Need Help choosing Equip. trailer

[Bob_Young]

In the process of purchasing a Kubota L4300 (3000# & 119" long) with FEL(???#) and Woods Med. Duty 6' Bush Hog (1100#). Have got two pieces of property to maintain about 12 miles apart. Want to purchase a trailer capable of moving tractor, FEL, and rear blade or tractor and bush hog between the two locations. Rear tires on tractor will be filled (250#??).

Local trailer dealer has a 7000#GVWR 18' dual axle Car Hauler on the lot that I had convinced myself would be adequate, so I put some money down on it late yesterday. Am beginning to have second thoughts as someday I may want to get a Back Hoe (???#) for the L4300. Trailer guy also has a 10000#GVWR 18' Pipe Trailer and a 10000#GVWR 20' Pipe Trailer on the lot and prices didn't seem too bad. He's also got some bigger stuff. The CTD Ram 2500 I will tow with has a 10000# max towing capacity....I believe.

Length and weight figures for backhoes and FELs are hard to come by, so doing this from the specs alone is a challenge.

Before it's too late, I'd like to know what others are using to haul their equipment around (length and weight rating) and what combinations work on their trailers. Also somewhat concerned that towing tractor and brush cutter together will make 18' trailer either very tongue heavy or very tongue light.

 

[MMM]

You'll probably be overweight on 7k trailer by the time you figure in trailer weight. Check your wheel width also. It's real fun trying to get an 81" wide tractor on an 82.5 deck. You'll probably find you'll have to set loader on front rail to transport tractor and cutter on 18 footer without hanging over.

 

[Bob_Young]

Thanks for the reponse Triple M. Tractor overall width at minimum tread setting is 62.5"; trailer is 83" wide so don't think there's a width problem. Empty weight of trailer is 1960#, so I've got about 5000# to play with on the 7000# trailer if I understand this GVWR thing. It's a Big Tex 70CH.
Bob

 

[johnday]

Bob, Big Tex makes a nice trailer. One other thing to consider is being able to move the tractor on the trailer to get the proper tongue weight. Would that trailer be long enough for that? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[ronjhall]

Bob
I have a 16' 70CH to haul my B2910 with FEL and BH. I believe I am at about the limit for this trailer.
A L4300 weighs #2976 plus the FEL.With a HD box blade you would be pushing if not exceeding the #5000 load of a #7000 trailer. If your pocket book will handle the extra expense go for the #10000 trailer.

 

[MMM]

I get
3000
1960
1500
250= 6710 That leaves a 290lb loader?

My skiploader and cutter overload my 18X7 10k trailer by 1000lbs and the few times I've transported it have slightly bowed the axles. Look for that, and inner tire wear if you're looking at used trailers. Brakes are nice to have also.

 

[BarryinMN]

I agree with others 10K is a stronger better trailer be sure the tires are new. The longer the length the better for moving & balancing the load. 18 is minimum 24 better 30 better yet... Going to 12K causes DOT safety inspections, CDL medicals, definitely not worth it if you can avoid it. I bought a bobcat style 18 2 years ago. If I buy another it'll be a 24 or 30 deck over (no fenders on sides) Once you get the trailer, friends & relatives want "stuff" hauled. Cars, broken concrete slabs, etc. If you buy an enclosed then you get household goods requests.

How popular do you want to be?

Check your pick up hitch rating - it may be less than vehicle tow rating unless used with load levelling hardware.

Sometimes those local trips stretch into cross county runs.!

 

[Egon]

If it's gona be a bumper hitch I'd suggest a lowboy min. of 20 feet and 10000 Lb. rating with electric brakes all around. Load equalizer hitch should be used and an extra leaf or air bags on the truck will help. Also shocks upgraded from the original are a good idea.

I have a 10000 rated 20 ft. lowboy with home built cargo box and bumper hitch with air bags that was used to move our goods from Alt. To Nova Scotia. The trailer did go over the scales just a touch over the rated loading.

Egon

 

[GATC35]

I would not go any shorter than a 20 footer. A backhoe or a brush cutter can really eat up the space. Also stay above the 10K weight rating with a tractor the size of yours. I have a 20 foot Anderson equipment trailer than hauls a New Holland TC-35D with 16LA front loader and a 757-C backhoe. The extra trailer lenght really helps in adjusting the tounge weight. Here is a link to where I bought my trailer, good folks to deal with. I have no vested interest, financially, or otherwise to this organization.
http://www.trailersforless.com/and_dump_EQ7185T_trailers.html I went with the 20 footer with 7K axles and "E" rated tires. This set up tows like a dream behind my F-250.

Good luck..

Mark

 

[RickB]

The answer is real simple. If your Ram is rated for towing 10K, buy a 10K trailer if you can swing it. You won't overload one component, and probably will think twice before overloading both. 18' will be marginal for tractor, loader and cutter. The backhoe will be shorter.

