Bought Tractor!! / Trailer Question

Anonymous Poster · Nov 8, 2001

...I have never rented a trailer to be returned at the same place I picked it up....

Hey... you brought up a good point... rent from one and return to the other locally a few miles away... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

This was a flatbed trailer I wanted to rent {not enclosed}, not that it should make any difference... It's kinda nutty... cause they ended up getting nothing in revenue from me... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Egon · Nov 8, 2001

Tractor loaded on p/u
The midmount mower will not fit between the wheel wells. That is why you take it off. The tires will also not fit between the wheel wells but you can drive over them with or without using blocks.
To load the tractor either find a permanet ramp [ like a ditch ] so you just drive on or you will have to find portable ramps you drive up.
If using a trailer its not the number of axles that count but the rating on the axle. Ever see all those travel trailers or slide in campers being hauled around by a 1/2 ton PU ?

Egon

RobS · Nov 8, 2001

Ever see all those travel trailers or slide in campers being hauled around by a 1/2 ton PU ?

That doesn't make it right. I recall a story of a guy pulling a TT with a half ton. Had the equalizing hitch and cranked the bars up to get that nice, level ride. Out on the highway, he got passed by a semi and began fishtailing. Ended up rolling, totalling both truck and trailer. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. The explanation given was that while he had the rig levelled out, there was so little weight on the rear wheels of the truck they were sliding sideways, not providing any lateral grip.

Be careful out there /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff396 · Nov 8, 2001

Hey... you brought up a good point... rent from one and return to the other locally a few miles away...

Somehow I imagine that is a loop hole they would have slammed shut./w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

Jeff

Bird · Nov 8, 2001

had the rig levelled out, there was so little weight on the rear wheels of the truck they were sliding sideways

Rob, I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with that explanation. If he did, in fact, have the rig levelled out, that part was set up correctly. Having been an RVer for a lot of years, though, I lost track of the number of people I met with brand new rigs and found that they had a new one because they wrecked their first one because they didn't know, and their dealer didn't tell them, what a sway control was. I always found it a little hard to believe a dealer would sell someone a conventional travel trailer without explaining sway control units (kind of like ROPS on tractors; I think it ought to be illegal to sell a travel trailer without a sway control). Another possible explanation is "pilot error." When a semi passes a conventional travel trailer at highway speeds, you almost without exception "feel" the front of the trailer/rear of the truck being pulled toward the semi just for an instant. An inexperienced driver will almost instinctively try to compensate with the steering wheel, when in fact, if you just do nothing, it straightens itself almost immediately. And if the trailer does start fishtailing, inexperienced drivers tend to hit the brakes; again the worst thing you can do. If instead, you apply just the trailer brakes, either without letting off the accelerator or even accelerating a bit, you'll pull everything back straight.

I guarantee it!/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Now, of course, it is possible to pull up too much on the lift bars, but the entire rig will likely not be level if that's done.

Egon · Nov 8, 2001

RobS
Re: trailer pulling
I pull a 20 Ft. lowboy with cargo box rated at 10,000#. It has an equalizer hitch which is required after 5000#. I also have a slide in camper on the 3/4 ton that weighs 2300# dry.
Three years ago I moved from Edmonton, Alberta to Bridgewater, Nova Scotia; a distance of 3500 miles one way. To move all our belongings it required three trips loaded and two trips back empty.
The first trip had a gross of 18000#, the second a gross of 21000#, the third a gross of 24000#.
The trips were all made with no problems except for two trailer tires that picked up nails.
Dual tired trailers have a tendency to have the leading tire throw up an object for the trailing tire to impale itself on. In both cases I spotted the nails while fueling up and was able to change tires at a service station. At no time did I encounter this dreaded sway nor did I have any troubles stopping although on some of the 10% downhills I was in second gear at 40 mph. Now as an aside I averaged 14 mpg with the 24000# load. And yes, I know I was overloaded.
Egon

RobS · Nov 8, 2001

Egon, I'm glad it was you pulling all that weight and not me /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif My first experience with trailer sway was pulling a rental 25 foot travel trailer. No sway control nor any load equalizing. Pulled with my F250HD (trailer tow package). It caught me a bit off guard, but was never dangerous. Since then, we bought a fifth wheel and it pulls just fine. I can feel the cross-winds pushing on it, but it doesn't cause any sway like the TT did. I suspect the sway is more of an issue with a camper or enclosed trailer due to the high profile. I've never had a problem with my flatbed.

