Do You Block The Trailer Rear End Before Loading?

[Utopia Texas]

I appear to be the only person in my group of friends that places a large wood block under the rear of my 20 foot trailer before I drive the tractor onto the deck. Will the weight and leverage of 8,000 pounds do any damage to the trailer hitch ball or suspension on a pick up truck? None of these friends load anywhere this much weight on their smaller trailers and 2 in the group have never even towed a trailer much less load one yet seem to know everything in their opinion. I have loaded and towed trailers for over 45 years and have always blocked the rear end first not wanting to see the rear end of the truck lift so high in the air during the initial loading. Am I being a girly man about this?

 

[Panik]

Lol - if you're being a girly man about it, then I guess I am as well. For loading lighter stuff I don't worry about.

However, I do have to occasionally haul around the wife's Land Rover Discovery which with all the mods is fairly hefty. (why it gets loaded onto the trailer is another story:laughing. Trailer and Disco combined are around 8K, and I do try to remember to block the tires on the trailer. I just don't like the amount of movement I get when I try and load that much when its unblocked. Just makes me wince a little bit each time I forget to do it.

 

[Tompet]

Yes, I use wood blocks also under rear of trailer when loading or unloading tractor. I remember forgetting to do it and don't like seeing the rear of truck rise up...can't be correct with stress involved on hitch, trailer and truck. If is something like light like an old cub cadet and trac vac I move in the fall, then no. Once in awhile I have considered adding a couple of drop leg jacks to the back of the trailer, since I saw that as an option on some brands...but a couple pieces of cribbing works.

 

[CowboyRon]

Or you could do it like this guy.
How not to load a truck on a trailer: https://youtu.be/mrn3Yb3L_iU

 

[CowboyRon]

Or this one.
Chevy Truck With No Clutch vs 2 Rednecks Trailer loading FAIL!!: https://youtu.be/anBwMhiYeTk

 

[gwiley]

I put jack stands under the tail of my 10K trailer when loading/unloading the Bobcat 773 because my ramps don't have an appropriately long leg. If your ramps have a properly dimensioned support leg then that can save the trouble of handling a block or jack stands.

 

[Silvic]

My trailer manufacturer provides stationary block stand inserts that I use every single time. When done pull and rotate 90 degrees and go on your way. I would never ever even think of loading without it. Of course I load a rather heavy trailer payload. If I was loading a 1000 lbs lawnmower maybe not but anything with any weight you betcha.

No you are not being girly unless we men acknowledge that girls are smarter than boys and that only smart girls do the smart thing. If so then every guy I know who tows equipment with a ramped trailer, non tilt-bed, is a girl.

 

[Egon]

I installed two swing leg jacks on the rear of my trailer. Couldn't visualize loading without some type of support.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I do. I once lifted the rear wheels of a Ram 2500 four feet off the ground loading a large rock.

Chris

 

[farmer2009]

If the trailer ramps don't have a good support leg then yes. If they do then I don't mess with it.

I once only blocked the center rear of a light 7k trailer pulled a 4.5k tractor onto it and bent the trailer. So now I block both corners.