Bantam trailer loading problems

[Howard H]

Hi guys , I need some help I thought today I would have a go at loading my smart car onto my newly acquired bantam trailer and it nearly ended in disaster , the problem is I am not sure which way the ramps fit if the first photo is correct then all the weight of the car is held by that little mushroom headed bolt if the second photo is right then that's when the disaster happened and as I drove onto the trailer the wheel spun the ramp down the drive way leaving me half on and half off the trailer . So has any one got a bantam trailer that can tell me the right (safe) way , thanks

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I suspect that you have the ramps on upside down. They are chamfered at either end to clear the ground and the trailer bed. They should be put on the top of the bed with the mushroom head down into the hole then slid across slightly to stop the pin coming out.

 

[Howard H]

Brilliant , it makes sense when someone tells you .thanks ever so much will now go and have another go.

 

[Enword]

Yep upside down

 

[Howard H]

Yep upside down

Yep feeling a little stupid now

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[Mikey RV]

At least you can laugh about it, and no one or anything was injured or broke.

 

[tonyidle]

Champers down, pin in hole, as stated above. I got fed up of kneeling on wet ground to stow mine so now they're hinged in position & stand up behind the car when travelling.

 

[Minxy]

Hang on a minute ... on the one on the right the sides are raised, like the one on the left but the pin on the right is underneath but on the left above ... does the pin 'move' up/down in the hole? If not then something's wrong!

 

[Enword]

Hang on a minute ... on the one on the right the sides are raised, like the one on the left but the pin on the right is underneath but on the left above ... does the pin 'move' up/down in the hole? If not then something's wrong!

Looks to me the pin has ripped out.

 

[Howard H]

Hang on a minute ... on the one on the right the sides are raised, like the one on the left but the pin on the right is underneath but on the left above ... does the pin 'move' up/down in the hole? If not then something's wrong!

No @Minxy Girl it was just me trying to demonstrate my level of stupidity. ,they are both the same . Now that I have had it explained to me I successfully loaded and unloaded the car so I am now a happy bunny again . Thanks everyone

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[Geo]

The one on the right has its pin at the ground end
So upside down and back to front

 

[Enword]

The one on the right has its pin at the ground end
So upside down and back to front

Well spotted I missed that

 

[Cleve]

Well done Howard. I have PMd you and Jim. I don't know if Jim will have seen this yet. I had replied to you before finding this.

All the best Clive

 

[Howard H]

Well done Howard. I have PMd you and Jim. I don't know if Jim will have seen this yet. I had replied to you before finding this.

All the best Clive

Thanks Clive hope you are well and enjoying life , I have now sorted the problem it was just me being a little thick (ok a lot thick lol ) but thanks for getting in touch with Jim . Regards

 

[MikeD]

Whilst I am sure you know this I would definitely hook the trailer up to the vehicle before driving on.

We saw a Smart off the front of a trailer in Mazarron. It tipped as he drove on and needed a crane to get it off the A frame.

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[Minxy]

Whilst I am sure you know this I would definitely hook the trailer up to the vehicle before driving on.

We saw a Smart off the front of a trailer in Mazarron. It tipped as he drove on and needed a crane to get it off the A frame.

Not sure I agree with that, if for some reason the trailer isn't totally secure it could easily be pushed into the back of the MH ... that would be a VERY expensive mistake!

 

[bubble63]

Whilst I am sure you know this I would definitely hook the trailer up to the vehicle before driving on.

We saw a Smart off the front of a trailer in Mazarron. It tipped as he drove on and needed a crane to get it off the A frame.

Dont understand this
I have had a smart trailer for years and almost never load it coupled

@Howard H ........as has been said, mushroom pin down into hole, ramps will have no sides, just smooth surface

Driving off the end and on to the A frame takes some doing , there is a bar to stop you

 

[Geo]

Rear support legs have to be used when uncoupled and should be used even when coupled
Its pure laziness that causes loading/unloading accidents most of the time
Guilty as charged Your Honour

 

[John & Joan]

The original "Bantam" Smart Car trailer produced by Bantam Trailers Ltd. (not the Brian James or other) has the ramps with sides up so than you don't drive off the ramps when loading. I always hooked up to the van before loading and Joan insisted the steadies at the rear be down. The ramps have holes not slots for the pin to go through. I fitted padlocks to prevent the aluminium ramps being pinched for scrap, so the mushroom pins are only used for loading. Joan drove the car on the trailer while I guided from the front. The trailer design prevents the car going over the end.

 

[Geo]

There are a good few designs of ramps on the bantam many originals are stolen, and replaced by professionally made ones, so its hard to say what was an original ramp.
That front rail is defiantly not fail safe John so dont rely on it totally
ive personally witnessed two over shoot.

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[John & Joan]

There are a good few designs of ramps on the bantam many originals are stolen, and replaced by professionally made ones, so its hard to say what was an original ramp.
That front rail is defiantly not fail safe John so dont rely on it totally
ive personally witnessed two over shoot.

Hi Geo
My picture above is of a Bantam Trailers Ltd., Smart Car Trailer fitted with the original ramps. I bought it new when they were manufactured at Thuxton Airfield in the adjacent unit to the racing outfit.
Joan had charged forward on loading and the front rail certainly brought our Smart to a dead stop.
I have just sold our trailer last week, so don't need to worry about overshoots, after we demonstrate it to the new owners.
Thanks for the warning though.