Trailering questions

   / Trailering questions #1  

KYTurkey

Member
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
32
Location
Northwest Kentucky
Tractor
NH TC24DA
This is probably a dumb series of questions...but here we go. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I've trailered a tractor or two from time to time, but they've always either been someone else's or rentals. In all cases, they've been on the big expensive all-metal haulers that have handy eyeholes for chains, load binders, etc. The dealer delivered my tractor on a flatbed car hauler that had a slot down the middle for similar binding. It was chained across the front bumper and over the rear axle, as I recall.

So, I went looking at trailers this weekend for hauling my new tractor. I saw a lot of trailers that were plenty big & rated weight-wise for my tractor, but they were all of the "utility" type that just have a flat bed and stake pockets (or low rails) on the sides. No obvious places to tie down, except for one that had a low rail mounted in front, as well. There was nothing in the rear on any of them. I'll either have to cut out some of the flooring to find a place below to tie to, or try to find some way of using those stake pockets.

How do you guys trailer your tractors? My TC24 doesn't seem to have obvious facilities for doing this, other than the bumper and axles. Is that the way to do it, or am I making this too hard? The other stuff I've hauled has always been tied down really tightly with binders and chains, and the thought of having the tractor rolling around behind me gives me the willies (even if it is a "compact tractor"). /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
   / Trailering questions #2  
I trailered my TC24 today. My trailer is similar to the ones you looked at, no obvious points of tie down. I have a low railing, about 8" high around 3 sides of the trailer. I use ratchet straps, but am going to switch over to chain after reading a story by Dargo here on TBN. I wrap around the front and rear axles. 2 straps on each axle. I attach the straps at the base of the vertical uprights that hold up the short railing. There are "pockets" at the base of each upright. Last week I attached my Snow Trac to my neighbor's car hauler, it has stake pockets along the perimeter of it and that is a better system. I've been thinking of welding some "D" rings onto my trailer, I think it would be a better system than what I currently do. I follow the theory that I have not had any problems (yet) and I probably should find a better way before I do have a problem.
 
   / Trailering questions #3  
My 12k tilt trailer has a very long tongue on it so I drop the bucket over the front kick rail and just in front of the jack stand, then I run chain through a cross brace on the fel and use the shipping ring that is on the underside of the tractor roughly under the center of the drivers platform. The dealer said he left it on for that very reason. I put a chain hook through a stake pocket and a chain binder hook through the other sides stake pocket and tighten it down.
 
   / Trailering questions #4  
KYT,

The best setup I have seen were weld hooks (grab hook style) welded to the frame. There were 4 hooks per side. The 2 hooks on the rear of the trailer were oriented "backwards" relative to the 2 in front, so the tractor could be put in a 2-way bind.

Actually, it was a flatbed truck, but the weld hooks could easily be welded to any trailer.
 
   / Trailering questions #5  
I use the stake pockets on mine as great chain/ nylon ratched binder points. At the rear i have a trailer ramp bar, and use that for a tiedown. If you don't have front or rear tie down points, get a piece of chain and hook it to something under the rear of the trailer ( something beefy ) and then tie the chain off up to the top of the deck from around the back... chain to that... similar in the front..

If you stake pockets are inconvienient.. put a length of chain thru them as well and tie off.

Soundguy
 
   / Trailering questions #6  
I have stake pockets made out of 4” channel welded around my trailer frame. They work great. I put the hook down through the hole and wrap it back up to the top of the channel lip. One time I was hauling my M9000 and a car pulled out in front of me causing me to do an emergency brake and swerve. I pulled over to check the tractor and it had slid over and the tire was close to coming off the trailer. After that I anchor it with chain and binders from the four corners so it can’t slide around.

Eric
 
   / Trailering questions
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Well, it sounds like I'm making a big deal out of nothing. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Being the worrier that I am, I was concerned that the stake pockets wouldn't be strong enough to secure the tractor (aren't they just for side stakes? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ). I do like the idea of the welded hooks, too...that way I can customize it. I guess I should get the trailer first, THEN worry about how I'm going to hook up. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
   / Trailering questions #8  
The stake pockets on my 16' flatbed were fine for my tractor.. a ford 1920 with 5' mower.. Figure that weighed close to 4000#. i secured it 2 front and 2 rear corners.. so 4 stake pockets... I trailered that tractor almost every weekend for a few years until I traded it last year.

I did quite a few 'change-your-pants' emergency stops trying to avoid motorcycles and small passanger cars that would pull in front of you to get 10' more down the road... Never had the tractor move more than a few inches.. and never had a stake pocket deform, bend, break.. etc. Never broke a chain.. or binder.. or 2" ratchet strap..

Soundguy
 
   / Trailering questions #9  
Here's a cropped picture of one corner of my TC 33 tied down. My 5 ton trailer came with four ( one on each corner ) factory welded on "D" rings. I plan to add a couple more later. As you haul the same piece of equipment configured differently (ie back hoe on / back hoe off, front loader, tiller, box blade, etc. ) you see that maybe a tie point could be placed somewhere other than where it's at.
 

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   / Trailering questions #10  
Here's one more. Had to experiment with getting the file size down below 100k.
 

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