I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

When I said "while they might be good for loading a car", I meant the
dovetail.

On Feb 17, 12:43 am, Albert wrote:
I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

On Feb 16, 10:43 pm, Albert wrote:
I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

In my experience, the dove tail, in combination with a tilt bed will
allow loading without any ramps.

Paul

wrote:
On Feb 16, 10:43 pm, Albert wrote:
I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

In my experience, the dove tail, in combination with a tilt bed will
allow loading without any ramps.

Paul

The big thing with a beavertail trailer is that you can use shorter
ramps and the drop on the tail also allows loading of some items without
a ramp. Long ramps will work BUT the longer the ramp the heavier it has
to be to carry the load. Those long HEAVY ramps get old really quick...

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

Life is not like a box of chocolates
it's more like a jar of jalapenos-
what you do today could burn your ass tomorrow!

Around here it is usually referred to as a beaver tail rather than dove
tail but same thing.

If you mostly do vehicles, you will like the beaver tail, much easier to
load. Most vehicles have some sort of rear overhang, you need the
trailer there to attach tie downs but level is not important. If you
mostly haul steel or lumber, the beaver tail is a pain. You need to
support the ends of the steel/lumber, you can't load pallets on the back
end.

We load a race car with full ground effects fairings on the front and 3"
of ground clearance in the middle onto a flat trailer. I have to pick a
good spot to load it, set up long ramps, then add some strategic 2x10's
and assorted blocks to get up 18" in the air.

Sounds like you want the flat version, just bring along some extra
planks for low slung cars. Hint: put a 5' long plank with a 2x block
under the ground end of the ramp, makes it a lot easier.

Albert wrote:
I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

Albert wrote:
I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.

I've seen equipment trailers that had a set of ramps that pretty near
turned the beavertail back into a flat area when they were folded up
onto the back of the trailer. Or you could build a steel tube framed
filler for the times you need to have a dead flat bed, and pop it off
when you want to load a wheeled vehicle.

I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.
Although I don't have any names or links for you, I *have* seen
hinged, beavertail trailers where the beavertail is raised up level
with the trailer bed (I believe hydraulically) for normal
transportation. Lowered for loading cars, etc., but left up for
"flat" loads. The hinged beavertail seems to be a good design
improvement where you can meet both demands.
Ken.

Albert wrote:

I'm thinking about getting an open trailer for general hobby use
(hauling steel tubes, dimensional lumber, an occasional machine, and
an occasional car). I'm thinking tandem axle, electric brakes on both
axles, 18' long, and 7000 to 10000 pound GVWR. I've seen many of
these with a slanted dovetail on the rear-most 4 feet. I understand
this dovetail combined with 2 short length ramps make it easier to
load a low clearance vehicle. But I don't understand why a flat bed
and 2 long ramps wouldn't do the same job. Do long ramps bend
easily? Are they uneconomical in terms of cost and weight compared to
a dovetail? While they might be good for loading a car, I don't see
them helping if I'm carrying long tubes or wood.

Also, I've considered an enclosed trailer but have yet to see any with
strong tie-downs that would be appropriate for tying down a machine.
And they sure are expensive.


I have a 14' trailer that I built for my racecar and the bed is flat.
The ramps I built are made with 1' X 1'. .090 steel tube with diamond
plate welded on top and hinges in the middle and they will, indeed,
bend. I cured that problem with a pair of HF aluminum jack stands which
I place just forward of the hinge line. Works great. I've even hauled
the '81 Corvette on it. The ramps fold up to about 4' and are stowed
across the rear of the trailer with two shortened ratchet straps. Made a
hook for the trailer end of the ramps out of 1" angle iron and that fits
into a slot formed with 2" by 1/4" strap that goes the width of the rear
of the trailer. That way you can adjust the width of the ramps to suit
different vehicles.

Jim