Investing in a trailer comes with more decisions than you may think. In addition to understanding sizes, materials, capacity and budget, you also have to make decisions about hitches, sides and ramps and other considerations. Your trusted dealer or manufacturing partner will help walk you through the benefits and features of each option to find a solution that works both for your equipment and your work style. To get you started, we’re sharing our tips and info about ramp options compatible with your Towmaster Trailer.
Choosing the Right Ramp
Much like choosing a trailer, there are a lot of variables that go into choosing the right ramp. Understanding the basics of your business and equipment will go a long way in investing in the solutions that are right for you.
Understand Your Weight Capacity
Just like your trailer, your ramps need to be resilient and strong enough to securely hold and transport your equipment. To be safe, use the weight of the heaviest equipment you could be hauling to check against the weight capacity of the ramp. As a general rule of thumb, the low end of the ramp’s weight capacity should be around three times the weight of your heaviest piece of equipment, or heaviest combination of equipment. That way, you can be confident that the rest of the equipment you haul will be safely within the capacity limits.
Consider Usability and Comfort
Manually lifting and maneuvering your ramps over time could lead to long term discomfort. If mobility is a challenge, consider investing in automated ramps that only require the push of a button, pull of a lever or a switch of a toggle to move down into position and back up after loading or unloading.
Measuring Your Cargo
Measuring the width of your equipment, and the width between the tires of your equipment will ensure that you will have safe leeway while loading or unloading. Ensure your ramp has several inches to a foot of space on either side of your equipment’s wheel to keep loading and unloading streamlined, safe and easy.
Towmaster Trailer Ramp Types
Bi-Fold Ramp 
Bi-fold ramps are a popular choice for users hauling a large variety of equipment. Our bi-fold design is made of two pieces connected by a hinge and maneuvered with hydraulics. Operation is simple: lower the ramp part way, raise the tail section then finish lowering ramp for a low loading angle
When the ramp is raised, the two pieces fold onto each other and create a “back wall” behind your equipment. The ramp is the entire width of the trailer, 8’6” wide, for incredibly simple and safe loading and unloading. The ramp is 11′ long and features a 6′ beavertail at 8-degrees for a continuous load angle, along with the 9-degree incline on the bi-fold ramp. The ramp is held in position with solid-bar ramp holdups and topped with white oak wood. The Towmaster bi-fold ramps require a minimum of 26’ flat deck length.
This trailer option is available on our:
- T-20
- T-24
- T-30
- T-20LP
- T-24LP
- T-40
- T-50
- T-40LP
- T-50LP
- T-50RG
- T-70RG
Hydraulic Ramp 
Towmaster’s Hydraulic Ramps are easily controlled by an on-board hydraulic pump. The model features two separate ramps for each side of your equipment, each measuring 36” (or 3’ wide) and 6’ long at a 16-degree incline. The 5’ beavertail comes with a standard 12-degrees loading incline.
Like the bi-fold ramp, our hydraulic ramp uses solid-bar ramp holdups. These ramps can be topped with wood or steel cleats. This option may be added to almost any deck-over trailer with a capacity of 20,000 lbs. or more. 22′ main deck required for this option.
This trailer option is available on our: 
- T-20
- T-24
- T-30
- T-20LP
- T-24LP
- T-40
- T-50
- T-40LP
- T-50LP
- T-50RG
- T-70RG
Air Ramp 
Towmaster’s air ramps are designed to be a companion to air brake trailers only, and are an economical way to build safety and comfort into your trailer. The ramps are controlled by an on-board air tank which releases air to lower the ramps and fills the actuators to raise the ramps back up. Like the hydraulic ramps, the air ramps feature two separate ramps for each side of your equipment, each measuring 36” (or 3’ wide) and 6’ long at a 16-degree incline. The 5’ beavertail comes with a standard 14-degrees loading incline.
Air ramps are controlled by an on-board air tank. Releasing air lowers the ramps and filling the actuators, located under the beavertail, raises the ramps. Air ramps may be added to deck-over trailers with a capacity of 20,000 lbs. or more, equipped with air brakes. 22′ main deck required for this option.
This trailer option is available on our: 
- T-20
- T-24
- T-20LP
- T-24LP
- T-40
- T-50
- T-40LP
- T-50LP
- T-50RG
- T-70RG
Building the Best
Towmaster Trailers partners with rental companies across the country to provide resilient, versatile trailers that offer long-term ROI, even through rigorous rental usage.
If you want to know more about how to make equipment investments that will last for years, reach out to the Towmaster Trailers team today.