Tilt Trailers Good? Bad? Real World Input Appreciated

[farmboy12]

1*It's what i think.


I want an 18* tilt with ramps .


Or get one with the wheels in the rite place.

1*Why the difference ?
2*Just Back the tractor and tiller on to the trailer .
Another alternative is to load attachments onto the trailer with a set of forks.
Another way is use a winch.
Big advantage:Safer to use and load.
no heav ramp to lift .

LB-
We know what you want.

Also, the wheels on a tilt should be forward more because if they are all the way back, then the loading angle will be much steeper.

He wants the tiller loaded seperate. Tiller on, then drive tractor on, possibly with another attachment. Loading them on with forks may not be as easy as you think on a tilt bed. If it is a full tilt, then the whole bed is tilted at the same time. So, you would have to load the tiller, strap it down, tilt, load tractor, then put it back up. If you put the tiller all the way at the front, then it would be very hard to tilt if it's a manual tilt, and may put strain on the hydraulics if it is hydraulic.


Kyle

 

[George2615]

Went to local trailer dealer and they only had a 16' Tilt on the lot.....he told me that tilts were "pretty useless" because the back 6/7 feet are totally useless for anything heavier then styrofoam...load anything back there and your top speed is 10mph because the truck becomes so squirrily its not funny.....

If you load anything heavy on the back of any trailer (not just a tiltbed) your quote is true.
I have a 20' tiltbed I bought 4 years ago. I like not having to mess around with ramps. I pull 2 pins, tilt the bed, drive on, lower the bed, and secure tractor. Entire procedure takes about 5 minutes or less. Never had any sway problems.

 

[radman1]

I have a 24', electric, full tilt bed, bumper pull 14K trailer. I love it. Best and most useful trailer I have. I own 8 trailers from 3500lbs to 25,000 lbs. Tilt bed, fold over ramps, pull out ramps, ramp gates, deck overs, single axle, tandem axle, dual tandem axle, bumper pull, goose neck, cargo trailer, dove tail, aluminum and steel types, and dump trailers. I may have CTD (compulsive trailer disorder).

The wheels of most tilt beds will tend to be in the middle of the bed. On my 24' trailer, the wheels sit farther back than most and getting to much rear end weight is not an issue for me but I can see that being a problem on some. Trailers that have a split in the floor would be a PITA for me. Mine is full 24' and no break. My loads would always seem to be on the split. With a tilt bed, I have even used it for hauling dirt. My 24' has 2x8" wooden sides mounted in the stake pockets. I hauled dirt on it this year for my BIL. Hauled my tractor to his place, regraded his yard and loaded the dirt on the tilt bed. Drove to a different property 2 miles away, tilted the bed up and drove the tractor on the bed and unloaded with FEL. I worked great! I was surprised how easy it was to unload with the bed tipped up. I put a wench on the bed and can use the trailer battery to pull whatever I need onto the trailer.

 

[dave1949]

I put a wench on the bed and can use the trailer battery to pull whatever I need onto the trailer.

Now that is kinky, you have worse problems than CTD
Dave.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Now that is kinky, you have worse problems than CTD
Dave.

I'm so glad you beat me to that one, because I'm sure my comment would have been less appropriate.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Don't have much to add other than you can put multiple machines on a tilt bed, but that really doesn't matter to the OP. We have 2 tilt beds, 1- 17 footer, 13' tilt with 4' fixed front. 1-38 footer, 8' upper deck, 4' lower fixed deck with a 26' tilt. We have had multiple machines on the 38 footer a few times. For us, it just takes two operators that know what they are doing.

 

[VitaBene]

In the past I was a landscape/sweeping contractor. We had a 12 Ton, 22' tilt deck Hudson trailer that I pulled with either a 94 Kodiak with a Cat 3316 and Allison or an R Model Mack with 300 and 9 speed.

I needed the tilt for the Elgin Pelican sweepers (it would hang up on the brooms) or I would have probably gone with a beavertail flat deck. In my experience, I found it much harder to control sway because of the more forward (as others have clearly noted) position of the wheels-you have to be careful loading. I always put the sweeper on forward so the weight of the hopper was forward- well always after the time I put it on backwards and full of 3T tons of sand! Yikes!

When I put the Case 580K on the trailer I would have to pull it up far and curl the hoe forward to control sway. It is also easier to load multiple compact tractors on a regular trailer.

 

[Diamondpilot]

In the past I was a landscape/sweeping contractor. We had a 12 Ton, 22' tilt deck Hudson trailer that I pulled with either a 94 Kodiak with a Cat 3316 and Allison or an R Model Mack with 300 and 9 speed.

