Trailer weight distribution

[MitchellB]

A welding shop could also move the axles, springs and fenders to a better location or possibly fabricate a movable sliding tandem like the big boys use.

 

[boggen]

was also going to state see about getting the wheels on the trailer "moved forward or backwards"

you have a ball hitch, that just has a ball on the bumper (not the best by no means)

then you have a frame that fits up under the vehicle that a hitch normally slides into with a ball, different hitchs to adjust for trailer and truck for different heights.

then weight distribution hitch. it has same like frame that fits up under vehicle, with a removable hitch and ball. but it also has a couple extra bars that attach to the frame, and then attaches back to the the trailer.

with you having full size truck, and looking at possible new trailer, you might think about a pintail hitch / trailer. were the connection point is in middle of the bed of the truck. vs at rear of truck.

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it can differ from state to state, but you are normally allowed for X amount of length to hang off back of trailer or out the bed of the pickup truck, before it is a no go or special requirements start happening, from simple red flag on the end to other. to no go.

you might try going to some place that has scales, dump, or recycling place for metal. or some place that sales rock / dirt / mulch. contact them and see if you could park vehicle on scale and trailer off. as you move tractor a little bit on the trailer. to find tongue weight. vs rough guessing / estimating things out.

if you can get a hold of a single axle trailer that is heavy duty enough, drive tractor up on a single axle trailer. and play tetter totter on it, till ya found center of gravity, were trailer was level.

 

[case245]

I BOUGHT AN M7040SU FEL 4X4 MECH SHUDDLE LOADED REARS CAST CENTERS I BACK IT ON TRAILER A MISTAKE TO MUCH WIEGHT ON TRUCK FRONT OF TRUK WAS WAY LIGHT IM GOING TO TRY TO PULL IT ON WHEN I HAUL IT AGAIN IM PULLING WITH AN CHEVY 3500 SRW 4X4 6.0L 4.11 GEARS THE TRUCK WAS WORKING ON THE HILLS IN TOW HAUL OR MANUEL MODE MY CHAINS WERE RUBBING THE ROAD AT TIMES AN THE TRUCK GRVR IS10700

 

[dstig1]

Check the rating sticker on your receiver hitch on the truck. I bet you are way overloading the hitch if it is a stock one. I had the same issue initially until I got a WD (Weight Distributing) hitch, which is why I am raising the point. The receiver has 2 ratings: a lower one for weight carrying (standard mode) and a higher one for WD. The sticker should be on the receiver itself, not on the truck.

 

[jeffsw6]

Honestly, the first thing I would be concerned with is the things that look like a bungee cord and a bicycle lock that are securing your spare tire. Maybe the tire is on there very well, but that is the kind of thing that sticks out and might invite a closer look from a police officer / etc.

So then the chains that are actually securing the tractor should really be straight from the tractor to wherever it is anchored, not wrapping around anything first. It is hard to see if anything is holding the implements. Maybe there is and I just did not see it in the photo.

I am not saying the tractor is going to fly off. I just think a cop having a bad day could cite you for some things that might be expensive fines.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Have you tried dropping your bucket on the front of the trailer then backing on? You could even set the brush hog on top of the bucket if you wanted more tongue weight.

 

[ahlkey]

I would agree if you are stopped and you do not have a WD-hitch legally you could be fined as you are overloaded pulling with your conventional hitch. The WD should help with the tongue weight a lot and only costs a little over $200 dollars and used ones are available. I actually have two of them and use them on heavy loads. However, I have not heard of anyone getting a fine for not having a WD hitch?

 

[Highbeam]

You need a bigger trailer and to get your hitch situation sorted out. You are hauling for a commercial business and are expected to know what you're doing. No reason that you shouldn't be able to pull onto the trailer, set the implements down, chain up, and drive off. All this jacking around with unbolting the tail wheel and removing the bucket just to make the gear sort of fit onto the small deck is very unprofessional.

I see that the tractor is apparently nearly new. You'll get it figured out soon. The biggest infraction I see is not using a wdh, or even knowing what it is when it is probably required for your truck to tow anything more than a tiny trailer.

 

[joshuabardwell]

This can be estimated by the sag at the hitch ball, which for my truck is about 1 inch for every 200 lbs. That can be determined, if you weigh about 200 lbs, by standing on the hitch with no trailer attached and seeing how much it sags.

I'm surprised that the hitch sag is linear like that. I would expect that as the springs flexed, it would take more weight to cause them to flex more. I may have to look into this.

 

[joshuabardwell]

If you want to measure tongue weight, purchase one of these: Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scales

If you want to do it on the cheap, here is how. Measuring trailer tongue weight with a bathroom scale

You should be able to add up the weight of your tractor and implements pretty accurately, so you should be able to know what your target tongue weight is. Target tongue weight should be 10-15% of gross trailer weight. That includes the trailer itself, of course. Trailers are usually built with a 60/40 distribution of weight over the axles, so if you know your trailer's curb weight, just take 10% of that and that's how much the trailer puts on the tongue when empty. Or just weigh it with a scale, because it's probably only 100-300 or so lbs.