Does a trailer bed have to be level?

[grendels_arm]

I measured again with my car rear wheels in the garage, to get it level as best i could, and then hooked up the trailer to the hitch on the car. The trailer bed is 18" off the ground in the front and 22" inch off the ground in the back. I think I need to go back and see if U-Haul (where i got my hitch installed) can exchange my 2 inch lift ball hitch thing with a 4 inch one. That way I should be level.

Sound ok?


BTW any ideas on a cheap ramp that I can walk up with the bike? Most are only wide enough for the bike and i don't like the idea of having to hop up while holding the bike. I want something CHEAP. Not like $150 for a ramp.

[900FE_79]

Originally Posted by amullo

I find an easy way to "do it right" is to put my hand on the lower part of the steeringwheel and place it upside down. that way, it seems like MY brain works "wrong" and i do it right. Always turn the wheel in the "opposite" direction as you would just backing up your car.

//amullo

Amullo, isn't that the same as leaving your hand on the top part of the steering wheel?

If you put your hand on the lower part of the steering wheel and leave it "palm down", then you don't have to think about which way to move it. If you want the trailer to go left, move your hand to the left & vice-versa.

[grendels_arm]

here's a good link describing how to figure tongue weight like you guys said.

http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=26359

[chimchim]

If you can't find a wide ramp to walk up with the bike, what I do( as the ramp for my trailer is too narrow for me to walk up off the bike) is place a car ramp like those inexpensive ones you get at auto parts stores on each side of the center bike ramp. This came to me after several failed attempts to walk the bike up my narrow ramp alone and looking around the garage for help. I ride the bike up the ramp sitting on it in first gear and as my feet get too high off the ground I have those car ramp stands on either side to put my feet on and steady the bike until I'm on the trailer where I can put my feet down and push into the chock. It is not recommended that you ride the bike onto the trailer but I do. Coming off I'm able to just pull the bike back out of the chock while sitting on it and again use the car ramps on each side of the center bike ramp for my feet, slowly backing the bike down the ramp sitting on the bike and using the brake to keep it a slow reverse roll down the ramp. Basically those car ramps are for the zone between the ground and the floor of the trailer where your feet wouldn't touch the ground as you go up or down the bike ramp on the bike. They're nice because they stack one on top of the other and I just throw them in the trunk once the bike is on. This might be an option if you can't find a wide bike ramp and need to use a narrow one you can't walk up, as in my case.

[grendels_arm]

I thought of the same idea in a way. My thought was to step onto a step stool as the bike got up near the top of the ramp and then go up to the trailer when it got further. I know one thing. When loading bikes on other trailers if you're pushing them up you need a nice jogging start. Last thing I want to do is jogging along with bike and miss the stool or something.

They definitely recommend against riding. I would do it if I was confident of ramp. But another thing is what happens if the bike dies or something halfway up. Whoops. Then I guess you really have to have something on the ride or you're falling off.

I'm tempted to bite the bullet. Last thing I want is loading and unloading by myself to be a nervous experience.

[chimchim]

All your concerns are definitely valid. If you think it might be unstable don't do it. Dropping the bike and the damage to it or you will far outweigh any savings up front on a less expensive but possibly unsafe set up.
When I say I ride the bike up or down the ramp, I really mean I'm on the bike and duck walking it up the ramp using the bike's power to help it up but my feet on each side firmly stepping on the ground, the car ramps, or the trailer floor to steady the bike as I go. At any time I could stop completely and not fall over because there's always something under my feet. The picture shows the ramps I use on each side of the bike ramp, $34.95 at Autozone. They're steel and stackable and not real heavy. I measured mine. They're 35" long, 11.5" wide, and max. 9" high. Ducati yellow .

[grendels_arm]

When I put the bike on the trailer someone mentioned the trailer will sit flatter. No 1 1/4 receivers that are taller than 2" or so in rise. More crap to freaking buy.

Nice but more stuff to have to take to the track in addition to a ramp.