Rotary Cutter Overhang

[Tr3kker]

You might try something I have seen several times, try backing it on with the tail wheel hanging over the tongue, might not give you enough tongue weight or make the trailer tail heavy but you don't know till you try.

As for how it looks now, I would not give it a second thought.

Good point, I may try that!

 

[Tr3kker]

10' is legal.

Not in my state (Kansas). Most states are 3' to the front and 4' to the rear. Not a legal document by any means, but here's a list by state:

How Far Can Stuff Hang out of Trucks? (Numbers per State!)

motorandwheels.com

 

[zzvyb6]

I haul 32' windmill towers on a trailer with a 16' bed. Flags on the back. No problem. Width is the legal issue.
The photo you want to show is with the truck and trailer on a flat level surface. Whether it's going to be a problem for you will depend on your traveling rig speed, tire load range(s) tongue weight, the rig's brake proportioning setup, and the horizontal level of the truck and trailer. Trucks are designed for "frame level" at max towing load and max foreseeable road speed. The worst danger you face is not from going too fast and getting into a sway mode, but stopping hard in a tight turn. If insufficient trailer brake force, the forward trailer momentum can unload the rear ruck tires and a jackknife is possible.

 

[JWR]

Thanks! My state is 4' as well. The times I will need to haul the tractor, FEL, and brush hog will be rare. This is the only property that I maintain. I primarily bought the trailer for other tasks, but wanted to be sure IF I needed to haul it I could safely and legally. I've still got some room at the front to play with. I was trying to be generous with how much room the bucket will need as I've ordered the Piranha toothbar.

You are in great shape. Far better than 90% of those hauling tractors around the country. My TPMS is eyeballs on pavement, looking down the tire vertically, with load on the trailer. The photos are excellent. I think you're really just showing off nice equipment (and that is good too.)

Very pertinent to find that you are only hauling the load as shown fairly infrequently & just making sure you are OK doing it. You are.

Back to your orig request for experience:
1) I've used an 18' trailer very similar to yours hauling a JD 4800 not all that much different than your L2501, little bigger. With a 6ft bush hog and a loader. Brakes on one of the two axles. No problems. I often put the bucket forward of the front rail a little. Rest it on something like a timber scrap and tie it down. Depends entirely on what you need to do to get reasonable tongue weight.
2) Tongue weight: I usually drive the load forward until I get a 5" drop in the hitch at the hitch ball. [Context is 4wd std full-size pickup truck] You will be fine that way especially if not doing all that much hauling in this configuration. I got a neat gadget 3 Xmas ago called a ____ (forgot) and now the app is "Better Weigh." It plugs into your truck wiring harness where the diagnostic plug normally taps in. Incredible amount of info can be had this way including overall weight, tongue weight, payload, etc. That works because of F=MA in physics and that your truck has built in accelerometers. Requires a short acceleration run to get the data. Fun to try. Works. Readout is on your smartphone. Around $90 I think but mine was a Xmas gift.
3) To the smaller side I use a 14' single axle trailer (but heavy made one, 7,000lb axle, bigger tires, etc.) on which I just hauled a Kubota B2150 from Iowa to WV -- sweet and smooth. No hog and no loader. No brakes on trailer.
4) To the larger side, I use a Pequea 21ft deck-over to haul a larger MF2660. It has brakes on both axles (PA law) and the hang over of the bucket and the 7ft bush hog are pretty much the same stuff as it was with the John Deere on the smaller trailer, just a little larger in all dimensions. I use the same kinds of tie down and same considerations you mentioned.
5) From all of the above my view is that you have a near-perfect, as described, tie-down. You will have zero trouble pulling it or doing your occasional towing with the load as pictured. You do need to run the load fore and aft to set your tongue weight. Tow with tractor in-gear, brakes set, etc. I say the most important chain in the tie down is the one that keeps that load from coming into the cab with you if you hit something. Usually for me that means a strong chain around the rear axle or 3pt of the tractor tied toward the back of the trailer.

You're lookin' good.

 

[rxk9394]

I see a possible issue if you have ballast in your tires. I like a bit of tongue weight and if those tires are filled combined with the long overhang of the mower transferring a bit rearward I could see the potential for some trailer sway.

You could lift the bucket up to move more forward and rest it on the a-frame. I'm also a bit obsessive with all my equipment and completely understand the spare tire situation, LOL. Because of that I would cut a couple of 8" by 3' stall mat strips to set on the a-frame diamond plate before resting the bucket on it. I would also turn off the tractor before setting the bucket down the last 6 inches or so, that way there is no down pressure on that part of the trailer from the bucket.

Just a thought.

