4 or 5 series JD trailer length?

[ArlyA]

Yes we are looking at 4 series JD tractor. What might be a good trailer length for that with its loader? Been looking at 16 and 18's feet long.

 

[RandyT]

Part of the question would be how long is the tractor with loader. My Kioti 45 hp is 16 feet with the bucket. So if the JD is a similar length then 16-18 feet doesn't leave much room if any to weight adjust.

I would be looking more at 20-24 feet for added clearance for rear attachments and wiggle room for weight balance.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Yes we are looking at 4 series JD tractor. What might be a good trailer length for that with its loader? Been looking at 16 and 18's feet long.

So you are looking at new trucks also?

 

[dodge man]

If you have something on the back like a brush mower you’re going to want 18 at least, maybe 20.

I hate to be the towing police but what will you tow it with? A 4 series with an end loader and ballast can probably start getting close to 6000 pounds, add a backhoe and maybe 7000 pounds. That’s without a cab. Throw in 3000 pounds or a little more for a trailer and you might hit 10,000 pounds.

 

[ArlyA]

If we buy a tractor, maybe it won't have ballast and in fact, I'd prefer it doesn't. Where are we moving it? Lets says it weights 5000lbs with loader, plus a trailer. It would still be below my max.

 

[dodge man]

Arly, are you sure? I did a little poking around on Fords website and if you have a Ranger I bet your past its capacity but maybe close. Don’t look at Ford’s ridiculous advertising either. They often say “payload up to xxxxx, towing capacity up to xxxxxx”. When properly equipped. Properly equipped usually means 2 wheel drive with no options.

All that caution thrown to the wind, if you choose a trailer carefully, get a good weight distribution hitch, set it up perfectly, good trailer brakes, and load the tractor at 10% hitch weight, it might work.

 

[dieselscout80]

Here is a picture of my TC45DA with my flail mower on a 18’ trailer (16’ flat & 2’ of dovetail).

I would not get less than 20’ and likely 22’, so you have room to position it for the proper balance/tongue weight.

Note a flail mower is way shorter than a bush hog.

 

[ArlyA]

Well, I'm not sure where I'm going with the tractor or anything accessories... If I did once a summer, it might be cost effective to barrow or rent a larger truck. My locale TBN buddy there has local service do his tractor.

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John Deere 4120 ; Wheelbase, 71.5 inches 181 cm ; Weight, 3700 lbs (no loader)

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a Deere 3R series with 320R loader and a 16 ft Big Tex 70TV 7000 lb. trailer on a 1/2 ton pickup with an 11,000 lb. tow rating. Loading that tractor onto that trailer is a bit of a challenge for the tow vehicle, as you need to play some games to get the weight distribution just right... 1/2 ton trucks don't respond well to massive tongue weight. Based on that, I'd opt for a longer trailer even for my 3R, and scale up from there for a series-4... maybe 20 feet.

Also, with just a 16 foot trailer, carrying implements with the loader mounted is always a challenge. I have to play games with backing onto the trailer to drop an implement up front, then turn around and put the loader bucket on top of the implement, or other such stupid stuff, trying to get everything fit onto the trailer while also nailing the tongue weight close enough to that 10% - 15% window, for the trailer to ride level and not sway.

Whatever trailer you end up with, please definitely consider a WDH for the Ranger. That's an awful light truck for pulling a series-4 tractor, no matter what trailer you choose.