Deckover, dove tail vs. straight

Afternoon,

I've been shopping for a trailer for years. I've convinced myself that I've needed all sorts of different configs over the years but now it looks like I might need one so I need to figure things out.

My biggest tractor is a Farmall Super M. That means that fender trailers are out. I did look at a Rice 10K trailer with removable fenders that I thought might work if I backed the SM on, but the clearance worked out to be around 1" total, which didn't seem like a whole of fun. I need to double check my measurements though, last I checked I could get a new fender trailer for what a used deck-over would cost me.

There are a few used deck-over trailers around at the moment. Both the dove and straight type. The straight type are all have slide out ramps. Seems to be the biggest issue with these would be wear and tear on your back. I suppose support, when you are loading/unloading, is the other thing to worry about.

The dove type seems like they would be quicker and safer to use, but you give up a few feet for the dove.

Other than the SM, it would primarily be moving my Kubota L4310 and my BN (so I'll need a center ramp).

Thoughts?

K

I have a 6 foot wide glide dovetail on my
trailer. Only two ramps that are wider so
narrow front isn't a problem. With the
dovetail being longer there isn't as sharp
an angle trying to load.

My gooseneck is a dovetail. The ramps fold up and have supporting legs that go to the ground when folded down for loading. I like that set up.

Unfortunately for those Hot Shot drivers that have gone out of business, there are a pleather of mildly used trailers available in the trade papers and online sites. At 68 years old, I went with the Midsota FB32GN with 10 ft HYD beavertail, as I am over ramps and still have my back in good shape. I am hoping this will give me 4 or 5 more years of hauling my DC-4 Case to tractor rides throughout the Eastcoast and Midwest. WHO Tractor Ride is in Marshalltown Ia. this year. June 18th thru the 21st.Chuck Machinist

Most beavertail trailers have ramps that, when folded up, extend your flat deck right to the rear if you needed the full length for something like hauing hay. I, like many others, load NFE tractors all the time with just two ramps, on my beavertail trailers. I suppose that it may not be possible with a dovetail.

Cant you just move the super Ms wheels in for the
narrower trailer?



I set my 686 to 60 inch wheel spacing and fit a std
trailer width.

(quoted from post at 15:14:55 04/07/23) Cant you just move the super Ms wheels in for the
narrower trailer?

Click to expand...

The narrowest you can get an M or Super M with the wheels dished out is about 84". The widest lowboy trailer you can get is 83" between the fenders.

You could swap the wheels side to side and run wheels dished in, but many people, myself included, think they look stupid like that.

Your 686 has 38" wheels right? So it has the double bevel rims and they're installed on the outer bevel. You can set these down real narrow without them looking stupid.

I would not want to try and drive a tractor up those long ramps. It will seem like you're trying to walk a tightrope on a tractor, and it wouldn't be far from the truth.

You can use the beavertail, but you would not want to park the rear end of a tractor on it unless you have another tractor backed on all the way to the front of the trailer. Something like a plow would ride just fine there, chained down properly.

There are also trailers with drive-over fenders, sometimes called "buggy haulers" and PJ refers to them as "super wide."

I bought a used deck over with beavertail
about 15 years ago, been very happy with
it. Total deck is about 20 feet. I needed
a deck over to move my antique truck, but
have used it to move much more. One thing
that has been handy is being able to load
things like lumber with a forklift. I can
remove the flip up ramps easily if
necessary. I did have to replace the deck
boards but that is not a big deal.

I have a 20ft car hauler. The next one would be a 30
ft,10,000# deckover bumper pull. I do like a duck
tail,and I use pull out ramps. When you get get any
heavy trailer(14,000) you are into a 3/4 and up to
pull it, and not much more payload. 5th wheel I would
look at a 14,000# single rear wheels,30th is still a
nice size, till you get serious about hauling lots of
stuff home!

This is a 18 ft + 2 ft dovetail 14k implement trailer. The wood dovetail is toooooo
slick when wet so I put expanded metal on it.


The trailer is just right for my Kubota L3560 with woods mower.


