Owning a new(er) tractor that's too heavy to haul with your pickup?

[In.the.Piñons]

Is that just a dumb idea? Paying to get it hauled to the dealer would get expensive, but I would do all the basic maintenance and repairs myself, on site.

Some of these 75-100hp utility tractors I'm looking at are going to be 7-10,000lbs with a loader. Factor in a trailer (4,000lbs? at least) and that's probably going to be too much for my f-150 and it's 12,000lbs tow rating (and yes I've towed that much, a handful of times, with my truck and it was doable, but it wasn't fun).

I guess I could trade in my truck for 1 ton, or just buy a smaller tractor.... Or just take the chance that it won't need a trip to the dealer more than a few times in the next ten years.

What do you think?

 

[4570Man]

If you’re doing your own maintenance and basic repairs then it shouldn’t be going back to the dealer very often or ever. If it did have to go the dealer I’m sure the dealer has a rollback. Paying them would be a lot cheaper than upgrading trucks and trailers.

 

[jeff9366]

You do not have your location entered into your T-B-N PROFILE.

If we know your location we could reasonably provide some answers for you.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

If you’re doing your own maintenance and basic repairs then it shouldn’t be going back to the dealer very often or ever. If it did have to go the dealer I’m sure the dealer has a rollback. Paying them would be a lot cheaper than upgrading trucks and trailers.

Thanks, that's what I figured, but having never owned a tractor before, I thought I check with the experts.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

You do not have your location entered into your T-B-N PROFILE.

If we know your location we could reasonably provide some answers for you.

I'm in Western Colorado. Dealers would be in either Delta or Grand Junction - 1/2 hour to 1.5 hours away.

 

[jeff9366]

Two round trips / 4 travel segments to pick up and return your potential 10,000 pound tractor with a HD truck pulling an HD trailer requiring HD insurance for truck, trailer AND LOAD.

4 X 1/2 hour = 2 hours dealer travel time + 1/2 hour loading and unloading = 2-1/2 hours total driver time.

Likely dealer transportation charge in flat Florida =
2-1/2 X $80 = $200 + $150 mileage = $350




4 X 1.5 hours = 6 hours dealer travel time + 1/2 hour loading and unloading = 6-1/2 hours total driver time.

Likely dealer transportation charge in flat Florida =
6-1/2 X $80 = $520 + $450 mileage = $970

 

[big bubba]

your dealership should have a mobile technician plan depending on the nature of any issues esp on a new tractor. I sure would be looking at my needs & budget to decide model & make rather than limiting your choice to your own hauling capabilities. your dealership given your location is around the corner

you're about to make a huge 1st time tractor purchase.& wise to post your question here, regards

 

[paulsharvey]

I would not worry about it, as long as it suits your needs. Even if the dealer doesn't have a truck to haul it if needed, many tow companies will also hire out lowboy equipment moves. Nope, not cheap, but upgrading truck and trailer for a once per 5 year move is a waste.

 

[Yander]

I wouldn't worry about it, buy it and as @4570Man said just have the dealer haul it if necessary. There are a lot of people who have tractors without any trailer to haul it. I sell equipment to them all the time.

I'm able to sell equipment easily if I say I will deliver because they don't even have a truck in many cases, but they have a tractor.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Is that just a dumb idea? Paying to get it hauled to the dealer would get expensive, but I would do all the basic maintenance and repairs myself, on site.

Some of these 75-100hp utility tractors I'm looking at are going to be 7-10,000lbs with a loader. Factor in a trailer (4,000lbs? at least) and that's probably going to be too much for my f-150 and it's 12,000lbs tow rating (and yes I've towed that much, a handful of times, with my truck and it was doable, but it wasn't fun).

I guess I could trade in my truck for 1 ton, or just buy a smaller tractor.... Or just take the chance that it won't need a trip to the dealer more than a few times in the next ten years.

What do you think?

I would worry about hauling it to the dealer when and if it ever needed to go back and not before, 90% of the things that people worry about never happen, just know that there will be plenty of options to get whatever size tractor you decide to buy back to the dealer when and if it ever needs to go, until then, use it and enjoy it, good luck.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Thanks for the reassuring words. Looks like I have options with a mobile tech or paying the $$$ to have the dealer haul it if the need arises. I won't be making a living off this machine, so down time isn't a huge deal like it would be for some.

As mentioned, it is a big decision and I want to make the right choice, so I'll probably be asking a bunch more silly questions lol! Thanks for you patience.

