New trailer

[beardface]

With the pop up style ramps do they work if the rear door is facing Downhill towards the main trailer, just have a couple loading ramps that create this situation and if it will be ab issue with pop up ramps then it will have to be a ge I think

 

[hally]

The one downside of the Gamic hydraulic deck system, is that it doesn’t lift right to the roof. However, that’s because the top deck is a solid, welded unit, which is incredibly strong and doesn’t allow pee to dribble down onto stock underneath. It will still be doing exactly the same job a decade down the line.
The Houghton system utilises a seal round a flat deck, which rubs/seals against the walls as it goes up & down. In time, that seal is going to fail & need replacement, or you will end up with pee dribbling down the sides. I’d take the Gamic over a Houghton every time for that reason, although i’m Pretty sure the Gamic doesn’t come with the all important swanky alloy wheels that the Houghton does.

I’ve noticed the gamic doesn’t have a front door so is it a hands and knees job to,wash out the lower deck?

 

[neilo]

I’ve noticed the gamic doesn’t have a front door so is it a hands and knees job to,wash out the lower deck?

Mine does, in the same place as on an Ifor. I think the new ones have the door moved to the front though, rather than on the side, still there though.

Tbh, you can get 99% of it with a pressure washer from outside, even if you don’t clean it out after every single journey.

 

[Nithsdale]

With the pop up style ramps do they work if the rear door is facing Downhill towards the main trailer, just have a couple loading ramps that create this situation and if it will be ab issue with pop up ramps then it will have to be a ge I think

You say loading ramps, so I'm guessing you mean the rear door doesn't go down onto the ground... they work fine at markets - even loading from lorry bays. At Ayr market the bays are quite high - when you put the ramp up, it's actually sitting level to load the top deck and when you put it down to load bottom it makes a ramp down into the bottom deck.

If you're meaning the other way, and the rear door has to drop down lower than wheel level - it depends how far it has to drop. It will work but the ramp will become a lot steeper

 

[Hfd Cattle]

There are not many days of the week at this time of year when I've not got a trailer load of cattle behind the truck. I use a Gamic and an Ifor . For me the Gamic wins hands down I would be continually overweight but the Gamic is so strong. I wouldn't entertain a twin axle ..triaxle everytime with the wheels on the outside . I did think about changing my Gamic but decided to keep it due to 2 factors .... communication with the Gamic people is difficult and the waiting time when eventually I did get a call back.... but I would have had no problem getting my old one sold and would get more back than what I paid for it . Ended up putting new springs ,lights and brakes on it for a fraction of the cost of changing !

 

[Stw88]

Whats the gamic like for cattle work @neilo ? We do 60/40 sheep and cattle work. Had a GE for years great trailer just hate the ramp, its far too steep. Do like the look of a gamic.

 

[beardface]

You say loading ramps, so I'm guessing you mean the rear door doesn't go down onto the ground... they work fine at markets - even loading from lorry bays. At Ayr market the bays are quite high - when you put the ramp up, it's actually sitting level to load the top deck and when you put it down to load bottom it makes a ramp down into the bottom deck.

If you're meaning the other way, and the rear door has to drop down lower than wheel level - it depends how far it has to drop. It will work but the ramp will become a lot steeper

The first way round. That's fine then.

 

[bluepower]

No!

We have had our Ifor 18 years with no complaints on the ramp or deck. Lambs and ewes run up no bother. It works well and is easy to use - at home or at markets.



Our next trailer will be a Nugent though - same ramp and deck system as the Ifor but better built

I have had a Nugent with decks and wheels outside since 2013 with no problems. As has been said it is a far stronger and better built trailer than the Ifor it replaced. Never regretted the move and would buy another but this one has years of life left in it, an ifor would have been replaced twice by now! The whole box is just so much stronger as a stock bull used to be able to bow the sides of the Ifor out just by looking at it, Nugent is a very different beast.

 

[neilo]

Whats the gamic like for cattle work @neilo ? We do 60/40 sheep and cattle work. Had a GE for years great trailer just hate the ramp, its far too steep. Do like the look of a gamic.

I don’t have cattle in it now, but I had a 10’ without decks on loan from the previous owner of the company, while I was waiting on mine being made. That would have been a fantastic cattle trailer, with the dividing gate & slam catch akin to that you would find in a lorry.

Personally, I could see the deck arrangement & gate on mine being less than great for cattle. The sides of the welded deck create a horizontal lip about 3” wide, at 2’ off the floor, which cattle will forever be putting a foot on I would expect, if you load it fully (doesn’t everybody?). The middle gate on mine is very strong, but to make it full height for cattle, you extend two bits of Ali channel and for the rear gate into it, which I could see as being too weak if a bunch of cattle turned round against it. The rest of the trailer would certainly handle cattle a lot better than an Ifor, which have always been prone to bowing out in the middle.
The gate design may have been changed since mine, or it might be worth having a second, solid, gate to fit for regular cattle use, as most other manufacturers do.

 

[Filthyfarmer]

Sheep only here. First season using 14ft tri axle Nugent replacing 25yr old 12ft Ifor.

Obviously much easier to load sheep, but then again any new trailer would be against the old style sheep decks on ifor !
Liked the fold down front on top deck, lets sheep "see" a way out and load easier.
Liked the ali checker plate mud guard that can be walked on. Might be a dislike if (when!) I clip a gatepost.
Liked the latching screw type tailgate.

The main dislike, although very strongly built ( a big like ), the welding is not as tidy as on some other makes. But there again it looks built to last.

 

[JP1]

I recently bought a small quad trailer from Gamic and had it modified to my design. Yes they are busy and there may be a wait but that's because they are very popular and unlike most other manufacturers they will listen and make bespoke trailers and pick up canopies to suit what the customer actually needs and wants.

I only have a small herd but in a few years when I upgrade my 12ft GE, I'm going to have a Gamic tri-axle

I'm not fully up to speed but I'm sure the latest Gamic trailers have a front pedestrian access door in the chamfered front and one to the upper deck too

When I was with @Old Tip once in the Lakes I stopped and had a chat with a chap loading in the road. He showed me the deck and the fold down combination parting gate. It's designed to always be on the vehicle.

I've got a photo of the one piece cattle parting gate you can get and carry in / out when on cattle only jobs

 

[JP1]

aren't they on more commercial runnng gear than the though @JP1 ?

More commercial running gear yes

 

[JP1]

This is the Gamic cattle gate

If you want a “sealed tray” type deck, I suppose there may be a few compromises for cattle but every Gamic operator I’ve spoken to has been very happy

All the original Houghton and Pezzaioli lifting trays were of this type on the wagons

 

[JP1]

If folks want to know more about Gamic, I’d say look at some of the photos on their Facebook page and give Emma and Dan a call

I’ve always found them very helpful

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Ifor it is then

And for me....on my fourth now...can’t fault them

 

[Northeastfarmer]

gamic gamic or gamic,well worth the wait,the man that invented the ifor williams top deck system wants beating with an ash stick for an hour

Nothing wrong with ifor decks...certainly a lot better than GE

 

[beardface]

Had a look at the gamic, how do people get on in the wet with the 13" wheels. Currently on 10" underneath on GE and it's like towing a house as soon as it gets sticky as bugger all rolling resistance

 

[michael N123]

Nothing wrong with ifor decks...certainly a lot better than GE

I think our ifor decks are great there easy to lift with ewes on and you can fill the top up tight

 

[neilo]

Had a look at the gamic, how do people get on in the wet with the 13" wheels. Currently on 10" underneath on GE and it's like towing a house as soon as it gets sticky as bugger all rolling resistance

We used to run two Ifor’s at home, one with wheels under and one with (larger) wheels on the outside. The latter was always a lot easier to tow off road, even more so when it’s getting sticky.
I wouldn’t consider one with wheels underneath now, not least because of the inherent stability issues.

 

[neilo]

I think our ifor decks are great there easy to lift with ewes on and you can fill the top up tight

You have to lift them with the ewes on, then top it up tight? I remember those days too.....

It really is a revelation to be able to top the deck ‘up tight’ on the flat, then press a button to raise it up.