New 7K Trailer Advice

Will_C · May 24, 2009

Now that I have traded the BX in on a B2620, I'm finding my 6X12' 3000lb single axle trailer is just barely adequate. I am ok on payload weight, but the tractor and FEL fill the entire trailer deck, and I can't get good balance-drive on, too heavy at the rear, back on, too much tongue weight.

My current trailer is a Worthington aluminum trailer. I have had it for 10 years and I have been thrilled with it. I am pretty much sold on aluminum-I see steel trailers that are rusting after 2-3 years here in NY.

My use for the trailer will be hauling the tractor, hauling a ZTR (this gets hauled twice a week in the summer months) hauling an ATV, and various moving jobs. I really like the full width ramp on my current set up-it makes moving appliances, furniture and other heavy items easy-just walk on or roll a dollly up the ramp. It also makes loading/unloading the ZTR very easy.

One of my questions is how durable will the full width ramps be? My current trailer has a ramp made of welded aluminum and was rated at 2000lbs when I bought the trailer. It has not developed any fatigue after 10 years of loading the 1600lb BX on a regular basis. Will a similar ramp hold up on 7K trailer? The heaviest item I have now is the tractor (2500lbs ready to go, probably 3000lbs or so with an implement.) However, if I have a trailer that will allow me to haul a 5000lb payload, I would want to be able to take advantage of it if the need ever arose.

I am trying to decide between another landscape style if the ramp will be strong enough, or probably a car hauler style if I am going to have to use contractor or stowable ramps. I am sold on a 7K trailer-I can't see ever having a heavier vehicle than my Tundra. I am going to go with an 18 or 20' trailer-I do like the fact that with stowable ramps an implement tail wheel can ride off the rear of the trailer 1-2 feet if needed.

What advice do you have? I will be talking this over with some dealers, but my former dealer passed away and I don't have any dealers that I know well enough to trust.

Also, what are the pros/cons of a 2-4' beavertail deck?

Thanks,
Will

spruce Deere · May 24, 2009

Hello will C, The trailer I have is an 18 foot load trail "dove tail" car hauler. The dealer here called it a dove tail, back two feet slope down. One of them same thing, different name deals. Anyway, the fact that you can hang your implement off the end of the trailer is a good thing. I tried a landscaper trailer with a full ramp and found it more of a pain for haul'n my tractor with longer implements. Not to mention the full ramp seemed pretty light duty for anything heavier than a riding lawn mower. Then I found a smoke'n deal on a used 7000 lbs. carhauler trailer with the stow-able ramps in the tail. The ramps are more than plenty heavy duty for the 790 which weighs any where from 2500 to 3000 lbs. depending on implement on tractor. The "beavertail" is nice for making the loading angle not as steep with longer "imps" so as not to gouge-in and hang up when loading. I would definitely recommend a car hauler "beavertail" with stow-able ramps and nothing shorter that 18 feet. I hauled close to 5000 lbs. of unseasoned fire wood with it to. Did just fine, could tell I had something heavy behind me though

Hematite · May 25, 2009

I would never advise a "beavertail" trailer because of the severe dragging of this lower part of the trailer on anything but perfectly flat roads. Every driveway, gas station entrance, etc becomes a challenge as to how bad the drag is. Been there, done that , never again.

Loading clearance issue with a tractor with a straight trailer? I think not. except for extremely low cars, loading anything on a flat deck trailer presents no problem.

I recommend the spring assisted ramps. The slide ins are very heavy and difficult to handle and tend to rust more because they are stored underneath and out of sight. The fold up ramps are easier to live with.

wkpoor · May 25, 2009

I too had an 18' car hauler (pretty heavy duty 2500lbs empty) w/2' dove tail. For ZTR's golf carts and small tractors it was fantastic. Backend did drag into or out of parking lots alot. Ramps were very light but very strong mesh. Best design I've ever seen. I even loaded my 9000lb + tractor on it a couple of times with no distortion. Funny thing was though somes cars were hard to load. Long wheels bases would hang up in the middle more so than my deckover. Pull outs also stowed underneath that almost never got used and got rusty. I think without the dove tail mowers and the such will drag though unless the ramps are 6' long. I've watched people load onto straight deck trailers with mowers and they always drag onto them.
Basically any trailer will have some short coming will eventually need to work around. Buy what suits your needs the most work around the other situations.

dodge man · May 25, 2009

I have a 18' trailer where the back 2' is a dove tail. So far I haven't had any problems with it dragging. Either I am lucky or mine sits a little higher. My ramps are very heavy and stow under the back of the trailer. They are made of a series of small angle irons welded cross ways. It makes it kind of notchy when you go to load a tractor, but you get used to it. I would love an alum. trailer, but they are serious money. I don't use mine that often, but as often you use yours, it might be worth the money.

spruce Deere · May 25, 2009

I have had some tail drag issues with the 18' dovetail too, but none that were life threatening. I have found having the openness on the back and stow-able ramps more suited for what I do. Plus the spring assist, sky scraper ramps tend to be in the 14,000 lbs. trailer category. Fine for the heavier stuffs, but also is a heavier trailer to start with. Like wkpoor stated, any trailer has short comings, buy the the one most suited to YOUR needs and work around others. There is tilt bed trailers in the 7000lbs. range too...

LBrown59 · May 25, 2009

spruce Deere said:
Hello will C, The trailer I have is an 18 foot load trail "dove tail" car hauler. The dealer here called it a dove tail, back two feet slope down. One of them same thing, different name deals. Anyway, the fact that you can hang your implement off the end of the trailer is a good thing. I tried a landscaper trailer with a full ramp and found it more of a pain for haul'n my tractor with longer implements. Not to mention the full ramp seemed pretty light duty for anything heavier than a riding lawn mower. Then I found a smoke'n deal on a used 7000 lbs. carhauler trailer with the stow-able ramps in the tail. The ramps are more than plenty heavy duty for the 790 which weighs any where from 2500 to 3000 lbs. depending on implement on tractor. The "beavertail" is nice for making the loading angle not as steep with longer "imps" so as not to gouge-in and hang up when loading.

1*I would definitely recommend a car hauler "beavertail" with stow-able ramps

and nothing shorter that 18 feet. I hauled close to 5000 lbs. of unseasoned fire wood with it to. Did just fine, could tell I had something heavy behind me though

Hematite said:
I would never advise a "beavertail" trailer because of the severe dragging of this lower part of the trailer on anything but perfectly flat roads. Every driveway, gas station entrance, etc becomes a challenge as to how bad the drag is. Been there, done that , never again.

Loading clearance issue with a tractor with a straight trailer? I think not. except for extremely low cars, loading anything on a flat deck trailer presents no problem.

I recommend the spring assisted ramps. The slide ins are very heavy and difficult to handle and tend to rust more because they are stored underneath and out of sight. The fold up ramps are easier to live with.

I'd prefer a tilt bed over dove tail and ramps.

wushaw · May 25, 2009

I have dragged the back of my 16' 7k straight trailer on a few occasions, none of em are perfect everywhere.

I will be going to a 20' w/dove tail sometime this year, I may put a roller on the rear just to help it with the draggin problem.