Equipment trailer for Bobcat CT235

[lstinthot]

I have a 16' bumper pull, 7000# that I pull my CT230 w/backhoe. I generally have stuff hanging off the back. It is the trailer I had before I bought the tractor and seems to be working. If I come across a deal I would upgrade to 18' or possibly 20'. I have slide out ramps. They work good. It is also all metal. I had to add extra tie downs for the dirt bikes but for tractor the ones that came original worked fine. The metal has been a pain if trying to load the tractor and it is raining and I parked on a hill, tend to spin the tires or have to move the truck on downhill side.

I think I would go for a 18' with wood deck, slide out ramps. 10K capacity. My trailer is made local so can not recommend a brand.

 

[Highbeam]

I have the CK30 which I believe is the same tractor as your bobcat. I use a 16+2, car hauler (low boy), with slide in ramps, 6" channel frame, 10k rated, PJ brand trailer. It is perfect and has been a great trailer. The empty trailer weighs 2500# with 250# on the ball for a nice distribution.

The CK30 with an implement on the rear, loader on front, and non-filled tires is right at about 4500#.

When loaded to mow with the FEL on of course, the rear trailer axles on one scale pad weigh 6600 plus at least 700 on the tongue.

Here's a picture.

If I could do anything differently it would be to get a longer deck. The mower hangs off the back.

 

[powerscol]

Folks - I cant thank you enough.

I have decided to look for a used or new 20 foot unit 18+2 or something similar with the slide out ramps if that can be found ( or assisted tilt up ramps). A second use will be hauling hay, so I will be looking for a 10 to 14K unit . I missed a sweet deal on a 14k unit at an action last week - it went for $2500, but I had no idea what I was looking at. I went looking for pallet forks and left after seeing the bent set being offered. Trailer was in good shape too, except for one bent ramp. I think it was a Load King brand or something like that - it was listed as a heavy duty construction trailer

There is a local manufacturer and several dealers around me and when I called they all wanted my business - one has sealed trays that store the ramps to keep dirt out and another has an assisted tilt down ramp system - some 12 volt hydraulic pump run out of the tool box.

Bottom line I will be checking frames, welds, paint, wiring, tie down points, axles and breaks, and dealer service.

Thanks Again

 

[kiotiken]

...I went looking for pallet forks and left after seeing the bent set being offered.

I bought a set in the Richie Bros auction this spring. Check rbauction.com to see if there's one around you. They always have 10-20 sets of new 42" - 48" forks as well as some used ones and depending on who's bidding, you can get a really good deal. I did all my bidding online, just sign up a few days ahead and know about all the fees that you'll be hit with and bid accordingly.

 

[Highbeam]

Gotta say that my slide in ramps can in no way be stuck or damaged or affected by dirt or mud. They slide into angle iron cradles that are open to allow any debris to fall off.

Don't worry about this, sounds like a design defect of a particular manufacturer.

 

[Tomtint]

I have a 18 foot dove tail 10k with fold up ramps. It is a nice all around trailer. I also have a 20 foot low profile tilt 12k. After having the tilt, I don't think I would ever want to go to any kind of ramp trailer.

 

[sparc]

I am looking for a trailer and though I have never used a tilt bed I think that is what I want. I've used a number of trailers with ramps of various styles, and the tilt bed seems so much easier and faster to load. Am I missing something? I figure I can expect to pay a bit more for a equal capacity tilt bed but I think it will be worth it for what I want to do. I like the lower loading height, no ramps to deal with, no breakover point that might be a problem for cars with minimal ground clearance like our little BMW should I ever want to haul it somewhere.

So what are the negative aspects (if any) of a tilt bed other than the price difference?

 

[Tomtint]

The only thing that is a negative for me, on my tilt trailer is that I did not get a split deck. That is nice to keep a bucket or other implement up front and still load/unload. I got a real good deal on the trailer I bought so I can overlook that. The low load angle is great. Drive on, back on, whatever you want. Tilt is the way to go.

 

[deezler]

Pardon my newb-ish-ness, but how exactly does a tilt trailer work?

Is it like a live see-saw all the time? Do you have to "lock" it in the down position once you're loaded? It seems like that woul dbe kind of scary to load... you drive a huge, hevay machine halfway up, and then all of a sudden it tilts back and slams down? Are they dampened with a shock or hydraulics of some kind? Are they easy to move up and down by hand, or do you need the weight of a machine to tilt them?

Are they really that much easier to load vs. just driving up a pair of ramps (of which I have never had much of an issue....)

 

[Highbeam]

They are like a big seesaw but you latch them down once the deck is level to prevent the seesaw action while underway.

I've loaded dozers onto tilt beds with shock absorbers to slow the descent of the ramp to level but still had to be careful because those shocks could be damaged by overloading them with too much dozer weight.

I've also seen powered up and down tilt decks and also straight teeter totters with no control.

What I don't like about tilt decks is that the trailer deck steel is not welded to the trailer tongue steel. There is a hinge there instead so it can't be as strong in front of the axles.

Also the uinload area has to be pretty level so that you don't tweak the tilting deck where ramps can absorb this unevenness.

Finally, most of them are flat beds above the tires so the deck height is tall compared to a car hauler style trailer with fenders. I know there are some tilting car haulers but not as common for high rated equipment trailers.

If you ever mount a winch to the front of the trailer you would have to figure out a way to wire and control the winch way up in the sky.

Just more moving parts and a less rigid structure. Ramps can get heavy after a long day though.