pulling trailer ?

AndyG · Apr 23, 2009

Check your local laws. It may be illegal to operate slow moving equipment on the road after dark. At least, it is not a very good idea. If your trailer is so light on the tongue that it will lift the 3point then correct that problem. 10%-20% of the trailer's weight should be on the hitch. A tongue-light trailer will fish tail and put you in the ditch (if you are lucky). Your tractor has pretty good flashers on it already. Is your trailer or the load so large as to block the tractor's lights? Like Jinman pointed out you can hook up the tractor's flashers to the trailer pretty easy. When we used to move hay wagons it was common to use battery powered flashers like you see on road construction signs. They are easily portable and don't need wiring. I applaud you efforts to make some kind of flasher work. You can't be to visible to faster moving cars. Be careful towing a heavy trailer at high speed. Your tractor only weighs about 4000lb and the brakes are marginal for this kind of work.

LBrown59 · Apr 23, 2009

AndyG said:
Your tractor only weighs about 4000lb and the brakes are marginal for this kind of work.

How can it be safe to pull a trailer with out brakes with a 1500 to 2500 pound tractor when brakes are required on the same trailer and it requires at least a 1/2 ton pick up to pull it with?

LD1 · Apr 23, 2009

LBrown59 said:
How can it be safe to pull a trailer with out brakes with a 1500 to 2500 pound tractor when brakes are required on the same trailer and it requires at least a 1/2 ton pick up to pull it with?

Brakes probabally wouldn't be required if the pickup's top speed was only 15 mph or so.

Lone Oak Landscaping · Apr 23, 2009

Wired up a plug today it flashes trailer lights and thats all I need it to do, works good enough.

I brush hog a large comerical complex about one night a week and only have to go about 3 miles round trip to the shop where I keep the trailer ,but the road is a 45mph speed limit with not much shoulder but has a few pull off spots along the way.

All I am really looking for is a way of avoiding having to get a ride back to get the truck and trailer, by just pulling it behind the tractor . I have the tractor insured and registered with a SPEC-COM plate and the trailer is legal too.

I have just as much right as any car or truck to use the road and most drivers are nice and usually wave as they pass , plus I always pull off when I can or slow down to let cars pass as often as I can ...WHAT GETS ME IS THE FEW @#*&%$#'s WHO FLIP ME THE BIRD OR LAY ON THE HORN LIKE THATS GOING TO HELP,just cause they have to slow down for a few short seconds, I will never understand them idiots they probably do the same thing to the school bus when it slows down too ...

I have a spot to leave the brush hog on the property and the trailer is only a 2999lb. No brakes needed in NYS under 3000lbs.( nothing big or heavy )

I am only hauling a john deere 304 all wheel steer lawn tractor for the tight spots and to go around the trees it weighs about 600lbs and should be fine up close over the tounge for weight.

The rest of the stuff on the trailer is just weed wacker, blower, and some other small hand tools,I travel over the road at about 10 mph or less and it is mostly flat road ,no hills so for me the set up is ok.
As far as I know in NYS a SMV is legal after dark as long as you have flashers , SMV sign, saftey chains, trailer regerstered etc. etc...you"re good to go !

Thanks for the help, Lone Oak