Tow vehicle and trailer combo recommendation for me

[Western]

Home depot rents pickups

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Home depot rents pickups

That you can tow with? I've never seen that, but i haven't looked either...

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Still, a Honda Pilot EX has MSRP of less than 35K and tows 4500lbs. Pretty good bang for the buck.

I guess what you are saying is why I originally posted here. I would like to minimize my load, and the only real way I can do that is to get the lightest possible trailer (that can safely) carry my tractor. That would then increase the possible tow vehicles. A half ton pick-up or frame-on-body SUV is the safe, easy choice, but not necessarily the best for me.

Bottom line, if I can't tow my tractor, then the towing capacity of the vehicle doesn't matter at all.

 

[aczlan]

That you can tow with? I've never seen that, but i haven't looked either...

The ones near me have a lock through the receiver so that you cant put in a hitch.
Here is what their terms and conditions say:

IX. PROHIBITED USES OF THE CAR
a) Neither you nor any Authorized Operator may:
[SNIP/]
4) Engage in any willful or wanton misconduct, which, among other things, may include reckless conduct such as: the failure to use seat belts, the failure to use child seats or other child restraints where legally required, use when overloaded (including with more occupants than seat belts provided), use off paved roads or on roads that are not regularly maintained, or failing to close and lock all doors, car windows and the trunk;
[SNIP/]
6) Use or permit the use of the Car by anyone:
(i) While legally intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other absorbed elements which may adversely affect a person's ability to drive safely;
(ii) For any purpose that could properly be charged as a crime, such as the illegal transportation of persons, drugs or contraband;
(iii) To tow or push anything;

Aaron Z

 

[IslandTractor]

I guess what you are saying is why I originally posted here. I would like to minimize my load, and the only real way I can do that is to get the lightest possible trailer (that can safely) carry my tractor. That would then increase the possible tow vehicles. A half ton pick-up or frame-on-body SUV is the safe, easy choice, but not necessarily the best for me.

Bottom line, if I can't tow my tractor, then the towing capacity of the vehicle doesn't matter at all.

I guess my point is that your focus on the pickup seems a distortion of what you will be doing with the vehicle for 99% of the miles you drive and transport needs. Why not figure out a way to make it work with something like the Pilot?

As I reread your initial post, it seems you have about 2000lbs of tractor, loader and mower deck plus a ballast box that could be dumped for towing. You only need to tow 50 miles or about an hour. That's nothing. Why not just make two trips with a smaller trailer. Single axle trailer would easily handle the tractor. Use the tractor to load the mower and ballast box on the trailer, move the trailer, unload by pushing the stuff off and then go back for the tractor. Heck, why bother buying and storing a trailer, just rent a 6x12 from Uhaul when you need it. Let them store "your" trailer for you. $35/day rental. I have an even better idea for you....just make a second ballast box and leave it at the second site. Then you have only the tractor, mower and loader which would fit on the 6x12 in one load.

Compare the costs, inefficiency and compromises of using a half ton pickup for the other 16500 miles per year and the cost of buying and maintaining and storing a trailer capable of a 2500lb load to the relatively minor inconvenience of making two trips each time you move the tractor or the cost of a second ballast box. Seems a no brainer to me.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

I guess my point is that your focus on the pickup seems a distortion of what you will be doing with the vehicle for 99% of the miles you drive and transport needs. Why not figure out a way to make it work with something like the Pilot?

As I reread your initial post, it seems you have about 2000lbs of tractor, loader and mower deck plus a ballast box that could be dumped for towing. You only need to tow 50 miles or about an hour. That's nothing. Why not just make two trips with a smaller trailer. Single axle trailer would easily handle the tractor. Use the tractor to load the mower and ballast box on the trailer, move the trailer, unload by pushing the stuff off and then go back for the tractor. Heck, why bother buying and storing a trailer, just rent a 6x12 from Uhaul when you need it. Let them store "your" trailer for you. $35/day rental. I have an even better idea for you....just make a second ballast box and leave it at the second site. Then you have only the tractor, mower and loader which would fit on the 6x12 in one load.

Compare the costs, inefficiency and compromises of using a half ton pickup for the other 16500 miles per year and the cost of buying and maintaining and storing a trailer capable of a 2500lb load to the relatively minor inconvenience of making two trips each time you move the tractor or the cost of a second ballast box. Seems a no brainer to me.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I think I got a little sidetracked from my original post. I'd love a truck, but you're right, it doesn't make sense for me most of the time.

I am not sure my tractor with loader would fit int he Uhaul trailer, I think it's just a couple inches over 12'. Can one get creative with the loading and still be safe? I suppose I could just try it some day. You are correct about the ballast. I could easily just go with an empty box. My primary destination would be my parents house, I can certainly find ballast there...even if i need to grad some rocks off their stone wall while I am there.....

