Have any of you loaded a Trike onto a tilt bed utility trailer? I wonder if that would solve the clearence issues common with a ramp load?
Tilt Bed Trailer
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Guess not???
rmrc51
Lost In The 50's
I have one of those standard single axle utility trailers you see carrying lawn mowers on. I have loaded my Valk trike on it but I also had to place cement blocks under the dropped down ramp to raise the angle and then made 3 extension ramps. With out using this setup, the trike bottoms at the deck's pivot point with the ramp.
I need a different trailer.
I need a different trailer.
rhino 2
100000 + Posts
I have a 6 1/2 X 10 Landscape type trailer [drop axle] My Tri Glide gos up and down without a problem. No extra ramps needed. I bought it a few years ago because my previous Trike [can am] was always breaking down.
I would think you would need to have the trailer built exactly for your trike.
a few problems.
the hinge has to be in the exact position for your weight/length cargo.
If the hinge is too far foward or backward the bed will either start lowering before the rear wheels are on the bed or the bed will not lower at all after the trike is on.
To aclompish this most tilt bed trailers for equipment are longer than the equipment to be loaded and the front few feet of the trailer bed is fixed so for a 10' trike you would need a 12' trailer with only 10' of the bed tiltable. Also you would want to invest in a Hyd. shock so when the tiltable portion of the bed drop it do so slowly.
This could easily add $500-750 to the cost of a standard ramp trailer.
A less expensive solition to the ramp angle would be to have your open trailer constructed with the last 2 feet of deck built as a dovetail, this increases the ramp length by 2 foot reducting the ramp angle.
I also just use common sence and find a location with a raised or lowered section of ground to load/unload.
Most everywhere you travel you can find a parking lot with the rasied curb/grass sections throughout.
Step 1 back up to one of the raised areas.
Step 2 fold ramp onto to the edge of the raised area.
Step 3 back trike off onto grass
Step 4 remove ramp from trailer rear, "mine slides sideways about 3" to remove"
Step 5 place ramp on raised section and on parking lot
Step 6 drve traike off grass and onto parking lot
Step 7 replace ramp onto trailer.
This uses the raised section of ground like a stair landing and makes 2 lower incline steps and not one larger incline move.
a few problems.
the hinge has to be in the exact position for your weight/length cargo.
If the hinge is too far foward or backward the bed will either start lowering before the rear wheels are on the bed or the bed will not lower at all after the trike is on.
To aclompish this most tilt bed trailers for equipment are longer than the equipment to be loaded and the front few feet of the trailer bed is fixed so for a 10' trike you would need a 12' trailer with only 10' of the bed tiltable. Also you would want to invest in a Hyd. shock so when the tiltable portion of the bed drop it do so slowly.
This could easily add $500-750 to the cost of a standard ramp trailer.
A less expensive solition to the ramp angle would be to have your open trailer constructed with the last 2 feet of deck built as a dovetail, this increases the ramp length by 2 foot reducting the ramp angle.
I also just use common sence and find a location with a raised or lowered section of ground to load/unload.
Most everywhere you travel you can find a parking lot with the rasied curb/grass sections throughout.
Step 1 back up to one of the raised areas.
Step 2 fold ramp onto to the edge of the raised area.
Step 3 back trike off onto grass
Step 4 remove ramp from trailer rear, "mine slides sideways about 3" to remove"
Step 5 place ramp on raised section and on parking lot
Step 6 drve traike off grass and onto parking lot
Step 7 replace ramp onto trailer.
This uses the raised section of ground like a stair landing and makes 2 lower incline steps and not one larger incline move.
I posted this in another thread but I will repeat it here.
Here is my solution for draging pipes, I use it on my current trailer. Get one of those adjustable hitch deals that goes in the receiver, the attachment for the ball can be moved up or down to make the hitch more level with the trailer. Then mount the ball to the highest possible position, this will raise the front of the trailer and lower the rear making the ramp have less slope. After the trike is loaded, unhitch from the tow vehicle and change the receiver and ball to the one you want to tow with and hook your trailer back up. Take the other receiver with you to use when unloading. I didn't even tighten the bolts on mine since I don't use it to tow with, that way its easier to adjust to the desired height, you could even use pins instead of bolts. Works for me.
Here is my solution for draging pipes, I use it on my current trailer. Get one of those adjustable hitch deals that goes in the receiver, the attachment for the ball can be moved up or down to make the hitch more level with the trailer. Then mount the ball to the highest possible position, this will raise the front of the trailer and lower the rear making the ramp have less slope. After the trike is loaded, unhitch from the tow vehicle and change the receiver and ball to the one you want to tow with and hook your trailer back up. Take the other receiver with you to use when unloading. I didn't even tighten the bolts on mine since I don't use it to tow with, that way its easier to adjust to the desired height, you could even use pins instead of bolts. Works for me.
rmrc51
Lost In The 50's
What lift kit?
And the adjustable ball hitch Woolie mentioned is another option I'll look into.
rhino 2
100000 + Posts
tGLIDE STUFF.COM, ThumbUpThumbUp
I've pulled ATVs with tilt trailers in the past, but never this trike. One thing I do know though is that you need to carry most of the weight (about 65%) forward of the trailer axle, which means that you'll have a lot of empty deck sitting behind the rear axle of the trike...unless you can somehow back the trike on. JMHO
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A lot of good suggestions, thanks.
make one out of a car dolly. some guys here & on v-twin forume or touringmdels h-d have made some excellent ones. just bolt the frame so it doesn't pivit.
G.C. Manufacturing, Inc in Garland, Tx
Index of /
972-487-8683
They make a trailer that lowers to the ground for easy loading. I made a copy of this for myself and it works great for my Lehmen Wing.
Index of /
972-487-8683
They make a trailer that lowers to the ground for easy loading. I made a copy of this for myself and it works great for my Lehmen Wing.
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