Upgrading ramps for trailer.

[Hobby_Man22]

I have a 16ft trailer that's rated at 10k gvwr. It's basically a car hauler used as a landscaping trailer with expanded metal sides. 5 inch c channel tongue and 4in c channel frame. It was overbuilt, but thats okay. I want to load my tractor on the trailer and was wondering if I used those upgraded ladder style steel ramps, how would they connect to the trailer? The tractor weighs 2600 pounds. I'm not sure if I'm pushing my luck driving up the expanded metal ramp or not. The metal is pretty beefy compared to your typical trailer

 

[NFH2740]

Add a weldment with a 1 1/16" hole using 1" round stock as a hinge. There are lift assist coil springs available.

 

[Jlarson]

Done a couple similar for people with swapable expanded tailgate ramp and two angle ramps, round stock on the back then the ramps have like a mini channel on the ends to latch over the round. Angle ramps store up under the rear on both sides, similar to some old Big Tex trailers.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Add a weldment with a 1 1/16" hole using 1" round stock as a hinge. There are lift assist coil springs available.

That's how my current ramp is setup except the round bar is only like 12" wide.

 

[NFH2740]

The additional width allows for adjustment. If you opt for a longer hinge, be sure to support the mid point.

 

[matt_i]

The "foot" under each ramp which is pictured above is pretty critical. When you swing it down it sits up off the pavement lets say 1 to 1-1/2" but then crushes down to go solid with the pavement as its loaded up. Without it you could seriously overtax the suspension and might have your rear truck tires off the ground hanging from its ball.

The back edge of the trailer needs to be fairly solid as well to weld the tabs for the cross- tubes or pipes.

My 14k trailer uses a 3" OD tube (forget whether it was originally a 2-1/2" Sch 40) for the pivot points. I extended it with a full 8'6" piece of DOM tubing for more track width adjustability in the ramps. Make sure you can get your tractor well-centered, having minimal suspension you don't want to get a tire off....

 

[kerrynzl]

The "foot" under each ramp which is pictured above is pretty critical. When you swing it down it sits up off the pavement lets say 1 to 1-1/2" but then crushes down to go solid with the pavement as its loaded up. Without it you could seriously overtax the suspension and might have your rear truck tires off the ground hanging from its ball.

It is more likely to over tax the towball and lift the rear suspension of the tow vehicle when loading a vehicle on.
I witnessed a guy get injured while standing in front and guiding a car onto the trailer , it came off the hitch and flew up and broke his jaw.

This was caused by the owner's wife borrowing the tow vehicle while at the track and when she returned it was never put back properly. But if the ramps had "Feet" it would also have saved injury
Always check the safety chains etc [don't rely on hanger-ons to do this]

Since witnessing this, I've always added feet to ramps on my trailers [my ramps are slide-out variety]







The OP's Tractor isn't too heavy at 2600 lbs compared to a Japanese car like a 1990 Honda Accord which weighs 2822 lbs
[My gutted out Mustang race car weighs 3000 lbs]

 

[unslow1]

Make sure you know what that tractor actually weighs. The weight also may be concentrated too heavily in one spot. I wish I had pics to post of the trailer a friend of mine literally broke in half. It had hauled a 3/4 Suburban but that tractor weight got concentrated on the back when loading and snapped and bent the rails. The back end bent and touched the ground permanently. We ended up rebuilding it but It probably would've been easier and cheaper to buy a new one. We did it because the new ones are a lot lighter and cheaply made.

 

[f150skidoo]

OP it would help if you posted a picture of your current ramp set up? Most car hauler or landscape trailer ramps of your trailers GVW would be sufficient for your small sub compact tractor weight.

 

[mike93lx]

When loading something heavy into a trailer, I usually just throw a jack stand under the rear as temp support.

For something regular, I'd want it built into the ramps, but for infrequent use, it's a simple, low buck and lightweight option

 

[Hobby_Man22]

OP it would help if you posted a picture of your current ramp set up? Most car hauler or landscape trailer ramps of your trailers GVW would be sufficient for your small sub compact tractor weight.

I'll take a pic today, but it's the same setup as pictured only with an expanded metal ramp. I didn't know that's all they did for those heavy duty ramps. I may just place a sheet of plywood down to spread the load and use jack stands like that one poster suggested.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Okay. Here it is.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Here's more pics. What do you think I could load onto this ramp?

