How do you transport your tractor & batwing bush hog?

[Builder]

Getting customers now who are well out of tractor "roading" distance. Have purchased a Woods batwing and it's 16' long. M-7040 with loader curled down is 15' long. Planning on gooseneck trailer rig to pull it to far away locations.
Right now, I'm pulling the M-7040 & MX-8 on a 24' tag trailer behind my dumptruck. It's not nearly long enough for new batwing and not a very nice setup.
Anyone transport their larger tractor & batwing?
Would like to see other set-ups and get ideas.

 

[Verticaltrx]

The only way we have to transport our M9540 and 15' batwing is to haul the tractor on a trailer (25' 10-ton gooseneck), and pull the batwing behind our C60 dump truck. The batwing has way to much tongue weight to pull behind a pickup.

The only people I've seen actually hauling a tractor and batwing together around here are using a 40' drop deck trailer behind a single axle semi. About a 30' long trailer would be about the absolute minimum IMO, and it can't be too tall or the mower will bottom out when you pull it up the ramps. Maybe something like a 30-35' paver trailer would work also if you wanted something in a pintle hitch setup.

 

[Builder]

The only way we have to transport our M9540 and 15' batwing is to haul the tractor on a trailer (25' 10-ton gooseneck), and pull the batwing behind our C60 dump truck. The batwing has way to much tongue weight to pull behind a pickup.

The only people I've seen actually hauling a tractor and batwing together around here are using a 40' drop deck trailer behind a single axle semi. About a 30' long trailer would be about the absolute minimum IMO, and it can't be too tall or the mower will bottom out when you pull it up the ramps. Maybe something like a 30-35' paver trailer would work also if you wanted something in a pintle hitch setup.

So are your batwing tires rated for "highway speeds"? I guess if they're aircraft tires they would be??? I never bother to look.
I'd like to be able to transport the whole rig all at once behind one manueverable trailer. Really want to avoid a long 31' tag behind dumptruck. It's such a b*tch to get in tight spots (and get out of them).
My batwing's tongue weight is 1,900lbs.

 

[RickB]

Anything 30 miles or less one way it probably makes more sense to just drive it.

 

[Builder]

Cops around here are hit & miss with roading equipment. Some smile & wave, some pull you over and give you da bidness.
The area I live in includes 1,000 acre farms and mass suburbia, so roading more than 10mi is prohibitive. It also wears out the tires and puts quite a few extra hours on the machine.
I will also be using the trailer for other equip hauling.
Plan is a medium duty with alum flatbed and 10-12 ton gooseneck instead of my tag and dumptruck.

 

[RickB]

I can't speak to your local enforcement issues, but buying a trailer to save on tractor tires is false economy, I believe. Tax, tags and insurance on that new truck & trailer will more than pay the tractor tire bill unless you are going to hide under farm plates.
You put lighting meeting Ohio specs and SMV emblems on that rig and there probably isn't much LEO can do or say. You don't think the guys farming 1000 acres trailer all their stuff in and out?

Additionally, unless you can convince the local constabulary that the M7040 with loader weighs in under 9000 lbs (which it may); you are looking at at least 8 if not 9 chains and binders to tie down your tractor and batwing on a trailer to DOT spec. In the time it will take you to load and secure the rig, you could be down the road probably 4 or 5 miles.
Enforcement issues don't go away when you start hauling equipment, generally they get worse.

 

[Soundguy]

while I have loaded my jd 1517 batwing onto my 16' car hauler.. it was a boondogle to do so. I usually just road it behind the tractor.

on one occasion I changed out the tounge in my truck and just pulled it behind my pickup..

if I had a longer gooseneck.. I guess I could load tractor and batwing.. but don't need a trialer that big 98% of the time.. so bought one i could use normally... etc.

soundguy

 

[Builder]

I can't speak to your local enforcement issues, but buying a trailer to save on tractor tires is false economy, I believe. Tax, tags and insurance on that new truck & trailer will more than pay the tractor tire bill unless you are going to hide under farm plates.

You're right, but the truck/trailer will be used for many other purposes. I was just stating that the tractor tires will last longer and hours on the clock reduced.

You put lighting meeting Ohio specs and SMV emblems on that rig and there probably isn't much LEO can do or say. You don't think the guys farming 1000 acres trailer all their stuff in and out?

In PA you can only transport equipment over the road if you are going from one farm plot to another. Farmers can only road equipment from one field they farm to another. I am not a farmer. I'm cutting fields "commercially". I cut everything from radio stations, hobby farms, flood plain & right of ways. When i got pulled over, the cops advised me I have to be "between" plots, not going to commercial cut jobs. I wasn't fined or ticketed, but I was warner. He also stated that if I were in an accident, i should expect greater penalties because I am not driving a licensed, inspected, tagged & insured vehicle and my insurance would not pay for the other party's damages. My insurance company backed him up on that point.

Additionally, unless you can convince the local constabulary that the M7040 with loader weighs in under 9000 lbs (which it may); you are looking at at least 8 if not 9 chains and binders to tie down your tractor and batwing on a trailer to DOT spec. In the time it will take you to load and secure the rig, you could be down the road probably 4 or 5 miles.
Enforcement issues don't go away when you start hauling equipment, generally they get worse.

Understood, but I'm talking about 20+ miles. Some can't be accessed by back roads. One in particular is 10+ highway miles. I'm not comfortable doing that. I will consider the concept of a smaller trailer to haul tractor, then towing the batwing behind my truck, but that's 2 trips up and 2 trips back.

I appreciate your points you make. Thanks

 

[RickB]

In PA you can only transport equipment over the road if you are going from one farm plot to another. Farmers can only road equipment from one field they farm to another. I am not a farmer. I'm cutting fields "commercially". I cut everything from radio stations, hobby farms, flood plain & right of ways.

That goes back to my original comment about not really being able to respond to your local enforcement situation.
Thanks for reading.

 

[Soundguy]

Understood, but I'm talking about 20+ miles. Some can't be accessed by back roads. One in particular is 10+ highway miles. I'm not comfortable doing that. I will consider the concept of a smaller trailer to haul tractor, then towing the batwing behind my truck, but that's 2 trips up and 2 trips back.

I appreciate your points you make. Thanks

the 10-20m would'nt bother me. i routinely road my batwing 8m and have roaded it farther.

down us441 no less. not the funnest drive.. but doable. Besides.. with a 95~hp tractor and 15' batwing, you are larger than anything but a semi .. i've found that size tends to make other drivers a lil more courteous...

soundguy