Towing a diesel 2500 Burb on a 17’ flatbed trailer

[AuroraGirl]

The ramps can’t be removed.

how were they installed? They should be free floating on the piece they pivot on

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You welded them on? should have made them removeable

op should consider a adjustable height hitch, putting trailer tires at maximum PSI for stability/weight rating

Then also if you load a suburban on it, if your ramps cannot be removed, you should use tires or something strapped to the ramps to protect the truck, then strap the ramps lengthwise with the trailer to gently hold them up against the truck. should have designed a bar that holds them up.

Also your trailer should be supported with 6x6 blocked up at the end of the trailer (ramps with these supports can be fabricated in the future)

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This kinda strapping allows you to hold ramps at various angles.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Those ramps are definitely well made, but that fold up style is a PITA on a car trailer. If you plan to haul a lot of cars I'd recommend making them so they slide under the trailer for storage. I did that with mine and it's super handy.

You'll have to strap the ramps to the rear bumper of the suburban. Keep in mind the suburban will bounce around on the trailer as you hit bumps. The ramps will rub against the bumper and the straps holding them will loosen up as that happens. You'll have to check them often. I had a hell of a time pulling a full size 60s oldsmobile like that once. After that I moved the ramps below the deck for storage.

I don’t plan on towing vehicles with it regularly. This was my primary equipment trailer for a while. Mostly for tractors.

You welded them on? should have made them removeable

I know, that is a good point and something I would do if I was the only one who used the trailer.

The reason these got welded on is that I had an employee who left my other trailer’s ramps on a job, then didn’t have enough talent to figure out how to get the piece of equipment off the following day. Another guy (his buddy, both of whom were let go after the incident I’m about to describe following a failed drug test), backed over a ramp and it tilted up into the body of my 12v ram.

Anyway, they turned out to be idiots and I idiot proofed this trailer. Can’t forget the ramps if they’re attached.

I use a strap to hold them up when I’m in transport. This trailer has been retired to the property for the last year and a half, so it’s use is fairly infrequent.

As you can see on that dovetail above, most lighter vehicles/tractors don’t need the self supporting ramps or jacks in the corners. The ball keeps the trailer’s rear end from going down. I’ve had mini excavators, skid steers, TLBs, etc. up and down ramps without supports thousands of times. I does make you a little uneasy the first few times you do it, I’ll give you that. The ramps will bend before the hitch pops off. At least in my experience.

 

[Grit dog]

For ***** and giggles I put the burb in the “will this work” form on U-Haul’s website and they say I’m good to go!

Lots of car and equipment haulers don’t have a front rail, but I see your concern. I have four 3333 wheel lassos and four chain binder combos that I use for equipment, but I’m experienced with how that stuff balances out.

The ramps don’t come off, they just pivot up. I built them when I bought this trailer from a solar generator company that went out of business. They are super stout, but still probably no more than 70lbs each.

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I think I’m going to buy one of those weigh safe hitches that tells you your tongue weight.

Thats funny. Although it will fit. Uhaul trailer will tow like **** because the deck is short and the axles are more forward than most car haulers. A vehicle that has a wheelbase as long as the trailer will be tongue light.
You’ll be fine but may need to move it back a bit. You have lots of adjustment core and aft except for the folding ramps. But you can strap them up to the back bumper of the burb. **** it, will keep tailgaters off your ass!
If you load it all the way forward it will be tongue heavy. But also **** it, that doesn’t really matter either if you have a good receiver. The Ram will handle the tongue weight. I pulled a toyhauler around for years with 1600-1800 lb tongue weight. No load dist hitch. Pulls really straight with that much tongue weight!! Lol
I’d just look for the happy medium between the ramps sticking out and heavy tongue weight.

 

[Ricko1966]

I pulled my burb home from Salina Kansas on a 16ft flat bed,no problem

I don’t plan on towing vehicles with it regularly. This was my primary equipment trailer for a while. Mostly for tractors.

I know, that is a good point and something I would do if I was the only one who used the trailer.

The reason these got welded on is that I had an employee who left my other trailer’s ramps on a job, then didn’t have enough talent to figure out how to get the piece of equipment off the following day. Another guy (his buddy, both of whom were let go after the incident I’m about to describe following a failed drug test), backed over a ramp and it tilted up into the body of my 12v ram.

