Buying a trailer

[Dave___in___CT]

Dovetail...

I'll add... with it the trailer will bottom out in some inclines...
Again... going with longer 6' loading ramps achieves the same thing without the bottoming out problem...


Dave...

 

[fishman]

Put me in the same column. I have an 18' trailer with a 2' dovetail and find it to be more hassle then it's worth. It isn't needed for a tractor and once you buy a car-hauler everyone is your friend.

I'd rather have one without a dovetail.

One other thing. When I was shopping for a trailer, there was a great deal of difference in construction among similarly priced trailers. I'm no expert, but I can tell when a frame is made of smaller diameter metal and when wood is thinner and cheaper. Shop around.

My experience was that a 10k pound trailer was at least $500 more than a 7k. Not too much if you price the trailer, tractor, and implements as a whole, but a good 25% premium when considering the trailer alone. My 7k pound trailer with brakes and a spare was $1600.

 

[Evasive1]

I just recently went through this exact same question. I ended up with a 20', dovetail, metal deck trailer. The cost difference between the 18' and 20' was only $75 and I am so glad I did it. I already have more implements than I thought I would at first, so the extra length has already paid for itself. The extra length also gives you more options on how you can load all the implements to balance it.

As for the dovetail I would not be without mine. The dovetail makes it possible to load a low clearance vehicles such as a sports car without having to use the long ramps. I can also back my tractor up on the trailer with the 6' rotary cutter with the dovetail and I could not do this on a trailer without a dovetail. Although you probably could with the long ramps but who wants to lug those big things around. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a 16' pipe rail trailer, bought used for $400. I had to replace the wood and repaint it. I have 6 foot ramps.

It's a little on the small side for my CUT. The brush hog hangs off the end about 2 feet when attached.

If I was buying, I'd look for the longest you can afford, preasure treated wood or metal, heavy axles and ramps. Like mentioned before, you can never have too much space.

 

[SageBrush]

I found the deck over axle dove tail a good choice. Not having fenders in the way is nice for wood, block, logs etc.

For the Kubota L4340, I use a PJ 24 foot pintel hitch wide deck over axle tag with a 3 and 1/2 dove tail and two spring loaded ramps. 14K GVW. I wouldn't want to pull it with my 1500 truck though. The 24' is in the 4500 + pound range empty. With the tractor, loader and bush hog, I need at least 20' or the 6' bush hog wheel hangs over the rear. Anderson makes a nice low deck 18' 10K equipment trailer for lighter trucks and budgets. From my towing, I would recommend staying away from the 5 and 6k trailers, they tend to sag and bend if you load them to the max all the time. My last one had the Dexter 3500 set up, I learned to buy more trailer than I need. The PJ axles don't put off near the heat and the 16" E load range tires on the bigger axles are much better than the 15" tires in terms of service life. I've had problems with the 15" tires, the PJ 24' trailer has the 245 R16's with much more load carring abiltity than I need, so they hardly get warm this time of the year.

What do you think a L4330 Kubota (just air in the tires) with the LA853 and a Bush Hog 286 weighs in at? That combination may just be at my trailer's max rating. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[warrelllj1]

Blackjack, try www.trailersforless.com PJ heavy duty tilt-deck flatbed 20' with 7000# torsion axels. No scraping, no ramps. They are pretty cool! About $4000 out here in Idaho.

 

[raynman]

blackjack,

You might want to get going on the trailer thing, the way Steel pricing is going up it won't be long and the prices will start to rise /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Egon]

My thoughts would lean towards a 20 foot or longer lowboy trailer rated at a minimum of 10,000 pounds with 4 wheel brakes. Sliding ramps. Goose neck would be the best for trailering but bumper hitch with equalizer will do. Conduit enclosed wiring and sealed lights are nice.

I have a 20 foot 10,000 pound lowboy with bumper hitch and cargo box on it. Its been across Canada about four times and was always a little overloaded. It's currently used to haul my tractor and equipment from town to our toy farm.

Egon

 

[SageBrush]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( blackjack,

You might want to get going on the trailer thing, the way Steel pricing is going up it won't be long and the prices will start to rise /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif )</font>

Yep, trailerforless is increasing their prices 6% very soon. Also, that dealer is my favorite, great prices and they have a full service shop and parts department. They have beaten every dealer in the Atlanta area, saved me over $500 on my Haulmark. Their catalog is getting huge allso, looks like an old sears catalog.

 

[JeffRey30747]

I talked to North Georgia Equipment this afternoon and he stated that his trailer suppliers have just raised their prices to him.