New trailer HELP!****Bummer!

[Propjob]

Hi All:
Back again. Have just gotten my new Big Tex trailer registered. It is the 70CH with the metal ramps. I went to load my JD 2305 with FEL and BB, but I can't get the ramps close enough to allow my tires to safely go up the center. The two stake pockets in the rear prevent this. I tried to get the front tires up and was able to get them on the trailer riding close to the inside of the ramps. I then backed down and decided to check width of the rear tires by backing up to the ramps. I backed up a few inches and the ramp tipped to the inside. Has any one run into this or have any suggestions? This really rot's... Also can you leave the tractor, (assuming I rectify this dilemna..) on the trailer and unhook from the vehicle with the jack down???

 

[RichNJKubota]

In the local paper there was an article about a guy who died while loading his tractor onto a trailer. A wheel slipped off the inside of the ramp and the tractor rolled. It was an older tractor w/o rops.

 

[RollTideRam]

I have never seen a trailer with stake pockets on the rear. Does your trailer have a dove tail? Pictures will probably help someone help you. JC

 

[ed fewlass]

Hi All:
Back again. Have just gotten my new Big Tex trailer registered. It is the 70CH with the metal ramps. I went to load my JD 2305 with FEL and BB, but I can't get the ramps close enough to allow my tires to safely go up the center. The two stake pockets in the rear prevent this. I tried to get the front tires up and was able to get them on the trailer riding close to the inside of the ramps. I then backed down and decided to check width of the rear tires by backing up to the ramps. I backed up a few inches and the ramp tipped to the inside. Has any one run into this or have any suggestions? This really rot's... Also can you leave the tractor, (assuming I rectify this dilemna..) on the trailer and unhook from the vehicle with the jack down???

I hade this prob the ramp kept rolling out finally got it fixed cost 90.00 to fix trailer 188.00 to fix tire that the ramp tore the side of fix it asap

 

[Propjob]

Ok Here are the pics of the rear of the trailer Drivers side ramp, against the stake pocket

 

[Propjob]

Lets try this again

 

[Skyco]

How much do you need to come in towards the middle?
If it was me I'd probably just cut a vertical slot in the part that hangs over the horizontal rod welded on to stop the ramps from coming off...cut the slot in the appropriate place to give you your required spacing. The slot will make part of the end of the ramp hang down inside the stake pocket..thats all assuming the measurements will work out for that, it might have to be two slots, one for each side of the stake pocket if you really have to come in toward center a lot.

 

[skipmarcy]

I've never seen stake pockets on the rear of a typical production trailer like that and have definitely never seen the ramp lip welded to them like that, but maybe they do that on smaller trailers ? I would want to know the weight rating on that setup before loading equipment on it. Also, those ramps should have some sort of safety to keep the ramp from coming up off the bar while loading - could be very dangerous. Don't know what you could do about getting closer spacing without some modifications.

Some guys, including myself a few times have/do unhooked their loaded trailer but with heavier tractors it can be pretty dangerous unless the trailer is a really heavy duty one. The typical "bumper pull" trailers' tongue jacks are usually pretty wimpy and can fold on you with alot of weight on them. Then again if your equipment isn't too heavy and you have your trailer loaded properly you can do it without a problem. The times I have unhooked mine with the tractor on I've chocked both front & rear of the tires on each side to keep movement to a minimum.

 

[Propjob]

The spacing between the ramps at present are 26 1/2#
The tractor Fr tire inside to in side is 29.
The rears are 24" inside to inside. I thought of the notch trick also and might be able to encompass a safety cable under the stake pockets. I've called the dealer for his advice also. It is only a month old.. JIM

 

[ed fewlass]

How much do you need to come in towards the middle?
If it was me I'd probably just cut a vertical slot in the part that hangs over the horizontal rod welded on to stop the ramps from coming off...cut the slot in the appropriate place to give you your required spacing. The slot will make part of the end of the ramp hang down inside the stake pocket..thats all assuming the measurements will work out for that, it might have to be two slots, one for each side of the stake pocket if you really have to come in toward center a lot.

Good idea I love this place

 

[Skyco]

How are the ramps going to come UP I've never seen a trailer with anything to stop the ramps from coming UP, but of course there needs to be a mechanism to keep the ramps from sliding OUT. In the pictured trailer that is the horizontal rod with the lip of the ramps hooked over it.

