When it's time to move a piece of heavy machinery, most people will load them onto trucks and trailers. To get your equipment onto those vehicles, loading ramps are a necessity. Knowing how to choose the correct loading ramp and what size ramp you need can make a significant difference in the success and efficiency of your equipment loading.

To help you select the right one, we've put together a guide to the types of heavy equipment trailer ramps for every application.

Here are some of the most common loading ramp options for heavy machinery:

1. Heavy-Duty Loading Ramps

As the name would suggest, heavy-duty loading ramps are ideal for heavyweight machinery. These ramps are sturdy, but you can typically dismantle and move them. You might find them in two-piece or one-piece designs. A two-piece ramp usually has a weight limit per axle, meaning each side will support up to a certain number of pounds. They usually don't need to be particularly long, but they are strong, supporting weights of tens of thousands of pounds. If you are loading machinery on uneven or rocky ground, the two-piece design can help level things out.

Two other types of heavy-duty ramps you may find include air ramps and hydraulic ramps. Both types use a form of automation to help lower and raise the large ramps, making it easier for individuals to operate. An air ramp works off of the air brake system in any truck equipped with it, while the hydraulic ramp connects to electricity in the vehicle or a separate battery and uses hydraulics to fully extend. These ramps are excellent for particularly heavyweight items where aluminum just doesn't cut it, and the ramps are exceptionally heavy.

2. Mobile Loading Ramps

The "mobile" part of these ramps comes from the wheels that attach to them, making them easy to move from place to place. If you're loading multiple trucks across a yard or moving lots of machinery, the easy mobility of these ramps can be a lifesaver.

3. Dock Loading Ramps

Many warehouses have docks that are relatively high up, preventing the standard-height ramps from being usable. Dock ramps are portable but allow access to these higher-up locations from the ground. You can drive vehicles up all the way to the dock with them.

4. Step Deck Trailer Ramps

These ramps are usually in two parts with one ramp for each axle. They are easy to assemble and disassemble and can support a wide range of vehicle weights. Typically, aluminum is the material of choice for these due to its strength and low weight. These ramps are used solely for moving the vehicle onto or off of a trailer or other area. They don't have any space to support turns or other maneuvers.

5. Forklift Loading Ramps

Common on yards, these uniquely shaped ramps provide space for a forklift to maneuver and drop loads. They feature a traditional ramp design with extra space for the forklift to move at the top. They have an "L" shape with a tall bottom. Other designs are simply wide, regular-shaped ramps that provide plenty of room. Forklift loading ramps are perfect for locations that do a lot of materials handling and need to maneuver these vehicles.