L3830 Trailer Options

grandad · Jul 29, 2004

Nice setup! You probably have some margin before you get to the 7,200 lb rated payload on that trailer. Since my truck is a little Toyota, there is no way I could take my tractor off site, even if I did have the trailer for it. Fortunately, I don't have much need for that right now.

ChrisBWJ · Jul 30, 2004

Well I bit the bullet. I was going to get the 10k trailer, but, ..... I paid an extra $150 to the dealer + $125 to our governor for the plate and got the 12k trailer, instead.

Loaded it up to the sweet spot the first time. No need to adjust front or back, at least I don't think so. My first runs up to 45 mph didn't produce any sway on gentle curves. Though bumps in the road sometimes produce a vertical oscillation that increases the pucker factor a tad. My rear springs sink down about 3 inches when carrying the load from the trailer.

I've got it sitting in the driveway now, waiting for the trip to the worksite tomorrow. Gonna be a long 80 mile drive taking the backroads very slow.

I KNOW I need to raise the jack before I leave, just thought I'd give my rear springs a breather overnight.

I KNOW I need to upgrade the tow vehicle. I've already been checking the classifieds... I'll be REALLY careful, I promise!

PIcture 1

Picture 2

Thanks for the advice guys!

botalvr · Jul 30, 2004

Got a spare tire fer it yet? Lug wrench to fit?
After seeing the pics, I want one!!!!

(it's not the cost of the tractor that's stopping me, it's the divorce that would come with the news of my new tractor!)
/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Pks · Jul 30, 2004

Chris,

If the weight of the trailer is lowering the rear springs a lot, thus raising the front end of your tow vehicle, then consider getting a Weight Distributing Hitch. A WDH will change the weight bias in the tow vehicle and place more trailer weight onto the front wheels of the tow vehicle.

In no way do you want the tow vehicle to have a light front end.

ChrisBWJ · Jul 30, 2004

I think the springs compressed an inch or two when the trailer was attached empty.

I don't think another inch or so raised the front too much. But I'll still look into one of the WDH jobbies. THX

grandad · Jul 30, 2004

Nice looking package, and it will do just about anything you want it to, short of really heavy construction.

You are indeed asking a lot of that Grand Cherokee. Don't know about Michigan motor vehicle code, but your trailer and payload are probably more weight than the Jeep is rated for. If someone from the local constabulary is having a bad day, they might decide to make your day miserable with a weight violation. I hope that didn't happen, and your 80 mile trip went OK.

I also hope that nice trailer has electric brakes! Seems drivers are always just a bit crazier Fridays than the rest of the week. You definitely don't want some nut swerving in front of you and doing a quick stop, even with trailer brakes.

GeneD14 · Jul 30, 2004

Nice tractor and trailer. They should last a long time. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Kytractor · Jul 31, 2004

ChrisBWJ, Nice looking trailer. What brand did you go with?

DannyD · Jul 31, 2004

I hope you were able to pull the hoe in and pin it in place. That was the one thing my dealer told me about in regards to trailering and transporting.

I also noticed your trailer wheels are way back, seems that would put a lot of weight up front, rather than allowing you to adjust the weight with the placement of the tractor.

(but then maybe I need to learn something about dual axle trailers) Going to get mine today

ChrisBWJ · Jul 31, 2004

Well, it was about 160-170 miles, round trip.

No real problems. Was able to cruise at 45 mph, no problem. Actually got up a bit higher, and had to force myself to keep the speed down. I shouldn't admit it, but on one particular flat stretch when nobody was around, I actually got it up to about 60 mph for a little bit....then traffic started passing and I took her down to 45-50 again. Had plenty of gas pedal left, but not willing to test it. No trailer sway that I could detect during the entire trip.

Although there was one old section of highway where the expansion joints, or cement sections were being hit at just the right frequency that I had this weird front to rear push/pull feeling. Once I got back to new pavement, everything was fine.

As for the tasks I went to do... I dug a 4' deep trench, 20 feet long in cement truck-packed clay. No problem for the BH-90!! Moved about 45 yards of dirt to start grading around the foundation. If the inspector would have been there on Friday, we could have backfilled.... Oh well...

Trailer is made by Rice. I hadn't come across them before, but I really like the construction of it.

Dual 6" C-Channel frame. 16" 10-ply tires, self-stowing 6' ramps, D-Rings, Dual axle brakes, etc....

Pinned the hoe side-to side, and for the boom. If you look in picture 2, you can see strap going around the dipper stick to keep it in tight.

Didn't have any LEOs pass me. Saw plenty on the highway and back roads. None of them gave me a second look.... I'm not sure too many of the them know how much a TLB actually weighs.

Now if I stumbled across a Weighmaster....I could have been in trouble.

It's nice to know I can move the trailer and tractor if I have to. I definitely won't make a habit of it. If I have to move it on a more regular basis, there will be a new (to me) vehicle in the driveway to take care it!!!