I needed the tilt for the Elgin Pelican sweepers (it would hang up on the brooms) or I would have probably gone with a beavertail flat deck. In my experience, I found it much harder to control sway because of the more forward (as others have clearly noted) position of the wheels-you have to be careful loading. I always put the sweeper on forward so the weight of the hopper was forward- well always after the time I put it on backwards and full of 3T tons of sand! Yikes!

When I put the Case 580K on the trailer I would have to pull it up far and curl the hoe forward to control sway. It is also easier to load multiple compact tractors on a regular trailer.

And this guy was pulling with a semi based truck. Just think of how harry this would be behind a 3/4 ton?

Chris

 

[tlbuser]

It had a hand-held remote, the cord wasn't anywhere near long enough to reach beyond the back of the trailer such that you could hold it while driving onto the trailer. Maybe they have wireless now.

I don't doubt tilt trailers are a plus if you are loading and unloading frequently, pushing buttons beats lifting heavy ramps

Dave.

I guess I didn't clarify. I have a wireless remote for the pump. Pushing buttons and moving levers always beats lifting anything, just as a backhoe is a whole lot better than a shovel.

 

[tlbuser]

And this guy was pulling with a semi based truck. Just think of how harry this would be behind a 3/4 ton?

Chris

Could we be a little more dramatic? Maybe the trailer loading was bad, maybe the tongue weight wasn't right, maybe the tires were bad/under/over inflated. Maybe............

 

[MFRED]

I've got a 14,000lb, 20' Bri-Mar with a stationary 4' in front. I've got about 100K on this trailer and it's about time to trade. I will say it will be another one of the same. any trailer loaded bad will handle bad. With a nice long trailer you can adjust your load to get the weight in the correct spot. I tow with a 2500 Dodge and have never had a swaying problem. Tractors, small dozers, mini-excavators, logs, retaining wall blocks, round bales, I've put about everything you can think of on it, the trailer tows like a dream as fast as you want to go.
I do agree with the grease zerk comment though, on mine there are none on the rear pivot & it's wearing some. The only issue clearance wise is the lift piston seems to make me nervous when pulling onto the road and coming over a crest. It's never hit, it just worries me. I've had to weld the fenders a few times. I used to tie off to them & don't do that anymore. I did add more tie downs, can never have too many.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I've got a 14,000lb, 20' Bri-Mar with a stationary 4' in front. I've got about 100K on this trailer and it's about time to trade. I will say it will be another one of the same. any trailer loaded bad will handle bad.quote]

I don't understand, you have 100,000 pounds on a 14,000 pound trailer?

 

[Duffster]

I don't understand, you have 100,000 pounds on a 14,000 pound trailer?

100k (miles)

 

[MtnViewRanch]

OK, makes sense.

Thanks

 

[MFRED]

Right, 100,000 miles it is.

 

[tommu56]

The fuse was never enough of a problem to dig into the real issue. I just mentioned it in the interest of giving a complete review.

It had a hand-held remote, the cord wasn't anywhere near long enough to reach beyond the back of the trailer such that you could hold it while driving onto the trailer. Maybe they have wireless now.

I don't doubt tilt trailers are a plus if you are loading and unloading frequently, pushing buttons beats lifting heavy ramps

Dave.

I put one of these on a Friend's tilt that I borrow

http://www.electronickits.com/remote_control/rf2.htm

http://www.electronickits.com/remote_control/hd2rx.jpg

At about $30.00 it is cheaper than wire one for replacement

tom

 

[radman1]

I put a wench on the bed and can use the trailer battery to pull whatever I need onto the trailer.

Dave1949 and Iplayfarmer:

I even got a chuckle out of that when I reread my post. You haven't seen the "ladies" in my area. I stand by the "wench on the bed" statement.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Dave1949 and Iplayfarmer:

I even got a chuckle out of that when I reread my post. You haven't seen the "ladies" in my area. I stand by the "wench on the bed" statement.

Your post is still not as bad as the various want ads I see in my area advertising old pickup trucks, "...includes 2000 lb. wench". I think I'll pass on that truck.

 

[Iowachild]

Your post is still not as bad as the various want ads I see in my area advertising old pickup trucks, "...includes 2000 lb. wench". I think I'll pass on that truck.

I once saw an ad in my local paper for a pick-up with a "tonto" cover. Only the Lone Ranger would have use for that!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I once saw an ad in my local paper for a pick-up with a "tonto" cover. Only the Lone Ranger would have use for that!

That must be for the times when the duo is in a town that's unfriendly to "Injuns".

What I love is when you can tell from an ad that a mistake is not just a typo. The person really thinks that's how it is. My wife and I were just laughing the other night at a Craig's List ad for a "rabbit gage". It was spelled like that in two or three places in the ad, so it wasn't just a simple typo. She joked that maybe the person meant gauge. We never figured out what a rabbit gauge would measure, but it must do it fast .