cchardwick
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
- Messages
- 52
I just bought a 16 foot flat bed car transport trailer and it has four foot ramps. Are they long enough to load a skid steer? It seems like pretty steep ramps...
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just try it out. do you have pull out ramps or flip over ones with legs on them to keep your trl frm raiseing up frm the weight of your skidsteer? You can back it on a trl with steep ramps. I like to be able to drive on the trl without my bucket on my 853.
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cchardwick
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
- Messages
- 52
I have ramps that you pull out but they are free, not hooked onto the trailer. Then they have lips that slide into a groove in the back of the trailer. My bobcat is heavy in back and I'm thinking the only way to do it is to back up the ramps. I'll give it a shot as soon as I put my skid steer back together again LOL. I'm thinking 6 foot ramps would be more comfortable to drive up but they won't fit in the under-trailer storage compartments and I'd have to strap them to the trailer bed somehow. Plus I'd have to weld them up LOL.
i don't know what size bobcat you hv. you may want to block under the rear of the trl. you'll see what i mean when you load it. good luck dennis
Keep your bucket low as possible, would recommend fold down rear jacks if your rear truck tires leave the ground. Rear jacks are nice to, when you have to un-hook the trailer with the bobcat on.
I would make sure your car trailer has the capacity to legally transport your skidsteer. I have an S185 and a 9,999 gvw trailer. with fuel, bucket, and pallet forks I am very close to being legally overweight. As far as your four foot ramps, If you do not have legs on your ramps be aware that when the weight starts to come off your trucks rear tires it will begin to skid and you will be about halfway up your ramps. Block your tires both ahead and behind or use a large block between your tandem wheels on you trailer 16k pounds does not take much grade to get sliding. I have even seen a truck swing sideways and begin to jack-knife. Also if you load your skidsteer backwards and do not have a cab enclosure, you won't have road-killed insects where you need to sit.
nailsbeats
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- Feb 11, 2007
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- 135
Four foot ramps should be fine if you back on and drive off, though I would be a little leary of driving up them without the bucket. Test it slowly.
I personally prefer mine longer, more like 5 1/2 feet depending on the style and height of the trailer deck.
I once had the back of my Toyota 16 inches off the ground when my ramps slid out from under me while "drive-on" loading, pretty hairy situation. Luckily I was able to back up and they folded back under me without bending anything. Trailer frame took the stress, no problem. I reworked the design and now they work perfect everytime. I feel that backing on is your safest bet and your cab will stay cleaner. You can see a pic of my trailer in the Homemade Forum.
I personally prefer mine longer, more like 5 1/2 feet depending on the style and height of the trailer deck.
I once had the back of my Toyota 16 inches off the ground when my ramps slid out from under me while "drive-on" loading, pretty hairy situation. Luckily I was able to back up and they folded back under me without bending anything. Trailer frame took the stress, no problem. I reworked the design and now they work perfect everytime. I feel that backing on is your safest bet and your cab will stay cleaner. You can see a pic of my trailer in the Homemade Forum.
