Got a tractor hauler (finally)

[flusher]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

Pucker factor--how about this one



That's an 11,000+ lb Minneapolis Moline G1000 pulling tractor unloading at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in Guymon, OK in May08. He's backing that beast down 10-ft ramps-- those ramps can't be more than 18" wide and look pretty beat up to me.

 

[Soundguy]

But, I guess, you've gotten use to your deckover GN by now:thumbsup:.

Aluminum ramps--what's the deal here? Have you had problems with them?

for sure, fine with it now. I even load trikes on it. In fact. trikes are what I mainly play with now. I have a 5' self cleaning dovetail, and 5' flip up self cleaning ramps, with ramp feet to prevent trailer tail dip.

the issue I have seen with aluminum is hardening and cracking.. and it's lower strencth compaired to steel of similar size. i know you can over build them and use lots of bracing to overcome that.. but i've seen a lone aluminum car loading ramp crack and fold while a guy was loading a car on a flatbed truck one time. ripped the nose of the car off damaged some body panels.. paint. and I'm sure the pan slammed the ground... these ramps were a type that folded near the middle, and had corrugated rolled edges to make a trough to guide the tires. fold happened where a side split occured in the edge.. that allowd the corrugated fold to flatten out and fold and bow. I do not know the weigt rating or any specifics.. I merely witnessed it.. from then on.. I've never touched an aluminum ramp. have made my own steel ones though with heavy angle, and heave flat.. using 3" angle for sides and 2 " for cross members, and 3"x3/8 flat sections as additional support bracing.

i made that ramp as a center for my trikes near a decade ago.. and I've had for sure 5000# on it by itself loading a heavy jd with huge cast axle weights, and the base tractor was over 4K by itself.. and it's never deflected or deformed a bit.. .. whereas aluminum can floex and if it does it can work harden.. then get brittle.

still.. if built correctly.. it should be ok.. just not for me..

soundguy

 

[flusher]

for sure, fine with it now. I even load trikes on it. In fact. trikes are what I mainly play with now. I have a 5' self cleaning dovetail, and 5' flip up self cleaning ramps, with ramp feet to prevent trailer tail dip.

the issue I have seen with aluminum is hardening and cracking.. and it's lower strencth compaired to steel of similar size. i know you can over build them and use lots of bracing to overcome that.. but i've seen a lone aluminum car loading ramp crack and fold while a guy was loading a car on a flatbed truck one time. ripped the nose of the car off damaged some body panels.. paint. and I'm sure the pan slammed the ground... these ramps were a type that folded near the middle, and had corrugated rolled edges to make a trough to guide the tires. fold happened where a side split occured in the edge.. that allowd the corrugated fold to flatten out and fold and bow. I do not know the weigt rating or any specifics.. I merely witnessed it.. from then on.. I've never touched an aluminum ramp. have made my own steel ones though with heavy angle, and heave flat.. using 3" angle for sides and 2 " for cross members, and 3"x3/8 flat sections as additional support bracing.

i made that ramp as a center for my trikes near a decade ago.. and I've had for sure 5000# on it by itself loading a heavy jd with huge cast axle weights, and the base tractor was over 4K by itself.. and it's never deflected or deformed a bit.. .. whereas aluminum can floex and if it does it can work harden.. then get brittle.

still.. if built correctly.. it should be ok.. just not for me..

soundguy

SG:Thanks for the info. Helpful as usual.

Here're the ramps I'm considering:

5,000lb Per Axle Truck Trailer Ramps From Discount Ramps.Com

There is a heavier-duty version also available from Discount Ramps.

 

[Soundguy]

i see they are not reccomended for things that weight over 5000# that might actually get both axles on the ramps at one time.. ie.. short wheel base. skid laoders.. etc. since they are 10'.. I bet a tractor falls in that.


hey.. if they say they are good and have a warranty... it's not my cash.. since you are weight limited for scales.. I understand. we do what we gotta do. I'm sure they are high quality deals..

soundguy

 

[flusher]

i see they are not reccomended for things that weight over 5000# that might actually get both axles on the ramps at one time.. ie.. short wheel base. skid laoders.. etc. since they are 10'.. I bet a tractor falls in that.


hey.. if they say they are good and have a warranty... it's not my cash.. since you are weight limited for scales.. I understand. we do what we gotta do. I'm sure they are high quality deals..

soundguy

Yep, you're right. I'm OK because my heaviest tractor is around 4000 lb.

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like you are good to go then!

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

For that much money I would have a DT and custom fold up ramps made for you truck. The aluminum ramps are expensive and where will you put them and how will you secure them on the rig once you are loaded?

I can see where the 12K can be a limit. I have 11.5K on my F-350 Diesel SRW truck. 14K would not be a issue so this is something you will have to get on paper and figure out before you go welding on the truck.

Like you said, the first step is to weigh the rig so you know were you are at for payload.

Chris

 

[flusher]

For that much money I would have a DT and custom fold up ramps made for you truck. The aluminum ramps are expensive and where will you put them and how will you secure them on the rig once you are loaded?

I can see where the 12K can be a limit. I have 11.5K on my F-350 Diesel SRW truck. 14K would not be a issue so this is something you will have to get on paper and figure out before you go welding on the truck.

Like you said, the first step is to weigh the rig so you know were you are at for payload.

Chris

Where will you put them? On the bed under the tractor, chained to the drawbar and to the front axle of the tractor.

My guess is that the aluminum ramps are less expensive than having a steel dovetail/flip ramp setup welded up and attached to the rear of the stakebed. This is one welding project that I'd have done by a certified welder in a bonded weld shop (liability issues).

 

[flusher]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

Roger that.

But some folks do it their own way. Here's my contractor backing his JD410C TLB off his deckover trailer



Those ramps can't be more than 5 ft long. Looks like fun.

I had him over to my place to dig a couple of holes to bury several concrete pony walls (lower right in the 2nd photo) left over from an old dairy barn that burned down or fell down, I don't know which. Cheaper than breaking up the concrete and hauling it away.

 

[bdeboer]

My thoughts were going up a set of ramps with 1950's brakes on a half running tractor. Sounds like your truck is lower at 37" than I would have imagined.