Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps

   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #11  
I seriously considered a trailer with monster ramps a few months ago. I found the right deal a little farther afield and opted for a PJ tilt bed. I'm glad I did so far.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #12  
Right now I have 2. a 14k 18 ft Loader toter which is low to the ground and high fendered. Its almost low enough for me to not have to use ramps. It has its ups and downs. It drags its tail in some spots, and is tight between the tall fenders. There is no lifting a implement over them to clear them. I cant haul my 8 ft box blade on the 3 pt, or my disk... Pulls like a dream with low center of gravity though.

Bought this to do what I couldnt do with the loader toter. Big tex 20+5 14k GN with the pop up center rear deck and flat bottom ramps that make it a full length flatbed trailer. Good for hauling long stuff but the dang ramps arent getting any lighter the older I get. Would not get these style ramps again. Would rather have stand up ramps. When loading I have to pull up past the dovetail, get off tractor, flip up ramps, then get back on and back up to center load.

For me and what I do if I could just have one it would be a 20-22 ft deckover with stand up ramps. It would allow me to use for pallets or long lumber, or would be long enough for me to center up a tractor with FEL and a hoe on the back of it.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #13  
Thank you all for the responses and photos. I am more of a visual person so it helps me to get a better understanding. The two trailers I am currently researching the most are between the Sure Trac Equipment with universal ramp equipment, seems to be a similar configuration such as the Mega or Monster ramps. This was shown to me by the same dealer I purchased the tractor from. The other is a PJ F8 deckover with the monster ramps. Ramp configuration seems like it can be changed also. I am not biased to these two brands, it's mainly just that I have dealers within an hour drive.

For the ones who have used the full width ramps (monster/mega) is there any other benefit other than the full width and getting the full use out of the deck when folded? They seem to be shorter in length compared to traditional ramps so may lead to steeper loading angle, but without seeing in person I can't really tell. My concern with this is if I try to back on the trailer the backhoe frame may hit before the tires.

Also as mentioned was the option of the drive over fenders which I will look a little more into now. Researching the one dealers website with the PJ trailers looks like this may be a fairly nice option. Dealers need to start having demo models on trailers to make this process easier.

I have been very interested in the monster/mega ramp option for my next trailer, as a cheaper alternative to a tilt deck. That may have now changed. A few weeks back I happened to have the chance to try folding the monster ramps on a load trail trailer. Wow, that is heavy and not something I would want to do daily. I am only 35 and couldn't imaging having that as I got older. Mind you this was a 36' gooseneck with dual 15,000 pound axles, so the ramps may have been heavier then the ones in a 14,000 pound trailer. If going for that option find a trailer in the size and weight training you are after and try folding and unfolding the ramps a few times in a row.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #14  
For what it's worth, I've got a 55hp tractor, FEL and backhoe that I haul on a 20', 12k equip trailer. No problems with backhoe catching as long as I angle the boom to one side or the other until I'm up on the trailer then recenter. No problems!
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps
  • Thread Starter
#15  
I had thought about a tilt style trailer and am not tossing that option out. The guy who delivered the tractor had a deckover at the time and of course I was asking him a few questions about it. He said that he usually uses a tilt trailer but that the dealer sold it or something that it wasn't available. He was going to unload it on our driveway (asphalt) and I asked about scrapping and he said it would. So I had him back into the yard since I can replace that and it took maybe a 2 foot by 2 foot area of sod up, which no worries it was easy to replace. I'm not complaining about him, I'm sure we could've been more precise with no yard damage but I wanted my new toy and knew he had other deliveries after holding him up for a while already so I had him just back in and run it off. I haven't tried putting this tractor on another trailer yet so haven't fully gotten a chance to see what part is hitting. Next time I'm doing work I will have to see if swinging the hoe moves where I believe is hitting. This tractor seems to have a higher ground clearance than one I used to borrow from a uncle so I am hoping this is a minimal issue. I'm just hoping if I make this investment I can be the guy that buys once and know it's the right one.

I was wondering about the ramps and how much more they would be compared to a standard 5 foot folding ramp. Either way I'd prefer them to be attached unlike my dump trailer with sliding ramps. I have a JD 750 also that I load onto it and the biggest downfall with the ramps is I tried backing into a bank for a more level unload and the way the ramps hook into the channel they have to be at such a angle to lock in. I'm sure it would've been fine for the quick unload, but last thing I needed was a ramp sliding out and a express ride down.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #16  
I had thought about a tilt style trailer and am not tossing that option out. .... I'd prefer them to be attached unlike my dump trailer with sliding ramps. I have a JD 750 also that I load onto it and the biggest downfall with the ramps is I tried backing into a bank for a more level unload and the way the ramps hook into the channel they have to be at such a angle to lock in. I'm sure it would've been fine for the quick unload, but last thing I needed was a ramp sliding out and a express ride down.


Tilt trailers are great if you can afford one and dont mind a little heavier trailer.
Removable ramps I will never have. I sold a tractor a while back and the guy brought a GN with removable ramps. He wanted me to drive the tractor onto the trailer since he wasnt familiar with it. Halfway up they both slid sideways. Had to stop and chain them to keep from sliding on off and this was on almost level ground. Dont care for them at all.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #17  
Halfway up they both slid sideways. Had to stop and chain them to keep from sliding on off and this was on almost level ground. Dont care for them at all.

Combine this with the fact that the older I get, the less my back likes hauling out the slide out ramps and lifting them into place. I've used them several times on my dump trailer, but fortunately that trailer shouldn't be needed to haul the skid steer anymore.
 
   / Trailer experience: Deckover vs Equipment w/ Folding ramps vs PJ Monster style ramps #18  
I had a 16' gravity tilt with a really long tongue. Loader went on the tongue is the only reason it worked. Just sold it & got a 22' power tilting deck deck over.

I was looking hard at a 22' gravity tilt (6' fixed deck), but ultimately went with the deck over. The deck over is 2-3 times as steep & doesn't have the 6' fixed deck to put an impliment in. So generally harder to load a tractor & impliments on. I went deck over to get away from fenders. So far I've made 4 runs with the trailer, of which 0 have had the tractor on there. Oh God is it nice & easy to load & unload from the side without those fenders.

The extra ground clearance was nice when I unwittingly ended up hauling it up a nasty dirt road with switchbacks up the side of a mountain. A gravity tilt would have high centered or drug. But the ground clearance isn't usually that big of a deal, really never had an issue with the really low 16' tilting deck.

If you are only going to haul a tractor & impliments that will fit between 83" fenders a gravity tilt is the way to go. So easy to load & unload. Less convenient for other stuff.
 

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