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Iowa | I have both flatdeck (deck over tires) and fender-well trailers, both goosenecks and pull-types. Goosenecks pull better, but sometimes we need to pull with dump trucks, so have bumper types also. If you don't need the bed of the pulling truck for much extra capacity, go with a gooseneck. Flat decks are awfully high in the air when doing lots of hand unloading--hard to keep jumping up on them. The much lower trailers with fenders have the disadvantage of narrower, and easy to back up and hit the fender when loading. I prefer the fold-over ramps vs the ramps that store under the bed and must be pulled out and manhandled onto the back of the trailer. The permanent sloped beavertails that can't be raised up to make a flatbed are worthless length--you cant put anything back there, other than the bucket of a loader or the bucket of a backhoe--there will be a time when you want the ENTIRE length of the trailer to be FLAT, like when hauling long lumber or several pallets--I just find the fixed-slope beavertails to be a waste.
I have had guys hurt from inadvertently stepping backwards off of a flat deck, but never on a wheel-well-type trailer--it isn't as far to fall.
I have the luxury of needing several, so can usually pick which one best suits the job. If buying only one and not doing lots of hand unloading/jumping up on the deck I'd buy a flatbed, deck-over-the tires gooseneck with fold-over ramps (that are fairly easy to remove) and a beavertail that can be EASILY made flat to match the rest of the trailer when hauling things other than machinery. You will end up hauling seed, lumber, steel, pallets of darned-near everything, etc.
Spend a few bucks more at first to get GOOD quality--there is a reason some brands are cheaper (lightly-built, Chinese axles and brakes, brakes on only one axle, poor paint, wires not in conduit, etc, are all possible if you get too hung up on price).
A wood deck will get really slick after a rain if you store it outside where it doesn't get much sun, like on the North side of a building. There will rapidly get to be a little "green" on it that is slick as snot when wet. We lightly powerwash ours and annually treat with a water protectant like you would put on a deck of a house.
Lots of homebuilders and other construction guys are selling excess stuff due to the economy--I wouldn't buy new right now unless I had really beaten the bushes and came up empty--bargains are not that hard to find, especially this time of year when payroll still needs met and not that much money is coming in. | |
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tilt bed trailer
