Loading and unloading a trailer

[Matt Kirsch]

weld supports to the forward edge of the ramp, that would be vertical when the ramp is lowered, like some of the car haulers have? That way they would act like jack stands under the hinged area.

If the material used in the ramp, and the material you use for the supports, is up to the task, that's an idea.

The deck of the trailer will get closer to the ground when you load up and the springs compress. Make sure you leave enough room between your supports and the ground to account for this, so you can flip the ramps up once you're loaded.

[Don McCombs]

The deck of the trailer will get closer to the ground when you load up and the springs compress. Make sure you leave enough room between your supports and the ground to account for this, so you can flip the ramps up once you're loaded.

Same thing applies to the struts mounted to the trailer frame. Mighty hard to pull those pins out if the weight of the load is on them.

[Dale Finch]

Oooooo...good point! I went to look at the trailer earlier, to see if I could use either of the above "leg" ideas, and it may not be quite as easy as I hoped. The upper rail I have on mine interferes with welding a slot for a stand. I can probably weld on a bracket of some kind to allow it to clear the rail. We'll see.

But I am glad you made this point of clearance!! I'll have to check out how the ramps that have this extension allow for the compression. For the time being, I guess I will just use some jacks if I need to use the trailer.

As others have said, this was a good post...quite thought provoking!!

[Jim Becker]

The deck of the trailer will get closer to the ground when you load up and the springs compress. Make sure you leave enough room between your supports and the ground to account for this, so you can flip the ramps up once you're loaded.

Same thing applies to the struts mounted to the trailer frame. Mighty hard to pull those pins out if the weight of the load is on them.

If the supports are attached to a hinged ramp, the way out is easy. Just get in the truck and slowly pull forward a couple feet. Tough to do that with the supports in a fixed stake pocket.

[Ike]

The deck of the trailer will get closer to the ground when you load up and the springs compress. Make sure you leave enough room between your supports and the ground to account for this, so you can flip the ramps up once you're loaded.

My ramps have factory built supports that do not have much clearance when the ramps are lowered. If I can't raise the ramps because of the load, I just pull forward and the ramps roll up until the supports are free. To lower the ramps, I drop them until the supports hit the ground and back up a few inches until the ramps are down.

Ike

Jim beat me to it!

[Ralph]

Jim
That is why i just use a couple blocks of 6x6 or appr. size to leave a couple inchs of clearance when loading and if it is sitting on the block pull forward and the block will be free.

[Dale Finch]

Oh, this forum does display some sharp minds!!! Jim and Ike...I like that aspect of the supports on the hinged ramp.

Boy, am I a Flip-Flopper, or what?!!!

[Super A]

I went to Agri Supply and got a couple of Bulldog trailer tongue jacks--same type that is on the front of my trailer from the factory--and attached one to each side of my trailer, at the rear. When I load/unload I just swing the jacks down and spin them down to the ground. Works slick for keeping the rear of the trailer from "bobbing down" and messing up my license plate, or worse, picking up the rear wheels of the truck! The beauty of this system is that I can turn them down, along with the tongue jack, firmly and load/unload the trailer even when it isn't hooked up to the truck.

Al

[Dusti Snider]

I've never had my rear jacks bind where I couldn't get them up with a load on it. Maybe my trailer is jjust so stout that it doesn't flex or squat any. When I load the last hole puts them about an inch or two off the ground. Just enough above level to allow for the thickness of a 2x to protect pavement of concrete...

[ricky racer]

I've never had my rear jacks bind where I couldn't get them up with a load on it.

They easily compensate for uneven ground too.

[BIGHOSS]

About the only time that your legs should touch the ground is during the actual loading, when all of the weight is on the rear of trailer. After loading and moving forward enough to get the proper tongue weight on the truck, the rear of trailer should not drag. If it does, you might want to reconsider the weight that you have just loaded on the trailer.