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I think I got a little sidetracked from my original post. I'd love a truck, but you're right, it doesn't make sense for me most of the time.

I am not sure my tractor with loader would fit int he Uhaul trailer, I think it's just a couple inches over 12'. Can one get creative with the loading and still be safe? I suppose I could just try it some day. You are correct about the ballast. I could easily just go with an empty box. My primary destination would be my parents house, I can certainly find ballast there...even if i need to grad some rocks off their stone wall while I am there.....

You can always have the loader raised a bit and resting on the front edge so it doesn't take up space in the box. Or, load backwards and have it hang off the back with a red flag on it. I'm sure it is workable.

I don't doubt a truck would be fun and certainly sometimes they are necessary but it seems like if you have only three or four 50 mile round trips a year that would really make use of the truck that a CUV or Pilot type vehicle would be a better choice. I presume given your CT location that you don't live on a ranch etc. I found I could tow most anything I needed with the Uhaul 6x12 with either a Mercedes ML or my current Mazda CX9. Benefit is that both of those are more civilized vehicles for virtually everything else you do.

 

[s219]

Although the MDX is a nice vehicle, with the SH-AWD they start at 44K msrp and goes up, and takes premium fuel....I'd like to stay 40 or under and run regular!

I paid under $40K for my 2012 model in late 2011. In fact, if you could locate one of the remaining 2013 models, it would probably be priced even lower, as the new 2014 is an all new body style.

I do hear people rebel against vehicles that require premium, but I don't understand it myself -- I wouldn't let that be a factor. Very few vehicles really "require" premium. That said, there are some that get better fuel economy on premium, so it pays to research and experiment. I had a Subaru wagon with the H6 engine and it got better mpg on premium, to the point where the mpg increase offset the premium fuel cost and then some.

When prices are low I run premium, but often run 89 octane with no issues.

 

[Matt in Virginia]

Consider a Tacoma. I get 20 MPG while not towing. If you will spend more time driving vs towing, it may be a good choice.

The Tacoma is a good little truck, however, it is anything but a tow vehicle. Consider a lightly used Ford Super Duty if you have the option of having a dedicated tow vehicle. A Super Duty is not good in the mud, nor the snow, however, they excel at what they were designed for... Pulling a load. fwiw & imho.

Regards, Matt.

Btw, my diesel 7.3 and even my 6.0 PSD both do better than 20 MPG when not towing. That they are both 4x4... The 05' f350 Crew Cab Short Box does beautifully with HEAVY loads. I didn't need it but that truck has EBC Rotors, EBC Yellowstuff Pads, and the Super Duty Brake Controller. That said the transmission does a great job on steep pulls and decents...fwiw

 

[Xfaxman]

I'm mostly a lurker here, but I thought it time to start asking some questions. Sometime in the next year, I'll be in the market for a new vehicle. Since I also need a trailer, I thought I should look for a trailer first, then look for vehicles which are capable of safetly towing it.
---------------------------

I have a Massey Ferguson GC2400 (1400 lbs). I believe the loader is ~325 lbs, and the 60' mower deck is ~300 lbs. Ballast box is ~400 lbs if full. Add some extra for fluids, so I'll call the tractor ~2500 lbs. Most people seem to recommend about a 16' dual axle trailer for this size of machine. Most utility trailers or car hauler trailers of this size seems to come in around 2000lbs, making my total weight 4500-5000lbs. I think that overall weight would push me toward a 1/2 ton pick-up or body-on-frame SUV.

To see if I could find something lighter, that even a mid-size SUV could tow, I searched around for lightweight aluminum trailers to see exactly how much weight could be saved. The same 16' dual axle utility might be only 1200 lbs or so. But, I ran into some very light weight ATV trailers such as the Aluma 6313. It's 16', with (2)-2000lb axles. On papaer it looks good, but I'd like to hear some real world experiences. Anyone ever use an ATV trailer for a small tractor? At only 600 lbs, it would save me a bunch of weight, bringing my total weight to just over 3000 lbs, which seems appropriate for limited use on a vehicle with a 5000 lb towing capacity like many unibody SUVs.

Anyway, what say you guys? Got a recommendation for a vehicle/trailer combo for me?

I have this 6x12, 6K tilt trailer.


Have hauled this MF240D on it.


And hauled 4 of these 5x6 round bales on it, loaded from the side.


The trailer weighs about 1800 pounds. No ramps to mess with. Have load range E tires on it now, never had a flat or blowout in the 8 years that I have had it. The spare from my truck will fit it, so I don't carry a separate spare tire for it.

You have to be careful not to get too much weight, too far back on any tilt trailer, because of the extra overhang.

Big Tex 60TP Single Axle Pan Tilt Transport