 

[ed fewlass]

Hi All:
Back again. Have just gotten my new Big Tex trailer registered. It is the 70CH with the metal ramps. I went to load my JD 2305 with FEL and BB, but I can't get the ramps close enough to allow my tires to safely go up the center. The two stake pockets in the rear prevent this. I tried to get the front tires up and was able to get them on the trailer riding close to the inside of the ramps. I then backed down and decided to check width of the rear tires by backing up to the ramps. I backed up a few inches and the ramp tipped to the inside. Has any one run into this or have any suggestions? This really rot's... Also can you leave the tractor, (assuming I rectify this dilemna..) on the trailer and unhook from the vehicle with the jack down???

not to change the subject but the first thing I did to my trailer when I bought it was to put 2 deck bolts in every board every place it crossed a crossmember it adds strength and keeps the boards from warping

 

[sperry]

Last year I purchased a trailer with the same ramp set up. Skyco is right about the fix, I did just that and it seems to be plenty strong. My tractor is a 30hp with loaded tires.
SPERRY

 

[Propjob]

Skyco; What do you mean about the ramps coming up? These ramps are removeable and are placed on the bar each use. My thought after the cut would to put a safety chain/wire between the slot and under the stake pocket.

 

[Skyco]

I should have quoted skipmarcy where he said-
"Also, those ramps should have some sort of safety to keep the ramp from coming up off the bar while loading - could be very dangerous. "

I don't see how ramps could come UP.. I've seen a safety wire/strap/chain/whatever to keep a ramp end from scooting OFF a trailer but never saw the need to keep one from going UP. How is it ever going to go UP? The weight of whatever is being loaded holds it DOWN. Am I missing something here?

 

[NHbotanut]

Jim,

Sent you a PM on this issue.

Good luck

Mike

 

[firemanpat2910]

If you have double jackstands I would leave tractor on it with no worrys. if its a flimsy fold up single I would always have a backup plan, How would you pick the tounge up incase of failure, how would you get truck hooked if single wheel sunk a foot into ground after you left it? before unhooking any loaded trailer besure it has positve toung weight, years ago I unhooked a closed in trailer that I thought was empty. It was loaded with bags of rice all by the rear door, LOTS of negative tounge weight. when I unclipped the latch it slammed the tail on the ground, the tounge just missed the tailgate of a new truck, and it took 5 guys standing on A frame to put it back on the truck.

 

[Highbeam]

My removable ramps, on a PJ trailer, slide on a rail very similar to the pictured BigTex. Rather than stake pockets, PJ used little chunks of steel to hold the "rod" in place and away from the trailer to allow the ramp lip to catch. Cut a little noth in the ramp in just the right place. It will help you locate the ramp each time as well since you will not always have the tractor right there to measure it with.

I use no safety blah blah to hold the ramps down, they stay put just fine while loading.

I also regularly unhook the loaded trailer from my truck. Right now my trailer is loaded with a tractor and mower for a quick evening mow job after work. The PJ trailer has a very stout tongue jack with a foot under it. I've left the loaded trailer for months on end.

Do NOT consider loading, unloading, moving, or other jacking around of the tractor while on a trailer detached from the truck.

 

[wushaw]

I have a Big Tex 70PI, it also has the stake pockets. Both of these trailers are utility type trailers and not dedicated equipment type trailers.

Just cut a notch out on the stake pocket in order to get the ramp in place.

You don't need a safety cable, I have loaded two different size tractors and one ZTR with no problems with the ramps coming up for any reason.

 

[swines]

Hi All:
Back again. Have just gotten my new Big Tex trailer registered. It is the 70CH with the metal ramps. I went to load my JD 2305 with FEL and BB, but I can't get the ramps close enough to allow my tires to safely go up the center. The two stake pockets in the rear prevent this. I tried to get the front tires up and was able to get them on the trailer riding close to the inside of the ramps. I then backed down and decided to check width of the rear tires by backing up to the ramps. I backed up a few inches and the ramp tipped to the inside. Has any one run into this or have any suggestions? This really rot's... Also can you leave the tractor, (assuming I rectify this dilemna..) on the trailer and unhook from the vehicle with the jack down???

I'm not familiar with the 2305 - are the wheels multi-position? Can you change the wheels to a "wide" position by swapping them to the other side of the tractor (left wheel to right side, right side wheel to left)?

If you can, this will gain you additional wheel base width on both the front and back. Your trailer has a 2000 lb. tongue jack - that should be enough to support the trailer with tractor.

But, as another poster pointed out, if you don't have the load balanced correctly or have supports at the rear of the trailer - you risk the load tipping rear end of the trailer onto the ground.

My trailer has drop-down rear supports built into the trailer, and I will not leave the loaded trailer unattached from the truck even with the rear supports down...but, then I'm a belt AND suspenders kind of guy with safety issues.