Bought a new tilt bed 9999lb. gvw

[Orchard Ex]

My ramps are built with the point down (except for the first rung - it's up). Lots of ramps that I see are built that way. I think it is to make climbing up easier/smoother for wheeled equipment like a skid steer. If the rung points are up and the tires are small and narrow, you are climbing over a series of wheel chocks, (the holes between the top of the rungs are wider and the tire "falls" in between). Most of the guys around here running lots of tracked gear end up with wood planked ramps or tilt trailers. Having the angle point up like nobull1's will let the grouser slip as the track comes around the sprocket and shouldn't bend it.
LT - you'll have to explain to me how a piece of angle iron welded between two runners is "stronger" turned point up. I've never seen angle stock strength qualified by the position it is welded in.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

When you have the V up on angle iron it will eventually spread apart ie the V gets wider and looses its strength and bend. With the /\ the angle iron has less chance of bending. Why do you think we weld angle iron in dump boxes with the /\ up because it adds alot of strength.

With Jeffs ramps that steel is way too light no wonder they bent like I said those ramps are a step above a wood plank.

 

[Countryboy]

Its good to hear your trailer problems are on their way to being repaired atgreene. Another point to bring up is Lemon Laws. Most people tend to think this only pertains to vehicles but that is not true. Although the laws differ from state to state there are many different things they cover. From what I understand the trailer is on is second trip to the shop? If it has to go back for a third, knock on wood, just remember that Lemon Laws tend to come into effect on the third time a repair attempt is made. It has been my expierence that bringing up Lemon Laws to dealerships makes things go alot smoother. Lemon Laws can get full refunds, new replacements and sometimes compensation. It sounds like you are on the way to a new trailer anyway but if the new one does the same thing that will be the third strike against the original product. Just something to remember and I hope it won't go that far but the couple of times I have mentioned them at dealerships, things started happening that you wouldn't think possible. The customer is always right and there are several laws out there to make this possible.
Goog Luck

 

[nobull1]

Use springs.

You can use garage door spring mounted along trailer side but I like torsion springs hooked to the ramp and trailer and turning on pipe.

Don't happen to have any pic's of the ways to mount the springs for the ramps? I am getting a little tired of throwing mine up after each loading/unloading. Just something to take a little weight without redesigning the whole ramp would be nice.

 

[Orchard Ex]

When you have the V up on angle iron it will eventually spread apart ie the V gets wider and looses its strength and bend. With the /\ the angle iron has less chance of bending.

So you are telling me that a piece of angle - welded only on the ends between two rails to form a ramp - is inherently stronger with the point up?

Why do you think we weld angle iron in dump boxes with the /\ up because it adds alot of strength.

angle - welded in any orientation is going to add strength, as for why it is point up - how about because that is the way it sheds material best to keep from sticking...

 

[Countryboy]

Technical explainaton.......
With the corner of the V pointing down you are exposing 2 seperate edges which although connected at the bottom are still working seperately and once deformed will weaken the whole angle as a whole. With the V pointing up the 2 edges are now joined and are working together making the whole angle able to resist deformity better. Its stronger because it is better able to resist deformity. It also sheds debris better too...:thumbsup

 

[Orchard Ex]

Thanks for that technical explanation. Can't the angle only resist deforming if it has something to resist against? If the angle is only supported at the ends and a deforming load is applied in the center why will the angle press itself together? Won't it still just flatten and deform? I.e. how can the "two sides" work together against 0 resistance?

Now lets look at Jeff's problem. Why can Jeff's full size backhoe that weighs - lets guess at 6 or 7 tons riding on 4 small ground contact points - get up and down the ramps without bending those angles, but his 4 ton dozer, with a much much lower ground pressure can't?

Here's my theory (also explains why nobull1's ramps aren't bent like Jeff's and mine):
With the points up, the grouser bar can slide up the angle as it tries to make the turn around the sprocket/idler. With the points down the grouser bar gets wedged under the edge of the angle and tries to lift it as the grouser comes around the sprocket and goes "Sprong!!!!" as the angle and/or weld gives. Been there, heard it, seen it.

Have a good one
:drinkup

 

[Countryboy]

I agree. :notworthy Thats why the V being pointed up is important. The angles are opposite than with the point down so the grouser bar has something to push against and release instead of grab and hold. We had the same problem on a D3 and trailer that we rented. The bars were already bent and cracked because the point was facing down. When we backed it off the trailer it ripped off 3 and broke the end loose on a fourth one. The rental guy had to come out and repair just to get the dozer back on the trailer. It was a weekend and he couldn't come out till Monday so we had the dozer for another 2 days for free.:naughty The guy told me on that Monday that it was only the second time that brand new trailer had been rented out.:Banghead

 

[Ford LT-9000]

I did meantion if you use some wood on the ramps it has something for the tracks to bite into. If you know someone with a woodmizer mill that can cut you some rough sawn thick planks those would work good.

Steel on steel can be really slippery seen excavators slide off of beaver tails on lowbeds.

