Loading car on trailer

[SpotsyMatt]

This is mildly off-topic but involves my NH tractor so I thought it might be the place to post it.

I've got a car that needs to get loaded on a trailer (a guy is buying it from me). The car weighs 2800 pounds and can't be driven up onto the ramp as the engine is dead.

Don't have a winch but was hoping to use my NH TC45 to do pull it up onto the trailer somehow. Hadn't done this before and wanted to get some advice from those more experienced and wiser than I.

Should I be able to pull it up onto the trailer? If so, how would you do it?

Thanks!

Matt

 

[KTurner]

I've done this a couple times. The first time, a friend and I just pushed it onto the trailer. Not the easiest or safest approach, but it worked. Of course, one person in the car to hit the brakes quickly so that it didnt roll backwards down the ramps. Maybe you can put a buffer (old tire?) between the car and your tractor (or a truck, car, etc) and push it up the ramps.

The second time, we positioned the trailer downhill from the car and let gravity do most of the work for us.

Keith

 

[Bird]

Matt, the only problem I'd see would be keeping the cable routed in the right direction or angle. I'm assuming the trailer will be hooked up to the towing vehicle which will keep you from lining the tractor up with the front of the trailer. The only time I had to load a non-running vehicle was putting Chevy Suburban onto a 16' trailer and we used a come-along for that job.

 

[99SVT]

a come-a-long would work.

The tractor would work, but you would have to have the trailer disconnected from the towing vehicle. This would cause the trailer to come up at the tongue when the car starts to go on the trailer. Could be very dangerous. Unless you have some sort of pulley system, you could have the tractor at a right angle to the trailer, and pull it on.

Like was said above, get a few people to help push it up, or use gravity to help get it on the trailer. Done both of these before with success.

I have since went and bought a very cheap portable winch (Master Lock 12V DC Portable Winch — 2000-Lb. Capacity, Model# 2953AT | 1,000 - 2,900 Lb. Capacity | Northern Tool + Equipment) which works very well, in multiple places.

 

[BeeferMan]

Let's see...

- jack knife the trailer so you can tow it straight on from the front.

- get a snatch block and fasten it to the front of the trailer so you pull it on from an angle

- do like one suggestion and park the trailer down hill so you can roll it on (easy, but what fun is that? )

- Just push it on with the bucket! (Get paid first!)

 

[Soundguy]

I'd come-along it.. or use a farm jack as a puller.. might be safer.. etc.

soundguy

 

[billfires]

Probably a long shot but does the car have a trailer hitch? We loaded a full size non-running pickup on my 18' trailer by pushing on the trailer ball. Bill C

 

[BarryinMN]

Hook a chain to the front corner of the vehicle and run the tractor up along side the tow vehicle & chain to the drawbar, keep the angle shallow and as long as the loading vehicle tires roll & not skid it will pull up the trailer easy.

Getting behind a rolling load on a slope or detaching the trailer from tow vehicle while loading are bad ideas in my book.

 

[SpotsyMatt]

Thanks for all the ideas.

Funniest one was sent to me via e-mail:

"Fix the car, drive it up on the trailer."

Now, why didn't *I* think of that? ;-)

 

[Jake1297]

One way if you have to unhook the trailer from the tow vehicle. Block all four corners of the trailer so it doesn't lift the front as you pull in onto the back. After, just crank the front up off the blocks, and pull them out. Hook up and then pull forward to drive off the rear blocks.

 

[two_bit_score]

This is mildly off-topic but involves my NH tractor so I thought it might be the place to post it.

I've got a car that needs to get loaded on a trailer (a guy is buying it from me). The car weighs 2800 pounds and can't be driven up onto the ramp as the engine is dead.

Don't have a winch but was hoping to use my NH TC45 to do pull it up onto the trailer somehow. Hadn't done this before and wanted to get some advice from those more experienced and wiser than I.

Should I be able to pull it up onto the trailer? If so, how would you do it?

Thanks!

Matt

My first thought would be a come-a-long on the front with the tractor behind for pushing, gently, with the front end loader or pallet forks.

Now. I'll shut up and see what the experts say.

 

[rayikeo2]

If this is one of those newer cars with plastic bumpers I am betting that the bumper comes off before the car goes on.

 

[stuartshomepc]

Thanks for all the ideas.

Funniest one was sent to me via e-mail:

"Fix the car, drive it up on the trailer."

Now, why didn't *I* think of that? ;-)

Naw, you just need a bigger tractor so that you can pick up the car and slide the trailer under it!

 

[Willl]

Leave it hooked to the truck and park it jack knifed 45 degree's.

Cable, chain or rope tow it up.

 

[westcliffe01]

Is the car a stick ? If it is not disassembled, pull the plugs, disconnect the fuel pump, put it in first gear, engage the clutch and let the starter power it up into position. With no compression, you may be surprised how far it will run on the starter. Drop in a fully charged battery and pull it once it is parked on the trailer.

 

[jinman]

The "hey y'all wachiss" method would be to leave the trailer attached to the towing vehicle. Run a big long tow strap from the front axle of the busted car over the front of the trailer and back under the trailer and below the busted car. Hook onto it with a tractor and pull so the car rolls up onto the trailer as the tractor drives away. Be sure to take a video of it so we can all watch on YouTube or America's Funniest Home Videos.

 

[JC-jetro]

Can't top Jim's suggestion but why not park the trailer in to a ditch and push the car right on to the trailer, what remains the difficult task is how to get the trailer out of the ditch.

I think probably the safest thing to do it is to have trailer attached to your towing vehicle and using an electric winch to pull the car up. I'll have driver in the car so he can at least apply the hand break or have the car in first gear with the clutch pressed (if manual shift) to have some option if the winch cable decides to break. I'd control the winch as far as I can since I hate to get whiplashed by a busted cable. Might use a combination of winch and a chain to keep the whiplash to a minimum if it should occur.

JC,

 

[brin]

Jinman...that would work....think about it, might sound convuluted but I see no reason it wouldn't work. So would jack knifing the trailer and pulling it on with a tractor as another poster suggested...

 

[BeeferMan]

The "hey y'all wachiss" method would be to leave the trailer attached to the towing vehicle. Run a big long tow strap from the front axle of the busted car over the front of the trailer and back under the trailer and below the busted car. Hook onto it with a tractor and pull so the car rolls up onto the trailer as the tractor drives away. Be sure to take a video of it so we can all watch on YouTube or America's Funniest Home Videos.

Ah heck, you don't even need a tractor for that - instead of the tractor, tie the end of the rope to a tree, then just drive the tow vehicle ahead...

 

[jinman]

Ah heck, you don't even need a tractor for that - instead of the tractor, tie the end of the rope to a tree, then just drive the tow vehicle ahead...

BeeferMan, are you sure you weren't born in the South?