Used Dump Trucks & Tipper Lorries for Sale — Export CIF to Africa & Middle East

What Is a Dump Lorry? Synonyms & Configurations

A dump lorry (also called a tipper truck, dump truck, or tipper lorry) is a heavy goods vehicle with a hydraulically operated body that tips to unload bulk material — sand, gravel, stone, soil, or ore. The terms are interchangeable: in South Africa and Kenya the word "tipper" is common; in West Africa and the Middle East "dump truck" or "dump lorry" dominates. We use both throughout this page so you find us however you search.

Three main axle configurations cover most markets:

• 6x4 (three axles, twin rear drive) — the most popular format. Payload roughly 20–25 tonnes. Ideal for construction sites, road work, and mixed-terrain haulage. See our 6x4 dump truck range.
• 8x4 (four axles, twin rear drive) — heavier and more stable. Payload up to 30–40 tonnes. Suited to quarrying, mining, and high-volume earthmoving. See our 8x4 dump truck range.
• 10-wheeler (twin-steer 6x4 variant) — popular in Nigeria and East Africa for roads that limit axle load. Browse our 10 wheeler dump truck options.

Body styles split into two main types: the U-body (U-shaped bucket) keeps loose material centred and reduces spillage — preferred for sand and aggregates. The flat square body is simpler to fabricate locally and easier to repair in markets like Uganda or Ghana where welding shops are common.

How to Choose: 6x4 vs 8x4, Tonnage vs Cube

Buyers often confuse payload tonnage with body volume (cubic metres). Both matter but they constrain each other differently.

A 30 ton dump truck in gross weight class is usually an 8x4. A 20 ton tipper is a typical 6x4. If your material is light (soil, municipal waste), a larger cube body on a 6x4 moves more volume per trip. If your material is dense stone, a smaller cube body on an 8x4 is safer and legal.

For buyers who need both reach and lighter axle load, a 10 wheeler dump truck (twin-steer 6x4) distributes weight across five axles — popular on Kenyan and Nigerian rural roads.

Engine & Transmission: What the Numbers Mean

Most of our used Chinese dump trucks run one of two engine families:

• WD615.47 — 371 hp (Sinotruk / HOWO platform): a proven inline-6 diesel. Parts are available across Africa; mechanics in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria are familiar with this engine. This is the workhorse in HOWO-7, HOWO NX, and HOHAN 6x4 and 8x4 tippers.
• WP10.380E3 — 380 hp (Weichai / SHACMAN platform): slightly newer calibration, Euro III emissions. Powers SHACMAN F3000, M3000, and X3000 dump trucks. The FAST12JSD180T-B gearbox paired with this engine is easy to rebuild in-market.
• MC11.44-50 — 440 hp (Man-licensed, HOWO TX platform): higher-output option for long-haul or high-altitude sites such as the Kenyan Highlands or mining plateaus in Zambia.

All units use HW19710 or FAST 10/12-speed manual transmissions — no complex automated-manual units that are hard to repair off-road. Tyres are standardised at 12R22.5, widely stocked in Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Dubai.

Compared to Isuzu or Hino tippers at equivalent payload, Chinese HOWO and SHACMAN dump trucks typically cost significantly less to acquire and have denser spare-parts networks across Sub-Saharan Africa — a practical advantage when a truck is your daily revenue generator.

Why Chinese Tippers Suit African & Middle East Job Sites

Buyers in South Africa, Nigeria, UAE, and Iraq ask us the same question: "Will these trucks survive our roads?" The honest answer is yes — with the right prep.

• Terrain: The reinforced chassis and 12R22.5 tyres on HOWO and SHACMAN dump trucks were designed for China's rural construction boom — unpaved, rutted, steep. That experience translates directly to laterite roads in Uganda, murram tracks in Tanzania, and desert haul roads in Iraq.
• Spare parts: WD615 and WP10 engines have established parts supply chains in Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos, Accra, and Dubai. You are not waiting three months for a head gasket.
• Price point: A used HOWO 6x4 tipper costs a fraction of a comparable second-hand European tipper. For fleet buyers in Ghana or Zambia building out five to ten units, that difference is decisive.
• Refurbishment: We replace worn components before export — engine mounts, hydraulic seals, brake liners, suspension bushes. The dump body is inspected for cracks and rewelded where needed. Cab paintwork is redone to customer colour.
• LHD / RHD conversion: Most Chinese trucks leave the factory in left-hand drive. We offer in-house RHD conversion for markets that require it — South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana. Steering column, pedal box, and instrument cluster are all converted; not a cosmetic switch.

