No trailer - How do you guys haul your toys?

[cold1313]

Without making the subject to long and confusing...

I don't have a trailer - I never really have a need to haul my Kubota's unless they are going to the dealership and then I bite the bullet and pay to have them pick up and drop off. I could haul my wood pellets home on a trailer, but other than that, it would sit outside and I'd pay insurance and plates every year.

Every once and a great while, I wish I had a trailer to help someone out. My father needs some dirt moved that would take my MX no time but the job will now be done by hand and take a long time.

I just got my MX so I'm glad I didn't buy a trailer for my old little B3200! I have an MX5800 with a heavy duty bucket and a Woods BB720X that comes in around 1300lbs or so.


Anyone else like me and have a trick or tip on how to transport (infrequently) a tractor? Aside from asking the farmer down the road to give me a ride with the 5th wheel.

 

[Einthewoods]

I am lucky that my brother in law has a trailer that is big enough for my tractor. He was going to sell it because he almost never used it and didn't like seeing it at his house. So we worked out a deal that he'd keep it and I would find a place on my property to store it.

Not sure if you have a neighbor or acquaintance that might have one that you've never see moved...might strike up a similar deal for borrowing it and getting it put of their site?

 

[cold1313]

That would be a nice setup, however I don't think my 1/2 ton pickup would be able to handle (safely) my new MX setup with the required trailer.

I keep thinking about a rollback truck that I passed up years ago that would work perfect. That's what the dealers around here use.

 

[rd_macgregor]

If you haul often, you could benefit from a trailer, both in terms of cost and convenience. I almost never haul...nowadays it is pretty much only for a trip to the dealer. If the dealer isn't available to haul my tractor (or I'm going somewhere else) I call the local towing company and they put it on a roll-back.

 

[oosik]

I have three trailers. None designed to haul my tractor. The only time the tractor needed anything from the dealership - upgrade the step and mount system - they came out here.

My big ten ton Horst trailer is a farm wagon style and not designed for highway travel. My old fire wood trailer hasn't move in 20+ years and isn't likely to ever move again.

Bottom line - I never have any plans to ever move my tractor on the highway - I do not need a trailer that will do that.

 

[cold1313]

I have three trailers. None designed to haul my tractor. The only time the tractor needed anything from the dealership - upgrade the step and mount system - they came out here.

My big ten ton Horst trailer is a farm wagon style and not designed for highway travel. My old fire wood trailer hasn't move in 20+ years and isn't likely to ever move again.

Bottom line - I never have any plans to ever move my tractor on the highway - I do not need a trailer that will do that.

This was very helpful, thank you :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

I was in this dilemma many years ago. We had a large IH2500b out at our remote property that I needed to bring home for repairs/storage. I had a tow company with a rollback pick it up and drop it off. $45 each way. Well worth the money.

When we bought our current Power Trac PT425, well, we bought ramps with it from the factory, and it just backs up the ramps into the bed of a full-sized pickup with the tailgate removed. Fits between the wheel wells as it's only 422" wide. If I back it in, I can leave an attachment on the FEL arms and it just rests/hangs out the back. Worked great.

However, I got to thinking about things. We had two children. A full-sized car. A half-ton 4x4 pickup with 8' bed that was getting old. So we bought a 3/4 ton conversation van to haul family, in-laws, vacation, sports teams, etc.... and an 18' steel decked car-hauler trailer and sold the pickup truck. After a while, we sold the van and bought a Suburban and kept the car hauler trailer.

No regrets. Only positives. Full sized car. Full sized Suburban. 7000# car hauler trailer with 5500# useable load capacity. Anything that needs to stay dry goes in the Suburban. The car hauler trailer can hold double the volume of what any pickup can hold (note I said volume, not weight). So things like mulch, several couches, long ladders, a fishing boat, 18' pieces of trees, etc.... are no problem.

The argument about saving money by not paying taxes and plates and insurance on a trailer don't hold here in Indiana. I think I pay under $50 for plates and taxes, and insurance is covered under my auto as long as I'm not hauling for money. I'll have to double check to see what I'm actually paying, it's that low.

So, depending on where you live, it may be cheaper to plate a trailer for the entire year than paying someone to haul it for you one time, or rent a trailer.

Of course, you have the initial cost of the trailer, hitch, brake controller, etc... but your truck may already have that. Our trailer was about $2500 new back in 2002. So $2500 / 16 years = $156.25 per year so far.

Figure it's cost me about $200 per year. Figure in tires, too, as they rot out eventually.

Anyhow, you get my drift. Put pencil to paper and see how much owning a trailer actually costs VS hiring or renting and it might surprise you how affordable it is to own a trailer. Don't just think of the tractor hauling. Think of anything else that owning a trailer may help you on.

Good luck in your decisions. :thumbsup:

 

[Fallon]

it's own. A towing company, probably with a rollback probably your best bet. A lot cheaper for a scheduled run with a running machine than a wreck. Heck, ask your dealer, they obviously can already do the job. May or may not be interested in hauling for stuff that's not going to or from the lot though.

Figure a trailer costs $2k (wouldnt get you much of a trailer) & the rollback costs $100 a trip. That gets you at least ten round trips before you figure in maintnance, licensing, insurance, etc. If you are doing a couple trips a year it may be cheaper than insurance & licensing without even figuring on depreciation & what not on the trailer.

 

[joeu235]

Not sure about your situation, but yearly registration in Texas for a farm trailer is $4. Insurance while traveling is covered by your auto policy.

 

[fried1765]

it's own. A towing company, probably with a rollback probably your best bet. A lot cheaper for a scheduled run with a running machine than a wreck. Heck, ask your dealer, they obviously can already do the job. May or may not be interested in hauling for stuff that's not going to or from the lot though.

Figure a trailer costs $2k (wouldnt get you much of a trailer) & the rollback costs $100 a trip. That gets you at least ten round trips before you figure in maintnance, licensing, insurance, etc. If you are doing a couple trips a year it may be cheaper than insurance & licensing without even figuring on depreciation & what not on the trailer.

I like having a trailer always available.
My 14K equipment trailer cost me $4400 (new) 3 years ago.
I usually use it two or 3 times each year, for a total of about 600 miles.
The trailer insurance coverage is free, as it extends from the towing vehicle.
Trailer license fee (plates) is $20 per year.
I store the trailer inside.
I figure at the end of 10 years the used trailer will be worth at least $2400.
That equates to $200 per year for me to always have a trailer available.
Works for me!