Can a Mahindra 1626 pull an RV?

[Roberts2600]

I'm going to start off with yep I did a dumb thing and now I may need my tractor to get me out of a jam. So I was moving my RV around with my truck (2015 GMC Sierra) in my yard to get it to its new resting home and out of the low spot. It had rained several days earlier but I believed the ground was dry enough to move it to the new spot up a slight incline without issue. Well, it made it about 3/4 of the way before it started spinning the truck tires, not AT tires, in the grass and dirt. I did not bury the truck or anything crazy but did get things a little out of line with the back end of the truck trying to slide around. I decided to stop and wait a few more days before attempting to move the RV again and left the truck and RV connected. I am now debating if I should try again with the truck or if should I get the Mahindra 1626 out and connect it to the RV and move it the last 100 feet up an incline. Or do I need to phone a friend and connect the tractor to the truck? So my questions are:

1. Can the Mahindra 1626 pull an RV safely?
2. Is there a risk of too much weight on the back of the tractor causing it to go ass-over-tea-kettle?
3. Can the standard steel bar for connecting a ball hitch support the load? (The one Mahindra hides under the seat.)
4. Are there other concerns I haven't thought of yet?
5. Other ideas or suggestions?

Camper Details
Dry Weight: 6,427 lbs.
GVWR: 7,740 lbs.
Hitch Weight: 740 lbs.

**Update I don't have a 3-point ball hitch. I just have a short drawbar that came with the tractor**

 

[oldnslo]

tractor data shows can lift well over 740 lbs on the 3 point. question is how high do you need the 3 point to keep the RV somewhat level? Lift to high and start pulling could lighten the front end. Other problem is backing up the 3 point will want to lift to full height on its own.

What kind of tires do you have on the 1626? It weighs less than your pick up but should be far more manueverable if does not spin out.

 

[LittleBill21]

I'd do it slow. I moved a 7k trailer with a 4k hitch very slowly in a parking lot with no issue.

 

[LittleBill21]

that said you prolly would do better putting a tow strap on the tractor, and pulling the truck. I am not remotely impressed with the traction capability of my mahindra

 

[jyoutz]

Can you use the tractor drawbar and not the 3ph to tow the trailer?

 

[strantor]

I would leave the truck connected and if doesn't immediately pull the camper, use the tractor to assist the truck pulling the camper out. This is easier overall and lets you pull from the drawbar on the tractor which always the safest bet.

 

[dirttoys]

Might be ok, I would get it on the draw bar as opposed to the 3 pt. Depending on the slope, be careful unhooking, make sure chalk is good. I would not pull "through" the truck, they don't like that, frame damage is much easier than a person would believe.

Best,

ed

 

[azbinder]

Definitely use the drawbar and NOT the 3 point.

 

[2manyrocks]

If the trailer was being moved on flat ground, that's one thing, but the word "incline" concerns me.

 

[etpm]

I used to have a Gibson tractor. It was made in 1945 and powered by a 7 HP Wisconsin engine. The tractor was small enough to fit into the back of my 1993 Toyota pickup. My son used it to maneuver an RV trailer that weighed about 5000 lbs. I was shocked. The reason he could do this was because the tongue weight wasn't excessive and the hitch location on the Gibson is very close to and below the rear axle centerline. So, if the tongue weight is not too high and you use a ball mounted to your drawbar and the ball is kept as close as possible to the rear axle I don't think you will have a problem. After all, won't your 3PH lift at least 600 lbs? And what is the tongue weight? I thought tongue weights on RV trailers weren't that much, something like 10% to 15% of trailer weight. I think your tractor should be able to move your RV easily.
Eric

 

[RjCorazza]

I move my 9k RV around on flat ground with an L4060 (about 7k). I suspect you'll be ok with a lighter tractor, but there are a lot of potential pitfalls.
The incline in particular could allow the trailer to push or pull you around. Maybe tie a rope to the trailer breakaway cable just in case.

 

[strantor]

I would not pull "through" the truck, they don't like that, frame damage is much easier than a person would believe.

Can you expound on that? Have you seen frame damage as a result of pulling a truck that's towing a trailer? If so, were there any contributing factors?

I wouldn't think twice to do this. I've done it many times and much worse; this would be actually among the more mundane recovery/pulling operations I've done or witnessed.

The worst example I have is that one time I got my 79 F150 stuck so bad that it couldn't be pulled back to the road with a Cummins dually plus a >100hp ag tractor that were both pulling from pavement. The tractor was pulling "through" the dually. After we broke a 20k lbs rated wire rope we decided the truck would have to sit there for a few weeks for it to dry up. Then we had to dig it out with an excavator. Neither the dually or the f150 suffered any frame damage.

 

[alia176]

I would do a tandem pull due to the fact that you are on wet, sloppy grounds, and the fact that RV is connected to the truck and this is a safe stance in my opinion. Simply connect the tractor to the truck, and both drivers can easily pull the RV out of the predicament it's in.

Given the weight of the RV, it will easily overwhelm the tractor's traction abilities. Regardless of how much towing capability the tractor has, if it has no traction, it will not do anything and make things even worse by having it dragged by the RV in unpredictable ways.

It goes without saying, pics or it didn't happen

 

[jjeff]

I consider myself a (self proclaimed) trailer pusher for staging and parking anyway. Can you push it? I have a hole to mount a ball in the he bucket of my old l2850. Moved a 20' tandem camper trailer with it dozens of times with no incidents. Be sure to have counterweight.

 

[sea2summit]

that said you prolly would do better putting a tow strap on the tractor, and pulling the truck. I am not remotely impressed with the traction capability of my mahindra

This. If the trailer is already on an incline I wouldn't want to unhook it. Plus if anything goes bad on that incline your tractor doesn't have the weight or the brakes to do much but it can make a huge difference in applying forward pulling force to your truck via a good strap.

 

[sea2summit]

Might be ok, I would get it on the draw bar as opposed to the 3 pt. Depending on the slope, be careful unhooking, make sure chalk is good. I would not pull "through" the truck, they don't like that, frame damage is much easier than a person would believe.

Best,

ed

I doubt his drawbar is rated for more than 500# tongue weight, not sure why everyone always goes to draw bar they are made to pull wagons or implements with almost no tongue weight not to hold it. I understand the risks of the 3pt and it's also get draw backs but it's not going to break/bend under load like the drawbar will.

And what do you mean you wouldn't pull through a frame? A direct pull through he frame is about as harmless as you can get on a tow, next is probably off the axles.

ETA can't find the equivalent specs on the mahindra but this is Kubota's for slightly larger tractor, 730# tongue weight 2200# max trailer weight on the drawbar.

 

[dirttoys]

Can you expound on that? Have you seen frame damage as a result of pulling a truck that's towing a trailer? If so, were there any contributing factors?

I wouldn't think twice to do this. I've done it many times and much worse; this would be actually among the more mundane recovery/pulling operations I've done or witnessed.

The worst example I have is that one time I got my 79 F150 stuck so bad that it couldn't be pulled back to the road with a Cummins dually plus a >100hp ag tractor that were both pulling from pavement. The tractor was pulling "through" the dually. After we broke a 20k lbs rated wire rope we decided the truck would have to sit there for a few weeks for it to dry up. Then we had to dig it out with an excavator. Neither the dually or the f150 suffered any frame damage.

Yea sure, I did tweak an 80 bronco, pulling a f250 out of a mud pit sitting on the frame. We had an IH 966 in front of the bronco. The bronco was pretty well set up, with locking rear, and home made recovery hooks in the front. We were able to weld it up close, we got the front end aligned as best we could, but, never could get it to track dead on.

Oddly I still remember reading multiple reliable sources (owners manuals I believe) that warned of frame damage when doing this. Damned if I can find one supporting doc with a quick google search now.

I still do it to help a dually up a hill or something, but not with half tons. If my search talents improve, I will post back.

Best,

ed

 

[dirttoys]

I doubt his drawbar is rated for more than 500# tongue weight, not sure why everyone always goes to draw bar they are made to pull wagons or implements with almost no tongue weight not to hold it. I understand the risks of the 3pt and it's also get draw backs but it's not going to break/bend under load like the drawbar will.

And what do you mean you wouldn't pull through a frame? A direct pull through he frame is about as harmless as you can get on a tow, next is probably off the axles.

ETA can't find the equivalent specs on the mahindra but this is Kubota's for slightly larger tractor, 730# tongue weight 2200# max trailer weight on the drawbar.

View attachment 788526

LOL I tell folks to use the draw bar when they say they want to reduce the chances of flipping over backward

I need to find a supporting document for not pulling through the frame of the truck now that you called me out.

 

[Roberts2600]

Updated the post with some more detail... I don't have a 3-point to connect a ball hitch to so I would have to use a drawbar, which I didn't know what it was called before these posts I reviewed today. It sounds like I will try the truck by itself again but if that doesn't work I will need to use the tractor with the drawbar that comes stock with the Mahindra.

 

[strantor]

Yea sure, I did tweak an 80 bronco, pulling a f250 out of a mud pit sitting on the frame. We had an IH 966 in front of the bronco. The bronco was pretty well set up, with locking rear, and home made recovery hooks in the front. We were able to weld it up close, we got the front end aligned as best we could, but, never could get it to track dead on.

Oddly I still remember reading multiple reliable sources (owners manuals I believe) that warned of frame damage when doing this. Damned if I can find one supporting doc with a quick google search now.

I still do it to help a dually up a hill or something, but not with half tons. If my search talents improve, I will post back.

Best,

ed

Ok, well thanks for sharing. I will file this in my mental repository. I will still do it with my own vehicles but I will exercise caution and think twice before recommending it to others.