What are the best trailers for floor sweepers?
It isn’t necessarily their weight that creates the problem. Many sweepers have low-mounted brushes, small tires, hoppers, bodywork, batteries, and other components that make loading geometry just as important as payload.
If you also transport floor scrubbers or combination sweeper-scrubbers, there may be even more to consider: squeegees, solution and recovery tanks, and manufacturer instructions for draining and transporting the machine.
So, when you’re looking for the best trailer for a floor sweeper, don’t stop at asking yourself whether it will fit.
You also need to ask yourself whether the machine can use the loading approach, if there’s enough clearance at the breakover point, whether the trailer has appropriate securement options, and whether it can carry the complete load within its ratings.
That’s where a hydraulic drop deck trailer can offer some significant advantages over standard trailers, but you’ll still need to match your trailer to the specific machine.
Table of Contents
Reduce The Breakover Problem
Low-mounted brushes, skirts, squeegees, and other components can make the transition from a ramp onto a raised trailer deck one of the most important measurements in your loading setup.
The steeper the approach and the sharper the transition onto the deck, the more carefully you need to consider the machine’s ground clearance and breakover geometry.
GoodMFG® takes a different approach.
The hydraulic drop deck system lowers the GT13AL and GT19AL until the deck sits just 5.4 inches above the ground. From there, a short 22-inch ramp at an 11° approach angle bridges the remaining distance into the trailer. The 76.5″ ramp spans the width of the trailer bed.
Instead of sending the sweeper up a long ramp to an 18-inch towing-height deck, you bring the trailer down closer to the machine.
For low-slung equipment, that can substantially reduce the severity of the loading transition and help reduce the risk of scraping or high-centering.
It does not guarantee that every sweeper will clear the transition. Ground clearance, wheelbase, overhangs, brush position, attachments, and manufacturer loading instructions still matter.
Check the actual machine before you load it.
Check the Sweeper’s Ramp Limit
A low-angle ramp is useful—but don’t assume that every powered sweeper can simply drive up an 11° incline.
The equipment manufacturer’s loading instructions control.
Different machines have very different incline limits. Even closely related models or configurations can have different limits depending on battery configuration, hopper load, or other factors.
For example, Tennant’s S16 operator documentation specifies maximum ramp-incline limits for loading and transport. Its battery S16 specifications also publish different gradeability figures depending on whether the hopper is full or empty.
That makes the ramp angle a valuable comparison point as you consider the best trailers for floor sweeper.
Before selecting a trailer, look up your sweeper’s:
- Maximum approved loading or transport incline
- Transport weight
- Overall width, height, and length
- Required position of brushes, hoppers, or accessories
- Manufacturer-approved loading procedures.
GoodMFG®’s 11° approach may be substantially easier to work with than a taller loading arrangement, but if your machine manufacturer specifies a lower maximum incline, follow that requirement.
Give Small Wheels a Continuous Loading Surface
Ramp angle isn’t the only thing that matters.
Many walk-behind sweepers, compact scrubbers, carts, and cleaning machines roll on relatively small wheels or casters.
A ladder-style loading ramp places openings between the wheels and the trailer deck. Depending on the machine, those openings can make rolling equipment more awkward or create places for small wheels to catch.
GoodMFG®’s rear ramp provides a continuous loading surface rather than separate wheel ramps or ladder-style rungs.
That can be particularly useful when you’re moving:
- Walk-behind sweepers
- Cleaning carts
- Wheeled accessories
- Chargers or service equipment
- Compact machines with small tires or casters.
It’s a simple advantage, but an important one. The complete loading path matters when you’re choosing the best trailer for floor sweepers, not just the ramp angle.
Hauling a Scrubber? Check the Tanks
A floor sweeper and a floor scrubber, of course, are not necessarily the same things.
A dry floor sweeper primarily collects debris into a hopper. A floor scrubber uses cleaning solution and typically collects dirty water into a recovery tank. Combination sweeper-scrubbers may have features of both.
Follow the machine manufacturer’s instructions.
For example, Tennant’s T16 ride-on scrubber manual specifically says to drain the tanks before loading the machine onto a truck or trailer. The same manual says not to load or unload the machine on a ramp exceeding a 20% or 11° grade.
Plan Securement Around the Machine
Cleaning machines aren’t always convenient things to strap down.
Plastic or fiberglass body panels, brushes, squeegees, hoses, steering components, and other external parts may not be suitable securement points.
But the solution is not simply to strap the machine to the trailer wall.
Start with the equipment manufacturer’s designated transport or tie-down points. Then build the trailer’s securement system around them.
GoodMFG® enclosed trailers can be configured with E-track or floor-mounted D-rings, giving you additional attachment locations so you can plan a more direct securement path. GoodMFG®’s owner manual specifically allows enclosed trailers to be fitted with E-track for cargo securement and instructs users to inspect those attachment points before loading.
Use appropriately rated straps, chains, connectors, and anchor points for the load. For commercial transportation where FMCSA cargo-securement rules apply, cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured, and the securement system must meet applicable working-load-limit requirements.
Protect Equipment During Transportation
An enclosed trailer also gives a floor sweeper something an open utility trailer does not: an enclosure between the equipment and the road.
That can help keep the machine out of direct exposure to highway rain, spray, dirt, and road debris while you’re traveling.
