Make two short metal pieces and tie the two ramps together, something simple, couple of holes, and from in bolts, just to keep them straight, and parallel to each other.
I own a CTX 100 , best advice I can give is get that arm as low as possible, that will stop the rocking and if possible put the bucket on for more counter balance. Good luck be safe
Helpful hint to anyone else. Load and unload going forward. Load the skid steer on the left, unload on the right. That way you're not in traffic and much better ground height clearance for the machine.
I see he could go up and down on either side. Put on the bucket for counter balance and drive up one side and down the other. The pivot point on these mini-excavators is down right frightening and dangerous when going up ramps. No room for error.. If the machine fails you may lose control of it.
That's a great way to go. Do you side load it? Or do you have to unhook the trailer to load and unload? If I was to do this again, I'd do it more like that.
I see the video is about a year old now, at this point what would you do differently? I'm looking into this design with a 16' dump box (20' trailer). As to everyone saying the deck height is too high, it's something you get used to and learn to load more confidently. I currently load my mini skid on a 42" high flatbed truck with 10' ramps. Depending on the slope of the ground, the angle can be great enough that I do the same 2x4 trick for clearance on the ramps. As for the tip-over, many people when at that point stand next to it with just enough weight to turn on the operator's presence then back up to almost tipping. Then stand on the platform and it tips nice and easy with your bodyweight and not while driving. The same (but opposite) with unloading. Drive up to almost tipping, step off to allow it to tip onto the ramps, ease forward a few inches then step on again. Makes it much less dramatic feeling.
A year later, I wouldn't do it again. I would have the dump trailer four feet longer and buy a separate tip trailer that would be super easy to load and unload and make two trips, which is what I usually end up doing anyway.
@@topsaw is the tipping of the skidsteer at the top of the ramps your major downfall, or does it pull funny with only weight on the deck when the dump box is empty? My mini skidsteer is a bit different than yours with one major difference being that it has tires instead of tracks. This means no tipping when transitioning on/off the top of the ramps. If that's your major downfall, then it may still be a viable option for me. Thanks in advance for any insight as it'll be helpful in my decision.
@@topsaw looks your mini skid has a dry weight of 750 # 's not that heavy. May be able to add a small boom crane and load it that way . Plus you could use it to load or unload things in your trailer, without the skid steer.
If it where me I would load the skid straight on and reverse off, that's how I do it and the physics of it I believe make more sense and for a safer and easier loading on and off
I still cannot believe that great northern still uses the same ramp design after all these years. The thing that I hate about the ramps is the lips on the ramps that hold onto the trailer. Back around 2009 or so my dad had a great northern dump trailer and the ramps failed when they were loading a skid steer. luckily the machine didn't fall completely on its back. I saw it happen. The lips basically bent and then broke off. Not against great northern but we use a big tex dump trailer now and the lips on their ramps are a much more superior stronger design and nothing like the great northern.
Nice build except for platform height. Extremely well built but platform is too high. Do yourself a favor and look into a pair of aluminum ramps. They make them all sorts of lengths. I think a pair of 8 footers would do you well. Very light and certainly lessen your approach angle. With muddy or wet conditions the current setup would be very sketchy
Did you get the ramps after all? I bought some 8 foot aluminum for my dump trailer and they're great. Fraction of the weight and much better approach angle
Great idea in theory but Im not at all a fan. Way to dangerous, Hope you have longer ramps now and are ok with it. It looks like a very high quality trailer, Id think your tongue weight would be high when going to the wood site,but probably balances out great with a full load.
It has taken me awhile to figure it out. I put the mini skid in the dump bed on the way there to balance it out and if the logs are close, I take two trips, logs in one, mini in the other. If I do load it on the platform i do have longer ramps. I do like the platform to work on and store tools on
Nice video please do get longer ramps. Or have them remove the top platform. Just saying been there man scary feeling losing my skid steer into my dumb trailer. 👍🏼😎
@@topsaw Nice definetly gonna be easier 👍🏼 Idk what time it is over there but over here in NC its late its Christmas. Ihad just seen your other video where you unloaded from the back. I'm surprised you replied. That's cool honestly. Merry Christmas. I'm totally subscribing.
Not trying to 2nd guess but why did they make the deck for the mini taller than the frame rails? I'm sure the framework to support the mini could have been incorporated into the trailer frame decreasing the load angle? Nice rig though.
It's a great question, not sure why he doubled up the steel and just had the platform lower. Probably just to make the platform completely bullet proof.
