Trailer or FEL?

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "an old, beatup 16 ft tilt bed trailer. Despite its condition, was it easy to load/unload! " </font>

That's because it was a TILT BED! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jinman]

Henro, that picture of the pipes reminded me why I don't like fold-up ramps. They just aren't that much more convenient than the stow-away kind. They also get in the way of letting anything hang off the rear of the trailer. If you had those two 20' pipes in a 16' or 18' trailer with fold-up ramps, what would you do? Let them hang off the front?

I'd go with the trailer, but with stow-away ramps. That's what I have and I love them. If you have a little hill or curb to back the trailer up to, you don't even need ramps to drive a tractor up onto the trailer. I made a tailgate out of treated 2x6s. When I need a lightweight ramp for my riding mower, I just use the two tailgate pieces. I don't even use my heavy duty ramps.

Just my thoughts... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Henro, that picture of the pipes reminded me why I don't like fold-up ramps. </font>

Good point, Jinman!

Glad you brought that up....never even considered that...seems like the stow away ramps would make the best sense for me too!

 

[RonR]

I went with the ramp gate. I didn't want to mess with stowing ramps. I pull two pins, and fold the ramp down.

If I need to "hangover", I can remove the gate and leave it behind.

I did a coupla mods to my new trailer: 1) I welded a "D" ring in the center on the gate at the end. This I can use if I want to use the FEL or a tree to hang the gate from. 2.) I welded a pair of angle iron braces in the gate at the center of my 2200 tread width. This way, the weight of the tractor/implements is mostly on the angle iron, not the expanded metal.

My gate is easy to remove (takes an FEL or two people): Unpin the gate, slide it about 8" to the left, and it's free.

Someday, if I get bored, I might build a set of ramps to use instead of the gate, but right now, I don't have a need for it.

My two cents.

 

[TC18guy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am thinkng what I need is an 18 foot trailer, dual axles, ample D rings for tie down, duel brakes, 10,000 lb. rating (more than I need, but why not?) and I guess maybe those hinged loading ramps....provision for mounting two spare tires...
)</font>

I seen a new trailer earlier this year with Ramps that slide into the trailer frame. I think I would like those a little better.

 

[TC18guy]

I guess I was a little late on that /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Hmmm. Is it a NEED or a WANT? Go with the trailer. You can't drive both tractors at the same time. I had a 20HP Cub Cadet w/a loader. Little tractors with little loaders are no more than playthings. They are great for spreading a little loam or a little gravel. Other than that, they are pretty much useless.

 

[KAB]

I just hauled 2 20' 18" pipes on a 16' dovetail trailer with foldup ramps. Both pipes fit nicely between the foldup ramps. I had about 1' over the front rail and 1' out the back of the trailer, worked real nice.

But before I bought the trailer I had all of the measurements of the equipment that I would be using so I knew that 16' would be long enough. I would agree with the others though that a longer trailer is a good investment if there is not a large price difference.

One of the better prices that I received when looking at trailers was Leonards Trailer Sales off of I76 between Youngstown and Akron (just south of the first exit). I ended up buying a rental unit from a trailer dealer in the Cleveland area.

edit: Should have mentioned that I did not want fold up ramps, but now that I have them they have not been a problem. If necessary I could remove, but at this point that has not been necessary.

(Yes, get the trailer, if you get a loader you will still need some way to haul it.)

Kurt

 

[TMAC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I went with the ramp gate. I didn't want to mess with stowing ramps. I pull two pins, and fold the ramp down.

If I need to "hangover", I can remove the gate and leave it behind.)</font>

RonR, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Stow away ramps would be more convenient if you are consistently hauling material that's longer than your trailer, but for me I went with the fold up ramps as well, given that I won't haul material every week. Pull two quick clip pins and slide each bar out of the slots and the ramps detach from the trailer. It takes two people though for me to safely get mine off and of course put back on so stow away's would take less physical effort. But since I don't haul material consistently I love to be able to pull a pin drop the ramps down and unload the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just for fun here's a descriptive picture of how mine works. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jinman]

One of the good features of fold-up ramps is that they normally come with a stand. That way your trailer doesn't do a "dip" when you drive up onto it. If I had a trailer as large as your's I think I'd probably opt for the fold-ups too. I just don't particularly like them on a lowboy because I often have a couple of feet of rotary cutter hanging off the rear of my 18' trailer. It's just one of the gazillion things you have to consider and decide what is best for your own personal use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif