Buying a Flatbed

[rnolen]

I am looking at buying a flatbed to haul all kinds of stuff with. It will be used for hay, vehicles, equipment, and anything else. I am looking for something along the lines of 20ft to 30ft. I am not sure about this but I believe I want the two 7,000 lb axles. Does this drive the price of the trailer up? Do you guys think I should buy something with a dovetail or not? What do you guys think I will be paying for something like this? Any suggestions on brands?



Oh ya it will be a gooseneck.





Your suggestions are valued

Thanks

Russ

 

[barepa]

RUSS



I WOULD GO WITH A DOVETAIL WITH FOLD OVER RAMPS AND POPUP CENTER.

CHECK EBAY . 26FT IS ABOUT ALL YOU WANT WITH TWO 7000 LB.

$3000. 00 TO 4500. 00 SHOULD GET ONE THAT WILL DO WHAT YOU WANT.



DAVE

 

[MMiller]

You might want to think about those axels. I have a trailer that is 32' long total, deck and beavertail. The trailer by itself weights in about 7000 empty!! If you are looking at steel goosenecks 30' long you might want to jump up your axels a little to be safe. If my trailer had 2 7000# axels under it I would only be able to put about 7500# on it. I have 2 10,000's under my trailer with dual wheels.



Need to decide what you are gonna haul and how heavy the trailer you are specing out will wiegh empty.



Out here in the midwest H&H makes good trailers, B&B is mine and it pulls nice. Featherlight makes trailers. There are companies all over.



Find a trailer that pulls easy. Some trailers I have pulled, pull as hard empty as they do loaded. Mine happens to pull very nice, empty and full. It is pretty easy to balance too.



Probably didn't help you any, but hopefully you will think some more. Don't jump on the first one you see. Look at them all to see the options. Mine pulls nice, but I wish I would have looked around more because I see other trailers I like better, but mine will work fine.



I like slid in ramps because you can use the whole trailer and let trucks hang off the back. Don't have to worry about taking up space to fold up ramps. My $. 02.



Michael

 

[SRadke]

I'm not a big fan of fold over ramps. The dovetail with slide in is My reccomendation if you haul various loads. The fold ups work good until you drive something on there that is too long to fold them up.



-Scott

 

[TPCDrafting]

For hauling hay, I'd stay away from dove tails. I'd also get the bed over the tires style. Such that there are no wheel wells. 10k duals if you can swing it.

Check out issue 42, page 148, bottom left corner. That's a 24ft with slide in ramps. I've got 5 tons of hay on + 4500lb trailer on 7k axles. It pulls real nice. Also looking at the picture another thing to look for is one with dual jacks in the front. This makes it conforting loading the trailer with logs while there's no truck hooked up to it.

 

[Slow Six]

I bought a new flatbed this year. I got a 25 ft. deck plus dovetail and I went to triple 7000 lb. axles. I also got a king pin instead of the goose ball. The trailer pulls and rides well. I would recommend the deck over the wheels, in fact my deck is 8. 5 ft. wide to the tie down rails. As stated above shop around and checkout lots of trailers if you have the time. I rushed my first two trailers buys, but I got it right this time. You usually get what you pay for.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I would start by checking my state's licensing requirements. Like was mentioned before, these 14k gross trailers come in pretty heavy. For example, in my state, going over 10k trailer gross means going combination. Much more cost effective then to go with the dually tandem 20k trailer or the triple axles single wheel style.



Evaluate your area of operation before buying a dovetail or beavertail trailer. Some models hang to low and you end up dragging your tail. I sold my 14k for the above reasons. Been loosely kicking tires on the PJ tiltdeck dually tandem.



O'yes, do check your truck insurance policy for coverage on any trailer you plan to purchase. Often a "standard" policy will cover a "trailer" but not something like a big gooseneck.

 

[KBalzuweit]

Check your state laws also. In IL if you tow over 10,000 you need a class A cdl. Pretty stupid. In my opinion. Yet some no exp driver can tow a 20k fifth wheel rv without it.

 

[barepa]

WITH A 3/4 TON YOUR LIMITED TO SIZE OF TRAILER YOUR REAR TIRE CAN HANDLE, THE MORE WEIGHT ON THE TRUCK THE MORE TIRE WEAR. SOME WERE IN THE MIND 20S WOULD WORK. AND YES 3,7S WOULD BE GOOD,IF ITS A ROAD TRAILER I WOULD GO FOR RUBBER RIDE. IT PULLS NICE.