GoodMFG®’s medium-duty enclosed trailers also use insulated composite aluminum panels. That construction slows heat transfer through the trailer enclosure and can help moderate changes in interior conditions.
Note: insulation does not guarantee the interior will stay above freezing.
If you are carrying a floor scrubber or combination machine containing water or another liquid that could be damaged by freezing, follow the machine manufacturer’s storage and winterization instructions. An insulated trailer is not a heated trailer unless appropriate heating equipment has actually been added.
Likewise, if a machine comes aboard wet, plan for cleanup and moisture management rather than assuming the trailer floor can simply absorb or contain whatever leaks from the machine.
Which Trailer for Your Floor Sweeper?
| GT13AL | GT19AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | 12′6″ L × 6′10″ W × 7′6″ H | 18′7″ L × 6′10″ W × 7′6″ H |
| Rear opening | 74.4″ W × 85.4″ H | 74.4″ W × 85.4″ H |
| Estimated carrying capacity | 3,975 lbs | 7,929 lbs |
| Lowered deck height | 5.4″ | 5.4″ |
| Loading ramp | 22″ long, 11° | 22″ long, 11° |
Choose the GT13AL when the machine and complete load fit comfortably within the smaller model’s limits.
A walk-behind or compact ride-on sweeper may not require the additional length and carrying capacity of the GT19AL.
But don’t compare weight alone.
Check the rear opening, overall interior dimensions, actual machine weight in its transport configuration, and anything else you plan to carry.
Choose the GT19AL when you need more length or carrying capacity.
The GT19AL provides substantially more usable interior length and an estimated 7,929 pounds of carrying capacity.
That does not mean “any sweeper weighing less than 7,929 pounds fits.”
The trailer’s carrying capacity applies to the complete cargo load, including the machine, accessories, chargers, spare parts, cleaning supplies, shelves or other added equipment where applicable. The machine also has to fit through the rear opening and comply with its own loading requirements.
That distinction matters.
A machine can be light enough for a trailer but too tall for the door.
It can fit through the door but have a loading-incline limit below the trailer’s ramp angle.
Or it can fit perfectly while leaving too little carrying capacity for everything else your crew needs.
Fit, weight, and loading requirements all have to work together.
FAQ
Are all floor sweepers compatible with an 11° ramp?
No.
GoodMFG® uses a short 11° approach, but machine manufacturers set their own limits for loading and operation on inclines. Check the manual for your exact sweeper before assuming it can drive onto any trailer under its own power. Manufacturer requirements can vary by model and configuration.
Do I need to drain a floor scrubber before putting it on a trailer?
Follow the instructions for your machine.
Some manufacturers explicitly require it. Tennant’s current T16 manual, for example, instructs operators to drain the tanks before loading the scrubber onto a truck or trailer.
That is one reason not to treat the lower ramp angle as a substitute for the equipment manufacturer’s transport procedure.
How should I tie down a floor sweeper without damaging the body?
Use the machine manufacturer’s approved tie-down points and an appropriately rated securement system.
Optional E-track or D-rings can give you more flexibility in positioning the trailer-side anchors, but they do not change which parts of the sweeper are structurally suitable for tie-downs.
Key Takeaways
Still not sure whether Good Trailers are the best trailers for floor sweepers? Here’s the TL;DR that can help you make your decision.
- Loading geometry matters for floor sweepers. GoodMFG®’s hydraulic drop deck system lowers the deck to 5.4″ and uses a short 22-inch long, 11° approach. Check your machine’s compatibility.
- Check the sweeper manufacturer’s incline limit. An 11° ramp is relatively gentle, but some machines have lower published loading or gradeability limits.
- Sweepers and scrubbers have different transport concerns. Solution and recovery tanks are primarily scrubber concerns, and some manufacturers require them to be drained before loading.
- Size the trailer using more than payload. Rear-opening dimensions, interior dimensions, complete cargo weight, securement needs, and the machine’s loading instructions all matter.
- E-track can improve securement flexibility. Use it with suitable rated hardware and the machine’s proper tie-down points rather than attaching restraints to fragile bodywork or cleaning components.
- Enclosed and insulated construction provides useful environmental protection without creating a climate-controlled trailer. It can reduce direct road exposure and moderate heat transfer, but it does not guarantee that liquid-containing equipment will remain above freezing.
Sweeping Better Solutions Your Way
Seeing why Good Trailers by GoodMFG° might be the best trailers for floor sweepers and scrubbers? If so, it’s time to upgrade. Find your nearest dealer today. Can’t find a dealer near you? Reach out to our office for options.
See also:
Hydraulic Drop Deck Trailer Maintenance: Because Nobody Has Time for Breakdowns
The Top 4 Advantages of Trailers that Lower to the Ground
This Compact Street Sweeper Trailer Lets You Stop Scraping and Start Saving
This resource was compiled by the GoodMFG® Product Team, drawing on 75 years of combined experience in hydraulic systems, heavy-duty transport, trailers, and modular structures.
P.S. – We build trailers every day, but we don’t run your crews. If there’s a specific logistical headache or a “field reality” we’ve missed, we want to hear about it. Help us refine the equipment that makes your day easier! Email our Marketing Lead at devan-h @ goodrv.com and let us know what we should solve next.