 

[CT18fireman]

You can actually buy a kit that uses garage type springs from J Thomas. Basically the spring is run along the side raile of trailer, I made my own and put them in PVC for protection on my landscape gate. You anchor it back so that when the ramp is up the spring is compressed. Then connect the end of the spring to the trailer with a cable. The rping extend along the rail as the ramp take the cable out and down. The key is to get the tension right. If you do you can move the ramp with just a little force.

On my skid steer trailer I used torsion springs from an old style Diamond plow trip edge. I fited the spring on the pit pipe and drileed holes in the frame and the ramp for the ends to lock into. Really they are too powerful as you need a bit of effort to bring the ramps down and once lifted past horizontal they will spring up on their own. I am sure I could find less powerful srprings but have to made the effort.

I will try to snap some pictures this weekend.

A third option I just thought of would be to used gas struts. I did this on my leaf box door to hold it open. Not sure if they would hold up as well as springs.

 

[Jeff D.]

For my problem, here's my plan:

I'll remove those ramps completely, and build some like Dayexco mentioned. Square tube on the sides/bottom, tube on top(for sliding sideways), plate on the face, with 3/4" solid square stock welded horizontally across the face for traction. That'de be good all the way around, whether skid-steer, backhoe, or dozer.

I'll contact the factory Monday, and see if they won't reimbuse me for the steel, rod, and paint. I know it'll be strong if I do it myself, and it'de save them having to ship ramps too me.

I'll even send them the steel bill, and before/after pic's if they want. I think that would be fair to them, and give me good ramps too. We'll see if they'll go for that.

I'll have too see how heavy they are before deciding about lift springs.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

You got lots of money you could always put a hiab crane on your trailer to lift the ramps up :bouncegri

 

[tylermckee]

We built new ramps for our 20 ton trailer with angle iron running horizontal so you can bolt some wood to the ramps. local lumber yard said it wouldnt be that easy to get some good oak planks for it so we cut some concrete panel forms to fit. They are holding up pretty well. ramps are a little heavy, feels like about 100-150 pounds flipping them over.

 

[atgreene]

Either way, it's too bad when we buy something we then have to fix it to handle it's advertised load. Rather frustrating if you ask me.

Good luck, hopefully they'll stand behind it.

 

[Orchard Ex]

Either way, it's too bad when we buy something we then have to fix it to handle it's advertised load. Rather frustrating if you ask me.

Good luck, hopefully they'll stand behind it.

I agree 100%!
Hope I didn't come off as too much of a jerk back there - I didn't mean to. I really shouldn't post after 23:00 Eastern Time. :sleeping

 

[N.B.CONCRETE]

AT Greene

I got the same trailer some time ago from the trailer place in kingston NH and it has somewhat of the same issues. I like the trailer but I bent it some too. It took awhile but I pay attention where I drop the tail to load now. Mine is tagged 9999 too. I load alot of form panels on it and I have well over 60,000km on it now with no issues. The factory tires were crappy loadstars and I got good goodyears on her now.

 

[atgreene]

I'm still waiting for this to be resolved. Cam said they would have me a new trailer 3-4 weeks ago but I'm still waiting. I've talked to the dealer with no answer, now I'm starting to get a little po'd. I wish they'd just make up their mind and do it, either way, Cam, the company, is obviously a bunch of idiots who don't have clue about customer service.

 

[atgreene]

Well, my new trailer came in. They told me I would of had it sooner but they built the wrong one, so they had to build another.

I spoke to the dealer today at the fair and he is not happy with Cam. The trailer arrived with no serial # or weight plate and the tail is the same, not the reverse beaver that they said it would be. I looked at it at the dealers late this afternoon and other than the tag issue I think it will be ok. They certainly beefed it up even though it's the wrong tail. Either way at this point I just want my trailer. I pick it up in the am and will be hauling equipment from the fair all day with it, so we'll see how it does. I'll post pics when I get home tomorrow night, time permiting.

 

[chtucker]

Buy anything "new"?

 

[atgreene]

You just can't make this stuff up!

I picked up my new trailer today! Everything was hunky dory, brought it home to haul the loader to the fair to load engines etc... Left the house, got to the first intersection and couldn't stop. NO TRAILER BRAKES.

So I pulled off the road and checked everything out. Trailer brake controler was blinking the green light and all the red lights flashed when I pressed the brakes indicating a dead short. I checked all my connections and still nothing. So I unloaded the Kubota so I could tilt the deck and check everything to see if the wires had issues. As soon as I unloaded the blinking stopped and the brakes worked.

To make a long story short, I finally lifted the trailer with the loader, crawled under and with the aid of my digital camera was able to see that the wire conduit that runs over the spring U-bolts was directly in the way of the U-bolts when the springs squatted. Unloaded the pressure was released, no problem. Load the trailer and the U-bolt crushed the wire and shorts it. After a little work I was able to move the wires enough to get some of the brakes working now and then.

Needless to say, it's going back again to the dealer to have the wiring re- routed. :Banghead :Banghead

On edit: I will post pics later, too tired to resize etc.. tonight.