RAMPS DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAUL, SOME OF US HAVE BIGGER TOYS AND NEED HEAVIER RAMPS.

GO LOOK AT SOME TRAILERS, PICK OUT THE OPP YOU WANT.



YOU MAY NEED A CDL AND ALL THE GOOD STUFF. OR CAN YOU RUN A FARM PLATE ? DO,NT KNOW LAWS IN NM.



DAVE

 

[KBalzuweit]

Hey Dave... .



Just so you know all CAPS is the same as yelling here.



I saw you are new and just wanted to let you know.



Welcome, you will get some great info, and get to know a bunch



of great people.



Karl

 

[ndurbin]

Trailers that pull heavy that come to my mind are S&H (out of Oklahoma) and Hillsboro (central Kansas). I have an S&H stock trailer and it pulls like a big lead sled empty or loaded. Hillsboro's are even worse.



I'd opt for the tandem 10k duals. Pop up beavertail w/ slide out ramps would also be my choice. I'd also get the deck over the hitch for alil extra room.



There a several good trailer builders in Oklahoma and Texas. C&M and WW are on the top of my head.

 

[barepa]

SORRY Karl

It easier for us hunt and peck boys

thanks

Dave

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by ndurbin

There a several good trailer builders in Oklahoma and Texas. C&M and WW are on the top of my head.

I would agree up to a point. What good is a well built trailer if the steel was not prepped and finished to hold up to northern road conditions? I have had trailers made in both states. Good welds, strong construction but subject to severe rusting. True you will pay for the extra workmanship. My point is that this aspect is one more point to consider before you plop down your cash.

 

[KBalzuweit]

I know what you mean, I am two finger typing guy myself. Ok but as far as the trailers I had a Big Tex that I was happy with. Paint held up very well in IL, towed nice, and was built well. I am looking for a longer trailer myself and am going to see what they offer.



Karl

 

[barepa]

I have a 35ft road boss with 2 12000lb and run 33000 to 35000 gvw with 3500 2wd is about all she can handle. the trailers is ok.

but have seen better but $$$$ were right.



Dave

 

[MMiller]

If you are interested my b&b is powdercoated. Holding up pretty good to iowa/illinios road salt, but it is mainly my toy hauler and don't get out much this time of year. Mine has slide in ramps and I haul 436 cat backhoes from time to time. Also haul Cat skidsteers too. My trailer has the stands under the beaver tail. I have no problems loading a 18,000 backhoe on it with the slide ins,but they are very heavy slide ins. The one brawback of my trailer is the approach angle is pretty steep. Have to put the trailer in the low spot so a backhoe wont hit the ground. That is one thing I don't like about the trailer.



Like also said above, get the dual jacks. I got cheap and didn't, my brother got me new jacks for christmas, when the weather gets good then I will install them.



Oh yeah my old first gen will haul a 18,000 lbs cat backhoe real well. Run 5th down the interstate!



Michael

 

[barepa]

2 speed jacks are good for unhooking loaded trailers.

save the back some!!



dave

 

[PLaFrombois]

As some have mentioned already, go bigger. I'd figure out what weights you'd most likely be hauling, and go the next step up for the trailer. When I started looking for an enclosed trailer, I thought a 7x14 tandem would meet my needs. I went up to an 8x16 to be safe. I'm now looking at an enclosed goose with #7500 axles. I also have to get a bigger truck.



Some have mentioned H&H and I was impressed with their quality of trailers. I've also stopped at a place off I 90/94 in Portage, WI called Big O's Trailers. They helped answer my questions that I had about trailers.



Paul

 

[csevers]

I have a Keifer Industrial brand trailer it has a single beam neck (no v neck) it is 20 ft bed with 5ft beaver tail with flip up ramps 2 7k torsion axles. The trailer empty is around 5500 lbs with about 800 lbs tonge weight empty. I can and do over load gross and tonge weight all the time, I haul hay,scrap metal,equitpment, wood and anything else that fits. Two things I would change if I would do it over would be go 8. 5 wide and to 25 ft bed with 4ft beaver, the 25 is just not long enough some times. To me going to heavier axles it kinda a wash as you are way over the rated gross with a trailer like mine it will only be worse with a bigger trailer. In WI they don't have a 14k lic so you either have to lic for 12k or 16k. I did 16k and 12k on truck witch I still go way over anyways. There are alot of good g necks out there take your time to find the right one if you can.



Craig

 

[csevers]

I don't have any pics of just the trailer so I will post a pic of the hole rig with load.



Craig