Pulling a trailer with your tractor

Whitnel · Nov 17, 2011

Say my GL3240 weights 3,500 pounds + loader + fluid in the rear tires = well over 4,000. Stats say it will lift 2,600 on the 3 point.

How heavy of a trailer would you pull behind it? I can't find the manual on line to say how much can be pulled with the 3 point. And then I have to get it stopped. The heavy loads will be off road and mostly dirt and rock, no people. Would you only pull a dump trailer with the drawbar?

I know the drawbar would be better but want to use the 3 point as it will be hooked and unhooked alot. Hook up to go dump then bring back and unhook to fill it up again. Probably with a pintle hitch.

tym233me · Nov 17, 2011

it would be easyer to ask how much do you want to pull and how far

CTPhil · Nov 17, 2011

I use a 5000 lb. GVW landscape trailer behind my 2WD 32 HP Ford 2600 to pick up hay, sometimes loading close to 2 tons on. It has no trouble at all with that. Hope that helps.

Localmotion · Nov 17, 2011

I'm not very familiar with the 3240, but seem to remember it is rated at about 30-35hp?

Assuming it is, and with the weights you have given you should be able to easily tow a 1 metric tonne (2,200 lb) trailer with no problem. If the terrain is good you could possibly even manage a 2 tonne braked trailer - but don't overload it. (Please forgive my use of Metric - it's a European thing! :laughing

Your tractor will easily pull these weights (and even more), but being quite a small tractor you may find the draw bar etc are not rated for loads much larger than the tractor weight?

I definately would NOT use the 3pt linkage to tow any laden trailer - 3 pt linkages are designed to lift a certain weight, or pull /push implements (which recive some support from the ground) in a relatively straight line. They are not designed to tow trailers, and normally are not enginered to withstand the sideways stresses that a laden trailer causes when turning...

Just my thoughts... :thumbsup:

Whitnel · Nov 17, 2011

tym233me said:
it would be easyer to ask how much do you want to pull and how far

Want to cary as much as I can safely about 2500' one way. I have a very long drive to go back and forth on. I don't think one bucket at a time is going to cut it for very long.

oldnslo · Nov 17, 2011

Agree with localmotion on not using the 3PH for pulling trailers. Another problem with 3PH is it will raise via gravity which can cause the trailer to try and lift the rear of the tractor. I.e. There is no force besides gravity holding the arms down.

3PH are also not designed for pushing heavy loads.

A few extra minutes of hooking and unhooking might save you a lot of trouble..

TripleR · Nov 17, 2011

I have pulled a trailer with a 3PH, but it was a four wheeled cotton or grain trailer with no tongue weight and only around the field. I would not recommend pulling any trailer with a 3PH and the only way I would do it now would be to move one a few feet out of my way; just so many things that can go wrong.

PHILIP8N · Nov 17, 2011

I try not to use 3 point as others has mentioned, if tongue weight goes negative, arms come up. But, I do use my 3 point for moving things around when I know I have plenty of tongue weight because it is easy. Here is a drawbar 2" receiver adapter I made for pulling a trailer with passengers. Yes, I know there are no nuts on the bolts, did not have them on yet. Philip.

Whitnel · Nov 17, 2011

PHILIP8N said:
I try not to use 3 point as others has mentioned, if tongue weight goes negative, arms come up. But, I do use my 3 point for moving things around when I know I have plenty of tongue weight because it is easy. Here is a drawbar 2" receiver adapter I made for pulling a trailer with passengers. Yes, I know there are no nuts on the bolts, did not have them on yet. Philip.

Ok so no pulling big loads with the three point. I don't want to tear up anything.

Philip,
Did you make the receiver stick out that far to get behind the tires or is that just the way things worked out?

PHILIP8N · Nov 17, 2011

Whitnel said:
Philip,
Did you make the receiver stick out that far to get behind the tires or is that just the way things worked out?

Just the way it worked out. I got receiver from TSC. I got flat bar from McMaster Carr to weld in receiver. Both pieces bolt to tractor drawbar. By the time this was all put together and 2" ball drawbar was installed, this is where it sits. Philip.