 

[rockinbbar]

I hate hauling heavy tractors and equipment...

Don't have much choice with my heavy, tracked skid steer though. But it goes on a shorter trailer than my big 40' deckover Gooseneck that will haul a tractor and batwing cutter.

I'm constantly on the go with my tractors, as I do agriculture work. But have found that if the project is within 50 miles, it's much easier to just drive the tractor to it. My tractors will actually run faster than you want to drive a tractor, so I figure by the time I hook up the big trailer, load equipment and chain it down, drive to the project, un-chain and unload it, and do it all again for the return trip, I save a lot of headaches by just roading.

Mobile tractor mechanics are nice to have as an option. I use mine more than the dealer, especially when it's not a warranty issue.

BTW, your F-150 will haul a heavy load much better than it will stop it...

I tried that hauling with a 3/4 ton. It'd haul it fine. But stopping could get interesting. I switched to an F-350 dually, and upgraded my wife's pickup to that 3/4 ton. She loved it!

 

[lman]

What are you going to be doing with this tractor? Apparently you're not getting into hay or you would be getting a trailer to haul hay that would also haul your tractor. If you're putting a lot of hours on it, you may want to be prepared. If you store it in the barn vs left to the elements? I wouldn't pay for a new tractor without having a place to store and protect it. Just too much money to throw away. More important than a trailer.
There's too many unanswered questions that you will have to answer.

 

[dodge man]

I look at it from the point of view of what are your needs. If you have a trailer and truck that will haul a 50 hp tractor that’s great but not if you need a bigger tractor.

 

[LouNY]

Just a simple observation, growing up on a farm and being involved with tractors for over 60 years I, nor my brothers, nor my father, and 90% of the farmers that I know have trailers and haul vehicles to comfortably haul a tractor to a dealer or shop.
The tractors have been driven or even flat towed at times or the dealer/shop has picked up and delivered the tractor any time it has needed more then a mobile service tech.

We do have trucks and trailers to comfortably haul the small tractors if needed, under 8000 to 10,000 pound tractors. Such as 4000 and 6000 pound tractors.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

What are you going to be doing with this tractor? Apparently you're not getting into hay or you would be getting a trailer to haul hay that would also haul your tractor. If you're putting a lot of hours on it, you may want to be prepared. If you store it in the barn vs left to the elements? I wouldn't pay for a new tractor without having a place to store and protect it. Just too much money to throw away. More important than a trailer.
There's too many unanswered questions that you will have to answer.

I have a thread about "what class of tractor to get" here:

What class of tractor for maintaining two miles of road at higher elevation?

I have a 200+ acre ranch (6,800ft above sea level) with a few miles of single lane gravel road that needs to be maintained. Under the gravel, the soil is silty clay, and the topography involves some mild grades along with some short steep hills. The main road is mostly well built with culverts...

www.tractorbynet.com

But in a nutshell, I have a couple of miles of road to plow & maintain. I'd also want to be able to move dirt around for some moto jumps.

I have a few fields that I could grow hay in (once prepped), but it would stay on the property. It would be nice to be able to move the hay around, along with 275gal water totes and firewood.

Then there's a million and one chores that need doing on this long neglected property. I'd like to put up an arbor at the ranch entrance. The ranch house is 20 years old, but there are still tons of left over building materials (bricks and tile) that need to be loaded into a roll-off and hauled away.

We do have a 50x50 barn to keep the tractor in. I don't expect to put more than 150-200 hours on the tractor each year at most. But that's just a guess as I've never owned or operated a tractor before.

 

[fc1]

FWIW I elected to 'not worry about it'; tractor weighs ~5000lb, my SUV can pull 3500, and my trailer was originally for a sunfish .

 

[oosik]

Forty three years - two tractors. NEVER had to take either back to the dealer for any type of service or repairs. I do any/all service myself.

My Ram 2500 would pull the load but I do not have a trailer.

 

[msmith1wa]

It sounds like the property is new to you and you currently do not have a trailer. You may find that having a trailer is nice to have for other things. With regard to trailer weight. My 12k rated tilt deck weighs about 2k empty per the sticker from the manufacturer which means it is rated for a 10k load. So a 10k tractor would put the trailer and your current truck at the max ratings.

 

[chim]

My first consideration is having the tractor I need (OK, want) and am not concerned about transporting it. I do drive it into town for snow removal at the church or handling mulch. That's under 2 miles and I drive there.