Trailer question - skid steer

[Alan W.]

I bought a 14000 lb Gatormade this year.
Hauls my skid steer and tractor fine.
They are built about 30 miles from where I live so I went to the factory and bought mine.

 

[patrailer]

I had to put off my trailer purchase for a few months, but am ready to pull the trigger. So much great info on this thread, thanks for everyone.

I am pretty new to to hauling equipment, so be gentle!

Many people on here are recommending a tilt trailer, which I can see the benefits of. I have my choice boiled down to either a tilt trailer or a mega ramp trailer. 14k, leaning on 20'. I am using this mostly for my own use, I maintain a few acres at my property. I have a skid steer and would like to transport it occasionally. 80% of the trailers use will probably be going to the rental store to rent skid steer attachments. Occasionally a zero turn mower, and very occasionally a car.

A couple questions:

• With the mega ramp setup (see picture), is getting a zero turn up there going to be difficult due to the gaps in the ramp? It seems with the spacing of the grates the smaller front tires on a zero turn would get stuck? I suppose backing it up may be easier? The tilt trailer obviously would be better for this
• If I primary use is renting attachments from my local rental store, is a mega ramp going to better than a tilt trailer? I'm new to this - when they load the attachments at the rental store I am guessing they are using a skid steer to load them? If I want to rent two or three attachments at a time, I am envisioning having a tough time doing that with a tilt trailer? Am I looking at that correctly? How would I load two attachments (or maybe three?)

 

[dieselscout80]

I have laid plywood down to wheel a hand truck up and down from my trailer.

 

[4570Man]

I had to put off my trailer purchase for a few months, but am ready to pull the trigger. So much great info on this thread, thanks for everyone.

I am pretty new to to hauling equipment, so be gentle!

Many people on here are recommending a tilt trailer, which I can see the benefits of. I have my choice boiled down to either a tilt trailer or a mega ramp trailer. 14k, leaning on 20'. I am using this mostly for my own use, I maintain a few acres at my property. I have a skid steer and would like to transport it occasionally. 80% of the trailers use will probably be going to the rental store to rent skid steer attachments. Occasionally a zero turn mower, and very occasionally a car.

A couple questions:

• With the mega ramp setup (see picture), is getting a zero turn up there going to be difficult due to the gaps in the ramp? It seems with the spacing of the grates the smaller front tires on a zero turn would get stuck? I suppose backing it up may be easier? The tilt trailer obviously would be better for this
• If I primary use is renting attachments from my local rental store, is a mega ramp going to better than a tilt trailer? I'm new to this - when they load the attachments at the rental store I am guessing they are using a skid steer to load them? If I want to rent two or three attachments at a time, I am envisioning having a tough time doing that with a tilt trailer? Am I looking at that correctly? How would I load two attachments (or maybe three?)

I can load 3 attachments on my tilt trailer maybe 4 depending on which ones. If you’re renting them it would be even less of a problem. Just load them sideways and set them off with your machine at home. I can stack my pallet forks or grapple or my stump bucket inside the regular bucket and set that on the front non tilting part of the trailer. Then drive on again leaving the 3rd attachment on the skid steer. I also drive a flatbed truck which reduces the issue. That’s basically adding another 8 ft of deck space. My zero turn would go up the trailer you pictured no problem. I had another equipment trailer in the past that didn’t have a dovetail and my zero turn couldn’t go up it. It would get stuck at the top. I can load my zero turn on my tilt deck no problem. The annoying thing is when my brother comes along to help with his zero turn. Maybe you could drive both mowers up at the same time without the deck going down. I’ve never actually tried that idea. Even if it did work it would still be annoying because both mowers don’t get parked at the same time. We have a car trailer with ramps that we use when we’re bringing 2 mowers. I could load a car on my tilt deck no problem. At least I think I could, I don’t have a car. Loading a 4 door pickup causes problems. My tilt deck doesn’t lock up and it starts to go down before the back wheels hit the deck. If you drive on fast the damper cylinder will hold it up enough get the back axel on. If I absolutely had to solve that problem I could hold the deck up with a floor jack until the vehicle was loaded. I’m not in the business of hauling vehicles so that’s not proved to be a problem. A hydraulic tilt deck would solve most of those problems but my trailer is gravity. I actually like the gravity better. It’s a lot faster for routine loading of equipment and doesn’t require maintenance.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Since your in Pennsylvania... We have Appalachian available to us. They are build per order, no dealer network. You go to the factory and pick them up. I have a couple.

