</font><font color="blue" class="small">( When I load the 8N (with the brush hog on the back) up the ramps onto my trailer, the front wheels are off the ground. I know it will probably never happen, but when I'm on two wheels, I'm terrified that the tractor is going to flip backwards.
It's a terrible feeling in your stomach when this happens )</font>
Congrats on the N.. I'm a fellow N owner as well ( 8n, 2n, NAA ).
I soppose you have a real heavy 5' rotary cutter. I know my 8n will tote my 5' KK and load onmy flatbed ramps without the front end bouncing. I also have a bumpe ron mine.. and imagine it weights a good? 60-75 pounds. I guess if you had a heavy JD, NH, or BH squealer brand cutter.. you might come close to 1.5 or 2x the weight of my KK or a howse rotary cutter. If you don't have a bumper.. run to tractor supply.. they are? 75$ and bolt to the font axle.. And then you can hang suitcase weights off of it ( if you can afford them. ) or even take weight plates from a weight lifting set and bolt them right on to the bumper with a long carriage bolt and some big washers..
I know what you mean about the sinking feeling in your stomach when the tractor is being weird on a slope or a hill.
I once drove my NAA nearly off the front of my flatbed trailer.. and had to do quite a bit of finagling (with help from a couple gentlymen and a jack and timbers ).. and even then.. it was a 'oh-my-gosh' feeling till it was all said and done..
One good thing.. with a mower back there.. as long as you use a rigid toplink ( and not chain ).. you should be fairly safe frome a backflip due to the 3pt connection... still be safe!
Soundguy