Can't load my tractor!

[Diamondpilot]

I think you are wrong. My CK20 with the subframe backhoe was dragging using the 5' ramps that came with my trailer. I bought a set of 7' ramps and that took care of my dragging problem. Longer ramps give you a shallower approach angle which keeps the rear of the tractor off the ground.

Ding, Ding, Ding we have a winner.

Chris

 

[CurlyDave]

We solve similar problems with a shovel.

Dig holes that you can back the trailer wheels into. On the loading end, you can use the hoe to dig a pair of parallel trenches a few inches deep that will lower the rear of the trailer. On the unloading end you will need a shovel, but it is only a few minutes work.

Pulling even the loaded trailer out of the holes with the tow vehicle is not a problem if you shape them sort of like a ramp.

For a "few times per year" this is the least costly and safest solution you will find.

 

[Jay4200]

Ding, Ding, Ding we have a winner.

Chris

Sorry Chris - the part of the geometry you don't understand is the ratio of wheelbase to the portion of frame that is hanging off the back, which is roughly 2:1. I have about 6" of ground clearance, so as such, the front of the tractor can never rise more than a foot above the rear tires. With my 6' wheel base, and 2' trailer, the only way to solve the problem with a ramp extension is with a 12' ramp. Ding ding, indeed.

JayC

 

[Diamondpilot]

Well then make them 12'. Like I said I just made a 10' set. Its your only real everyday option. The other suggestions will work but require being at the right place at the right time with a ditch, wood, ramps, a case of beer, ect.

Chris

 

[Egon]

[a case of beer, /QUOTE]

Diga ding dong; there is a solution and just forget about the backhoe!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I still say the ramps do not need to be 12' long if you back it on. Adding 3' would surely solve the issues. Just as long as the ramps are the same length or more as the wheel base of the tractor. Loading by backing on is your answer.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

Jay

I am not trying to be a jerk here. I am trying to give you the $100 solution. I went back and re-read all the post and many are on the lengthen the ramp band wagon. It is the only real solution. Make the ramps 1' longer than the distance from the rear tire center line to the back of the backhoe. Once this is done you will be able to BACK THE TRACTOR ON and prior to the hoe hitting the rear wheels would be 1' up the ramps and would allow it to clear the trailer deck.

Trust us on this one. We are trying to help here. If you lived near me I would do the work for free just to prove it would work. I went through this this spring with my friend with a man lift who was going to drop 5K on a tilt trailer to haul a man lift for his garage door company. We built 10' ramps to replace the 5' ramps and it did the trick. Yes, they are long but cost him very little to solve this issue and a couple of his extra springs to the ramps make lifting them a 1 finger job.

Chris

 

[20 20]

Diamondpilot: I'd also do the work for free. I don't think he relizes how much even a short extention would make much less doubling what he has. From the picture that was posted, those ramps are way to SHORT! If he wanted a 12' ramp{probably way more then needed} he could have it hinge at 6' so that it would not stick up so high. As others suggested, extend the ramps then back onto the trailer?

Digging is fine if your not worried about the ground where you're at or about getting stuck. I would not want to have to dig a hole every time I needed to load or unload though. Why not fix it right the 1st time.

I'd go talk to some folks that have BH's and trailer and check out there setup. Honestly I think your making a mountain out of a mole hill I'm not trying to be a jerk here either, like the others just trying to help.

 

[KeithInSpace]

OK, guys. I said it once before...I'm not a fan of speculation.

So I built a simple replica of the situation in AutoCAD to demonstrate the problem and a couple different solutions.

I used fairly conservative parameters based on the OPs input and information available online. I put the deck 24" off the ground (Hudson says 23"). I assumed stock ramps are 5' long. The wheelbase of his tractor is 71", but I put in 72" (even 6 foot). I made the rear-most tip of his backhoe 3 feet behind the rear-most point of his rear tire and put that corner a mere 6" off the ground.

From my model, you can see that even if the stock ramps were extended to 10 feet long (which I wouldn't want to lift or have sticking up during transport), it wouldn't come close to working. I don't even think 12 foot long ramps would work IF they are hinged at the trailer deck.

He needs "sub-ramps".

By my calculation, sub-ramps that are 10' long (properly positioned) or 8' long with a "ledge" at the lower end at least 3 inches tall will allow the point of the backhoe to swing harmlessly in the air as the tractor is loaded.

As I stated before, I have the identical problem, albeit on a smaller scale with my little BX tractor/backhoe, and this is how I solved it. But my sub-ramps are only 8 feet long and could be a little shorter.

I hope everyone finds this information helpful to the discussion.

Even more, I hope the OP tries it with a few 2 x 12s and tells us that it works!!!

 

[Steve C]

OK, guys. I said it once before...I'm not a fan of speculation.

So I built a simple replica of the situation in AutoCAD to demonstrate the problem and a couple different solutions.

I used fairly conservative parameters based on the OPs input and information available online. I put the deck 24" off the ground (Hudson says 23"). I assumed stock ramps are 5' long. The wheelbase of his tractor is 71", but I put in 72" (even 6 foot). I made the rear-most tip of his backhoe 3 feet behind the rear-most point of his rear tire and put that corner a mere 6" off the ground.

From my model, you can see that even if the stock ramps were extended to 10 feet long (which I wouldn't want to lift or have sticking up during transport), it wouldn't come close to working. I don't even think 12 foot long ramps would work IF they are hinged at the trailer deck.

He needs "sub-ramps".

By my calculation, sub-ramps that are 10' long (properly positioned) or 8' long with a "ledge" at the lower end at least 3 inches tall will allow the point of the backhoe to swing harmlessly in the air as the tractor is loaded.

As I stated before, I have the identical problem, albeit on a smaller scale with my little BX tractor/backhoe, and this is how I solved it. But my sub-ramps are only 8 feet long and could be a little shorter.

I hope everyone finds this information helpful to the discussion.

Even more, I hope the OP tries it with a few 2 x 12s and tells us that it works!!!

I think if you raise the front of the trailer about 14"-16" by driving up on a set of ramps with the rear tires of the truck, the rear of the trailer will drop 7 or 8 inches. That along with a slightly extended ramp or a little cribbing to drive up on (sub-ramp) might just do the trick.

If you take you example that is third fron the left in the top row and draw a line from the contact point on the ground to the top of the end of the trailer, that will give you the length of ramp that will work. If you then drop that top point 8 inches and draw a line parallel to the first one that will give the length of ramp that you need with the tuck up on ramps. It may be close to what the standard ramps are.