Towing tractor and implements 1,200 miles: help me be safe please

[hammick]

I purchased an '02 Branson 4020 with loader and backhoe and plan to tow it 1,200 miles to our future retirement home. Will be on good interstate the majority of the time with no big elevation passes (I-90 across SD; WY and MT). Tow vehicle will be my 2015 Chevy 3/4 ton Crew Cab 4x4 Diesel. Truck is bone stock.

I am borrowing a new 2016 LoadTrail 81"x20' tilt trailer (bumper pull). Trailer is not setup for a weight distribution hitch. It has twin 7000lb axles with electric brakes. Trailer says 12,000 lbs GVWR and their website says 14,000 GVWR. Trailer weight is 3,725 lbs. Still waiting on the exact weight spec of my backhoe but I believe the weight of the tractor with all implements is 6,700 to 7,000 lbs.

So the total trailer weight will be under 11,000 lbs.

My truck has the factory brake controller.

I have a lot of experience pulling out 28' Toyhauler with my truck. It has a very heavy tongue weight but probably no more than 8,500 lbs when fully loaded for a trip (including the ATV). My truck pulls it just fine but I use a very nice Reese WDH. Unfortunately my hitch is with the trailer 1,200 miles away plus the brackets require the trailer to be drilled I think.

My truck has a max trailer weight of 17,100 lbs limited to 13,000 lbs if bumper pull. Max bumper pull tongue weight is 1,500 lbs so I'm within those specs using 10% loaded tongue weight.

Are these tilt trailers designed to be used without a WDH? I guess I could try to rent or borrow a WDH with clamp on brackets or I could get airbags put in my truck.

I do have a tongue weight scale and plan to load the trailer properly and chain down the tractor at each side of the axles and put straps on the implements.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I take safe towing very seriously and I will have my wife and dog with me so need to be extra safe.

 

[Pepsiboy]

hammock,

It sounds to me like you have got it together for your haul. Having over 5 years as an over the road truck driver, it looks like you have done your research VERY well. The only question I have is the size of the trailer you are going to use. If the size is 81 inches by 20 inches, I'd say it will not be large enough. Or did I misread and the size is 81 inches by 20 feet? If so, you should not have any problems. If you set it up so the tongue weight is about 10% of the total trailer weight loaded, it should ride and handle well for you. MOST tilt trailers are NOT set up for WDH, and I don't think it should be needed for your haul. Just secure all 4 corners of the tractor and strap all the implements and you will be fine. Best wishes for a safe ride.

Dave

 

[hammick]

Thanks Dave. Yes the trailer deck is 20 feet long. 25 feet to the coupler.

I guess what concerns me is whether 1,100 lbs of tongue weight will need WDH on my truck. I'll probably have 300 - 500 lbs of stuff in the bed as well or I guess I could put the heavier stuff on the trailer.

 

[newbury]

The need for a WDH may be to CYA.

It seems many trucks have a caveat to use a WDH for anything over 5,000 lbs. I've loaded my 12K Hudson maybe once to near capacity and my dually didn't perform much different than with a much lighter load. I use an Equal-i-zer WDH rated for 14K. However I imagine if I got in an accident with the trailer and did not have my WDH the lawyers would have more ammunition.

Borrow a WDH and have piece of mind, or at least worry about something else.

 

[hammick]

The empty tongue weight of my Toyhauler is 1,100 lbs and I don't like they way my truck squats pulling it without my WDH. I think a buddy has one I can borrow and I'll just need to buy some snap up brackets. If not, I'll spend $300 and buy the same one I sold a few years ago because it was garage clutter.

 

[kevin37b]

Is this a deck over wheels trailer or has it got fenders ? The reason I ask is the fender trailers usually have a low slung channel frame with a stacked channel in the tongue A frame to bring the coupler height up . These usually do not provide room for WDH. Sounds like you know what you are doing . Hope you have a safe trip . Kevin .

 

[George2615]

Are these tilt trailers designed to be used without a WDH? I guess I could try to rent or borrow a WDH with clamp on brackets or I could get airbags put in my truck.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I take safe towing very seriously and I will have my wife and dog with me so need to be extra safe.

As long as only the bed tilts a WD hitch can be used. I currently have a PJ 14K tilt bed and can use a WD hitch since the pivot point is just behind the rear axle and only the bed tilts. On my previous tilt bed trailer the pivot point was in front of the axles and when tilted the back of the tongue would raise which puts way too much pressure on the hitch.
I've added a couple pics to better explain. With my PJ the frame stays level, the other trailer pic shows the back of the tongue raises when tilted. If the tongue frame stays level you can use a WD hitch.

 

[hammick]

I believe it is deck over frame. Here is a picture of one. It would suck to order a WDH and find it doesn't fit.

 

[bspeedy]

For some reason my 10K bumper pull trailer pulls great without WDH but my 7000 lb travel trailer likes the WDH and feels funny without it. If I were pulling your load on the same road, I would just have at it. Would not have any concerns and I have a 1999 7.3 Ford 3/4 ton with much less tow capacity (according to the sticker) than your Chevy. Take it easy and crank the brake controller up. I'd rather replace brakes on the trailer than the front bumper on the truck - or worse.

On the borrowed trailer thing... Make sure the bearings are greased and that the tires are un-damaged and fully inflated. Check bearing and tire temperature at each stop - just like you probably do with your travel trailer. Any sign of problems - check it out more thoroughly. Good luck.

 

[bcp]

As long as only the bed tilts a WD hitch can be used. I currently have a PJ 14K tilt bed and can use a WD hitch since the pivot point is just behind the rear axle and only the bed tilts. On my previous tilt bed trailer the pivot point was in front of the axles and when tilted the back of the tongue would raise which puts way too much pressure on the hitch.
I've added a couple pics to better explain. With my PJ the frame stays level, the other trailer pic shows the back of the tongue raises when tilted. If the tongue frame stays level you can use a WD hitch.

If your hitch frame tilts when the bed is tilted, couldn't you disconnect the WDH when load and unloading?

Bruce