OK. Since our Div of Forestry has put a burn ban in place because of dry weather, we're moving all the brush piles to one corner to be buried. It's a long way with just a rake-full at a time, so we've been piling it on the trailer and pulling the trailer to the other end of the lot with the small tractor. So, right now, the trailer is covered with sand and brush and stuff, so it will be a little while before I could take any pix (wish it was a dump trailer - we use the back hoe on the big Cat at the other end to drag the stuff off).
I can tell you this. The trailer has a wood bed, but it's in three sections. There is angle iron running the length of the trailer approximately 12" in from the outside rails, and a HD plank laid in the tire tread area on each side. The center, a little less than 4', is filled with PT 2x12's.
It has D rings on the front, stake pockets both front and back, and some D rings on the planks. I use all of them, at various times, for tying things down. Actually, for the TC18, I'm using the outside flange at the front corners to hook the ratchets - it's tough to show without a picture - but the idea is to have the straps angle in from the outside front corners to the front axle. Not only does this keep the tractor from moving back on the trailer, the straps are working against each other to keep it centered - things can shift to one side or the other when you hit bumps, etc. The front straps are the ratchet straps. I hook them at the trailer, then the other end loops around the front axle and hooks to itself.
In the rear, The straps are fixed length (no ratchet). I loop them around the uprights that hold the rear axle and hook them to themselves (there is an adjustable D ring on all these straps so they can hook to themselves at the axle end), and hook the other end to the stake pockets. I have these carefully adjusted so that when they reach full taut, the tractor is balanced on the trailer.
The procedure is to drive up the ramps until all 4 wheels are on the trailer. Then, hook up the rear straps, which are already adjusted to the proper length. Then, ease forward until they are reasonalby taut. I leave the brake off, get off the tractor and hook up the front straps. Ratchet them really tight, and the tractor moves forward an inch or two until the rear straps are very taut. Then, I climb back on and lock the brakes down. I also make sure the FEL is down just enough to make good contact but not enough to unload the front wheels.
Finally, I have a heavy chain that I loosely loop around the front axle and through one of the stake pockets in the front. The idea is that if the straps break, the chain will let the tractor move back a little, but will not let it fall off the trailer. I don't have a safety chain in the back. 1), I don't care as much about the tractor coming off the front of the trailer and hitting me, as I do about it going off the back and hitting someone else. 2), There is a rail and a heavy tool box on the front of the trailer that the FEL would have to get through to get to me.
The key thing with straps or chains or whatever else you use as a tie down is to get them working against each other. Each strap you put on should be working in an opposite and pretty much equal force against some other strap. Think of tying ropes from 4 tractors to a man's wrists and ankles. If all 4 tractors exert the same amount of force in opposite directions, the man's arms and legs should all pull off at exactly the same moment. (Yeah, I know. That's sick. But, I'll bet you never forget the concept, now /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ).
Features? Lot's of them, none of which my trailer has, but my next one will. Ramps that slide underneath, pull out when needed, and then slide back and forth across the back of the trailer for different widths. Beaver tail (last 2 feet of the trailer slanted down) so the ramps don't have to be so long. A winch for pulling things onto the trailer when they don't run. A decent size tool and strap box on the tongue (I have one, but it's small). You want really nice? An electric tongue jack. If you have the bucks, go for an aluminum trailer, like a Featherlight - it will never corrode, and you can haul more capacity with the same rated truck, because the trailer is a smaller percentage of the load. If you buy a used trailer, be sure it has trailer-rated tires, or replace them as soon as possible if it doesn't. You don't want to learn how badly a tire can beat up a fender, and don't ask me how I know. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
