Do you like slide under ramps?

[Charlesaf3]

Thanks, makes sense. Went out and measured my pickup wheels - looks like I need a minimum of 80" between fenders if I ever wanted to haul my own truck. Seems pretty doable (and hopefully unlikely... )

 

[MillWeld]

I'm glad to read these responses, too. I built 5' slide in ramps for my trailer but haven't a chance to use them yet. They're 80 lbs each so any handling more than hooking them on the trailer is quite an effort.

 

[lostcause]

i have tip up ramps on my trailer, and they do occasionally interfere with the load i haul. occasionally i have to unpin them and haul them home in the truck body, or strapped to the load on the trailer. i've thought about ramps underneath, but always decide against it, but only for one reason: i use my trailer in all seasons.

though generally not as much in the winter, i do have to make those occasional trips. on past trailers where i have had with ramps underneath, they tend to get covered with slush and ice. all the junk that sprays up from the tires coats them, and at times they are so covered and frozen that they won't slide out. you have to thrash and pound on them to get the ice to break enough to clear the crossmembers of the trailer when pulling them out.

certainly not a problem for most, but i live in a rural area where some roads will stay messy for most of the year.

 

[jwstewar]

I used to borrow my cousin's 16' trailer with side slide in ramps. Since his didn't have the dovetail, they had to be longer. Since they were longer, they were built heavier. It was all I could do to move them around to the rear of the trailer and get them put in place. My back would hurt for 3 or 4 days after moving them around when I would use the trailer. The ramps just kind of "laid" in the carrier. Kind of hard to get in and out, but he actually had one bounce out and was sticking out of the side of the trailer and he almost took out another car. He didn't realize they could do it, but now he ties them in (well actually he doesn't use that trailer much he bought a tilt deck). Now that I bought my trailer it is a 16'+2' dovetail. It has ramps that slide from the rear. Since it has the dovetail the ramps are shorter and lighter. They are a piece of cake to pull a spring loaded pin slide them out, lift the trailer end up, and in place or pick them up and slide them back in their holders securely locked in place with the pin.

 

[JB4310]

I've got both slide in and stand up ramps, I like the stand up ramps for equipment trailer, it is an equipment trailer, that needs the ramps everytime I use it. the spring loaded ramps are fast and easy.
They come off easily if needed, but I have never needed them off.

Don't see how ramps would interfere with using forks? unless you're talking about plopping a pallet on the tail of the trailer from the rear? Can't picture a scenario where that would be practical. I load and unload pallets from the sides, or drive right up the ramps with a pallet.

Another benifit to stand up/drop down ramps is mine have blocking built in so no need for jacks on the rear of the trailer. which is a big deal with any heavy load going onto the trailer.

My dump trailer has slide in ramps for when you need to use it for rolling equipment, That's great, they are out of the way and unused most of the time I use that trailer.
Stowed ramps are a royal PITA IMO, anyone who says other wise, makes me wonder?? I think it all about the looks.

If I was hauling a show car I would not want stand up ramps, wouldn't look to sporty at a show.

I've never seen contractors with skid steers on anything but tilt trailer or one with stand up ramps, maybe some week end warriors, but not someone doing it on a regular basis.

JB

 

[Diamondpilot]

I've got both slide in and stand up ramps, I like the stand up ramps for equipment trailer, it is an equipment trailer, that needs the ramps everytime I use it. the spring loaded ramps are fast and easy.
They come off easily if needed, but I have never needed them off.

Don't see how ramps would interfere with using forks? unless you're talking about plopping a pallet on the tail of the trailer from the rear? Can't picture a scenario where that would be practical. I load and unload pallets from the sides, or drive right up the ramps with a pallet.

Another benifit to stand up/drop down ramps is mine have blocking built in so no need for jacks on the rear of the trailer. which is a big deal with any heavy load going onto the trailer.

My dump trailer has slide in ramps for when you need to use it for rolling equipment, That's great, they are out of the way and unused most of the time I use that trailer.
Stowed ramps are a royal PITA IMO, anyone who says other wise, makes me wonder?? I think it all about the looks.

If I was hauling a show car I would not want stand up ramps, wouldn't look to sporty at a show.

I've never seen contractors with skid steers on anything but tilt trailer or one with stand up ramps, maybe some week end warriors, but not someone doing it on a regular basis.

JB

What you have to remember is with a contractor using a trailers the trailer usually has one job, move a Skid Steer or Backhoe to the job site.

For someone like me I could care less how it looks, it needs to be practical. I haul wood, pallets, cars, trucks, tractors, boats, loose material like mulch, ect. Stand up ramps just got in the way for me. Had them on another trailer. We need a trailer that does just about everything.

For the task I listed above nothing beats a low boy, flat deck, 82" wide car hauler type trailer with slide in ramps. Lets be honest here. I use my trailer maybe 12 times a year. That is probably more than most. 1/2 the time I need the ramps and half I do not. So pulling a pin, sliding out the under trailer rear stored ramps, and lifting the one end 3" to get them in the channel
is not a big deal.

Now if I were a contractor toting only my BH and putting it on and off the trailer 2 times a day I would want stand up ramps for the ease of uses. For the average home owner like me what I have is tough to beat. This is from trial and error of owning other trailers.

Chris

 

[powerstroke444e]

I have slide in ramps on my 30foot gooseneck and bumper pull 16foot and I really like them 90%time but when it is snowy and slushy i ussually leave them on the deck so they don't freeze in the holder. The one trailer I have with fold up ramps always seems that the ramps are in the way or I almost can fold them but a something is in the way.

 

[JB4310]

Now if I were a contractor toting only my BH and putting it on and off the trailer 2 times a day I would want stand up ramps for the ease of uses. For the average home owner like me what I have is tough to beat. This is from trial and error of owning other trailers.

Chris

Yeah, I saw where OP mentioned skid steer and just focused on that.
My equipment trailer is 20 feet long so there's enough room where the ramps have not been in the way yet.

JB.

 

[Hematite]

Yes, ramps stored under the trailer are wonderful if you love RUST. The more rusty they get the more difficult they are to use. They also do a great job of gouging driveways because of reduced undertrailer clearance at the rear.

 

[grnspot110]

I did, until they got too heavy to handle! Mine were 5' extra heavy duty, to hold an 8,000# tractor, at first they were no problem. Then, after cancer treatments, they just got too heavy for me. I went back to the builder & had them put on a ramp/gate. Coil springs on the pins, then later I added garage door springs to the sides. Can always put on a winch, if needed. ~~ grnspot