 

[f150skidoo]

Here's more pics. What do you think I could load onto this ramp?

Well i wouldn't load a skid steer or mini ex up the ramp. I'm guessing this from you pictures, But it appears the ramp uses 2" square tube on approximately 12" centres with 3/4" #9 raised expanded metal. If the tractor tires run on the tube frame you should be fine, if they run just on the expanded metal you will bend the mesh. Your tractors wheel base is probably long enough that the front tire is going onto the trailer deck the same time as the rear tire hits the ramp bottom. I think the ramp can support your tractors weight, but if you're still wooried you could weld in some reinforcements where the tires run up and add a third hinge in the middle.

 

[mike93lx]

Well i wouldn't load a skid steer or mini ex up the ramp. I'm guessing this from you pictures, But it appears the ramp uses 2" square tube on approximately 12" centres with 3/4" #9 raised expanded metal. If the tractor tires run on the tube frame you should be fine, if they run just on the expanded metal you will bend the mesh. Your tractors wheel base is probably long enough that the front tire is going onto the trailer deck the same time as the rear tire hits the ramp bottom. I think the ramp can support your tractors weight, but if you're still wooried you could weld in some reinforcements where the tires run up and add a third hinge in the middle.

I would have guessed those ribs are angle, not tube. It appears to have some tube at the 1st and 4th position, at least. Hard to tell from that angle

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I would have guessed those ribs are angle, not tube. It appears to have some tube at the 1st and 4th position, at least. Hard to tell from that angle

They are tubes. The only angle iron is at the top and bottom. I don't know what size the expanded metal is because i don't how that's measured. It's a good 5/16" if you measured the diameter with a tape measure.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

It's a heavy ramp. I need to have a 3rd spring added so I can lift it easier.

 

[f150skidoo]

They are tubes. The only angle iron is at the top and bottom. I don't know what size the expanded metal is because i don't how that's measured. It's a good 5/16" if you measured the diameter with a tape measure.

Expanded metal is measured by the smaller width of the diamond x numbered system which is the thickness. So a 3/4" x #9 raised measure .312" thick with the diamond size .688" x 1.56"

 

[gearhead1]

Here's more pics. What do you think I could load onto this ramp?

Can you verify the width of the tubes, are they 2” x 2”? How far apart are they, and what is the length of the ramp? If there’s any place to identify the tube thickness, like hole drilled in it somewhere, that would be helpful to know the thickness.

 

[kerrynzl]

It's a heavy ramp. I need to have a 3rd spring added so I can lift it easier.

It could do with more hinge / pivots or it could sag/bend laterally. At least the maker of those ramps was smart enough to put all the tubes longitudinal.
I've seen many bent ramps that were simple ladder design which only have 2 load bearing members.

I use 3 longitudinal tubes on mine which uses less steel than a ladder design
here is what I mean [viewed underneath]


Now ,If you don't want to sink any $$$ into re-engineering what you already have!
Simply cut some blocks of wood to load bear weight of the back of the trailer and centre of the ramps.

It is not that difficult to prop up the rear with some blocks.
And if you're worried about the mesh getting damaged , use a sheet of plywood on top of it [then slide it under the tractor later.]

 

[kerrynzl]

Add to the above reply

My ramps have three 40mm x 40mm x 3mm wall longitudinal tubes [1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 1/8"] and span 2 metres [2 yards]
The weakest part would be load bearing into the middle because it is supported at each end [one end is on the ground]

My race car weighs 3000lbs and has almost 50/50 balance longitudinal and 50/50 lateral so each ramp is only subjected to 750 lbs then one wheel rolls off the ramp before the next wheel rolls on [the wheelbase is longer than the ramps]

I have winched my race car onto the centre of the ramps [and parked it in that position] I also did this with a friends 2002 V6 Camry which is front heavy and weighs 3300 lbs.
Then I used a straight edge to measure any bending and deflection .


There was NONE, so multiple tubings of 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 1/8" are certainly strong enough.

@Hobby_Man22 ramps are strong enough, I would be more concerned with the tongue/ coupler trying to lift when loading.