Sway? More weight to front of trailer = less sway. No tounge weight or negative means insane sway. If half ton maybe a 3/4 ton truck pulling trailer tounge weight could be issue but even then it might not be.
The trailer was bought through a corporate donation for me to take it out on weekends to collect trees that we can mill into lumber, rather than have to use school funds to buy wood.
My recommendation is to go up ramps forward and just walk up with it. Much safer than this. On a wet day with mud and uneven ground conditions that could be dangerous.
Jp without an attachment the back is the counterbalance plus the operator so it's really back heavy. On my ditch witch I would drive up it because i don't have an operator presence switch and can walk up behind and not be adding more back weight. On this unit though backing up is the safest option.
Make two short metal pieces and tie the two ramps together, something simple, couple of holes, and from in bolts, just to keep them straight, and parallel to each other.
Awesome trailer/deck setup! Perfect for a landscape crew!
Thank you
The ramps need improvements. very dangerous. but a nice trailer.
I own a CTX 100 , best advice I can give is get that arm as low as possible, that will stop the rocking and if possible put the bucket on for more counter balance. Good luck be safe
Longer ramps baby!!!!
Yes indeed
Dude your reaction is awesome like a kid on Christmas
Helpful hint to anyone else. Load and unload going forward. Load the skid steer on the left, unload on the right. That way you're not in traffic and much better ground height clearance for the machine.
Good advice
If your ramps are 3" channel and 2" angle iron cross members, flip them over so you have a lip on each side that locks the track in.
Great idea, I'll try it
Nice design ,,,,,few improvements and it's perfect. Congrats
Thank you
Pretty cool little trailer
nice job
Thank you
Nice trailer. On my mini skid I use the bucket to lift the front of the machine to the level of the deck just before the tip point.
Good way to do it
I see he could go up and down on either side. Put on the bucket for counter balance and drive up one side and down the other. The pivot point on these mini-excavators is down right frightening and dangerous when going up ramps. No room for error.. If the machine fails you may lose control of it.
Very true
I run my dingo and stump attachment on my flatbed truck allowing me to have a full size trailer and the whole package deal.
That's a great way to go. Do you side load it? Or do you have to unhook the trailer to load and unload? If I was to do this again, I'd do it more like that.
@@topsaw side load I love it saves so much room for everything
I see the video is about a year old now, at this point what would you do differently? I'm looking into this design with a 16' dump box (20' trailer).
As to everyone saying the deck height is too high, it's something you get used to and learn to load more confidently. I currently load my mini skid on a 42" high flatbed truck with 10' ramps. Depending on the slope of the ground, the angle can be great enough that I do the same 2x4 trick for clearance on the ramps.
As for the tip-over, many people when at that point stand next to it with just enough weight to turn on the operator's presence then back up to almost tipping. Then stand on the platform and it tips nice and easy with your bodyweight and not while driving. The same (but opposite) with unloading. Drive up to almost tipping, step off to allow it to tip onto the ramps, ease forward a few inches then step on again. Makes it much less dramatic feeling.
A year later, I wouldn't do it again. I would have the dump trailer four feet longer and buy a separate tip trailer that would be super easy to load and unload and make two trips, which is what I usually end up doing anyway.
@@topsaw is the tipping of the skidsteer at the top of the ramps your major downfall, or does it pull funny with only weight on the deck when the dump box is empty?
My mini skidsteer is a bit different than yours with one major difference being that it has tires instead of tracks. This means no tipping when transitioning on/off the top of the ramps. If that's your major downfall, then it may still be a viable option for me.
Thanks in advance for any insight as it'll be helpful in my decision.
@@topsaw That trailer can be modified to better suit your needs ! I'm a metal fabricator & modify things all the time
@@youtubeisfullofspam7068 yes, it does need to be modified
@@topsaw looks your mini skid has a dry weight of 750 # 's not that heavy. May be able to add a small boom crane and load it that way . Plus you could use it to load or unload things in your trailer, without the skid steer.
If it where me I would load the skid straight on and reverse off, that's how I do it and the physics of it I believe make more sense and for a safer and easier loading on and off
I think so as well, thank you
@topsaw thanks for the videos as well been very helpfull as I was doing some research!
Tongue weight ..is a factor..
You may need to carry in the trailer.or install
More leaf springs
Yes, very true
I still cannot believe that great northern still uses the same ramp design after all these years. The thing that I hate about the ramps is the lips on the ramps that hold onto the trailer. Back around 2009 or so my dad had a great northern dump trailer and the ramps failed when they were loading a skid steer. luckily the machine didn't fall completely on its back. I saw it happen. The lips basically bent and then broke off. Not against great northern but we use a big tex dump trailer now and the lips on their ramps are a much more superior stronger design and nothing like the great northern.
