Loading tractor on trailer

[Rodneyd]

The other week I was given some ramps to use with my trailer so I could haul the tractor to some other property we own. The ramps looked a little short so last week I decided to do a dry run in the driveway. The drive has a slight, couple of degree downhill pitch, hardly noticeable. I pulled the trailer into the drive, heading downhill. My L2500 with 5 ft. bush hog and no weight on the front went up the ramps and loaded perfectly, no problem. I was feeling real proud of my new ramps. Last night I decided to load the tractor on the trailer so I could leave and take it to the other property as soon as I get off work tonight. This time the trailer was heading up hill. Again, can hardly notice the grade. I raised the bush hog, put it in low low and started up the ramps. However, when the front wheels cleared the ramps, they never touched the trailer but continued their skyward climb. Fortunately, I was going very slow. The tractor was doing a perfect balancing act on the rear wheels as it continued up the ramps. I sure that if the tractor would have decided to go on over backwards the top link would not have been strong enough to keep it from flipping. Anyway, I hit the clutch to remove the torque on the rear wheels and as soon as I did, the front wheels came down. I backed it back down the ramps, put some weight on the front and then loaded it without a problem. You could never have told me that the slight pitch of the driveway could ever make that much difference, but it does and did. Goes to show what a "balancing act" safety can be.

 

[Chris99320]

The gentleman I bought my tractor from delivered it to me on his trailer. I noticed the tractor was parked backwards on the trailer and asked why. He knew I was new to tractors and gave me a pretty stern talk about always keeping the nose pointed downhill. So I back the tractor up onto trailers, up steep hills, etc...
Of course I am pretty cautious around the tractor, I figure if I ever had an accident, either the tractor will get me or my wife will /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Chris
Washington, the evergreen state - ha ha

 

[TerryinMD]

I was reading my JD owners manual earlier and stumbled upon the section about loading the tractor onto a trailer. It stated that you should always drive forward onto a trailer. I suppose it has something to do with the weight distribution over the axle(s) of the trailer.

Terry

 

[Bird]

Once on the trailer, you're right, Terry, the weight distribution is the important thing, regardless of whether the tractor is aimed forward or backward. It's going up and down the ramps that can make a difference, and of course that depends on wether the trailer is parked on level ground, or head uphill or downhill, the length of the ramps which determines the angle of the climb, etc. Personally, I always drive my tractor forward onto the trailer.

Bird

 

[Jag]

I have all ways heard you should back the tractor upon the trailer unless it has some front end weights of some kind.... Is this wrong....

 

[radman]

Rodneyd:
Your tractor would not have gone over backwards. The bush hog made the front end light causing it to rise as you went up the ramps. The same thing would have happended if you were going up a similar grade of hill. It won't flip because as the front end lifts, the bush hog will touch the ground and thus the front end will stop rising. The toplink has nothing to do with preventing a flip over in this situation. When you stepped on the clutch, bang the front end will come down. Your solution is to back on (if the bush hog can clear the trailer), lower the bush hog so it touches the ground to keep the front end weight, or add front end weight.
Personally, I will either drive on or back on the tractor while trailering. The important thing is to keep adequate tongue weight, especially with bumper pull trailers. Too little tongue will cause the trailer to sway while trailering. Depending on the length of trailer will also determine how I load. A longer trailer will allow me to postion the tractor in either direction because I have greater room to manuever the tractor/implement for proper tongue weight. A rule of thumb is 10-15% of the load should be tongue weight.

 

[Alan L.]

I always go forward up the trailer. I can't back it on because the 16-foot trailer is too short for a 2710 with loader and brush hog attached. I've never taken the loader off, but have never had a problem getting on the trailer at all.

Alan L., TX

 

[Bird]

Jag, I'm sure not going to tell you that backing onto the trailer is wrong. Whatever works for you, and feels the safest, is the way to go. However, I always drive on forward. If the front end is light enough for the tractor to rear up going up those ramps, I figure it's also light enough that I'd want weight on the front end even if I wasn't going to put it on the trailer. But unless I have the FEL on, I don't have any extra weight on the front and haven't had a need for it.

Bird

 

[Von]

Alan,
I load my B2710 backwards on my 16 ft. trailer when I have the FEL and bush hog on. If I hang the bush hog wheel over the front there is just enough room for the FEL, and the balance on the trailer is good. The other way I don't have enough weight on the front of the trailer. I guess all trailers are different. Attached is a photo of my old B8200 loaded on the trailer this way

 

[PaulinSD]

I load both the 1050 and the 955 on a 16' t/a trailer forward. It easier to load this way, and obtains proper weight distrubution on the trailer. For those of you loading backwards, don't forget to make sure your hood is securly latched. I saw someone a few years ago, the wind cought the hood of the tractor and almost ripped it right off.