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Adding dovetail to my trailer

WoodburyZuk

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2021
Member Number
3939
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255
I’d like to add a dovetail to my trailer and wanna get some input from you guys. I have combed the web and found some ideas and YouTube vids but I wanna know if you think I’m overthinking it.

Trailer is 15’ long flat deck bumper pull “home built”. Has 6k axles with electric brakes on both. It’s really a wimpy trailer with overbuilt running gear. 4” Channel frame but the PO put an old cut up car lift on top as the “treads”. See pics below.

Anyway, I built these 6’ ramps that I originally intended to slide in from the passenger side rear of the trailer. But they are overbuilt and heavy af. I cannot slide them in from the rear because they will interfere with the rear axle. I did some quick measuring and even if I make a 24” doevetail I will still have a bias towards the front (obviously that’s the goal to keep tongue weight in check)

The whole endgame is that the brushog won’t overhang anymore. And honestly, having a few extra feet would be nice. I lifted up the tongue with the ramps just sitting on the back and it was at least a 200lb lift (just a guess)

Some pics below of the trailer and my idea.
F064E67C-A873-4323-8AAF-7B99D1C1B23D.png

You can see here I’m trying to put 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bucket.
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Sidebar; you can see it’s bent, so that was also a goal to cut out the bent shit and start fresh. I slid backwards down my driveway in the snow and my trailer brakes decided to break connection and my samurai on the trailer. Straight into a tree. BANG.
663B41EE-B4D6-4637-8F15-C1645835EE5E.png
CE7113C0-44CD-41AA-B807-E967AEA3DC79.png

And finally, my idea. Obviously I’d make a bigger better fishplate and cut holes and plug weld those as well (not sure that’s the right lingo)
33FE8BA2-BD0B-4949-AA26-C7A765533748.png
 
Edit: the absolute end goal would be to slide in the ramps from the rear, NOT from the side. And I would weld a rub rail with stake pockets on the back for the ramps to receive into.
 
why can you just make ramps that fold up and down big spring for assist if needed. no need to carry them to the side maybe i missed the reason.
 
chaplinfj60 said:
why can you just make ramps that fold up and down big spring for assist if needed. no need to carry them to the side maybe i missed the reason.
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That’s a good question. I don’t really know. I don’t have a great reason. Originally the did swing up, but with the brush hog and tractor I had to remove the pins and take the ramps out. It was a pain. Also I kinda like the way trailers look without the ramps sticking into the sky.

Also. On the rare occasion I tow bigger stuff like this; fold up ramps won’t cut it, hence adding an extra step of removing them and storing them in the bed. Which is why I want slide ins.

B32AB340-652E-4C36-90E2-314EAB3E16DC.png
 
I’ve got a dovetail on my car hauler and I’d like to cut it off it’s always an anchor when pulling off road, especially going from pavement to off-road (no road prep) situations. Been shopping for a new trailer without one.

I totally get wanting the extra length, personally I’d add it straight out the length you want, then add 2’ for heavy duty fold up ramps
 
WoodburyZuk said:
That’s a good question. I don’t really know. I don’t have a great reason. Originally the did swing up, but with the brush hog and tractor I had to remove the pins and take the ramps out. It was a pain. Also I kinda like the way trailers look without the ramps sticking into the sky.

Also. On the rare occasion I tow bigger stuff like this; fold up ramps won’t cut it, hence adding an extra step of removing them and storing them in the bed. Which is why I want slide ins.

B32AB340-652E-4C36-90E2-314EAB3E16DC.png
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Your tire is looking a little flat there. :flipoff2:
 
Austin said:
I’ve got a dovetail on my car hauler and I’d like to cut it off it’s always an anchor when pulling off road, especially going from pavement to off-road (no road prep) situations. Been shopping for a new trailer without one.

I totally get wanting the extra length, personally I’d add it straight out the length you want, then add 2’ for heavy duty fold up ramps
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The problem is, the trailer deck is already very high. It’s tough to see in pics. I’ll grab a measurement. Maybe I add a slight angle dove. That way I can drive my samurai up with no ramps.
 
Austin said:
I’ve got a dovetail on my car hauler and I’d like to cut it off it’s always an anchor when pulling off road, especially going from pavement to off-road (no road prep) situations. Been shopping for a new trailer without one.

I totally get wanting the extra length, personally I’d add it straight out the length you want, then add 2’ for heavy duty fold up ramps
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Had a trailer about 7-8 years ago that did this . My solution was taking two metal rollers from a Rolloff truck and welding them recessed into the dove tail. So when it contacted the ground it had something to roll that wouldn’t also damage anything. They were about 18” wide each and $90 for the pair. Bought them from holtz industries
 
My beavertail is built opposite, the trailer is all the same height, the front is double stacked steel channel, with the rear tapered, so it does not hang down and drag.

EDIT
 
I want to shave the beaver on mine! And drop the trailer down at least 12"... 14k 20' deckover (16+4) . I'd ideally like to trade it for a drive over fender trailer with 5k axles.

But I bought aluminum Vevor 5 or 6 foot. 3000lb ea ramps. They legit weigh 50 lbs together. And I've driven my 6k rig up on them plenty (higher than their 16" height limit). They don't even flex a bit. Buy a set. Was $300. Then you don't even have to worry bout the rest.
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I don't know if it's more correct than any other way, but I like this guy's method:



But I don't usually haul things with doors, or I might use that method - it'd be way faster/easier.
 
When I used to deliver Walnut processing equipment, we would use 30' straps because the standard 23' wouldn't reach on the dryer bins. I would loop in in half, then do half hit hitches above the ratchet. Never had an issue. All the other lazy methods would end up coming loose or fraying the strap when you're doing 65 for hours and hours.
 
Thread: hijacked :flipoff2:
Winchested said:
20220303_150039.jpg
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Who cares about the trailer, I wanna see pics of those doors!
I was just day dreaming at work last night about making quarter or half doors for my bronco and then making some kind of clear insert that I can see thru.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
When I used to deliver Walnut processing equipment, we would use 30' straps because the standard 23' wouldn't reach on the dryer bins. I would loop in in half, then do half hit hitches above the ratchet. Never had an issue. All the other lazy methods would end up coming loose or fraying the strap when you're doing 65 for hours and hours.
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standard is 27' not 23' :flipoff2:
 
reptillikus said:
Thread: hijacked :flipoff2:

Who cares about the trailer, I wanna see pics of those doors!
I was just day dreaming at work last night about making quarter or half doors for my bronco and then making some kind of clear insert that I can see thru.
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Haha, these are a full door. Just a 3/8" round stock frame with vinyl. These are stock SSII scout replacements. I made a half door set out of one set. I think I've got another set or two of frames up in my garage attic. Pretty much the same idea as the old CJ canvas wire frame doors.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Maybe they were 35', it was a pain in the ass 90%of the time, since we only hauled those bins on occasion.
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i was hauling a 40' shipping container last week and the straps were all a foot short :laughing: we were out in the middle of no where(an hour from pavement) so i sacrificed another strap and cut a bunch of short sections out to tie them as loops for the strap to hook to :laughing:
 
rockyota83 said:
i was hauling a 40' shipping container last week and the straps were all a foot short :laughing: we were out in the middle of no where(an hour from pavement) so i sacrificed another strap and cut a bunch of short sections out to tie them as loops for the strap to hook to :laughing:
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Theses were 12' high, it was like hauling a sail boat :laughing:
 
I roll mine up and tie them back to the strap with a tarp bungee. works great.
 
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