I use straps to hold them to the lip
Legend has it that vomer is still on Craigslist.
Yes
If the skid steer makes to much tongue weight when empty wouldn't sliding axles be better?
Yes they would, this isn't the best design
Nice build except for platform height. Extremely well built but platform is too high. Do yourself a favor and look into a pair of aluminum ramps. They make them all sorts of lengths. I think a pair of 8 footers would do you well. Very light and certainly lessen your approach angle. With muddy or wet conditions the current setup would be very sketchy
Will do, ill get some 8 ft ramps
Also would be careful with those ramps and loading anything close to trailers limits in back. I have had those style ramps fail before haha.
Did you get the ramps after all? I bought some 8 foot aluminum for my dump trailer and they're great. Fraction of the weight and much better approach angle
Absolutely and they way less get them for decent price . I use 5,000 lbs aluminum ramps.
Great idea in theory but Im not at all a fan. Way to dangerous, Hope you have longer ramps now and are ok with it. It looks like a very high quality trailer, Id think your tongue weight would be high when going to the wood site,but probably balances out great with a full load.
It has taken me awhile to figure it out. I put the mini skid in the dump bed on the way there to balance it out and if the logs are close, I take two trips, logs in one, mini in the other. If I do load it on the platform i do have longer ramps. I do like the platform to work on and store tools on
Nice video please do get longer ramps. Or have them remove the top platform. Just saying been there man scary feeling losing my skid steer into my dumb trailer. 👍🏼😎
I did get longer ramps since I made.tgis vid. Thank you
@@topsaw Nice definetly gonna be easier 👍🏼 Idk what time it is over there but over here in NC its late its Christmas. Ihad just seen your other video where you unloaded from the back. I'm surprised you replied. That's cool honestly. Merry Christmas. I'm totally subscribing.
Extend the ramps about 1 to 2 ft boom
Yes indeed
Nice, I’d get it galvanized though.
Good idea
Not trying to 2nd guess but why did they make the deck for the mini taller than the frame rails? I'm sure the framework to support the mini could have been incorporated into the trailer frame decreasing the load angle? Nice rig though.
It's a great question, not sure why he doubled up the steel and just had the platform lower. Probably just to make the platform completely bullet proof.
Scary
Were does the log grab go
I leave it on the last log loaded and unhook it from the mini. If I was to do it again, I wouldn't build the trailer like this.
Very nice rig. What did it cost?
They did not do any d rings for you on the platform to strap your machine down
There are pockets for pickets that you can tie down to and a wrap around bar
@@topsaw Oh k, what did something like this trailer sell for please comment back and let me know.
What about sway from having all the weight in front of trailer? By the way nice trailer. I just bought my big tex sr70 and love it.
When the trailer is empty of logs, I put the mini skid in the back. Once loaded with logs I put it up front.
@@topsaw thanks for the reply. I'm not an expert ,but have seen info about it and was wondering. Again, perfect design.
Sway? More weight to front of trailer = less sway. No tounge weight or negative means insane sway. If half ton maybe a 3/4 ton truck pulling trailer tounge weight could be issue but even then it might not be.
One slip or roll away from certain death.
True that
Why load backwards?
Probably should always follow the manufacturer recommendations.
I was just saying maybe you can walk it up and down instead of riding it? Would the controls be to hard to operate if your not on machine?
I like that idea, unfortunately, you have to stand on the platform for the controls to work and I don't want to bypass the safety. Thank you
How much did it cost
About 20-25k
You'll get used to the tip.
Just starting to now,
To steep of load angle
Yep the whole loading process needs fixing
Yeah it does, I just park the mini the back and take two trips
I thought it was the schools trailer lol
The trailer was bought through a corporate donation for me to take it out on weekends to collect trees that we can mill into lumber, rather than have to use school funds to buy wood.
There's no way I would use that very dangerous
Very good point
My recommendation is to go up ramps forward and just walk up with it. Much safer than this. On a wet day with mud and uneven ground conditions that could be dangerous.
Not quite sure I understand. Do you mean off the platform?
Jp without an attachment the back is the counterbalance plus the operator so it's really back heavy. On my ditch witch I would drive up it because i don't have an operator presence switch and can walk up behind and not be adding more back weight. On this unit though backing up is the safest option.
Life-threatening, I'd rather not.
Good point
That's a workmans comp and employee lawsuit waiting to happen.
Yes it is
How much was the trailer?
Too much