Does This Make Anyone Else Nervous Besides Me?

[Diamondpilot]

Looks like that trailer would have a carrying capacity of about 1800 pounds, the vehicle is rated at 1500 pounds. Not sure what the tractor model but with fel and mower and whatever is hanging off the back would guess about 2200 lbs. Tires look fine, tie-down job is better than many commercial I see, trailer deck is reinforced with track under tires, the vehicle is sitting well and doesn't appear to be suffering excess tongue weight which maybe evidence of improperly proportioned trailer weight. The guy seems to know what he's doing or at least done a little research, though not legal, with careful three steps ahead type non-highway driving I wouldn't anticipate any problems.

I have to agree. The trailer is undersized for sure and if he were in a accident he would be up the creek with his insurance company but it seems to be doing fine. Lets say the tractor and trailer are 2,500#. That puts him over weight by 60%. I see local guys that much over weight around here all the time with 3/4 ton diesel trucks.

Its not right for sure but its better than things I see everyday in my neck of the woods.

Chris

 

[zzvyb6]

No it does not bother me at all. The trailer tires are very oversized for a snowmobile type trailer, the tongue is not bending very much, the "truck" is down at the back indicating some decent tongue load, and the load is tied on and secured. Just because you have a stereotype of needing a 3/4 ton dually pulling a gooseneck tandem trailer doesn't mean you need all that to tow a garden tractor.

For example, people sure recently admire(d) that guy on another forum with a medium duty crew cabed "truck" pulling a dual axle, dual tired gooseneck with a hundred bales of hay on it. BFD. I carry more hay with my 4 place snowmobile trailer. Its all about tires, air pressure, springs, tongue load, hitch attachment, load security and frame strength. I see it all in those pics.

I admire people who are willing to overlook stereotypes and try things. Maybe it works or maybe it doesn't. Necessity sure still is the Mother of Invention. I'd bet this guy didn't "study the situation" to death, "pull the trigger" on a sterling silver trailer, "bite the bullet" on a Featherlite, "Beat the Reaper" on a SuperDuty Turbo-Diesel, or some of ther trick phrases I'm seeing on some of the recent acquisition forums. Good grief. This is not how the West was won , folks.

I'd rather have this guy or gal in front of me than some of the "eXspurts" with their 15,ooo# load capacity vehicles and who forgot to pin the hitch clip or especially those that don't have an air pressure guage reading higher that 40 psi in their Snap-On tool boxes. Somewhere right now is a CDL carrying, FreightBox rig driving, Cat bulldozer Wide load equipped rig with baler twine holding the air hose lines. Now that's heroic.

Try to remember that I was once told that you couldn't pull a trailer with a Corvette, yet Draw-Tite makes a hitch and I have the pictures of what a Corvette can do with a trailer. And we sure outran that Mercedes convertible with the radiator now plugged with hay chaff...

 

[20 20]

How far was he towing it? Did he get on an interstate? Was he maintaining a safe speed or driving like billy bob with his 40000lb dump truck? Not saying it is the safest setup but I've seen W A Y worse.

 

[catskinner]

Looks good to me, then again when I head up north, I've seen things that makes me wonder if Darwin is plausible.

 

[some zilch]

just cuz ya can, doesnt mean ya should......

i'd love to see that element "panic stop" that trailer and load......

 

[rjkobbeman]

just cuz ya can, doesnt mean ya should......

i'd love to see that element "panic stop" that trailer and load......

Exactly! It isn't about being able to pull a load... it is about being able to STOP a load.

 

[bp fick]

To see the original posting, it is, quite honestly, from MyTractorForum, Kubota CUT threads. You can read it all for yourself.

Since I also have a Honda with similar platform, (CR-V) and yes, I do light, as in very light, towing, I have an honest appreciation for what it can do and cannot do. Since I also have the same tractor, this just jumped out at me. The BX, MMM, FEL and Box must indeed push 2000lbs. Does anyone know if the weight Kubota states is dry? As in no diesel, no oil, and no HST fluid?

I tried hard in the original post not to be alarmist or sensational. It just struck me as more than what I would want on my hands, at anything over 40 mph, and tire blow or a panic stop. That's just me.

 

[scootr2d]

ok I'll be the non politically correct person.

That Honda Elements tow capacity is about 1500 lbs, don't know tongue weight.
Less once you take into account Payload.

If your gonna be dumb and kill yourself ... go for it.
If your gonna be dumb and endanger my kids or someone else's, we are gonna have a problem.

I see this every camping season up here , Little trucks , short wheelbase , long or overweight or unevenly distributed RV's .. an on and on and on.. I try to be tactful and educate but if it gets heated .. oh well . Me and any party in question are big boys and we will get over any heated conflict that arises. I figure if I shy away and someone gets killed I'm just as culpable because I did not try and educate. Sorry that's just me. I chalk it right up there with anyone who doesn't say something or intervene when they are knowing someone is being hurt or abused is guilty of condoning bad behavior. 9 times out of 10 it goes well and I end up making a new friend. the 10th time .. well as I said oh well. last year an RV went out of control jumped highway lanes , killed numerous passengers in their Tow vehicle as well as some in the other car that was traveling in the opposite bound lane. Accident investigation determined cause to be an overrated RV being towed with a too short a wheel base SUV. The driver who survived (isn't that always the case) was charged with vehicular man slaughter . two families forever changed ...Very tragic.

"Id rather be hated for who I am then be loved for who I am not"
- Van Zant

 

[bp fick]

I "think" I have done the math correctly, using Kubota's own figures. If you add fluids, then add another 50-70 lbs Using the tractor, FEL, MMM, ballast box (empty), I get a total of right at 2200-2300 lbs. The owner stated in his post the capacity of the trailer at 1500 which sounds about right. 750 pounds may not sound like a lot, but given that it is 50% over weight, it does seem a questionable decision. Using Honda's own figures, it is also 50% too much. The OP also stated that it is his intention not to "normally" transport with FEL. OK, that better. Was this a one time only deal? Unknown. Here's the link, BTW.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=101002

Frankly, one of my biggest concern was the tires. A blow out (made more likely by be over taxed) would be very, very hard to handle. Would the tractor being top heavy cause a wig wag that might end in a very bad deal? I wouldn't want to find out.

(For the Ohio vs Michigan guys benefit the answer is neither. I believe the OP was from Canada, but that is beside the point.)

 

[missourithunder]

schmism wrote - "IDK whats that little BX of a garden tractor weigh?"

Hey, I resemble that statement

MT