Hauling Your Boomer

rockyridgefarm · May 9, 2002

I realize you have a Suburban, and a gooseneck is out of the question. But consider very carefully the stresses put on the tractor, trailor and pulling rig. There are some very impressive forces going on as you tool down the road.

I do a lot of work at a big Dodge dealer, and they have done countless recalls on class IV receivers. The hitches were completely in spec, it is just that, with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck with a big engine, it is pretty easy to get it pulling a load that is way over the limit. That is where the hitches were failing.

The posts about the 3PH mounted hog causing stress are a great point that is also easy to forget.

If I had my druthers, it would be for the gooseneck, not only for the load balancing, but for the improved maneuverability.

Heck, maybe you NEED a new truck, after all..../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

bnixon · May 9, 2002

I would love to have a new truck but I would not be alive to drive it. I am pushing all of the limits with my wife on buying the tractor. If I tell her that we will also have to get a truck....well it might show up on the newspaper headlines....

I have found a 20' trailer that is only $100 more that the 18' I was looking at. My biggest concern is that I can pull it safely.

I am new to trailering heavy loads. I have a 1/2 ton 4X4 Suburban. I don't know how much it can take. Originaly I was looking at a 16' industrial grade utility trailer. But after adding the FEL and doing the math(weight) calcs. I am getting into a heavy load class. Meaning bigger trailer and larger demands on the Suburban. I have pulled 4000lb loads of rocks between San Antonio and Houston before with no problems on a 16' Industrial grade trailer. But never anything as heavy or long and this.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks,

mswanson · May 9, 2002

In my opinion, unless you are just going up the street, you are going to want a 3/4 ton truck to trailer a class III boomer. I used to tow a 30 ft camper with a 1995 1/2 ton suburban, 350 v8, 3.73 gear ratio. The truck had an advertised towing capacity of 6500 lbs and the trailer was just under that. I can tell you that it wasn't much fun. I think ideally you want about a 20% margin below the advertised towing capacity. For example, in round figures, my current TC33D is about 2500 lbs, loader about 1000 lbs, backhoe roughly about 1000 lbs and trailer about 2000 lbs. I figured 7,000 lbs at the most thus the 8000 lb capacity trailer and the 3/4 ton truck. Add it all up, don't forget to add the trailer's weight and don't forget that the advertised towing capacity is usually with just a driver and no cargo in the truck. See what you come up with.

rdln · May 9, 2002

Well it would be really goofy looking but once I considered attaching a pulley to my rops then with a cable from loader bucket to rear of BH, remove toplink, raise lower links, raise loader, attach cable and lower bucket, backend of BH goes up, lower bottom links, strap BH to ROPS and then prevent forward movement by straping back down to trailer.

probably a dream

Golfgar4 · May 9, 2002

<font color=blue>"See what you come up with."</font color=blue>

Don't forget to add in a full load of fuel and fluids and any extra weight that you might have on the tractor like filled tires, suitcase weights, wheel weights, etc.

Soundguy · May 9, 2002

""round figures, my current TC33D is about 2500 lbs,""

Wow.. I had no idea the tc33 was so much lighter than the 1920.. I thought they were practically the same tractor.

Soundguy

mswanson · May 9, 2002

With filled tires the TC33D will probably will weigh more, I have wheel weights. This doesn't count the loader. Why, How much does a 1920 weigh?

mikim · May 9, 2002

I'm going to bring mine down from Bastrop the 19th (trailer & tractor) and will have it here in Dickinson sometime after that if you want to "try it before you buy it" We can hook the whole rig up to your suburban to see how it handles if you'd like. I can understand your concern - I don't have that concern 'cause I drive a Ford !! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif Gimme a call at the office - 281.534.4736 ext 1
mike

bnixon · May 9, 2002

Thanks Mike, I might just take you up on that.

What size trailer did you say you had?

What NH dealer do you use? I have been talking to Bryan at Lansdown-Moody on 517. So far he has gone out of his way to help me. I am in the Clear Lake area.

I will give you a call.