Trailer question - skid steer

 

[D&D]

My tilt deck doesn’t lock up and it starts to go down before the back wheels hit the deck. If you drive on fast the damper cylinder will hold it up enough get the back axel on. If I absolutely had to solve that problem I could hold the deck up with a floor jack until the vehicle was loaded. I’m not in the business of hauling vehicles so that’s not proved to be a problem. A hydraulic tilt deck would solve most of those problems but my trailer is gravity. I actually like the gravity better. It’s a lot faster for routine loading of equipment and doesn’t require maintenance.

My tilt deck is gravity and has an inline valve to control down speed or hold deck up.

 

[4570Man]

My tilt deck is gravity and has an inline valve to control down speed or hold deck up.

I’ve used one in the past that was like that but mine doesn’t have a valve on it. It probably wouldn’t be a hard modification if that was an important detail.

 

[dieselscout80]

I can load 3 attachments on my tilt trailer maybe 4 depending on which ones. If you’re renting them it would be even less of a problem. Just load them sideways and set them off with your machine at home. I can stack my pallet forks or grapple or my stump bucket inside the regular bucket and set that on the front non tilting part of the trailer. Then drive on again leaving the 3rd attachment on the skid steer. I also drive a flatbed truck which reduces the issue. That’s basically adding another 8 ft of deck space. My zero turn would go up the trailer you pictured no problem. I had another equipment trailer in the past that didn’t have a dovetail and my zero turn couldn’t go up it. It would get stuck at the top. I can load my zero turn on my tilt deck no problem. The annoying thing is when my brother comes along to help with his zero turn. Maybe you could drive both mowers up at the same time without the deck going down. I’ve never actually tried that idea. Even if it did work it would still be annoying because both mowers don’t get parked at the same time. We have a car trailer with ramps that we use when we’re bringing 2 mowers. I could load a car on my tilt deck no problem. At least I think I could, I don’t have a car. Loading a 4 door pickup causes problems. My tilt deck doesn’t lock up and it starts to go down before the back wheels hit the deck. If you drive on fast the damper cylinder will hold it up enough get the back axel on. If I absolutely had to solve that problem I could hold the deck up with a floor jack until the vehicle was loaded. I’m not in the business of hauling vehicles so that’s not proved to be a problem. A hydraulic tilt deck would solve most of those problems but my trailer is gravity. I actually like the gravity better. It’s a lot faster for routine loading of equipment and doesn’t require maintenance. View attachment 854801

Nice setup.

How long is your trailer?

 

[4570Man]

Nice setup.

How long is your trailer?

I think the tilt is 18ft and the flat is 6ft. I could probably get away with moving the toolbox to the neck with my current tow vehicle but my dump truck had a 2ft bed overhang and that wasn’t an option.

 

[patrailer]

I think I am going to go with a kaufman trailer. Got it down to these two:

15000 GVWR Deluxe Wood Floor Tilt Equipment Trailer

15000 GVWR Deluxe Wood Floor Tilt Equipment Trailer. Fixed front deck. Rear tilting deck. Load your equipment with no ramps. Call today!

www.kaufmantrailers.com

17000 GVWR Deluxe Wood Floor Tilt Equipment Trailer

17000 GVWR Deluxe Wood Floor Tilt Equipment Trailer. Fixed front deck. Rear tilting deck. Load your equipment with no ramps. Call today!

www.kaufmantrailers.com

The extra 2k of weight is about $1200 extra. I am pulling it with a 3500, so I don't think that matters. However may downgrade to a 2500 someday.

I have a bobcat T595 that weighs about 8100 lbs.

Why can't I find the empty weight on these trailers to figure out the payload?

Also, any thoughts on slightly upgraded trailer... worth the extra cost even though I don't really need it?

Thanks