Dump Trailer Connection Options

JimMorrissey · Oct 26, 2005

I need to move mountains of topsoil in the near future. I'd like to load my dump trailer with a skid steer (that I'll rent) and then be able to jump off the skid steer and up onto the tractor in order to move it and dump. I'll be pushing the trailer with my tractor. I'm going to disconnect the existing electric hydraulic system and replace the hoses so I can connect to my front hydraulic system. That way I won't have to leave the seat to dump and I won't be replacing batteries every eight trips.

I'm uncertain as to how to make a quality connection for the existing 1 5/16 ball. The tactor has quick attach and I think I'd like to drop the bucket and try some kind of quick attach trailer system. I tried to weld a hitch to my toothbar, but it snapped it right off with about 7000lbs of dirt in the trailer and it came smashing down. I don't want to drill a big hole through my bucket either. What about some kind of pintal system.....?? Any thoughts appreciated.

cleatus · Oct 26, 2005

Why not build a rack to fit to your quick connect that has a reciever then you could attach any number of attachements in the future and could even use your tilt.

JimMorrissey · Oct 26, 2005

Can you provide some more details as to this "rack" system.....not quite sure what you mean.

keeney · Oct 27, 2005

Why push the trailer?

I would recommend pulling the trailer from the tractor's drawbar. Most I have seen have a hole that you can just put a ball into.

You could run a simple electrical connection from the tractor battery to the dump trailer battery to keep it charged from the tractor's alternator. Some heavy gauge wire would not be too expensive to connect-up. There are likely available some "add-on" style clamps from a car-audio installation supplier that will make connecting two wires to each terminal easier.

Jumper cables might work as a temporary solution if you can keep them from bouncing off or shorting to the hood, frame, or to each other.

Some batteries have both styles of terminals, and you might be able to use the extra terminals to conenct the jumper wires.

- Rick

_RaT_ · Oct 27, 2005

My fear would be having a trailer with that much weight attached to the loader arms which means the trailer will have considerable leverage to tell the tractor where it wants to go. I suppose if its flat its one thing but your still adding stresses to the loader that may just not be designed for.

Stoneseller · Oct 27, 2005

I've been hauling loads of dirt & sand home with my 10k dump trailer. Once on the driveway, I unhook from the truck & hitch the trailer to the drawbar on my L4330. This works pretty well. Far more manuverable than trying to get the trailer where I want it than trying to use my PU truck.
Like others said, i don't think pulling all that weight around with the FEL attachment would be a good idea.

I've been driving on reasonably level ground. On the few small inclines I have gone over, there is a lot of creaking going on from the trailer, I guess from lateral stress. I'd hate to twist the framework of the FEL with that stress.

jmc · Oct 27, 2005

Jim,

If you mounted your ball to a plate, you could bolt the plate to the bucket with 3 small holes instead on the one big hole you are trying to avoid.

With regard to stress on your fel, its designed for pushing so that should be ok. Its not designed for pulling and some have had problems with the QA lock pins when back dragging. Side loads could be bad, as in when turning sharp on a dual axle trailer and the trailer wheels have to slide sideways. And you'll get a lot of lifting force when the load shifts behind the axles while dumping. Don't know if any of that would cause a problem though.

I hope you report back on using the tractor hydraulics for the dump. I had a similiar project filling a site for my pole barn. Waiting for the trailer to raise and lower each load seem to take forever. The high flow rate may stress the trailer frame as you heve to start the full load moving with a low cylinder angle. But if you can feather it...

John

skipmarcy · Oct 27, 2005

Don't know what tractor you have but mine has a standard 7-way trailer connector at the rear, I see alot of newer tractors with them now. The 7-way has a charge (batt +) terminal that will charge your battery while in use. I have an Anderson 6 ton dump trailer I bought last spring and it charges fine off my F250. My trailer came with an Interstate deep cycle battery and I have used it extensively without charging the battery for long periods - and handling heavy loads of broken concrete and fill dirt/sand. I think I would add a 7-way to my tractor at the rear and use the drawbar to haul the load. My remote switch for the trailer is 12' long and would easily reach to the seat on the tractor and it has magnets on the back of it and would go right nice on the fender. Otherwise, if I wanted to tap into the tractor hydraulics, I would rather use my rear remotes and still use the drawbar, my dump trailer can get mighty tongue-heavy when hauling dirt if you don't load it just right or want to get that "last little bit" on there for this trip. When you add the length of the trailer ahead of the axles and the length of your FEL sticking out there, that's a mighty long lever to lift the rear of your tractor up!!

JimMorrissey · Oct 28, 2005

I have a L39 and use the backhoe extensively. I just can't be taking it off. I'll use the hoe to load the trailer.

rswyan · Oct 28, 2005

Ok, I guess I'll pile on too - you may use the backhoe extensively but you need to be pulling these type of loads with the drawbar, not the FEL.

I can understand if you have a situation where you will need to be using the backhoe in the excavating you are doing - my advice would be to stockpile as much as you can as you excavate, then drop the hoe, hook the trailer up and then move the soil.

An alternative to renting the Bobcat would be to rent something to pull the trailer and use the L39 for loading it.

I can appreciate your situation ... just finished clearing the pad for the polebarn a couple of weeks ago ..... had a huge quantity to move (think on the order of 100' x 100' x 12" deep .... about 370 cu. yds.) .... I was moving it with a Country Mfg. 2 ton dump trailer pulled by the B2910 (about 800' through a woods) being loaded with the Bobcat .... after about an hour of that noise .... we gave up and the neighbor called his son with the 1 ton dump .... still took forever.