trailer build

[augercreek]

Well I need some opinions.I'm building a trailer to haul my Farmall 100 around to shows and tractor rides and I'd like to make it tilt so I don't need ramps to load and unload.That seems easy enough,but when reloading the tractor I think the bed will want to tilt back up before the rear wheels have started on up.How would I prevent this from happening?
Your brother in Christ Jerry

 

[davedj1]

gas struts or a good gas shock, hydraulics?

 

[DutchHenryBrown]

I have looked at the tilt trailers and for the life of me right now I cannot remember what they had if anything to keep that from happening?

 

[pjbci]

The one i looked at before just had a double acting hyd cyl plumbed back into itself with a flow restrictor in the line.

 

[Attono]

It would need hydraulics or the thing would slam down as you were unloading and the rear wheels rolled off. I'd just do the ramps. <><

 

[mikehaugen]

We rented a trailer a while back (probably 10-15 years) and it had an actual floor jack built into the the frame just behind where the tongue met the main frame. It was kind slow, but it worked. Not sure how it went high enough now thinking back. It also was factory I believe because it was a rental, but I have never seen one like it since.

 

[cycle_gator]

My flatbed equipment trailer, tilt bed, has a dampened hydraulic cylinder on it. The other trick is to keep the hinges forward, not right at the back, I would need to look for sure, but I think mine hinges just behind the rear set of wheels. That way, she will not even think about starting down until the front wheels are in front of the
pivot, hinge, point. In fact, I have to drive on a long way before she starts to tip back down, so maybe the hinge is even between the two axles.

 

[augercreek]

Oh, I like the dampened hydraulic cylinder idea.Maybe a shut off valve in the line so it stays up?I also have a small hand pump that could be plumbed in the system or just used to extend a single acting cylinder.Wow you guys got my creative juices flowing now!
Thanks guys

 

[6011Artist]

My FIL had a trailer for hauling lawn mowers that tilted and was heavy on the rear just enough to keep the bed tilted when empty. It was balanced enough that just slight pressure from your hand would bring it back down and lock the front into place. The overall trailer had enough tongue weight it pulled good loaded or empty.

I've thought about building one like it but built heavier for hauling tractors. If I did it I'd build a trailer sub frame to mount my wheels and axles on and then build a bed seperately. I'd then place my bed onto the lower frame and figure out my pivot point and then build hinges to secure the bed to the lower frame. By doing this there is a good bit of empty trailer behind the tractor after getting it loaded but it works well. And you can even load a lightweight trailer on it too, the weight of the tractor will still cause it to lower itself down and lock into place.

I have an older friend that basically adds another tongue under the original one complete with another ball and coupler. When he wants to tilt his, he backs it up to tilt the bed but then puts a farm jack under it to hold the trailer in a raised position. When reloading, he drives the tractor onto the trailer getting all 4 wheels on the trailer and then takes the jack out, and then drives the tractor the rest of the way up on the trailer. It works but is not the best rig by any means.

Since you are building from scratch, figure out your balance point and let it balance by it's own weight.

 

[augercreek]

Okay,another question.I got the axel installed (3500#) with electric brakes on it,they seemed to be a little corroded up as it had been sitting out several years so, I pulled the drums off and cleaned them up with brake cleaner as it had been over greased a few times in the past. The axel had come off a 35' fifth wheel trailer.Now what type of brake controller should I get? Or does it make any difference?