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20 ton trailer license plate placement

Man with a plan

Active Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
28
Location
United States
So I recently bought a 20 ton eager beaver trailer and the license plate is mounted to the support leg on the ramps the factory position, on the eager beavers at least, is like is shown in this image I found online the problem with it being mounted there is whenever the back of the trailer drags it destroys the plate and they eventually break in half like is shown in the picture. The problem I have with it being on the ramp is that to be legal I need a license plate light which someone has already wired on my trailer but I don't really like the excess wire that is there to let the ramp pivot and I'm afraid it will get caught in the spring or hinge and get ripped off. So, in short if anyone has any great ideas as to how the best way is to mount the plate on these style trailers. I'm not sure if other manufacturers do something different than eager beaver I only have experience with eager beavers. Thanks
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Tags

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
1,610
Location
Connecticut
I've been down that road before with an eager beaver trailer I used to have, I mounted it on the back of the ramps as well with no lite and never had an issue, but I also never got pulled over by a DOT officer while I was running it. It almost looks like you might be able to weld or bolt a plate over the three clearance lights on the back of the trailer and possibly install the new smaller led button lights there so the license plate could be mounted higher. If it already has a light wired to the ramp, I would personally just try to protect the wiring by running it through a piece of hydraulic hose or something so it gives you a better chance of not letting it get pinched.
 

Steve Frazier

Founder
Staff member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Messages
6,599
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
I've always used the back of the ramps too, it's the safest place for the plate. I've never bothered with the plate lamp and I realize it's a DOT requirement but I've never been hassled for it. I feel it's the lesser of two evils, the lack of a plate light is a violation but so is a damaged plate.
 

Man with a plan

Active Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
28
Location
United States
Thanks guys. I like Tags idea of the hydraulic hose over the wire. It has the plastic wire loam on it, but that's not going to help much if it gets pinched. The hydraulic hose was something I hadn't thought of.
 

gwhammy

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
602
Location
missouri
I've had them mounted on the ramps forever. I'd mount it there, they will give a warning for it the first time. They are going to give you a warning for something.
 

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,558
Location
WWW.
Trail King and many others have the same problem. Last one I fixed-I cut a square section out of the middle
of ramp deck, welded two pieces of angle iron on the sides of opening just lower than deck. Used two hinges,
one attached to deck and piece I cut out and one hinge attached to the bottom edge of piece cut out the attached
a piece the size 8" X 12" to that hinge to mount light and plate. It forms sort of a triangle when raised into
position for travel and completely flat deck when loading. Guy I did it for likes it-been there 5 years that way.
 
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