

So, I used my new 1500 to bring home a cubic yard of rather wet modified 3/8" gravel today--I did put a piece of plywood in the bed to protect it and it kinda worked--guess it's my method of doing the spray in liner prep...laffs...

Anyway, wow it was something else to watch the truck get loaded! It sank down quite a bit--almost regretted doing it. One note: to the guy who loaded it, one cubic yard meant a heaping scoop from his loader--might have been slightly over a yard... However, after seeing how well it went up the mountain with that load. Went 55 mph the whole way and didn't really have to shove the gas peddle at all...

But how much do you think that weighed back there? I'm reading estimates of 2700#, which I absolutely can't believe. But if that's true, it that doesn't account for the dirty modified gravel nor the moisture weight, right... You think I was around or over 3000# back there?

I don't think you were 3k. I would guess 2500 I think a yard of mulch weighs like 2

[1500V6]

that much dense grade (probably what your calling 3/8) with the moisture is probably at about 3k. i put 3 tons in the short bed (plywood walls to help hold it in) of my 1500, going was no problem, stopping kinda was. interestingly enough, it didn't bottom out and wasn't riding on the stops either. just my .02

[chemist]

The thing I didn't like was what it did to my tires--they're the factory standard load tires. They looked a bit funny with all that weight on them.

Are there tires designed to take that kind overloading, and where do I find them?

[bighead38]

Water content will make a big difference.

[puma]

Originally Posted by chemist

The thing I didn't like was what it did to my tires--they're the factory standard load tires. They looked a bit funny with all that weight on them.

Are there tires designed to take that kind overloading, and where do I find them?

Tire load capacity is often the limiting factor which determines weight capacity. On a pickup truck it's that plus several other factors. The tire load capacity is often written on the sidewall of the tire. LT tires will give you more capacity than standard P metric tires.

A standard cu. yd. of crushed limestone (rock and fines) that is wet will weigh 3000 lbs./cu. yd. to 3400 lbs./cu. yd.

That's a substantially high amount of weight for your truck to carry and it can significantly affect control and braking which can be a safety issue.

[Mark13]

Originally Posted by chemist

The thing I didn't like was what it did to my tires--they're the factory standard load tires. They looked a bit funny with all that weight on them.

Are there tires designed to take that kind overloading, and where do I find them?

I'm assuming you probably have load range C rated 245s or 265s on your truck. When your due for tires you could bump up to load range D tires or E tires if you really want weight capacity. I have load range D 285/75/r16's on my 98 k1500. I've had 4,000lb+ in the bed of it before, suspension wasn't near bottomed out but the tires wern't real pleased. I'm not sure what the air pressure in them was, but I want to recal it wasn't as high as I keep them at now. I keep them around 50-52psi now and I had about 1,000lbs of tongue weight on my truck at work a few weeks ago and the rear tires didn't show it at all. Also the larger the tire the higher load rating. That's why a 285 D rated tire might have a higher load capacity then a 245 E rated tire, and obviously a 285 E rated tire would be rated much higher then either of those.

[Hatfieco]

Coming from a lot of experience with rock and soil. Thats too much weight in the bed of a half ton. Not just the suspension and tranny but the axle, all that weight directly over the rear axle. Its probably what a 10 bolt? Ive seen less weight shear the outer right off the housing so I wouldn't do that daily... That rock is probably 1.4-1.6 tons per cu yard. With water content, I would say you had the better part of 3k in the bed. I put 2 yards in my k2500 in my sig. With 60lbs in the airbags, 1ton springs, a 14 bolt and load range e tires I can tell you that will never happen again. WAY TOO MUCH WEIGHT.

[Quyonmob]

I'm surprised they loaded that. The place here would only do 1/2 cubic yards for 1/2 tons, which was fine with me, I'd rather make 2 trips then put 3K lbs in the bed of my truck, that is 1/2 ton axle bending territory.

[chemist]

Next time, I'll probably use a trailer...

Although it was definitely a suspension test, I was surprised how well the truck hauled it back up the mountain...

[AllBlkdOut07]

Originally Posted by ksukats57

I don't think you were 3k. I would guess 2500 I think a yard of mulch weighs like 2

No way a yard of mulch weighs 2,000lbs. Mulch is at least half the weight of gravel.

I know this first hand because my family owns a Landscape Supply Company and the smaller dump truck I drive can only handle 4 yards of gravel or top soil, but can carry 12 yards of mulch rather easily.

I also don't agree that 3/8" gravel is affected all that much by being wet, unless we're talking about very small crushed stone (aka Quarry Process) or Quarry Dust. On the other hand wet mulch is a lot heavier than dry mulch.

My 2 cents.

[bighead38]

We did this exact problem in class the other day.

A truck is weighed on the scale. It has 35.72 tons of gravel. The gravel has a water content of 6.98%.

Ws= W/1+(w/100)

35.72/1+(6.98/100)=33.2 tons

This means the truck had 2.52 tons of water.

A good quarry will run water content tests every morning and adjust the scales accordingly. If its a ****ty quarry they wont adjust their scales and they will pray for rain.

[AllBlkdOut07]

35.72 tons of gravel? That would be one big ass truck.

Ok, so if you were carrying 2 tons of gravel just how much water weight wise would that be? 141lbs... which is nothing.

[bighead38]

Originally Posted by AllBlkdOut07

35.72 tons of gravel? That would be one big ass truck.

Ok, so if you were carrying 2 tons of gravel just how much water weight wise would that be? 141lbs... which is nothing.

Big dump trucks in NY.

Granted the weight will always depend on the water content but ive met people who refuse to believe water will effect it at all. Sure it may not be a lot but it does make a difference.

[Hatfieco]

Water makes a difference. Wet material vs dry material is a big one at that. Anyone who tries to say otherwise hasn't spent any time actually moving dirt or rock.

[AllBlkdOut07]

Wet top soil is heavy as hell, but we weren't talking about soil/dirt. What you're forgetting is gravel doesn't absorb all that much moisture as say dirt or mulch does, unless it's very very small where it can be compacted such as Quarry Dust or Sand.

We have to cover our Quarry Dust, Top Soil and Sand overnight otherwise water will ruin it, we don't cover gravel or even mulch for that matter.

[bonedust]

Originally Posted by 1500V6

that much dense grade (probably what your calling 3/8) with the moisture is probably at about 3k. i put 3 tons in the short bed (plywood walls to help hold it in) of my 1500, going was no problem, stopping kinda was. interestingly enough, it didn't bottom out and wasn't riding on the stops either. just my .02

6000 lbs in a short bed 1/2 ton and it wasnt on the stops? dude, come on...

[ksukats57]

Originally Posted by AllBlkdOut07

No way a yard of mulch weighs 2,000lbs. Mulch is at least half the weight of gravel.

Not even wet mulch?

[AllBlkdOut07]

No way. Over the summer I carried home 50 bags of fairly wet 3 cubic feet bagged mulch in my half ton and it barely looked like it had any weight in it. 9 Bags = 1 Cubic yard

[ksukats57]

Originally Posted by AllBlkdOut07

No way. Over the summer I carried home 50 bags of fairly wet 3 cubic feet bagged mulch in my half ton and it barely looked like it had any weight in it. 9 Bags = 1 Cubic yard

When you put it that way, then no way is it 2k lbs. I'm thinking back to a time that we hauled mulch and it was pretty heavy, but it must have been way more than a yard if 9 bags is a yard. cause arent bags 40lbs?