Kubota L3902 weight/trailering?

[KTGR]

I have a L3902 with the LA526 loader, HD quick attach bucket and loaded rear tires. I also have a 20ft double axle aluminum trailer rated for 5000lbs after trailer weight for toy hauling. Both are basically new and I recently bought some more acreage an hour away. With the new property I'm wondering if this trailer can handle the load of the tractor if slightly reinforced?

As far as I understand the weights are:
tractor itself: ~2800lbs
loader: ~850lbs
loaded tires: 400 each = 800lbs
I could take the bucket off and haul it separately or buy a separate one for the other property but that's 220lbs.

Assuming the bucket off that's 4500lbs. If I reinforced the ramp and put some 2x6's across underneath where the tractor tires sit would that be a solid setup for a hour drive one way?

Thank you for your thoughts!

 

[Paystar]

What brand aluminum trailer? Hope it's built with thicker gauge aluminum than mine. Mine is rated for 5700 pound PAYLOAD, but my Ford 3000 diesel sagged the crossmember the rear wheels were sitting on and lifted the floor.
But Bearco was real good about it with their warranty. They paid to add extra 2 inch crossmembers welded in sandwiching the original members.
And now I see the new trailers they have built since are reinforced with more crossmembers.

Reason I tell you this, is aluminum trailers have a lot of flex, so be careful when you are loading as close to the limit as you are.

 

[gstrom99]

I was in your shoes. I had a steel 7500# tandem axle car hauler, that got overloaded - bent the rear axle. I replaced the axle, replaced the worn tire and sold it (for just about what I paid for it) and bought a 10k# unit. No worries now.

 

[KTGR]

@Paystar yes, why i was asking about simple reinforcements. i could easily put some 2x6's on all the load bearing cross members and support the ramp. my logic says that'd add a lot of strength at the tractor tire points to help spread the load.


@gstrom99 that's the question though. simple math says 4500lbs won't overload a 7000lbs trailer with 5000lbs payload. but is that all true? how much is overloaded?

i'm not buying any machines bigger than this and the other stuff is all smaller tractors or UTV's/Quads. So if this trailer works I don't want to buy a new one.

 

[JWR]

No idea how the ramps are made or the bed of your trailer. I think your main issues (if any) will be the ramps and possibly flimsy bed (?) If the bed is anything other than wood I would add some plywood just as temporary cover for the bed. The ramps -- whatever it takes. If they are aluminum they are vulnerable. The overall trailer itself should be no problem.

 

[KTGR]

@JWR ramp is one solid fold down aluminum piece like 4 ft long full width. would add something to the tire track area for sure on ramp. bed is treated 2x6 all the way. figured if i beefed up the cross members underneath where tires sit i might be all set? thanks.

 

[mjonesnh]

Have a New Holland TC34 that is similar in weight to yours. I tow it on a 16 ft dual axle trailer that is fabricated from steel with 2x8 treated flooring. 2 inch steel tubing for top rail and ramp instead of angle iron. Spacing on the ramp tubing was too wide to support weight when loading so I added extra tubing between ones from factory. couple of sheets of 3/4 plywood I would think would add lots of support for your floor, maybe a sheet on your ramp.

 

[JWR]

@JWR ramp is one solid fold down aluminum piece like 4 ft long full width. would add something to the tire track area for sure on ramp. bed is treated 2x6 all the way. figured if i beefed up the cross members underneath where tires sit i might be all set? thanks.

I think your bed will be fine. Of course if there is some way to reinforce the area where the springs attach to the aluminum that has to be good for overall use and life of the trailer. On the ramp I would tend to bolt some lumber onto the ramp where the tire tracks will be, 2x10 oak would be good. 2x12 would be even better but may be hard to find depending on your location. Any beef up of the ramp would be beneficial the whole life of the trailer too.

 

[Paystar]

@Paystar yes, why i was asking about simple reinforcements. i could easily put some 2x6's on all the load bearing cross members and support the ramp. my logic says that'd add a lot of strength at the tractor tire points to help spread the load.


@gstrom99 that's the question though. simple math says 4500lbs won't overload a 7000lbs trailer with 5000lbs payload. but is that all true? how much is overloaded?

i'm not buying any machines bigger than this and the other stuff is all smaller tractors or UTV's/Quads. So if this trailer works I don't want to buy a new one.

Yes, if your floor or crossmembers deflect at all you can run some planks to distribute that weight. That will certainly help.
Where my trailer failed is.....I wanted to load my tractors so that the tires are ON a crossmember. And only way to do that front and rear is my rear tractor tires are on a crossmember where my floor planks join. On my trailer instead of using 16 foot lumber they use two lengths of 8 and the joint is at that crossmember. So I lost that much more strength there.
But now I have tripe crossmembers at the locations where my front the rear tires sit.

Just something for you to watch for.

And surprisingly my mesh rear ramp has held up to all my tractors. My Ford tractor weighs in at 5,026.5 pounds as weighed on the local MTO scales.

 

[KTGR]

thanks for all the replies. i think i'll try and figure out how to put some 2x6's around the critical cross members and beef up the fold down ramp. it's not mesh but spaced "tubing" across the entire thing. might add something on top of the bed to help spread weight at tires even more. don't want to add a bunch of sheets of 3/4 or anything as that just adds weight quickly. with a little modification, hopefully 4500# will be fine on this 7000# trailer.