 

[Bob_Young]

Guess that is the simple answer, Rick. Was resisting it partly because it would mean upgrading the hitch on the truck....but that's small potatoes compared with everything else. Trying to get by with a little less got me into this. Not wise to continue the error.

Thanks to all for the responses and insights. You've convinced me to go back and upgrade to the 10K 20 footer. It's a very nice looking trailer, the first that caught my eye.

Thought the 7k/18' would serve if I carried tractor with FEL and No brush cutter OR tractor with brush cutter and No FEL. But that was probably not a realistic plan. If, down the road, I add the backhoe, I'm not going to want to take off the FEL for hauling....and a BH must certainly weigh more than a brush cutter.

The comment about having enough room to move the tractor on the trailer for tongue load adjustment hit home. Couldn't see how I was going to do that on an 18 footer even with my No FEL hauling scheme.

You guys may have just saved me some serious change. Thanks much.
Bob

 

[MossRoad]

Remember, a 7000# trailer is total weight. You have to include the weight of the trailer, too.

I have an 18 foot car hauler rated at 7000#. It weighs 1500# so the real load it is capable of it 5500#.

Your tractor weighs 3000#, plus your brush hog @1100# already equals 4100#. Add your FEL to that and you are probably pretty close to maxing it out.

 

[surfran]

On another subject, if your going to be hauling your tractor often, make sure you have insurance to cover it.

Auto insurance covers the liability of the trailer hooked to the vehicle, but not the contents of the trailer as I was informed.

Many use homeowners ins. for their tractors, which also does not cover the tractor being hauled from my understanding.

I purchased an Inland Marine policy for mine which covers "all perils" to the specified value. This also covers if I do something stupid like rolling if over.

Just another thought since I trailer mine very frequently.

Good luck on the new trailer.

 

[Poncho]

Bob.... I don't think you can go wrong witht he 20'. I've been using a 16' for towing my MF135 with bush hog and the rear wheel of the bush hog hangs off the back. I'm in the market for a new trailer and will be looking at a 20 footer.

 

[gray]

Bob,

For what it's wirth- go to a 20ft/10000gvw with brakes and keep it low if you can. I have an 18ft and would like a 20. Some day.

they are right- stay away form the 12K it will bring the DOT and others into your life- Not worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck.

 

[GeneD14]

I have had several trailers and by far the best decision that I have ever made buying one is a 10,000 GVW 20' long tilt bed. It is much safer and quicker than using ramps. You will never regret buying a 10,000 gvw vs a 7,000 gvw. See attached picture. Good luck!

 

[Bob_Young]

MiGosh GeneD; that tractor seems to dwarf the trailer. It's your L4330, right? My tractor will be a little smaller but not much. If I'd seen that picture up front I'd never have considered an 18 footer.

Mossy, Poncho and gray; thanks for the additional input. Invoice was switched to 10K/20 footer today. It was almost $900 more, but a lot more trailer for the money. It's a Big Tex 10PI 20' with pipe rail, integrated HD ramp gate and brakes on both axles. If this is the last trailer I ever have to buy, that $900 was well spent. Should be nice for hauling firewood and an occasional load of hay as well.

Surfran, I'll give some thought to insurance, but I'm honestly a bit negative on the whole insurance thing. Especially now that rates are high. Might be worth it, though if I start hauling on a regular basis. My 90 yr old Dad says I drive like an old grandmother; but it's really just a double dose of caution and courtesy brought on by minimal insurance coverage.

 

[OhioGuy]

Hey Bob,

I'm also debating on a trailer. A couple of weeks ago I was overhead door shopping and discovered Home Depot wants $125 to deliver a 16' door. Sounds like as good excuse as any to buy that trailer. I currently have a 6x10 tilt trailer I bought used that has been a real workhorse. It will hold about 5 yards of mulch, I've hauled tons of gravel, lumber, crushed limestone, golf carts, tractors, you name it. It has a cover also that has really been helpful. I hauled a load of 16' 2x8, 2x10's in it, bad decision, I got the load home OK, but it was tense, too much weight to the rear. An 18 or 20 foot trailer would really be the ticket there. I was considering an enclosed trailer, but they seem to be about triple the cost.
I saw an 18' tandem landscape trailer in the paper last week for $900 but didn't call in time.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Curt

 

[GeneD14]

<font color="blue"> </font>
<font color="black"> </font> That is my L4330. When I had a 18' trailer and a bush hog on the tractor it would hang over the back end about a foot. It made the decision to go to a 20' pretty easy.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> ""Once you get the trailer, friends & relatives want "stuff" hauled... How popular do you want to be?</font>

Try having a couple trailers, dump trucks and now a bulldozer. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I never realized what a helluva guy I am until I got this stuff. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif