Keep My Trailer or Buy a Sled deck?

[Elenor84]

Hello everyone.

As of Recently I've been thinking about buying a sled deck and selling my trailer. I keep thinking how nice it would be to not have to tow a trailer through deep snow and hard to get in parking lots.

Is a sled deck really that more convienent?
What are your guys opinions? My sleds don't have reverse and there not exactly the newest machines. I've heard that its not that big of deal to push the sleds off the sled deck. And what is loading like? I hear it can be alittle daunting?

I guess what I'm looking for is someone to convince me that the sled deck is the way to go .

And I guess if anyone has one forsale I would be interested in looking at it. I need one for a long box, must have extendable sliding slides, and a nice long ramp for sleds.

Thanks!

 

[ram4tow]

sled deck are convenient but i'm not sure if you have a enclosed or not but they tend to get pretty dirty up on a deck ( i bought a sled deck last season) no reverse isn't really a issue on decks.

What kind of truck do you have? its pretty easy to go over the weight rating for the truck hauling sleds on a deck so just be careful especially in BC.

Loading isn't as scary as it looks. steady and smooth throttle up the ramp with a slow entrance speed to the ramps with have you up on the deck easy and stress free. My dodge is pretty high in the back and i have no issues getting my xp up, and you could always try and load somewhere that has and incline to make it easier (ditch , driveway etc ).

are you looking at a aluminum deck ?

 

[Elenor84]

Thanks for the info ram4tow,

I don't have an enclosed, my trailer is a 14ft v-nose drive on/off trailer. I have a 2008 Ford F-350.

Your really makin it sound pritty nice to have a deck....

And yes I'm definelty looking for an Aluminum one, with slide out sides and preferably a long 10+plus ramp. Is that the style you have?

Here are a few pictues of my set up. I really do like it, minus the almost getting stuck because of that trailer draging behind.

 

[teeroy]

I have both, and prefer the deck. you can squeeze into some tight places with the deck, and the added traction with two sleds loaded is nice. you can go through stuff better in 2wd with a loaded deck than in 4wd pulling a trailer.

 

[Longhorn]

Im in the same boat, love the trailer, love the deck, kept both and use them for different areas and times of the year. New plan is to extend the tongue on the trailer so that I can pull it while the deck is on the truck. All aluminum trailer, but going to build a bolt-on steel interchangeable drawbar...

 

[flabbajabba]

the added traction with two sleds loaded is nice. you can go through stuff better in 2wd with a loaded deck than in 4wd pulling a trailer.

X2
I love the weight of two sleds on the truck when roads are slippery.
Enclosed sure are nice to keep everything clean and warm.

 

[PEAK SEEKER]

I'd for sure go with a sled deck. Highway driving is far easier.

(just thought somebody had to see this [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CqMgl8o1JA&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
the air pollution thing is a croc o' ****. Like come on who actually believes in this S***?)

 

[JaySimon]

I like having a deck for all the reasons listed above. Mine has a 6' ramp, so loading up is hairy. It's likely the scariest part of the day, haha. But when you've only got a small pull out to turn around on, and you're backing up the road until you hit snow, you will love that deck, and people will love you for not dragging a trailer up there and parking it on said pull out so that other people can't turn around.


Not that has ever happened before...

 

[Caper11]

I had a 14ft v nose and sold it for a sled deck, if you can afford it or have the parking space keep the trailer, i sure miss mine when i have to haul lumber or doing yard work because my sled deck never comes out of the truck.
You'll love the deck the first time you pull into a crowded staging area or have to drive up the trail to get to the snow.
I see all pros and only 1 con to a sled deck, and the con is when the deck gets icy it can be a little hazaderous because your up so high if yah fall, just something to keep in mind.

 

[magnet]

i would definitly go with a deck you already have the truck for it. only cons i can see in it are loss of box space and also watch when sliding the ramp not the deck for the day IT WILL FIT BETWEEN THE BARS AT THE FRONT trust me. but other wise get a deck and keep the trailer.

 

[shawnmcgr]

I've got both an open 12ft trailer and 8ft deck. The sleds stay much cleaner on the deck. They are up higher so they stay out of a lot of the road grime. I only put covers on if the roads are sloppy. I only pull the trailer out if I need to haul 3+ sleds.

It takes about an hour for me to get my deck off if I want to haul gravel or something loose.

Your up fairly high with a Ford so I'd consider getting a longer ramp to make loading as easy as possible. I think marathon makes a 12ft, I've got a 10ft.

I've got an Apex without reverse and manage to get it unloaded off a deck. It can be a pain if the deck is icy but usually it just takes lifting the front end up and backing it to a balance point on the end of the deck then it slides right off.

No more fixing trailer lights either!

 

[polarice]

ive got an enclosed and i love it

had an open and it sucked spent more time cleaning the sleds

 

[Elenor84]

Thanks alot guys for all the responces. It sure sounds like sled deck is the way to go. So does anyone have a 'Full Lotus' deck? Any opinions on them? Pictures?

 

[Mr.Plow]

Sold my open deck trailer and got a truck deck this year. Same deal as everyone else. I got tired of turning the trailer around in tight areas and parking was always an issue living in the city. I suggest look for a Marathon Deck, they are manufactured here in Edmonton and are a solid investment. I am quite pleased with mine. Also consider the deck extension which extends the deck surface 18”.

 

[shawnmcgr]

I've had a marathon for 4 years with no problems. The only thing I don't like is the head ache rack is just bolted on with a few small bolts. I hit it hard a few times and pulled the bolts up. I almost pushed the headache rack into the truck. I've got it welded down now.

The headache rack is too short too. It's just below the height of the cab so if you want to haul something long and over the cab it has to lay on the cab, not the rack. I think marathon makes a taller headache rack now.

Don't know a think about Full Lotus, I think they are selling off the deck side of their company.

 

[shoppingcart111]

Full Lotus decks are nice! I went down to Vernon and saw their facilties, the quality is really good and very well built, but the offset is the cost vs say a marathon or others, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Anvil1010]

I have a Cross Trax deck. They are made in Westlock. Wes is a super nice guy. I have the slide-out sides and the extension. Plus the ramp is about 11.5 feet, so even on my lifted truck, it is really not bad at all. I actually hate unloading quads more than unloading the sleds.

Love the deck.

Anvil

 

[goodngrubby]

I have a Cross Trax deck. They are made in Westlock. Wes is a super nice guy. I have the slide-out sides and the extension. Plus the ramp is about 11.5 feet, so even on my lifted truck, it is really not bad at all. I actually hate unloading quads more than unloading the sleds.

Love the deck.

Anvil

They're actually made in Lacombe, we just have a dealer in Westlock.

 

[Anvil1010]

Sorry about that. I got it right from Wes. I couldn't remember the right town


Anvil

 

[JaySimon]

Cross trax decks are on sale for 2600 right now as well. Just throwing it out there.