Every dump truck hauling loose material needs a tarp, and most owners end up choosing between a manual pull tarp and an electric tarp system. Both cover your load in seconds. The difference is in the cost, the parts you have to maintain and where you work it from. Here’s how to decide.
The short answer
- Manual pull tarp: a spring-loaded roller at the front of the body. No motor, no wiring, no battery drain. The lower-cost option, and the simplest to own.
- Electric tarp system: a motor opens and closes the tarp from a switch or remote in the cab. It costs more and has more parts to look after, but the driver never leaves the seat.
How a manual pull tarp works
The tarp sits on a spring-loaded roller inside an aluminum housing at the front of the body. Pull it back over your load and tie it off at the rear. When you’re done, let it go and the spring winds it back into the housing, out of the weather. There’s nothing to plug in and nothing to wire up.
How an electric tarp system works
An electric system uses a 12 V or 24 V motor, wired to the truck’s battery, to run the tarp open and closed. Depending on the design, the motor turns the roller directly or drives arms that pull the tarp across the body. The driver works it with a switch or wireless remote from the cab.
Side-by-side comparison
| Manual pull tarp | Electric tarp system | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher: motor, wiring and controls on top of the tarp |
| Parts to maintain | Spring roller and tarp | Motor, wiring, switches and fuses as well as the tarp |
| Needs the truck’s battery | No | Yes |
| Operated from | At the truck | The cab |
| Installation | Bolts on with basic tools | Also needs electrical wiring to the battery and cab |
| Best for | Owner-operators, landscapers, contractors, dump trailers and trucks that cover a few loads a day | Fleets covering many loads a day, and very large bodies |
Choose a manual pull tarp if…
- You want the lowest cost to buy and to own
- You’d rather not run wiring or rely on the truck’s battery
- You haul mulch, soil, gravel or green waste and cover a handful of loads a day
- You want to fit it yourself with basic tools
Choose an electric system if…
- Your drivers cover loads all day long and every minute out of the cab counts
- You run very large bodies or trailers
- You’re happy to budget more upfront and maintain the electrics
Whichever you choose, cover every load
Many states fine trucks carrying uncovered loose loads such as gravel, sand, soil and mulch. A tarp you can pull over in seconds makes it easy to stay legal on every trip.
The Fragar pull tarp kit: from US$995 delivered
A complete kit cut to your truck body width: aluminum housing, spring-loaded roller, heavy-duty mesh tarp, brackets and all hardware. Freight, duties and taxes are included, it arrives in 3–7 days once shipped, and it comes with a 12-month parts warranty.
Questions
Will it fit my truck?
Kits fit dump bodies from 59¼ to 106¼ inches wide inside, with a 16 ft 5 in (5 m) or 23 ft (7 m) tarp. Not sure? Send us your truck details and we’ll confirm the fit before you order.
What kind of tarp comes with the kit?
A heavy-duty mesh tarp with reinforced edges. Mesh lets air through, which suits mulch, soil, gravel and green waste. Add eyelets along the edge if you want to tie it down.
How do I get help?
Our team is in Australia and replies during business hours (Sydney time). Message us on WhatsApp or email sales@fragargroup.com.au.