[Cperky]

Any body tried driving on a trailer to scoop gravel to transport to the flowerbeds? Any issues I'll encounter? 18' car hauler trailer , last two feet are dovetailed. I have ramps. I have a 1025R with front loader . would rather use tractor over shovel. Please ignore the crudely built side panels made from scrap. They will easily come off for unloading.

 

[Jimmy Walker]

Trailer looks like it could handle the load and the tractor. You may need to put blocks or jack stands under the trailer to stabilize it. The biggest issue will probably be whatever is hanging on the back of your tractor will drag the ground as you go up/down the ramps.

 

[Guja0501]

What @Jimmy Walker said.

Otherwise it sounds like you know another option (shovel by hand into the bucket).

 

[Cperky]

Trailer looks like it could handle the load and the tractor. You may need to put blocks or jack stands under the trailer to stabilize it. The biggest issue will probably be whatever is hanging on the back of your tractor will drag the ground as you go up/down the ramps.

Exactly why I asked the question. I wouldn't have thought of that until I drug the ground with it. Currently a ballast box on the back. Trailer is a 7k trailer. Supposedly 2 tons of rock on the trailer but it wasn't weighed. It was a guess based on loader operator experience, and loader bucket fill.

 

[JR Diyer]

What Jimmy and Guja said and leave the trailer hitched to your pickup. Those side boards won't take much force when you try to get a bucket-full, so you will be doing some shoveling into the bucket. But pea gravel is one of the easiest things to shovel

Edit added: and chock at least 2 trailer tires - front and rear, just for more stabilization

 

[Jimmy Walker]

For future adventures, you may consider replacing the left side 3 point lift link with an adjustable RH link. I can lift my implements maybe 3 inches higher now.

John Deere Lift Link - LVA16296

 

[Festus]

Remove the side panels and scoop from the side?
Can’t see if there are fenders in the way.

 

[MTB98]

Chock your trailer tires really good, put jack stands or blocking under the rear of the trailer and try to park it so there is the least amount of angle between the ground and the trailer. You’ll still need to shovel a little but you can get most of it with the tractor.

 

[Cperky]

Remove the side panels and scoop from the side?
Can’t see if there are fenders in the way.

I may be able to scoop some from the side in front of the wheels but there are fenders blocking at the axles. If I end up having to shovel some I'll put the bucket level at the side of trailer and push gravel into the bucket. Not sure how far I can reach from the side but I may try to find out!

 

[ClydeLogan]

Outside the box idea:

Jack the tongue of the trailer up as far as you can to create as much slope to the dovetail as you can.

Hook a couple of chains to the wood frame. Use the tractor from the ground to pull the box and contained pea gravel to the back of the trailer and spill as much of the gravel as possible out onto the ground in a pile. Then use the loader to pick up and move it from the pile on the ground.

And consider doing it on a paved driveway, or you will never get all the pea gravel out of that nice grass you're parked on.

 

[MattL]

I'd put the bucket below the side of the trailer and remove a side panel and shovel "over" the pea gravel. Pea gravel is easy to move/shovel- I'd avoid the loading from back of trailer. in the time it takes to figure out how to "work less", you'd be done. 2 tons of gravel is about 7-8 1025R loader buckets.

 

[dodgeman]

I’ve done it with dirt, no sideboards on my trailer. It worked OK but I still had to shovel some.

 

[timzr]

I do it with my flatbed trailer every time I haul bucket loaded material. Mulch, dirt, gravel...whatever. Always hooked to truck and trailer wheels chocked forward and backwards. My trailer is fairly low, but I still can't have any ballast on the rear without dragging (alert ballast police) so I take 1/2 buckets of heavy items. I hope to avoid this when my new dump trailer arrives.

 

[dj2520]

I would just just reach from the side for a few bites then drive up the back for one or two that’s left and clean up with shovel. I have done this many times with my flatbed. Mine is a deck over with 14000gvw and I always leave it hooked to truck and if I’m nervous about it rolling I put it in 4x4 with the ebrake on also. Never had a issue but I do most of mine in towns with tar roads. No to many hills. And yes you will still have to run the manual loader at the end. I know I hat it too never fits my hands worth a dang.

 

[RalphVa]

Many of my neighbors put pea gravel on top their paved driveways. Silliest thing I've seen. Stuff will wash out so easily.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Transport your trailer as close as possible to the site. Lay a heavy tarp on the ground next to the trailer (maybe even driving partially onto it), along the side closest to your flower/garden beds. Unhook your trailer. Remove the sideboard on the flower bed side. Use your tractor's FEL to lift up the opposite side of your trailer enough to dump the stone onto the tarp. Additionally, you could build 3 (or 4) sides out of scraps around your tarp to help contain the stone. A shovel-equipped assistant or two could help "steer" the load into the stone corral - a sort of flow control. Then scoop safely, from the ground, at your leisure.

 

[Kbar]

Back up really fast and hit the brakes

 

[Cperky]

First bed complete. Worked really well and much faster than a manual shovel! No problem driving on to trailer, getting a bucket full and backing off. I was able to park on concrete drive. Placed jack stands under rear of trailer. Scotched wheels as suggested above. Kept trailer connected to truck as well. Took the mower off and was able to keep ballast box on rear. I have another to do tomorrow but am probably going to have lots of gravel left over. Any suggestions on how to store it outside? I have a couple of short videos as well. Can videos be added to a post?

 

[ClydeLogan]

Use your tractor's FEL to lift up the opposite side of your trailer enough to dump the stone onto the tarp.

OP has a 1025R. I cannot lift up one corner of my equipment trailer with my 1025R, much less a whole side, and with 2 tons of gravel.

 

[MTB98]

First bed complete. Worked really well and much faster than a manual shovel! No problem driving on to trailer, getting a bucket full and backing off. I was able to park on concrete drive. Placed jack stands under rear of trailer. Scotched wheels as suggested above. Kept trailer connected to truck as well. Took the mower off and was able to keep ballast box on rear. I have another to do tomorrow but am probably going to have lots of gravel left over. Any suggestions on how to store it outside? I have a couple of short videos as well. Can videos be added to a post?

Thank you for the follow up with how you conquered this!
I kept some extra river rock on a heavy tarp in a back corner until I needed it. Worked ok keeping the rocks out of the dirt. The tarp was trashed after.