New trailer for tractor hauling

jdonovan · Jul 20, 2011

Current need:
I've recently gotten a new machine that is 22' long, about 8500lbs, 84" wide. Current truck can pull 14k, but I am considering a new(to me) duallie that should handle up in the 17-18k range.

My current 20' / 12000lb trailer is ok on weight, but isn't going to handle the length well, so its time to look for a new trailer.

I think I want deck over, as getting 84" between the wheel wells on most low-decks is going to be tough. I've found a few 86-88" trailers but would like to have a bit of extra room so I don't bend the fenders.

With a 22' machine, I'm thinking I need to be looking at something in the 26-28' length range so I have room to haul some implements, as well as the ability to shift the load forward/back to get the tongue/axle loads correct.

I've always had bumper pull but the local trailer dealers are suggesting I look into gooseneck trailers as I get to the higher weights.

With the high deck of a deck-over, I'm finding that almost all the trailers have beaver tails. This seems like quite a bit of wasted space that I can't really put any of the load onto. Anyone have experience with hydraulic tilt decks at this trailer size?

CompactTractorFan · Jul 20, 2011

First Off, I would get a gooseneck for that size...

As for the dovetail...For example, if you look at PJ Trailer's "tail options" you will see that the standard opton is slide-in ramps without a dovetail. You can also get flip-up ramps with a "pop-up dovetail" to get some more "deck space"...

CompactTractorFan · Jul 20, 2011

CompactTractorFan said:
First Off, I would get a gooseneck for that size...

As for the dovetail...For example, if you look at PJ Trailer's "tail options" you will see that the standard opton is slide-in ramps without a dovetail. You can also get flip-up ramps with a "pop-up dovetail" to get some more "deck space"...

Almost forgot the link:

PJ Trailers - Classic Flatdeck with Singles (FS)

jdonovan · Jul 20, 2011

CompactTractorFan said:
the standard opton is slide-in ramps without a dovetail. You can also get flip-up ramps with a "pop-up dovetail" to get some more "deck space"...

I've got some concerns about how heavy the ramps would be. Most trailers you have to slide them out, then lift them up to hook onto the rear edge of the trailer, and adjust for width.

I'd imagine to get a 15-20 degree load angle would make for a long and heavy ramp if it could support 8-10 thousand pounds.

Flip up + dovetail + popup sounds more interesting.

dmiletich · Aug 6, 2011

My tractor and disk is 22' long and they weigh 12,000 together. I have a New Holland crawler tractor. I presently have a 25' Walton trailer that I have had for about 6 months. It is rated at 20,000 pounds and is a great trailer. It is a deck over trailer that is 102" wide. It is a ramp trailer and not a tilt bed. I am going to be selling it and buying a hydro electric tilt. The reason why I am going to a tilt is because I am always loading and unloading in hilly areas and with a ramp trailer you have to be real careful you block the rear of the trailer up so when you unload you do not end up lifting the rear tires of your truck off the ground. It has happened to me a couple of time and believe me it is a scary situation. For one thing when you set your emergency brake on your truck, it only locks your rear truck brakes. Even using wheel chocks on the trailer I have been on a couple of helpless feeling situations and very dangerous. I have to unload or load on a slight slope and on dry grass and the wheel chocks do not hold. I have decided to go with a tilt trailer and the reason for hydroelectric tilt is because with 22' of equipment going up the trailer, the trailer starts to tilt before my pull behind disk with no wheels is on the trailer. When buying a trailer you cannot believe the different things you have to think about.

Fordman1981 · Aug 6, 2011

dmiletich said:
My tractor and disk is 22' long and they weigh 12,000 together. I have a New Holland crawler tractor. I presently have a 25' Walton trailer that I have had for about 6 months. It is rated at 20,000 pounds and is a great trailer. It is a deck over trailer that is 102" wide. It is a ramp trailer and not a tilt bed. I am going to be selling it and buying a hydro electric tilt. The reason why I am going to a tilt is because I am always loading and unloading in hilly areas and with a ramp trailer you have to be real careful you block the rear of the trailer up so when you unload you do not end up lifting the rear tires of your truck off the ground. It has happened to me a couple of time and believe me it is a scary situation. For one thing when you set your emergency brake on your truck, it only locks your rear truck brakes. Even using wheel chocks on the trailer I have been on a couple of helpless feeling situations and very dangerous. I have to unload or load on a slight slope and on dry grass and the wheel chocks do not hold. I have decided to go with a tilt trailer and the reason for hydroelectric tilt is because with 22' of equipment going up the trailer, the trailer starts to tilt before my pull behind disk with no wheels is on the trailer. When buying a trailer you cannot believe the different things you have to think about.

