Ramps & Loading
How a car trailer loads is the single biggest factor in whether it suits your actual vehicle — get this wrong and even a well-built trailer is awkward or risky to use.
Ramp Types
- Beavertail deck — the rear of the main deck itself angles down, giving the shallowest approach angle of the common designs since part of the "ramp" is built into the deck structure rather than added on.
- Fold-out/removable ramps — separate ramp sections that fold up for transport and down for loading; simpler and often lighter, but the transition point where ramp meets deck can be a steeper angle change than a beavertail.
- Tilt deck — the entire deck pivots down to ground level on a hinge point, then locks flat once loaded; the lowest achievable loading angle of the three, at the cost of added mechanical complexity (pivot point, locking mechanism).
Portable Ramp Safety Standard
Where a car trailer uses separate portable ramps rather than a fixed deck section, those ramps fall under the Consumer Goods (Portable Ramps for Vehicles) Safety Standard 2017 and AS 2640:2016 in Australia. Key requirements: the ratio of base width to ramp height must not be less than 1.2:1, each ramp must be able to stop a vehicle rolling back down the incline, and must prevent the vehicle over-travelling forward off the far end. The standard applies to ramps rated up to 1,500kg capacity each — check a ramp's rated capacity against the actual vehicle weight, not just the trailer's own ATM.
Approach Angle & Low Vehicles
"Approach angle" is the maximum incline a vehicle's front overhang can cross without the bumper, splitter or undertray contacting the ramp. Lower and longer-overhang vehicles need a shallower approach angle — this is the practical reason beavertail and tilt-deck designs exist, not just a styling choice. If in doubt for a specific low vehicle, check the trailer's specified loading angle against the vehicle's known ground clearance and overhang, not just the trailer's general "low loading" marketing description.
Winches
A mounted winch is standard on trailers regularly loading non-running vehicles (accident recovery, project cars, auction purchases) and optional on trailers only ever loading driveable vehicles under their own power. Winch capacity should exceed the heaviest vehicle likely to be winched, not just match it — winching load is higher than the vehicle's static weight alone due to the angle and friction involved in pulling it up a ramp.
Questions & Answers
What ramp angle do I need for a low car?
There's no single universal number — it depends on the specific vehicle's front overhang length and ground clearance. Beavertail and tilt-deck trailers give the shallowest practical approach angle of the common designs; for a genuinely low vehicle, check the trailer's specified loading angle against the car's known clearance rather than assuming any trailer will work.
Are portable car ramps regulated in Australia?
Yes — under the Consumer Goods (Portable Ramps for Vehicles) Safety Standard 2017 and AS 2640:2016, requiring a base-width-to-height ratio of at least 1.2:1, rollback prevention, and a rated capacity (up to 1,500kg per ramp under the standard).
Do I need a winch on my car trailer?
Only if you'll regularly load vehicles that can't drive themselves onto the trailer — accident-damaged, non-running, or auction-purchase vehicles. For trailers only ever loading driveable cars under their own power, a winch is optional extra insurance rather than a requirement.