how to center tractor on trailer

   / how to center tractor on trailer #11  
I agree with the others, that trailer doesn't look right.

Also, I don't like fenders. They are always in the way to me. You can't load sod, bricks, concrete blocks etc. over your axle with pallet forks. I may get flamed for this, but it's just my opinion. If you do get a trailer with fenders make sure a compact track loader and a mini-ex will fit between them. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Here's a couple pics of my gooseneck. It's a North Alabama brand 20 + 5 with 7K lbs axles.

Hope this helps with your question.
 

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   / how to center tractor on trailer #12  
That trailer is not set up right like the others say. Skip it and keep looking.

Chris
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #13  
Big State here in the Houston area tells me the first axle should be at 60% of the trailer length. Second axle follows as the spring set needs. So, just remember the 60/40 rule regardless of trailer length.

Your trailer 'looks' like it would be balanced, but I think you'll find out as others have said, axles centered will never load right.
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #14  
Keep in mind that an ideal tongue weight won't be a big concern with your truck and a gooseneck. Your trailer weight will be ~10k so you can have a lot more than 15% on the pin.
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #15  
I dont think the problem will be tongue weight, it will be a light tongue. With the axles that far forward you can get the trailer tail heavy very easily and the tail will wag the dog so to speak.

Chris
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer
  • Thread Starter
#16  
thanks everyone, i'll let this one go as well. i'm sure i'll find the right one but it may take some time.

ya'll have been a great help
thanks
Brian
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #17  
Here's a pic of the trailer as you can see the axles are about centered on the trailer. . . is that going to be a problem?
Thanks again for all the help

It almost looks like that trailer was originally shorter, the back end added on. It is hard to tell . . . . .
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #18  
I would take the tractor and trailer to the scales and get an axle weight on every axle then post back with that so that we can crunch the numbers. Don't forget to get the tongue weight on the unladen trailer. Otherwise everything is just a WAG, not even a SWAG.

If you backed on and dragged your cutter on behind with the FEL bucket above it, you should be able to fit it and get the balance right. Or just put the FEL above the tongue like someone else said, it's wasted space anyways.

There is no substitute for 20 bucks of scale time and some simple high school physics to get it right though.
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #19  
What archem3 said, or find a buddy that has a tongue scale (lots of RV owners have these). It would allow you to position the tractor on the trailer and get readings as to the tongue weight. You can then mark off on the trailer (through paint or blocks) where to put the tractor to get a repeatable tongue weight. You could do this with different implements attached and put different marks on the trailer.

Tongue scales are only about $100 to buy.

Larry
 
   / how to center tractor on trailer #20  
Why would he need to scale it?

The OP has way more than enough truck to handle that tractor.
 

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