moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor

   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #1  

up north Dave

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2006
Messages
6
Tractor
Farm Pro 2430
i'm wondering if anyone has moved a fifth wheel trailer with there tractor I'm thinking of buying TSC trailer mover but it is for gooseneck trailers, couplers
for fifth wheel to goose neck costs a couple hundred dollars. I just need to move trailer in and out of pole barn I have no hitch on truck . any other ideas would be greatly apprecated Thanks Dave
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #2  
My first question will be can your tractor lift your fifth wheel trailer? Many fifth wheels have high tongue weight compared to a standard trailer.

Looking at the picture on TSC's website my next question would be is your fifth wheel trailer plate far enough forward your tractor can get under it? Some have too much overhang to the front to work it appears to me.

If both above items are satisfactory I suppose it would work with an appropriate adapter on the trailer mover, but, no, I haven't done it myself ;)

I've contemplated making a trailer dolly with 4 wheels so I can move my toy hauler with my BX24. The hitch adapter I have on my FEL will NOT lift the trailer, it has about 1000 lbs tongue weight. I don't want to use the 3 point because I leave the BH on.
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #3  
I have a 27' 5er that I move around with my L35 quite often. Just curl the bucket, put it under the pin box and lift up, no problem. Obviously this may not work well if you had to move the 5er for a very long distance on steep slopes but it works fine for me moving it around my rolling 1 acre lot. Just DONT turn sharp or the bucket will hit the front bottom edge of the 5er. Hutch
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor
  • Thread Starter
#4  
fifth wheel hitch is right in the front of trailer trailer is a27.5 footer I have a farm pro 30 hp and I have lifted the front with fel just not to sure of moving trailer around Trailer can be towed with 1/2 ton truck. so I do not think I will have trouble lifting it I just think that 3 pt would be safer I do not have very far to move it. I am just trying to find out if there is a cheap coupler for fifth wheel hitch to gooseneck. I might have welder fab one for me. thanks for your replies.
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #5  
I customized my BB with a combination gooseneck/fifth wheel hitch attachment. It's basically a 14" long piece of 3" pipe welded vertically to the back of the frame where the toplink attaches. The pipe has a gusseted flange around the top so it fits the trailer pin quite well. I also have a 2 1/2" sleeve with a 2 5/16" ball on it that fits into the 3" piece.
I use it with a 30HP Farmtrac, and it moves it quite well, just can't make any sharp turns or you'll have the front of the trailer into your ROPS.

Also the hitch extends about 15" out from the front of the trailer.
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #6  
Why not just use your truck?
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor
  • Thread Starter
#7  
It costs about 350.00 dollars for a hitch then you have to have it installed. and I do'nt plan to haul it on the road. we just bought it until we build a home on our property. we go up for long weekends during the summer. tried a pop up to much trouble putting up and taking down.
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #8  
I may be totally wrong, but isn't there a relatively cheap gooseneck ball/plate assembly that can be bolted to the bed of the truck? I don't mean one that you'd use to haul the 5th wheel 70mph down the interstate.

My other question would be the terrain you'd be moving the 5th wheel over and how far. Are you just needing to move it in and out of the pole barn over flat ground?
 
   / moving fifth wheel trailer with tractor #10  
Depends on the particular trailer and your particular tractor.
There is a rule of thumb that 25% of the trailer's loaded weight goes on the pin.
So,,, according to what all is IN the trailer and how far it is towards the front, e.g. "tile and marble" you could be faced with anything up to 4,000 lbs, maybe more.

I would probably TRY it, SLOWLY, just to see if the tractor can lift it.
I would leave the landing gear down for a trial move of a foot or two.
I don't think I'd lift it more than a few inches - see how it goes.
 
 
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