3-Point Hitch Max 26 Trailer Towing Capacity from 3 pt quick-hitch with ball mount.

[dec4trax]

Does anyone know how much weight a Max 26 can safely tow around the farm? I have a dual axle dump trailer I want to move around the farm that weights 2000 lbs empty using a 3 pt quick-hitch with ball mount attachment. I would never be crazy enough tow it loaded, but would like to move it around when empty on some 8-10% grades. Every internet search results in "towing the tractor on a trailer" and not "towing a trailer with a tractor". Cant find anything in the Specs. Hopefully someone can solve this puzzle or has a good rule of thumb (% of tractor weight, etc). Thanks !!

 

[hslogger]

How about common sense? If it looks wrong, it probably is. Having loaded tires and full bucket would give you some margin.

 

[dec4trax]

common sense has kept me out of the ditch so far. I am looking for actual tractor specs...if they exist. Thanks !!

 

[RjCorazza]

common sense has kept me out of the ditch so far. I am looking for actual tractor specs...if they exist. Thanks !!

I assume you have checked the owners manual. My larger Kubota L4060 (about 4100lbs bare weight) lists a maximum trailer weight of 5500 lbs. You may, or may not, be able to extrapolate those numbers to your machine weight of 1800lbs or so. So maybe a 2400 lb trailer?
All that said, it does come down to experience, caution, and common sense. An 8-10% grade is not that significant (5 degrees or so), but if a trailer is going to be a problem that's where you'll find out.
Also, there are pitfalls to using the 3 point hitch to tow trailers. A negative tongue weight will raise the hitch, and can be higher than the tractor's center of gravity. Most recommend (including likely ALL manufacturers) only towing from the drawbar.
Sorry I don't have any actual specs for your machine.

 

[jeff9366]

Any time you are pulling a load with a tractor, the load is trying to pull the tractor over backward. The Three Point Hitch relies on "tongue weight" (mass of the load bearing down on the Lower Links) for vertical stability. The Three Point Hitch does not include a latch to prevent unanticipated upward movement of the Lower Links, cross-drawbar and a wheeled load.

Sudden reversal of tongue weight may occur as single axle cart load is pulled up a slope, over uneven ground, if a cart is inadvisedly loaded at the rear first rather than the front or center first, or if someone steps on rear of the load, shifting weight distribution to the rear. Caution with two-wheeled drawn implements is also advised, for identical reasons. The potential for load upset, tractor upset and human injury is there.

The Three Point Hitch and optional cross-drawbar are designed to pull heavy loads at or below rear axle height, over level ground, with minuscule risk of a backward upset. When the cross drawbar is raised above rear axle height, the potential for a backward upset increases. Always position Lower Links and cross-drawbar at the level of the rear axle or as low as conditions permit.

 

[M59]

dec4trax,

Jeff9366 has explained the situation clearly and correctly. The PROPER way to pull a load is with the drawbar since the drawbar is mounted below the center of rotation which is the axle center. I know a person who incorrectly hitched up a heavy load, higher on tractor than proper mount point, and tractor pivoted about the axle and flipped over backwards, killing the person. Happens so fast the operator was still in the seat for the entire ride.

I have a Max 24 so I looked at the operators manuals for both tractor and the FEL.
Tractor weight: 1693 Lbs
FEL crated weight: 545 Lbs
Combined tractor and FEL likely weight: 2,193 ( I removed 45 Lbs for the crating )

I find NO mention in the Max 24 operator manual for maximum tow capacity. Shame on Mahindra. Kubota is is very clear about their machine capacities.

In tractor operating manual is section on connecting implement to drawbar and specification of max vertical load on drawbar is 661.5 Lbs

My personal preference is limit total towed weight to 50% of the 2,193 Lbs over flat ground and 33% of the 2,193 for your 8-10% grade. Grades are where you can into trouble fast
( gravity can be cruel teacher ) if things go wrong ( brakes are not rated for the total load, brakes fail, 3 pt hitch pivots upward, etc ). The drawbar is fixed ( captive in verticle axis ) and can only rotate L-R unless mount point fails.

I personally would not be towing 2,000 Lbs with a Max 26.

Hope this helps

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I tow from the drawbar only, not the 3 point hitch.

I used the 1200 lbs. lift capacity on the three point hitch of my Max 24 to give me a ballpark value for safety. Used this value as what the brakes on the tractor can handle as extra load. I tow a 4 wheel trailer with spead axles, so only the weight of the tongue is on the drawbar hitch. Tongue hitch weighs somewere in the 12 lb. range.

On level ground I have loaded it with 30 one hundred pound bales. does fine on level ground.

Max load going down the gravel drive with 9 percent slope has been 10 bales (so 10x100=1000 lb.s + trailer weight of 300 lbs. for total weight of 1300 lbs.) Wouldn't want to have much more weight than that going downhill

When I was 11 years old, I saw an accident where the tractor tipped over backwards onto a loaded single axle trailer that was connected to the 3 point hitch. It wasn't a sight I wanted to see at that age.

Please don't ever consider pulling any object with the 3 point hitch unless it is designed for ground engagement.

 

[ScotNH]

My eMax 22 owners manual lists:

Technically permissible towable masses

Unbraked towable mass 1,000kg

Independently braked towable mass 1,600kg

Inertia-braked towable mass 1,950kg

 

[jeff9366]

I have a dual axle dump trailer I want to move around the farm using a 3 pt quick-hitch with ball mount attachment.

Rear/Center Tractor Drawbar // USE TODAY

For brute pulling tasks I use the rear/center tractor drawbar as my preferred attachment point. Photo #1 + #2 I never remove the 3/8" clevis-mount Chain Grab Hook from the rear/center drawbar. I usually pull heavy loads with 5/16" Grade 70 chain, which is a secure fit in the 3/8" Chain Grab...

www.tractorbynet.com

Suburban Plowboy - 7/29/2022​

How Hard Can a Tractor Pull? ​

I tried to pull a big rock out of my yard with my Kubota L3710. I got nowhere. So, how hard can a 37-horse tractor pull?

Generally speaking a 4-WD tractor's ability to pull without losing traction is proportional to the tractor's bare weight.

Sufficient tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Kubota L3710 Dimensions​

1998 - 2002 Grand L10 Series Compact Utility tractor

Kubota L3710 Weight
4WD gear :	2,955 lbs 1340 kg
Hydro :	2,990 lbs 1356 kg
Hydro cab :	3,490 lbs 1583 kg

Yes, tire type makes some difference, as does transmission type and the soil under the tractor tires, but the key metric is TRACTOR WEIGHT.

Based on experience I SPECULATE your tractor can drag a rock of around 2,000 pounds (+/-) over the ground. A fairly high ground friction load.

 

[Chewwy]

Pulling the trailer should not be a problem if you are not in a hurry.

Braking might be though. Be sure to be in 4 wd. I would also install a trailer brake controller on the tractor. Always nice to have the towed vehicle assist with braking.