Two days ago it was raining and I needed to move my 3100 # terramite. The wood was dangerously slick.
I couldn't unload the terramite until the deck dried out and I put kitty litter on it for traction.

My deck boards started failing when they were 11 years old.
You might notice in my pics 2 boards are a different color. Those were replaced with CCA boards. Todays trailers come with AC2 junk boards.

When I load the terramite, I have to rely on the back bucket to act like a wheelie bar and keep the terramite from flipping over. The ramp is tooooo dang steep and so is the dovetail.



If I were to buy another trailer, I would buy a tilt trailer and NO WOOD! I'm cheap. A tilt trailer costs more, but I would spend the money regardless.
No more ramps, no more wood that may last 11 years for me.

I Totally regret buying this trailer.
I'm glad I rarely use the trailer.


My tires started failing me after 8 years.

I bought this trailer new.

I once bought a used trailer and by the time I replaced tires, brakes, wheel bearings I should have bought a new trailer.

Again I strongly recommend a tilt trailer, no wood deck.
I can't see climbing the ramps to get a tractor on a deckover.
I park my trailer so the ramps are on higher ground making the uphill climb less until I get onto the dovetail.

WMT Tractorcade is June 11-14

Get a low full width trailer with drive
over fenders. And get it longer than you
think you will need as the longer they are
the better they pull and the easier they
are to load and balance.

I don't care what anybody say wet decks are slippery no matter what they are made of About the best thing you can do isf loading when wet is through down some dry paste board the stuff with the corrugations inside. That will stick some to a wood or steel deck. For tracks I used old car tires right at the break over point so they didn't get screwy as they tipped down on the deck or vise versa. If I was going to buy a new trailer and could afford it I would go with a galvanized one rather than all the paint in the world. It doesn't chip off like paint and doesn't peel or bubble like paint or powder coat does. if not a galvanized trailer then aluminum. Though the cross members and frame need to be heaver and cross members closer together. I would want them every foot on aluminum.

(quoted from post at 15:25:49 04/07/23)

(quoted from post at 15:14:55 04/07/23) Cant you just move the super Ms wheels in for the
narrower trailer?

Click to expand...

The narrowest you can get an M or Super M with the wheels dished out is about 84". The widest lowboy trailer you can get is 83" between the fenders.

You could swap the wheels side to side and run wheels dished in, but many people, myself included, think they look stupid like that.

Your 686 has 38" wheels right? So it has the double bevel rims and they're installed on the outer bevel. You can set these down real narrow without them looking stupid.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm dealing with. The trailer with removable fenders gives you 85 1/2", tires are not uniform, so your mileage will vary. Will it work, sure, but I would have to hit it perfectly, backing up, and to be frank, a Super M is not nimble (mine is a wide front).

K

(quoted from post at 15:30:30 04/07/23) I would not want to try and drive a tractor up those long ramps. It will seem like you're trying to walk a tightrope on a tractor, and it wouldn't be far from the truth.

You can use the beavertail, but you would not want to park the rear end of a tractor on it unless you have another tractor backed on all the way to the front of the trailer. Something like a plow would ride just fine there, chained down properly.

There are also trailers with drive-over fenders, sometimes called "buggy haulers" and PJ refers to them as "super wide."

Click to expand...

That's what I meant by the safe bit. The ramps seem narrow, long and provide zero support to the back of the trailer. That being said the flat deck seems handier for hauling no-wheeled stuff.


I looked at the driver-over fender trailers, they were really close to the deck-over price-wise, and I'm not sure I've ever seen one used.

K

All you need for that DC-4 is a shoe box.

Just for the record, since I wasn't clear.

I'm looking for a 10k trailer (avoids inspections here in Maine), 20' long.

I have enough truck to go over 10k, but I don't see myself going larger than the Super M weight-wise.

I'm leaning deck-over dove tail at the moment.

K

You can get rid of all your worry's of loading and unloading your tractors by putting a Badland 12,00lb winch on your trailer. They are not that expensive and you
can even get a remote to operate the winch right from the tractor seat. I use mine all the time that way.

I would look for a tilt trailer.