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

[bigcat7400]

I am currently looking at other options to haul my new to me 2014 Kioti NX4510 tractor with FEL and backhoe. I've tried searching, preferably for videos of other peoples experience loading and unloading tractors with a backhoe attachment. I like the equipment style with the lower ground height, but have the thoughts of a deckover for wider uses such as hauling a larger brush hog. I currently have a Sure Trac 12ft dump trailer and could maneuver the tractor unto the trailer without the backhoe. My main goal though is to have a trailer that with ease I could load and unload without the issues of hitting the ground with the backhoe frame. I know there are options such as extending the ramps or using 4x4s under the ramps and also using the backhoe to lift the rear, but would like to know other's preferred style of trailer and ramp configuration without any necessary changes. The monster style of ramps are fairly new to me and not sure if they make things worse or better.

Thanks for any insight. Photos are appreciated for visual helpfulness.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I've had one of each kind you are thinking about. First a 20ft Kaufman deckover. Handy for loading pallets of material. But a high center of gravity. Plus it had a 4ft beavertail (needed because the deck was so high). That cut into the usable deck length. Then I had a 20ft PJ equipment trailer. It had a 2ft beavertail so more usable deck length. Much better center of gravity too. Both the Kaufman and PJ had standard 6ft fold up ramps which were spaced barely narrow enough for my B21. So loading and unloading was kind of a delicate operation. Now I have a 18ft Big Tex with their mega-ramps which are full width and also fold flat. Loading and unloading is easy and I like having the full flat deck. You can study the websites of all three to get plenty more information and photos.

 

[skipmarcy]

I've got a Load Trail gooseneck carhauler type 22' flat with a 2' dovetail and it has removeable fenders that allows easy pallet loading as well as loading a wide-stanced vehicle. The tops of the tires are maybe 1" higher than the deck and can be driven across easily. The fenders off allows car doors to open without banging too. Only 2 bolts per fender to remove. The lower center of gravity of the lower deck makes a heavy load feel a lot better.

 

[TSO]

I run the following trailers:

-LoadTrail 16' 14K dump trailer with king sides.
-PJ 20' (18+2) 10k equipment trailer (same as 12k trailer but rated at 9999lbs for GVW concerns)
-PJ 25' Gooseneck 15,600 deckover.

The 16' dump trailer is ok for my SkidSteer but too short for the tractor (with implements).

The 20' equipment trailer is a great little light trailer and it handles both the SkidSteer and Tractor well... Depending on the implements I'm loading.

The Gooseneck trailer is great... Room for all my stuff, pulls much better than the others, even though it's more weight (and usually more loaded weight on the deck).

After owning all of them, i don't know if I'd buy an equipment trailer with wheel fenders (non-deckover) again... Quite often, the fenders get in the way, and get damaged.

I thought the center of gravity concerns with my deckover would be more observable, but after getting used to it, it's really not a problem, and i prefer it now.

A point worth mentioning... If you're worried about dragging your rear (scraping the backhoe on the ground), Just load backwards... Meaning drive up the ramps backwards.

 

[Sysop]

They do make "drive-over fenders" as well and are a nice alternative between deckover and equipment trailers. Generally the deck-height is about halfway between a deckover and an equipment trailer so the fenders don't stick up as far and the fenders are ramped to allow equipment to drive over them and the deck is as wide as a deckover.

 

[TSO]

Here's my Gooseneck behind my F450

Here's my 20' equipment hauler behind my F350

Here's the Gooseneck behind the F350

I don't think i have any current pics on this phone of the dump trailer...

 

[downsizingnow48]

Here is a photo of my current equipment trailer, 18ft Big Tex with mega-ramps. The fenders are removable (2 bolts).

 

[bigcat7400]

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.

 

[Xfaxman]

Have you considered rollback and tilt trailers? No ramps. :thumbsup:

Tilt:

 

[downsizingnow48]

Mega ramps dovetail plus ramp = 80 inches.