Bird, not sure about the story myself, other than the guy who told it went to great lengths on an RV forum to advise and warn others of the potential danger. It makes some sense to me as the equalizing hitch will shift the load to the trailer axles and the tow vehicle front axle. Remember the old Chevy Citation ads where they tow a trailer with no rear wheels on the car? In any event, I'll stick within the ratings /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MikePA · Nov 8, 2001

This is the same advice I got when researching a trailer to transport our horses. If at all possible get a goose neck/5th wheel trailer and not a bumper pull.

Bird · Nov 8, 2001

There's absolutely no doubt that the fifth wheel or gooseneck is more stable than conventional pull trailers. And yes, I remember the ads with the car with no rear wheels pulling a trailer, but if the lift bars are hooked up properly, and everything is level, then no weight is removed from the rear tires, but the added weight from the trailer is distributed to both front and rear axle of the towing vehicle.

Egon · Nov 9, 2001

Bird:
I would have very much preffered the 5ver but got the bumper pull because the camper figured highly in our plans. We own land about 50 kil. from where we live. I go out with the camper and use the trailer to haul the tractor and tools. Spend about half my summer time out there trying to convert an old farmstead back into a farmstead. 600 hrs on the little 7100 in the last 2 years doing anything from tilling, digging out trees and alder patches to moving dirt and rocks to build a road and camping area by the lake.
Egon

Bird · Nov 9, 2001

Each type of trailer has its advantages and disadvantages. I've only owned one fifth wheel travel trailer and two of the conventional or bumper pull types; enjoyed all of them and never had a serious problem with either type. Getting hitches set up right can be confusing at times. I pulled the smaller of the two conventional trailers behind an Olds sedan for awhile; trailer dealer installed the hitch, lift bars, sway control, brake controller, etc. No sway problem, everything looked good, but it felt like it was surging going down the road. The RV dealer couldn't figure out why, so I took it to a place that specialized in hitches, and the old man there just took one quick look at it, and said to raise the hitch head 1" (one bolt hole on the adjustment) and add one washer to tilt the ball back that much. And that's all it took to correct the problem.

Climber · Nov 9, 2001

Hi Folks,

I've done some more research, and here's what I found out:

The B7300 should weigh just over 1,300 lbs including the ROPS, but not including the MMM.

I have a F-150, extended cab, 6ft bed. My owner's manual says I should be able to tow 3,000 lbs.

I also called some rental places and found a local ace-hardware willing to rent me a flatbed trailer with a ramp for $20 per day, unlimited mileage.

I was also inquiring with some friends, and found one who has a 6 X12 flatbed trailer with a built-in ramp. He's willing to let me borrow it, so I think I will go that route.

While I might be able to get the tractor onto the bed of the truck, the thought of driving it up and down that steep of a ramp scares me to death. Additionally, I would have to remove the MMM, and drive over the wheel wells, and neither of these requirements sound like much fun either.

I think the flatbed trailer will be the easiest and most economical way to go. I will just take it easy and be careful on the road.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

--Chris

RobS · Nov 9, 2001

Good choice Chris. I think you'll be happy with this solution. Don't forget lot's of sturdy tie-downs /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Climber · Nov 13, 2001

Folks,

just FYI, I also called U-Haul, and they have a dual axle, 6X12 trailer with surge brakes. It is $25 per day to rent. The Ryder in my area did not have anything similar.

--Chris

Climber · Nov 19, 2001

For the Record:

I got the tractor home last night. Used a 6X12 trailer for a B7300HSD with 54" MMM. The tractor fit perfectly on the trailer, and I had no trouble at all pulling it with my F-150 over 400+ miles. Everything felt rock-solid the whole way.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread!

--Chris

Anonymous Poster · Nov 19, 2001

Congrats Chris...

Now tell us about your "new" tractor.../w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Climber · Nov 19, 2001

John,

It's a B7300HSD, 223 hours. 54" MMM. It's in showroom condition. The previous owner took great care of it. I plan to do the same.

I don't have a digital camera, but I have a picture that the previous owner took. Here it is!

--Chris

Anonymous Poster · Nov 19, 2001

Gee Chris... that's very sharp... looks showroom condition...

Also kinda looks like a BX predecessor... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The only tidbit I'd add is try any potential snowblower first on the tractor... you only have 12.5 PTO hp to drive it... and that will be the limiting factor...

Good luck with the new unit...