Anyone used a trailer like this: Rollback trailer on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-2009-ALL-ALUMINUM-ROLLBACK-TILT-CAR-HAULER-TRAILER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a317Q7c66Q 3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1308Q7c301Q3a1Q7c29 3Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZi tem170310726523QQitemZ170310726523QQptZMotorsQ5fTr ailers)

I've been trying to figure out a way to make a hydraulic dovetail so that I can get rid of ramps and have a flat deck trailer instead of permanent dovetail(my uncle's lotus doesn't have enough breakover for a dovetail). Then the idea of using a rollback deck and adapting it into a trailer occurred to me. So off to ebay I went and low and behold someone makes this already.

Thoughts? I'm not crazy about relying on the trailer brakes to operate the rollback as opposed to hydraulics, but that's pretty easy to fix.

Looks like a nice trailer, but to muck work to load the vehicle.

Thoughts? I'm not crazy about relying on the trailer brakes to operate the rollback as opposed to hydraulics, but that's pretty easy to fix.

Pretty nifty idea. I'd be more worried about one or more of the pins breaking, causing the car and trailer top to slide on the axles, but that's just me. It sounds like the trailer brakes are engage manually with your brake controller, then you back the truck up, which is attached to the top of the trailer, pushing it backwards and letting it slip down. I don't think the brakes do anything but hold the axles still, while the rest of the trailer move. You could probably accomplish the same thing with a good set of wheel chocks on each side of the trailer tires, if you were worried about the trailer brakes not holding.

I also find I am on dirt/grass alot when loading and the tires could slip. Neat idea though.

I also find I am on dirt/grass alot when loading and the tires could slip. Neat idea though.

Me too, and that's why I was concerned about the idea.

There's nothing really wrong with the idea per se, but there may be flaws in execution.

My brother built a deckover flatbed that hinged like that aluminum rollback, but didn't go all the way to the ground. We'd use a pair of ramps, and a couple of blocks of wood to keep the tail of the trailer from going to low. That trailer hauled everything up to an 18k lb. crawler without any problems. Loading never really was a problem, block the rear axle on the trailer, leave the tow rig in neutral, and drive on. One big difference is that my bro's trailer deck pinned to the tongue at the front of the trailer, rather than in front of the lead axle.

landoll makes trailers like this
but for big rigs they are super sweet one of the towing companies around here has one and we have had him tow some d5 with it and it was not a problem


http://superiortowingstl.com/images/landoll_20435_oo5f.jpg

the axels slide up so the deck can tilt

The aluminum trailer in question pins at the tongue as well. The pins at the fenders are to lock the axle-slide mechanism in place.

My buddys got one. He loves it and is loaded up alot faster than we are.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/409288/fullsize/im000380.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/409289/fullsize/im000381.jpg

landoll makes trailers like this
but for big rigs they are super sweet one of the towing companies around here has one and we have had him tow some d5 with it and it was not a problem


http://superiortowingstl.com/images/landoll_20435_oo5f.jpg

the axels slide up so the deck can tilt

Yes but do it with hydraulics and not the force of the truck.

im confused at what you mean by the brakes? the trailers simply tilt. brimar makes very solid hydro tilt decks that with an added winch would function like a rollback. these trailers work very well and are a good comprimise to a rollback.

Some of you guys aren't looking at the trailer linked to in the original post.

We are talking about a roll-back style trailer, not a tilt-deck. That said, I have an 8ton tilt deck and I really like loading with it compared to a fixed trailer with ramps.

I would be a bit concerned about the rigidity of that aluminum sliding trailer though. Seems under built for what it is intended to do.

im confused at what you mean by the brakes? the trailers simply tilt. brimar makes very solid hydro tilt decks that with an added winch would function like a rollback. these trailers work very well and are a good comprimise to a rollback.
Look at the OP's link again. The trailers in question have sliding axles like the Landoll trailer in urban's picture.

You pull the pins, then use the trailers brakes to hold the AXLES in place while you use the truck (backing up) to slid the trailer over the axles and allow the tail to drop.


I like the idea, but would rather power the axles with a hydro ram or even winch/cable or chain rather than back the rig with the brakes. But they have sold those things for years so they obviously work. Probably better on pavement than wet grass :D

Kenny, Your buddies trailer is just a split-deck tilt. The axles are fixed and just the deck tilts. NICE unit, but not what the OP is referring too.

yeh just didnt look close enough the first time my bad. to me that seems like a chinsy design on the alum one.....idk i like the idea of moving my deck not the axles....

"Kenny, Your buddies trailer is just a split-deck tilt. The axles are fixed and just the deck tilts. NICE unit, but not what the OP is referring too."

Ahhhhh! Now I see. Sorry.:rolleyes:

Yes but do it with hydraulics and not the force of the truck.

are you sure? i thot that it was exactly the same principle. lock the air brakes on the trailer,back up the truck and deck,load,pull forward :confused:

are you sure? i thot that it was exactly the same principle. lock the air brakes on the trailer,back up the truck and deck,load,pull forward :confused:


They may have other models, but the ones we had were hydraulic.

You pull the pins, then use the trailers brakes to hold the AXLES in place while you use the truck (backing up) to slid the trailer over the axles and allow the tail to drop.

I like the idea, but would rather power the axles with a hydro ram or even winch/cable or chain rather than back the rig with the brakes. But they have sold those things for years so they obviously work. Probably better on pavement than wet grass :D

Especially since in the pictures it shows it lifting the front axle up off the ground at some points. I'd imagine that you'd want to chock the wheels in any case.

had a buddy in FL who had one with some type of electric or hydro tilt.... seemed to work fine and he loaded quickly, but he had a TJ on 37s, so i never really understood the tilt feature... you could say it saves time by not having to attach and store ramps, but are you really in that big of a hurry... seems the sliding mechanism or motors or whatever is used to tilt or slide the trailer would add unecessary weight unless your application required it, like for the forklift picture above.. not something needed for an off road truck..

I currently share a 16' car trailer with my uncle. He uses it to haul a Lotus 7 and a lowered C5 corvette which don't have the ground clearance to clear the dovetail breakover angle. The rollback idea is an effort to avoid having two trailers, one for me and one for him.