Transportation Options ???

[ElDorado]

Update- I called my friend with the diesel Dodge and the gooseneck. Well he takes his trailers off the road for the winter so they are not exposed to the road salt. I can't say I blame him as I have a utility trailer that died are early death as a result of being exposed to road salt/sand.

Next option???

Again, if I go new I'll have it included by the dealer. This used machine is the problem. I don't want to make an offer if transportation is going to be cost prohibitive. I guess I'll make some calls on Monday to explore more options.

Thanks all,
Matt

 

[radioman]

well for the private sale - option 1 is get some 2 by 12's and use it under tires on the open trailer from uhaul.
option 2 rent a uhaul truck and ramps for loading cars.
option 3 call a tow truck with flatbed.

There seems to be no other options unless you have a local friend with trailer.

 

[rimshot]

Just as Chris says, transportation is part of the deal and the dealer will have a truck or trailer suitable for the job, experience and most importantly he will have insurance. So just hiring anybody should not even be in the cards. Can you imagine the mess if you were to hire somebody that was uninsured and your new tractor fell off the trailer? Oooooooooooch!

Also depending on how far you have to transport at $2.00/mile you could rack up some bucks. you have a 3/4 ton and I'll bet you can own a trailer for under $2 grand.


rimshot

 

[HCJtractor]

My dealer ( and I suppose most would do this ) delivers all new equipment as part of the purchase and offers free pick up and delivery for regular repairs and maintenance during off-season (Jan thru March) This helps for having routine servicing done. That being said, after several years of depending on him and borrowing a trailer from friends, I bought a flat top gooseneck like the one "Flusher" shows pictures of. In my opinion, this is the perfect trailer for transporting a larger tractor and implements. I see them fairly often for $4200 to 5200 in good shape. If you need to transport your tractor regularly, it is nice to have one so that you can be in control. On the other hand, if you only need transporting for service or repairs, you could get by without one, especially if you can do the routine servicing yourself onsite. Don't forget to consider what hitch you have and whether it is rated for this weight and the costs of tie downs, if you are trailer shopping. I had to spend $450 for a gooseneck hitch, but I personally prefer that to a bumper pull. My trailer and tractor loaded weighs about 13,000 lbs.

If you have a friend you trust who is into tractors, consider sharing the cost of a trailer.

 

[some zilch]

is your truck setup (brake controller and hitch) for towing a trailer with a sizeable load on it?--something to consider.

tow truck company's rollbacks can be expensive- i used to do some sidework for a local tow guy, he was $3.50/mile. their "drivers"-if you want to call them that-are generally unfamiliar with chaining down anything other than a car, and they rarely can even safely chain a car down. (one small chain and the winch cable is illegal, unsafe, and seems to be the norm for them). the last place my tractor would ever go is on a tow company's truck.

i worked for a heavy equipment dealership, and i deliver and move all kinds of large and small machinery. we have two heavy duty rollback trucks, that can easily carry a 20klb machine. these are NOT automotive-style rollback trucks. the trucks have heavy duty chains for securing the load, heavy duty binders, etc. they cost $65/hr to move anything that can fit on the deck. ive moved all kinds of tractors, dozers, mini excavators, skidsteers, etc. something like this would be a much better option, as the driver is much more familiar with that type of load. is a $200 charge for getting your tractor home safely really a deal-breaker?

 

[downslope]

Next option???

Again, if I go new I'll have it included by the dealer. This used machine is the problem. I don't want to make an offer if transportation is going to be cost prohibitive. I guess I'll make some calls on Monday to explore more options.

Thanks all,
Matt

Just curious, how many miles will you require the new or used machines to be transported? The way you are concerned about costs I'm guessing you're talking a long-distance haul?

Also, have you considered if there is a loading dock or berm you could back into somewhere at the ends of the trip. Then you could use a flatbed or box truck to load/unload everything? For a long trip this would be the smoothest sailing, even if you have to drive the tractor a few miles at either end. The dealer should have a dock or you could use a rollback truck just to load/unload at either end, should not be too expensive, except for the truck rental, if required. Depending on the weight you are moving something like an F550 or larger non-CDL truck should do the job. Whatever you decide you will have to figure the transport costs, if any, into the price you're willing to pay. Good luck.

 

[ElDorado]

Right now I am talking anywhere from 200 to 325 miles depending.

I will be the first to say I am a tightwad, cheap, thrifty whatever you want to call it. If I could save a few hundreds bucks by doing it myself I would do it. But reality has entered the equation. It looks like dealer delivery is the way to go.

Well an update on the used machine. This one doesn't have a backhoe. I want one added so I spoke with the dealer today about that. I brought up the idea of transportation. He is willing to transport at a fairly reasonable price. As a tractor dealer his driver is familiar with chaining machines down which gives me peace of mind. I guess I just should buck up and let the pros do their jobs and write the check!

Thanks all!
Matt

 

[some zilch]

i am familiar with your area, where abouts are ya, and where abouts is the dealer?