Anyway, they turned out to be idiots and I idiot proofed this trailer. Can’t forget the ramps if they’re attached.

I use a strap to hold them up when I’m in transport. This trailer has been retired to the property for the last year and a half, so it’s use is fairly infrequent.

As you can see on that dovetail above, most lighter vehicles/tractors don’t need the self supporting ramps or jacks in the corners. The ball keeps the trailer’s rear end from going down. I’ve had mini excavators, skid steers, TLBs, etc. up and down ramps without supports thousands of times. I does make you a little uneasy the first few times you do it, I’ll give you that. The ramps will bend before the hitch pops off. At least in my experience.

Look at the bottom pic of post #16 that's how my ramps are,works l8ke a champ. I won't say I've had zero issues,but the most part a good setup.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I don’t plan on towing vehicles with it regularly. This was my primary equipment trailer for a while. Mostly for tractors.

I know, that is a good point and something I would do if I was the only one who used the trailer.

The reason these got welded on is that I had an employee who left my other trailer’s ramps on a job, then didn’t have enough talent to figure out how to get the piece of equipment off the following day. Another guy (his buddy, both of whom were let go after the incident I’m about to describe following a failed drug test), backed over a ramp and it tilted up into the body of my 12v ram.

Anyway, they turned out to be idiots and I idiot proofed this trailer. Can’t forget the ramps if they’re attached.

I use a strap to hold them up when I’m in transport. This trailer has been retired to the property for the last year and a half, so it’s use is fairly infrequent.

As you can see on that dovetail above, most lighter vehicles/tractors don’t need the self supporting ramps or jacks in the corners. The ball keeps the trailer’s rear end from going down. I’ve had mini excavators, skid steers, TLBs, etc. up and down ramps without supports thousands of times. I does make you a little uneasy the first few times you do it, I’ll give you that. The ramps will bend before the hitch pops off. At least in my experience.

I personally like to block the rear because of predictability and overall nothing to do with the pulling vehicle
I personally have a small dovetail off the back of my trailer but i have no flip up ramps like yours to stay on it all the time, i use some short steeel ones that work oK or a long piece of wood wrapped in diamond plate stuff, surprisingly holds about 3k pounds without a center support

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You can see the ramps kinda here

 

[bucket]

I don’t plan on towing vehicles with it regularly. This was my primary equipment trailer for a while. Mostly for tractors.

I know, that is a good point and something I would do if I was the only one who used the trailer.

The reason these got welded on is that I had an employee who left my other trailer’s ramps on a job, then didn’t have enough talent to figure out how to get the piece of equipment off the following day. Another guy (his buddy, both of whom were let go after the incident I’m about to describe following a failed drug test), backed over a ramp and it tilted up into the body of my 12v ram.

Anyway, they turned out to be idiots and I idiot proofed this trailer. Can’t forget the ramps if they’re attached.

I use a strap to hold them up when I’m in transport. This trailer has been retired to the property for the last year and a half, so it’s use is fairly infrequent.

As you can see on that dovetail above, most lighter vehicles/tractors don’t need the self supporting ramps or jacks in the corners. The ball keeps the trailer’s rear end from going down. I’ve had mini excavators, skid steers, TLBs, etc. up and down ramps without supports thousands of times. I does make you a little uneasy the first few times you do it, I’ll give you that. The ramps will bend before the hitch pops off. At least in my experience.

We've had some (a lot actually) employees that turned out to be incredibly stupid. We build/modify a lot of our own equipment. One thing that I have learned is that you absolutely can not "idiot-proof" something. The dumb ones will always find a way to either f*ck something up or otherwise do something incorrectly. All you can hope to do is make something "idiot resistant".

 

[Ricko1966]

We've had some (a lot actually) employees that turned out to be incredibly stupid. We build/modify a lot of our own equipment. One thing that I have learned is that you absolutely can not "idiot-proof" something. The dumb ones will always find a way to either f*ck something up or otherwise do something incorrectly. All you can hope to do is make something "idiot resistant".

At work every now and then a customer would blow up an engine. One of my coworkers coined the phrase we can make them bullet proof we can't make them idiot proof.

