ATM, tare, brakes, ramps, deck length and tie-down points. What to look for in a trailer for a 1 to 3 tonne machine, and what a dual-cab ute can actually pull.

Most Rippa excavators under 3 tonnes are moved on a plant trailer behind a ute. The trailer is a purchase in its own right, and the wrong one turns a good machine into a shed ornament.

The numbers on the plate

ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass): the loaded limit. The machine plus attachments plus the trailer's own weight must stay under it.
Tare: the empty weight. Plant trailers are heavy: 450 to 600 kg for a 2 tonne trailer, 700 to 900 kg for a 3.5 tonne one.
Payload: ATM minus tare. This is what the trailer can carry.

An R18 PRO at 1,818 kg with a bucket and an auger needs about 2,100 kg of payload; a 3.5 tonne trailer with an 800 kg tare gives 2,700 kg. A 2 tonne trailer does not.

Brakes

National rules: over 750 kg GTM, brakes on at least one axle; over 2,000 kg, brakes on all wheels and a breakaway system with a battery that holds for 15 minutes. Electric brakes need a controller in the ute. Every excavator trailer over the 2 tonne class is in the breakaway category.

Ramps and deck

Ramp angle decides whether a machine climbs on without grounding the blade or the bucket. Long, spring-assisted ramps or a tilt deck are worth paying for. Deck length should exceed the machine's track length with room for the boom and a bucket; 3 to 3.6 m suits 1 to 2 tonne machines. A beavertail helps.

Tie-down points

Four rated points, one per corner, for chains pulling forward and back. Rated lashing points, not the side rails. Grade 70, 8 mm chain and rated binders for a 2 tonne machine.

Ball weight

Aim for about 10 percent of the loaded trailer mass on the ball, which is set by where the machine sits on the deck. Most utes are limited to 350 kg; a 3 tonne combination is at the edge.

Matching the ute

Dual-cab utes are rated between 3,000 and 3,500 kg braked, and their GCM often prevents towing the full rating with a loaded tray. The towing check compares every Rippa machine against your ratings and a trailer tare.

What most buyers end up with

R06 to R15: a 2 to 2.5 tonne ATM tandem plant trailer.
R18 PRO and R22 PRO: a 3.5 tonne ATM tandem with breakaway brakes.
R32 PRO and up: a 4.5 tonne trailer behind a heavy 4WD, or a tilt tray.

Registration and inspection rules vary by state; check yours before buying second-hand.

Choosing a Plant Trailer for a Mini Excavator