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Best way to prop up a tilt trailer?

VTMTcowboy

Active member
Lifetime Membership
Ive been meaning to post this for a while, and now that the season has basically started; I was wondering if anybody has any good ideas on how to prop up a trailer. I always seem to be alone when loading up my sled and thus always looking for things to counter balance the trailer until I can get the sled to the front of the trailer. Any ideas would be great. Thanks.
 
propping up tilt trailer

On my tilt trailer we put a set of old hood hinges from a 1980'sh gmc pick up. Similiar idea to the previous post.

good luck
 
i have found if i stick my helmet under there works pretty good. i have an triton that stays up good while loading
 
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I used to put a nalgene water bottle before I put on the arm thing shown above.
 
just make a prop system, like a rod with notches to hold it in place. then load the first sled on just enough, then get the second other one half way, and then take your stick out, then pull both all the way forward.
 
I've never actually had a problem with my Featherlite. I can drive one sled on 3/4 of the way and it stays tilted until I drive the second sled on all the way and then it drops. I just go real slow until the second sled puts enough weight to slowly drop into place. There have been times when I am not on level ground and it doesn't want to stay tilted. I just put a block of wood under the deck to keep it up. Just don't drive on to far or it's a real pain to get the block of wood unjammed.
 
I thought the best ways when we had tilt trailers back a while was mounting gas shock on the tounge to deck somewhere. Basically when it's up it's just got enough to hold it up so you can load. Then when you get up on the trailer the sled weight is enough to compress the shock. Just mount it so it doesn't interphere with anything else. They are pretty cheap.

Another way would be hang a weight off the back, something like a sand bag or equilv that won't fall apart after moving it. A sporting good store might have some 20 pound weight bags that would work perfect.
 
I carried a small 2x4 with one end cut at an angle... tilted the trailer back then used the 2x4 to hold it. Rode the sleds up and then pulled the 2x4 out. Worked well.... no issues.
 
The gas charged struts are the way to go, will hold it up when unloading/loading and are clean and can be done for $75.00 , just buy the add on mini ball mounts sold for them and bolt them in place good to go!:):beer;
 
i just take one of the tie downs and wedge it under the front of the trailer to hold it up. drive the sled or sleds on, pull out the prop and drop it down
 
I always keep 4 bags of water softener salt in the back of my truck for the winter, and 2 of them on the end of the tilt trailer to hold it down when loading. Then come spring the 4 bags go downstairs for the water softener. :D
 
I used to use a small plastic toolbox that had extra tie downs, rope, etc. in it. It had enough weight that it would hold it down when set on the end on the side I wasn't loading. Drive on, let it drop, put bar in to hold sled, then tilt again pulling the loaded sled back enough to keep it tilted, load the second sled. I usually loaded both sleds while the wife waited in the truck :rolleyes::)

I would usually have mine loaded before my buddy with his drive-on dirve-off. But unloading was annoying and this year I bought a drive-on drive-off.
 
I use one of my kids...

"Hey dummy! Get over there and stand on the corner of the trailer ...and this time, get off in time so the sled doesn't slide back off!!"

Not a completely dependable system, but it works.... :D
 
Prop

I wedge the sled hold down bar under the front of the trailer!
 
I feel better about myself after reading this thread. Other people do dumb things too, I've used the water bottle,rock,toolbox,tiedown,snow,kid,wife,clamp,buddies sled,spare tire,bag of garbage etc. before and now I'm gonna get me a $12 hood strut!
 
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