aesanders
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2005
- Messages
- 981
- Location
- Alachua County, Florida
- Tractor
- LS MT3 42 S HST cab, BCS 830 2 wheel tractor, Gravely Pro-Turn 160 XDZ, John Deere Gator HPX 615e
Chains and binders all the way.
alexpops
Platinum Member
100 - 300 depending on style & max capacity
RjCorazza
Elite Member
I use a Sherline scale for my RV and equipment trailer. They're around $150 or so. The integrated into the hitch scale looks very convenient, I may look into those!
There are methods I've never tried using a normal bathroom scale and some lumber you may want to look into.
BigBlue1
Veteran Member
I use chains and binders for the tractor itself (one on each side of front axle, using soft axle straps, and one through a shackle at the rear hitch. Then straps for the bucket and tiller (or whatever is on the rear end).
WinterDeere
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2011
- Messages
- 5,553
- Location
- Philadelphia
- Tractor
- John Deere 3033R, 855 MFWD, 757 ZTrak; IH Cub Cadet 123
I use 10,000# straps, one on each corner, meaning two up front and two in back. They probably outclass the strength of the eyes I’m hooking them to on the trailer, anyway.
As to tongue weight, two things:
1. Quick method is to find point where trailer is balanced, and then move load a fraction of the length forward of that, distance determined by weight of load vs. curb weight of tractor and distance from trailer axles to hitch. This is a rough measure, but useful with changing loads.
2. For anything you’re doing frequently, where you really want an accurate measure, there is a common trick using a bathroom scale. Essentially, a pair of jack stands either side of the tongue, with one just a foot from the tongue and the other 4 ft from the tongue. Jam the bathroom scale under the one 4 ft from the tongue, and a pipe or timber between the jack stands, which the tongue will be lowered onto (after re-zero’ing the scale). Height should be with trailer leveled. Then Archimedes can tell you the tongue weight, based on distances and what is measured on the scale.
You can buy tongue jacks, decent ones are $150-$200, but I’ve measured countless machines with bathroom scales, it’s really not that difficult with some simple middle-school math.
As to tongue weight, two things:
1. Quick method is to find point where trailer is balanced, and then move load a fraction of the length forward of that, distance determined by weight of load vs. curb weight of tractor and distance from trailer axles to hitch. This is a rough measure, but useful with changing loads.
2. For anything you’re doing frequently, where you really want an accurate measure, there is a common trick using a bathroom scale. Essentially, a pair of jack stands either side of the tongue, with one just a foot from the tongue and the other 4 ft from the tongue. Jam the bathroom scale under the one 4 ft from the tongue, and a pipe or timber between the jack stands, which the tongue will be lowered onto (after re-zero’ing the scale). Height should be with trailer leveled. Then Archimedes can tell you the tongue weight, based on distances and what is measured on the scale.
You can buy tongue jacks, decent ones are $150-$200, but I’ve measured countless machines with bathroom scales, it’s really not that difficult with some simple middle-school math.
RjCorazza
Elite Member
Here's a link to what I was referring to with a 250lb scale measuring up to 1000lbs :
https://hildstrom.com/projects/2011/07/tonguescale/index.html
dieselscout80
Veteran Member
If you moving your tractor it needs implements to work with, so you need an even longer trailer.
I have a 18’ trailer and it is too short. I would like to get a 22’ trailer with at least 5200 pound (= 10k trailer) axles at a minimum, 6k or 7k pound axles would be better.
I have a 74” flail mower that is much shorter than 6’ bush hog and tractor is a New Holland TC45DA.
As you can see there’s little to no room to adjust the load and no room for a longer implement.
I have a 18’ trailer and it is too short. I would like to get a 22’ trailer with at least 5200 pound (= 10k trailer) axles at a minimum, 6k or 7k pound axles would be better.
I have a 74” flail mower that is much shorter than 6’ bush hog and tractor is a New Holland TC45DA.
As you can see there’s little to no room to adjust the load and no room for a longer implement.
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dodge man
Super Star Member
I have straps mainly because I don’t tow a lot and they are cheaper. If you already have the chains and binders I’d keep using them.
RjCorazza and WinterDeere, thanks for the tips on the bathroom scale method. I'm ashamed that I did not think of it myself. A little 7th grade geometry and Intro Physics is pretty straight forward. These forums are really a heck of a resource.
I can run a chain through a shackle on the rear hitch, but I don't know how I'm going to grab on to the front. I'm sure I can figure that out eventually.
I can run a chain through a shackle on the rear hitch, but I don't know how I'm going to grab on to the front. I'm sure I can figure that out eventually.