Does you trailer not have stops on the ramps of your trailer? I remember an old light weight trailer my dad had growing up that didn't have ramp stops on the bottom and i took a good 50' ride or so on half on the trailer half off but the trailer i have now when u put the ramps down it has framing that is barely off the ground so when you unload the trailer doesn't have a chance to lift the tongue of the truck tires off the ground.

dmiletich · Aug 6, 2011

No, the ramps do not have stops but there is a small outrigger on each side of the trailer that you have to manually set. If you forget to set these, or if your outriggers are not down to the ground and you do not block them, that is when the problem comes in. I was unloading my tractor and it happened to me, so here I am, on my tractor backing off the trailer. All of a sudden my truck and trailer starts sliding backwards and hits a steeper downslope. I am going backwards about 15 mph and completely helpless. I cross the road and luckily slam into a bank behind me. I measured it out and I went about 125 feet backwards before coming to a sudden stop. I bent up my wheel bracket on one side of my flail mower, ruined a trailer ramp, and my crawler tractor that weighs about 10,000 pounds, bounced sideways and was half hanging off the trailer. It was not a pretty sight and luckily I did not get hurt. The first time this happened to me was I was facing slightly downhill and my truck and trailer slid downhill over 100 feet also. Not a fun ride.

wrenchturner · Aug 6, 2011

Just had thought about the runaway trailer due to lifting the rear wheel on the tow vehicle. When on a hill I will just pull the trailer break away brake pin to lock the trailer axles. (reminder to self - put pin back in before leaving)

trailbuilder · Mar 17, 2012

Is anyone using the hydraulic dove tail like the one PJ Trailers offers? It is a 10 foot.

jdonovan · Mar 17, 2012

Looked into them on PJ and Mortiz.

The powered ones add considerable weight. If I was getting into CDL range then getting a trailer with dual 10k, or even 15k axles would make the extra weight of a hydro-dove a non-issue.

The other minus, is the dove needs to be about 10' due to loading angle. That means you have 12-ish feet of your bed behind the rear most axle. Unless you've got a load that is really light to the rear you might find that you can't balance properly that extra length might not be too useful for anything other than 'sailboat fuel'.

George2615 · Mar 17, 2012

HHtrailer.com has many styles of trailers. I have a 20' H&H tilt bed but they only come with 82" between the fenders. If you need 84" you need a deck over or goose neck. They sell those in the length you need as well.
http://www.hhtrailer.com/

dmiletich · Mar 17, 2012

I just bought a full tilt hydraulic tilt trailer that is rated at 20,000 pounds and is 26 feet long. I have only had it for about a month but absolutely love it. It also has hydraulic lift so I don't have to hand crank it off my goose neck ball.

jdonovan · Mar 18, 2012

dmiletich said:
I just bought a full tilt hydraulic tilt trailer that is rated at 20,000 pounds and is 26 feet long. I have only had it for about a month but absolutely love it. It also has hydraulic lift so I don't have to hand crank it off my goose neck ball.

The problem with that trailer, is you need a CDL.

If the weight rating of truck + trailer is > 26,000 you need a CDL.

I don't have a CDL and am less interested in getting one right now, so I need to keep my gross weight rating under the magic 26000.

trailbuilder · Mar 18, 2012

dmiletich said:
I just bought a full tilt hydraulic tilt trailer that is rated at 20,000 pounds and is 26 feet long. I have only had it for about a month but absolutely love it. It also has hydraulic lift so I don't have to hand crank it off my goose neck ball.

What brand of trailer did you buy? I have a CDL and the extra GVW is not an issue.

jdonovan · Mar 18, 2012

trailbuilder said:
What brand of trailer did you buy?

I've not bought one yet. I've got quotes on a PJ and a better built that are in the 7-8k range.

I've got a near by aluminum trailer builder that quoted me about 13k for a aluminum unit. Its about 3500lbs, vs 5500lbs for the pj/better trying to decide if that 2k of weight is worth the 6k in cost.

I got a quote for a featherlight 28' flat deck from one dealer at 24k. A slightly further away dealer wants 17k.

They sure look like nice trailers, but they are pricy.

Still hunting used units... seems trailers are either a few years old in great shape and people still want 95% of new price. Or they are 10 years old, rust buckets, shot tires, decks in need of complete replacement etc.... and still want 60-70% of new.

I've found a few reasonably priced used, but when I've gotten there I've found things like 4 brand new tires rated for 2800lbs each on a 16k trailer. Found one with a removed/defaced VIN... I ran away from that. Another Guy claimed new paint, got there found rust bucket.... Oh ya it was painted 5 years ago. I guess new means something different to me.

I have a CDL and the extra GVW is not an issue.

That would have so simplified my search.... I probably would have kept the old pickup, bought a used Freightliner M2 I had a line on, and then the traller would have been MUCH less an issue with a truck that was setup to do hauling.

Ford tractor · Mar 18, 2012

jdonovan said:
I've not bought one yet. I've got quotes on a PJ and a better built that are in the 7-8k range.

I have a CDL and the extra GVW is not an issue.

Click to expand...

That would have so simplified my search.... I probably would have kept the old pickup, bought a used Freightliner M2 I had a line on, and then the traller would have been MUCH less an issue with a truck that was setup to do hauling.

So....

Do you NOT have a CDL? Because the trailers you are quoting will require a CDL and in some states (like ours) would require a USDOT number and all that goes with it.

jdonovan · Mar 19, 2012

Ford tractor said:
Do you NOT have a CDL? Because the trailers you are quoting will require a CDL and in some states (like ours) would require a USDOT number and all that goes with it.

No, no CDL here. Also my home state, Virginia, does not require CDL unless you go above 26k Gross.

You have no location in your profile, so I have no idea where "like ours" is.

trailbuilder · Mar 19, 2012

My 20+ 5 Featherlite STL gooseneck deck over is for sale. It has 7k axles and is in good working order. It is 10 years old. Tires and brakes are good , deck is fair. paint is original but OK.
I am asking $3,500