How to Load Ramps for Car Trailers
Towing car trailers can be a tedious task for the experienced towing professional, but the same tow can be a nightmare for the unsuspecting regular Joe hoping to hitch a trailer to his truck and give a quick tow around the way. Towing cars is as much about knowing the appropriate manner in which to load the ramps as it is the actual tow of a vehicle. With the inherent difficulty in loading car trailer ramps, proper techniques can be used to avoid problems and accidents.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 loading ramps
- Calculator (to determine center of balance)
- Car trailer
- Car (to be loaded)
- Chains (to secure the vehicle)
Instructions
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1
Check the weight capacity of the tow vehicle. Check the hitch ball weight rating. Make sure the rating is greater than the weight of the loaded trailer (known as the gross trailer weight, or GTW). GTW can be determined by placing the loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
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2
Lock the ball and trailer hitch, making sure the coupling is latched and locked.
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3
Align the car with your trailer, placing aluminum ramps dead center of your car's wheel. Straighten your steering wheel so that your wheels (tires) are in direct alignment with the ramps.
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4
Locate the center of balance on your trailer so as to know where you should place the vehicle precisely. You can use the following formula: rear axle weight times wheel base divided by the gross vehicle weight. Rear axle weight can be determined by a scale.
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5
Weigh the tow vehicle by placing the entire vehicle on the scale. It is nearly impossible to guess the weight of the vehicle.
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6
Weigh the trailer by pulling it in place on the scales. Disconnect it from the tow vehicle to get an accurate gross weight. Your trailer should be empty at this point.
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7
Measure the distance from the hitch to center of the axles of your trailer to determine the length of your wheel base.
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8
Calculate the center of balance for the trailer. The number you arrive at will be in inches. Convert your total inches into feet by dividing your number by 12. For example, if your center of balance is 78 inches, divided by 12 would equal 6 1/2 feet for your center of balance.
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9
Measure your center of balance using your front axle of the car to be towed.
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10
Tilt the flatbed to align evenly with the car ramps. Place the car in drive, inching the car forward onto the ramp then onto the flatbed, stopping at the designated center of balance. If using a winch, attach the winch to the frame of the underside, pulling the car into place.
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11
Secure the car in place using chains by inserting them crisscrossed through the wheel and over the tire affixed to the bed of the trailer.
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Tips & Warnings
Loading ramps requires skill and knowledge of the weight of your vehicles as a vehicle is placed and secured on a trailer. It's best to gain as much precision in the process as possible to prevent accidents from occurring.
It is also important to know the tongue weight (TW) for larger jobs. This can be measured by a simple bathroom scale and will provide you with the amount of pressure placed downward on the ball by the coupler.
Ideally, your tongue weight should not exceed 20 percent of the trailer's total weight.
References
Resources
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