Nice rig by the way, all the way around truck, trailer, and tractor.

Stay safe and best of luck.
Rex

 

[Railroadman1]

to be legal for the road as you stated a need the strap on the bucket & the mower with the 4 point on the tractor, till you get the feel of the load stay off the phone, radio try to keep distance for braking. things get crazy on the road keep a safe way out for yourself

 

[Mark E.]

I say the most important chain in the tie down is the one that keeps that load from coming into the cab with you if you hit something. Usually for me that means a strong chain around the rear axle or 3pt of the tractor tied toward the back of the trailer.

I agree with this statement as far as being the most important to me.

When I load a tractor with the drawbar, I pin the drawbar retracted as close to the tractor as possible, and attach a clevis to the draw hole at the end of the draw bar. I then run a 1/2" chain from one trailer rear tie down through the clevis and back to the rear tie down on the opposite side of the trailer. My preference is to drive forward until the chain is taut, hold the tractor with the brakes and shut it down. Once the engine has stopped I release the clutch with the transmission in gear, and set the brakes. From there I tie down the four corners independently.

Newton's first law of motion is my reasoning behind this method of securing. if anything goes wrong at highway speed, I want that tractor staying with the trailer and not continuing in the direction it was travelling and into the pickup. Driving forward against the chain, eliminates a binder from the equation that could come loose. I have done this enough times that I have a drawbar chain for each tractor. The load is balanced and the tongue weight is perfect every time after I initially set the chain length. Of course if I add an implement I may need to rework the chain length. For antique tractors moving between shows or farms, and travelling at highway speeds with the family in the truck I feel more at ease than just having 4 independent tie down points.

 

[LD1]

As others have said.....I would have went with a 20' or 22' trailer. I also would have went 10k.

The overhang isnt the concern....load placement (IE tongue weight) is the concern.

As it is now, you have little to no room (both physically and weight limitations) to ever carry more than just the tractor, loader, and ONE attachment.

 

[OzarkChris]

Recently bought a Doolittle 18’ (16’ + 2’ dovetail) equipment trailer. I figured that my rotary cutter would stick out past the trailer some, but should I be concerned? My tie down plan is 4 points on the tractor with 5/16” grade 70 and ratcheting binders with a 2” strap over the bucket and 2” strap over the rotary cutter. I have corner protectors for the strap. I will also be attaching a red flag to the rotary cutter wheel. I think I’m okay here, but looking for 2nd opinions by experienced tractor owners/haulers. BTW, the silver spare is getting swapped out for a matching black one by the dealer, they just didn’t have a black rim when I bought it. I had TPMS monitors installed in all four tires and the trailer pulls like a dream empty. I plan on using it to occasionally haul my tractor and I plan on building some side boards to haul mulch and topsoil and other odds-n-ends.

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You might be able to get a bit more on the trailer by putting your FEL in the farthest dump position.

 

[crashz]

Tr3kker - I have nearly the same tractor, trailer and attachments. The trailer is a 10k lb, 15+3 Quality Steel and Aluminum with fold up ramps. I put a poly tool box in the tongue and has no spare mount (working on that now). I tow the set up nearly every weekend in the summer.

I wish I got a minimum of 2 feet longer. I based my choice on my fathers 16ft trailer and thought "18' will be plenty!"

Couple things I have learned:
- When inches count, items like Pats Easy Change and the Piranha bar really affect how you load the tractor.
- My ramps fold, so I have a physical limit on the deck. But the braces on the ramps stick out about 18" so the tail wheel of the cutter doesn't seem to stick out much at all. It measures 22 inches from the trailer body, which is just under the two foot limit with no flag.
- I have to curl my front bucket down and place the cutting edge on the top rail or right at the top rail (I put a sacrificial 2x6 on the deck) to fit. The ramps fit tight to back of the cutter shell.
- With the buck curled and on the top rail, you can hit the truck tailgate in a tight turn. I did it this weekend on the dump truck and a long time ago with my pick-up.
- I have no adjustment for tongue weight. Fortunately its heavy on the tongue and I tow with a 2500HD or a F450 dump and neither has a problem with the weight. Tows very well.
- I strap down the tractor with 3/8" transport chains a ratchet binders. Two in the front to the front bracket and on in the rear through a clevis in the drawbar. A 2" strap around the cutter and bucket. More than covers DOT regs.
- I sometimes carry my DR rough cut walk behind mower under the loader. It fits exactly if the tooth bar is resting on the top rail.
- My top rail is rusting because of the chipped powder coat. I need to clean it up, paint and bolt a piece of wood or HDPE on there.

BTW - love the look of the R14 tires on your machine.