Both walking floor and ejector trailers are perfect for moving a range of materials safely and efficiently. These two vehicles can carry huge payloads and deposit these in harder-to-reach spaces without the need to tip over, as well as a number of other key benefits.

But if they can both complete the same functions, then what is the need for two different vehicles and can they be used interchangeably?

Well, that’s what we’re here to discuss.

In this guide, we’re going to uncover the most important benefits of using these trailers and in what scenarios each one can be used.

We’ll also do a direct comparison between the two to look at the key differences of these vehicles and to help you to understand which might best serve you or your project.

What is a walking floor trailer?

First, let’s look at what walking floor trailers are, these are sometimes referred to as moving floor trailers too.

This is a large trailer that can be attached to the back of your vehicle and can hold vast amounts of materials or products. It is built with a moving floor system and this makes it much easier to carry and unload heavy or large amounts of goods or materials.

The bottom of the trailer typically uses a hydraulic system to make the floor move, though this can vary. Some floor types are different, they can be thicker, thinner, more durable, etc. Either way, the ‘planks’ or mechanisms in these trailers perform alternate shifting movements to gradually load and unload materials, though these can also be loaded up through the roof.

As the name suggests, the trailer is able to ‘walk’ the contents out of the rear doors using a conveyer belt-type system. The materials inside the trailer are emptied onto the surrounding ground without the need for the trailer to tip over.

When to use a walking floor trailer

There are lots of situations in which walking floor trailers can be beneficial. Some of the most common uses for this type of trailer include carrying grain and other small food products as well as biomass.

It is also used to dispose of waste (including household, commercial and green) and to carry wood or palletised goods.

What is an ejector trailer?

Now let’s look in more detail at an ejector trailer. This is also sometimes referred to as a push off trailer and is another way of transporting materials that can be attached to your vehicle and emptied without the need to tip. This is done by pushing the load out of the trailer and onto the nearby ground.

Basically, the materials inside are pushed out by a plough or similar mechanism that moves slowly through the trailer.

What’s more, the tailgate lifts before this happens, usually automatically, to ensure that the tailgate is not damaged while the vehicle is being emptied.

When to use an ejector floor trailer

Ejector trailers can also carry bulk loads of material including waste and recyclables, as well as plastics, wood and biomass.

These are also used for transporting building and demolition materials like rock, concrete, crush, and in some cases, even hot and cold asphalt, though this might depend on the model.

What are the key similarities between the two vehicles?

As we can already see from the basic functions of these two trailers, there are some big similarities between the two. But just to recap on what those are, here are five of the major ways in which walking floor and ejector trailers are similar:

• Both trailers can carry huge and heavy amounts of goods and materials • They are both far easier to unload than average trailers that require a lot of manual labour and human intervention • This also means they are both much quicker to unload as well • They can carry lots of the same materials, such as wood, biomass and waste • Finally, as there is no need for the body to tip, these trailers can get into trickier spaces like under bridges or power lines without risk

What are the key differences between the two vehicles?

That being said, there are also several key differences between these two types of trailers, and these could impact which vehicle is best for certain jobs. The key differences worth noting include:

• Walking trailers offer softer handling and less compression. This means they are better for transporting more fragile crops that you don’t want squashed and compacted • On the other hand, ejectors are more likely to compress goods and are therefore not suited to crops liable to bruising • Not only this, but as ejectors compress the materials more, they can often carry a greater weight and volume walking floor trailers • Ejector trailers can take longer to unload than walking floor trailers, therefore are not ideal if you need a quicker unloading time. However, this will depend on the make and model • Both trailers require regular checking and some maintenance, but walking floor mechanisms often require more maintenance than ejector floors. This means they can be more time-consuming and costly if there’s an issue • On some models, the rear tailgate of an ejector trailer can be switched to turn it into a muck spreader, whereas a walking floor can’t. This makes it a multi-purpose vehicle which can be great depending on what you're using it for

Which trailer should you choose for your project or business?

Taking all of the above into account, you should hopefully be able to make a more informed decision about which trailer is more beneficial for your project or business.

That being said, we’ll do a quick recap just in case.

Which trailer you use will depend on what you are transporting, though there is some crossover between the two. But if you need a gentler mode of transport for fruits or vegetables, walking floor trailers can be a better solution. Plus, you might need a slightly speedier unloading time.

On the other hand, if you need to transport a larger load of goods that won’t be damaged, an ejector trailer could be better. Plus this can be the more cost-effective option in terms of maintenance.

Essentially, there is a lot you need to consider when choosing you trailer, and though there are lots of similarities, you need to think carefully about which vehicle you purchase or rent for your projects.