Which Style Trailer to Get?

[HarleyBob]

I need a trailer for a Kubota L3010 (#3000) and am confused as to beavertail, tilt loads etc. Do I want a beavertail. I want to be able to load and unload when NOT attached to truck so, do I require a tilt, or just front and back jacks? I know I don't want tilt ramps in back, so I can carry by bushhog with the end hanging out a little.
Harley

 

[GaryM]

The beavertail, or dovetail, reduces the entry angle onto the trailer. I think it's worth having. I have a mesh, full width gate on my trailer. It's convienient if you want to load varying tread width items such as a push mower that might not go well on a separate ramp. But as you mentioned, you can't let stuff hang out the back.

I guess you have to figure out what would be best for the items you want to haul. Maybe a two piece gate with a gap inbetween?

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

I have a 5k trailer (Big Tex) with a mesh tilt gate. The trailer is painted and if I had it to do over I would have spent a few more bucks and went galvanized. The trailer works fine but I have several spots of surface rust etc. and it is less than a year old. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Soundguy]

A mesh gate is going to fatigue over time.. especially with a 3000# tractor pluss implement.

I got a bif tex flatbed.. detachable ramps.. etc.. works good.. just gotta be hooked up to the truck to load. I like to carry a block of wdd though, to place under the trailer at the loading point to keep the rise at the trailer front under control.

Plan size for future purchases. FWIW, my 16' big tex tandel axle holds my NH 1920 and brush hog fine, with the tail whell hanging out.. which i flag it.

The 5' kk is say? 500# and the tractor is 33xx?

Biggest thing is brakes.. get something with electric brakes, and keep them adjusted.

Soundguy

Good luck

 

[ewoss3]

I currently run a 16' (5k)with detachable ramps and wood flooring. With the frontend loader over the front rail the brush hog will will barely ride on the back. Ideally go for a 20'-24'(7K) with 4' dovetail and detachable ramps.

The best addition we made was to weld two pivoting trailer jacks at the back of the trailer on the sides. This allows no rocking or hitch climb when loading.

 

[em14]

I have an equipment trailer, tandom axles, electric brakes, 5 ton GVW 16ft with a 2ft beaver tail for a total lenght of 18ft. Wooden floor, hinged ramps, tool box up front which is triangle shape and is located between the frame rails. Has a 2 5/16 in. ball hitch. I don't have the greatest of roads on the farm to pull over but it does fine. I often pull this 350 miles of which about 1/2 is Inter State with way Stations. The largest tractor that I pull with it is a JD 5220 with FEL and sometimes a 5 ft. rotary cutter also attached. When I have this load I back the tractor on so that the cutter is sitting toward the front and raise the FEL and roll the bucket over the ramps which are stored in vertical position for travel. I will some times haul on backroads in the local area at the farm, not on the Inter State, and for only a few miles, a 10ft. rotary cutter attached and when I do that I drive on with the cutter hanging over the rear of the trailer a few ft. and I chain the ramps to the cutter.
This setup works well for me but it may not for you ... make sure you get a trailer with the capacity and the lenght that you need for the way you intend to move your equipment. With any weight at all you will need brakes on the trailer. Check with your State Dept. of Trans/Law Offices concerning trailering requirements so you don't get caught short.
Leo

 

[johnno]

I have had a 3 ton Eager Beaver for 15 years now and it only has a 11 ft deck. Talk about a pain in the a** trying to move the JD 1070 w/ the hog. It really limited me to one or no attachments with my tractors and with my skidsteer. So this week when I got the new 4310 I also bought a new Cam Supreme 18ft tilt trailer. It has an 18' deck with a 6 ton cap. The tilt is the only way to go in my opinion after years of 100lbs ramps. The bed is set up so that there is an hydralic cushion cylinder under the deck that can be adjusted to the desired tonnage so the deck doesn't slam down when loading the machine. It also has a ring eye and electric brakes. I paid $4500 in CT. I don't have a brake controller yet but I am definatly getting one this week for the Chevy 2500HD after a weekend of hauling. All I can say is if you can get a tilt trailer do it, you won't regret it unless you regularly move two machines at one time.
-John

 

[HarleyBob]

What is a ring eye?
It looks like I am going for an 18' tilt. They say it has a
"drop axle." What is that?

 

[GaryM]

A ring eye looks like this http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/finditem.cfm?itemid=9049

It's mounted to the bed of the trailer. You can use it for a tiedown point, but it lies recessed out of the way when not needed.

A "regular" axle has the wheels mounted on the same line as the axle tube that connects the wheels. It's all on a straight line. A "drop axle" has the mounting tube offset lower than the wheel centers. This can lower the trailer bed closer to the ground, or can allow use of larger tires without raising the bed height.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Anyone who reads my name next to a reply on this post probably already knows what I'm suggesting.

Get yourself a tilt bed trailer and forget the dovetail/beavertail altogether. No ramps to worry about, break, bend, carry, pin, forget to pin and lose.

Put a winch on a tilt bed trailer and you can use it to load a dead tractor, truck, car or, judging by your screen name here, a motorcycle with no trouble at all. I've had my electric hydraulic tilt bed trailer for a while now and wouldn't EVER consider having a trailer without a tilt bed again. It has truly made life so much better for me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif