Dump Trailer and TLB Conundrum

[JimMorrissey]

Jim,

The old farm truck might be in order here......I wanted to have a trailer for double duty. Maybe somebody will come up with the perfect solution, probably not, but it's possible.

 

[justforme]

heres' one with a electric winch in the receiver.

 

[BigAl]

Jim ,
Unless the trailer has one axle in the rear and one turning (steering) axle in the front why do you have to back up to pull it if you use the front bucket ? I move my tandem alxe equipment trailer around all the time with the ball attached to the front bucket of my tractor .Am I missing something here or mis reading this post ? I never back up . It makes putting my trailer in a tight spot a breeze ! It sure makes it a lot easier than looking over your shoulder .
Big Al

 

[OkeeDon]

Agree with BigAl -- I have a 6x12 UDump I use for the same purpose as you. I don't even have to worry about a backhoe on my TC18, but I always have something else back there, usually a box blade when I'm messing with dirt. You should be able to mount a ball somewhere on your bucket so you can pick up the trailer and move it. If nothing else, weld a receiver on the top of the bucket, sticking straight up like a unicorn horn, then curl the bucket down so the receiver is horizontal and stick in the hitch ball.

I drive forward with the trailer on the front and simply push the trailer backwards. My son-in-law laughs that I should put a wired remote on the dump switch, then I wouldn't even have to get off the tractor to dump (as long as I move around with the dump door open).

I actually haven't welded a receiver on my bucket yet; I just pick up the trailer tongue with the bucket and push it. It slides around a little, but that hasn't caused me any problems, yet. If I do have to pull the trailer a little, I get down and hook the traiiler's safety chains to the hooks on top of my bucket. I'll weld the receiver on the bucket when I get a round tuit...ahould make a good base for a gin pole, too.

 

[tractorman71]

get yourself a ratty old dump truck. they can be had cheap. heres mine, runs,moves,dumps,no brakes,for $150.

 

[BigAl]

Hey Don ,
All I did was drill a 3/4 hole through my cutting edge of my bucket . It is drilled right in the middle . Works great ! I had a reciever type hitch set up on my old tractor on top of the bucket ,but I think this works much better .This way I can get the ball much lower to the ground ,if need be .Sometimes I forget to take it off when I start using the front bucket and end up leaving a "snake trail mark" in the dirt from the nut dragging the ground ,but that is all . I don't think I would want to move my trailer around here by just laying the trailer tongue in the bucket and setting the safety chains . I have a lake at the bottom of my property and can almost imagine ,with my luck , what would happen .
Big Al

 

[BigAl]

No Brakes???? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Man!, some of you guy's are gutsy !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Big Al

 

[JimMorrissey]

Al,

Good point. I guess I could move the trailer forwards, but that might be a real pain to move it the distace I'm talking about. The trailer will be moved 100s of yards each way. I'm not sure it would perform properly. I see it jack-knifing every two seconds when the tires roll over a rock or a pile of dirt.....Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Just, This rig is a TLB, so you can't get to the front like that. The bucket is removable, but the loader is not. I just wonder what it would be like pushing a loaded trailer for 500 yards over rough terrain. I like the idea of using a ball on quick-attach frame if it could work out.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Don,

Can you describe how easily you move the trailer around...It sounds like there'd be too much concentration involved to move a lot of dirt that way....nail biting, thinking it'll jack-knive at any second.

It's good to hear that somebody is doing the same thing with that same gear.