This is one framework that can be used to construct a tilt, or dump, trailer. It's simple in design, and, with some thought, can be adapted to a variety of trailers.

     The telescopic tongue is a good feature to have on smaller trailers that have a limited capacity, such as lawn and garden tractors. If long items like boards or branches need to be moved, the tongue can be extended, allowing the items to be balanced in the center of the trailer. Otherwise there will be such a long overhang that things can only be moved by strapping them to the trailer itself, which cannot always be done.

     There are tilt trailers that work by a method of having a tongue, a main frame work, which sets onto the axles, and a second frame work then placed on top of the first. The box, or body, is fastened to the second, top frame. The two frames are then hinged and pinned together at the back end of the trailer. That results in a setup that looks like the dump on a large gravel truck.

     This design does not use two frames. The box structural members of the trailer acts as the top frame setup, and the tongue and two side braces act as the main bottom frame. When dumped, the body moves by way of a rolling of the axle. The two side braces ensure that the trailer can be moved ahead or back while the box is in the dumping position without the tongue being twisted or bent out of place. The body, when returned to the down position, locks in place on the tongue. If you build one of these trailers, remember that he pin for the telescopic tongue must be located ahead of the front of the box for access. Remember as well that whatever the height is from the bottom of the box to the top of spring mounts (assuming you install springs) has to be used at the front of the trailer where the box fastens onto the tongue. Otherwise the trailer will not be level.

     The clips for the hinges can be made from 1/4" flat bar or thicker for larger trailers.  There must be enough clearance between the middle bar of all three hinges to allow the trailer to roll on the axle without being bound tight. The easy way to do that is to cut the six clips that fasten onto the axle an inch or so longer than needed. They can always be cut shorter if needed. It's hard to cut things "longer" after you make a mistake. Cut slots into the tongue and braces for the other clips to fit into. Then weld them in place.

     To fasten the box onto the tongue once you have dumped it, the spring latch as shown on this site can be made and installed for small light duty trailers. For heavy capacity trailers, make a three sided bracket in the shape of a box from heavy plate. The left side and the right side of this must be long enough to fit over the tongue with room to drill a hole for a lock pin, once it is in place over the tongue. Weld this to the underside of the trailer at the very front of the box. The two holes on either side of the bracket should now be below the bottom of the tongue. Place the pin through the holes and lock it in place.