For a full side-by-side comparison of the two leading Chinese brands, read our HOWO vs SHACMAN guide.

Dump Truck Body Types: U-Body, Square Body & Side Tipper

The tipping body is what does the actual work. Three types come up most often in our markets:

• U-shaped (bucket) body: curved cross-section. Material slides to the centre, reducing load shift in transit and speeding unloading. Best for sand, gravel, aggregate. Common on HOWO-7 and HOWO NX models. See the HOWO dump truck range.
• Flat/square body: rectangular steel box. Simpler to fabricate and patch locally. Popular where budget matters more than cycle time — common in Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda.
• Side tipper truck: tips its body laterally rather than rearward. A side tipper is used in road-building and trenching work where a rear tip is not possible, and on narrow haul roads where tipping to the side is safer. Less common in our standard inventory than rear tippers, but we source side tipper trucks on request.

Body dimensions on a standard 6x4 tipper run around 5.8 × 2.5 × 1.7 m (approximately 16 m³ struck capacity). An 8x4 body is typically 7.6 × 2.5 × 1.7 m (approximately 20 m³). If you need a specific cube — say a 16 cubic metre tipper or 20 cubic metre dump body — we can fit or source accordingly.

We also stock mini dump trucks in the HOWO 4x2 light-duty range (6-wheel, 10-tonne payload) for urban deliveries and smaller construction projects where a full 6x4 would be over-spec.

Inspection, Refurbishment & Export Process

Every truck we export goes through a documented process before we quote a CIF price:

1. Mechanical inspection: engine compression, transmission, differentials, hydraulic pump and cylinder, brakes (drum and air system), steering.
2. Structural check: chassis rail condition, cross-member welds, dump-body floor and side walls, hydraulic sub-frame.
3. Wear-item replacement: brake shoes, air dryer, hydraulic seals, wheel bearings where needed.
4. Road test: loaded and unloaded, including full tip cycle.
5. Cosmetic finish: cab repaint to customer colour, cab interior cleaned, lights and mirrors checked.
6. Pre-shipment photos/video: sent to buyer before container loading.

For buyers new to importing from China, we handle CIF shipping to the major ports your market uses: Durban (South Africa), Mombasa (Kenya), Apapa (Nigeria), Tema (Ghana), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Beira (Mozambique), Jebel Ali (UAE). Documents included: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, inspection certificate.

If you want a deeper pre-purchase checklist before you commit, our dump truck buying guide walks through what to verify on any second hand tipper truck before payment.

Markets We Serve: Africa & Middle East

We export used dump trucks and tipper lorries to over 40 countries. Our core markets and what buyers there typically specify:

• South Africa: RHD required. HOWO 371hp 8x4 is the most requested for quarry work; SHACMAN F3000 6x4 for construction. Buyers compare against local Powerstar tippers and Scania — Chinese tippers win on price and parts availability. Browse trucks for sale in South Africa.
• Kenya: RHD required. Road damage laws favour 6x4 over 8x4 on public roads. Mombasa port clearance is straightforward for properly documented Chinese trucks.
• Nigeria: LHD accepted. High demand for 10-wheeler and 6x4 tippers on road-construction contracts. Lagos and Kano have strong WD615 parts supply.
• Uganda / Tanzania / Zambia: RHD preferred. Mining and road-building projects drive bulk orders. SHACMAN and HOWO both perform well on the red-murram roads common in these markets.
• Ghana: LHD accepted. Construction and mining (gold, bauxite) drive tipper demand. Accra-based mechanics are increasingly familiar with Chinese truck servicing.
• UAE (Dubai) / Iraq: LHD. Desert terrain and high ambient temperatures — we recommend the 440hp HOWO TX or larger-radiator SHACMAN variants for summer operation. Dubai Jebel Ali port is efficient for consolidation and onward transport.