 

[Frankenchevy]

I did some math and I’m not super worried about tongue weight anymore, even cheating it forward for the ramps. While taking measurements, however, I noticed that it probably won’t fit between the fenders.

The width between the fenders is 77 inches. I measured my truck with a dana 60 on the front and it is more than that. Now I’m thinking contingency plans.

Two options that are similar, but not would be to pay a transport company to bring it to me, or rent a larger flatbed trailer.

Another option that I’m not sure will solve my problem unless somebody out there in reader land has a K 20 on 100% stock tires and wheels and can take the measurements for me, is to buy a cheap set of stock steelies on pizza cutter tires if I can find them. That might allow me to squeeze between the fenders.

Another option, which I won’t have time to do by this weekend, is to cut off my existing fenders and make some drive over fenders.

Or… I can cut some trapezoid shape ramps out of wood and push them up against the fenders while I drive over that section. They would only have to be slightly taller than the fender to keep the load off of them. Now that I’m voicing this into my phone, this is probably the most logical solution…

 

[legopnuematic]

When I replaced the fenders on my trailer (16 foot utility), I made them removable. Just 4 3/8” bolts to take one off. Not really a big deal to do it when needed. If I feel particularly lazy I’ll bring the cordless ratchet.

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The U-Haul car trailers fenders are hinged, so they will flop down out of the way.

 

[Frankenchevy]

When I replaced the fenders on my trailer (16 foot utility), I made them removable. Just 4 3/8” bolts to take one off. Not really a big deal to do it when needed. If I feel particularly lazy I’ll bring the cordless ratchet.

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The U-Haul car trailers fenders are hinged, so they will flop down out of the way.

I just lined up a trailer to rent from the classifieds. That’ll save me from doing all the legwork pre-trip. I think I’m going to build the trailer fenders to be drive over. Then again, I may sell it for something wider if I think I’ll be dragging many more trucks home with it as the deck is only 6.5’ wide.

 

[Grit dog]

We've had some (a lot actually) employees that turned out to be incredibly stupid. We build/modify a lot of our own equipment. One thing that I have learned is that you absolutely can not "idiot-proof" something. The dumb ones will always find a way to either f*ck something up or otherwise do something incorrectly. All you can hope to do is make something "idiot resistant".

Trailers and especially ramps and electrical plugs are virtually impossible to idiot proof from the average person. It’s basically a semi regular occurrence and has been for the 30 years I’ve been in construction.
The world record for me was less than 1 day. I actually was the one to go pick up a new trailer 1 evening because needed it the next day. Hauled it to work in the morning, turned it over to the crew. By lunch time they’d lost one of the retainer bars for the flip up ramps and drug a ramp down the freeway. Few weeks later same new trailer, loaned to the electricians on night shift during a freeway closure. It got a 25klb man lift loaded on a 14k trailer and both axles bent…

 

[Grit dog]

I did some math and I’m not super worried about tongue weight anymore, even cheating it forward for the ramps. While taking measurements, however, I noticed that it probably won’t fit between the fenders.

The width between the fenders is 77 inches. I measured my truck with a dana 60 on the front and it is more than that. Now I’m thinking contingency plans.

Two options that are similar, but not would be to pay a transport company to bring it to me, or rent a larger flatbed trailer.

Another option that I’m not sure will solve my problem unless somebody out there in reader land has a K 20 on 100% stock tires and wheels and can take the measurements for me, is to buy a cheap set of stock steelies on pizza cutter tires if I can find them. That might allow me to squeeze between the fenders.

Another option, which I won’t have time to do by this weekend, is to cut off my existing fenders and make some drive over fenders.

Or… I can cut some trapezoid shape ramps out of wood and push them up against the fenders while I drive over that section. They would only have to be slightly taller than the fender to keep the load off of them. Now that I’m voicing this into my phone, this is probably the most logical solution…

Ya building a couple little wood ramps seems easiest.
Or pizza cutters. These trucks are 79.6” wide at the widest point on the body(fenders n doors). And skinny tires on skinny rims easily sit a couple inches inboard of the fenders.
If you got any old steelies from your Dodges with narrow tires those will bolt right up