Towing a trailer

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...Years back, the fords (8N, 9N, with 3 pt did not often have the 'swinging drawbar', but only had the 3pt bar.</font color=blue>

Ah, so this is a bit of legacy stuff? Something you run if you don't have a swinging drawbar?

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...I understand wanting to use the blade for front counterweight in this situation but blades also block air flow to the radiator too.</font color=blue>

Hmm /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif I hadn't even thought of this. I figured at the slow speeds tractors run at, most if not all air flow would be because the fan sucked the air in. Guess not, huh? At 5 to 10 mph, this air flow issue actually arises? I don't doubt you, I'm just surprised..

I'm also lazy.. so removing the front blade seems like something to be avoided unless necessary. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I don't have any other front mounted attachments, so figured I'd just leave the thing on year round.

Bob

 

[RonL]

Bob
I'd consider the blade to be an " emergency brake " of the last resort.
RonL

 

[woodmills1]

make sure the trailer has tounge weight. i have been hauling som with logs longer than the trailer and i got into a negative tounge weight situatiom. bad.

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...I'd consider the blade to be an " emergency brake " of the last resort.</font color=blue>

I never thought of that! I guess when you say last, you really mean last, don't you? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But, perversely, I like the idea!

Bob

 

[Bird]

Bob, I use the drawbar on the 3-point hitch more than the swinging drawbar simply because I can lower it, but up to the trailer and raise the ball into the hitch. It also puts the trailer farther back so I can turn sharper without getting a wheel or the 3-point lift arms into the trailer. However, if I'm pulling a really heavy trailer, then I use the fixed swinging drawbar.

And I think, DFB, that you're mistaken about the front blade restricting air flow enough to cause any heating problem on a tractor. I certainly understand it with a truck, but the two machines are made for different use. Tractors normally operate at a slow enough speed that they are not designed to depend on their speed to put air through the front end like cars and trucks. And they quite normally operate pulling plows, trailers, etc. with front end loaders. For instance, it's quite common for me to see a tractor going full speed down the roads around here, pulling a trailer load of hay and a round bale on a hay spear on the front end at the same time.

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...make sure the trailer has tounge weight. i have been hauling som with logs longer than the trailer and i got into a negative tounge weight situatiom. bad.</font color=blue>

Yeah, I can see the wisdom of that. Negative tongue weight would mean losing traction on the rear. But losing traction (i.e. steering) on the front would be just as bad, no? I guess too little traction on the back could lead to spinning out on a corner and really losing it. I'll go slow and gentle, and make sure nothing is too unbalanced before I get on the road.

Actually, I probably won't load this very heavy at first. I'd rather make a number of safe trips than one risky one (what my dad used to call a Lazy Man's Load! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...Bob, I use the drawbar on the 3-point hitch more than the swinging drawbar simply because I can lower it, but up to the trailer and raise the ball into the hitch. It also puts the trailer farther back so I can turn sharper without getting a wheel or the 3-point lift arms into the trailer. However, if I'm pulling a really heavy trailer, then I use the fixed swinging drawbar.</font color=blue>

That makes a lot of sense! Maybe I should try to find one of these things. I guess I'll just have to see how much trailer pulling I end up doing, and how much a drawbar can be had for.

I love this forum.. there's always something new to be learned.. and from people who have learned their lessons the long and hard way.. i.e., the best way.

Thanks to all!

Bob

 

[DFB]

I very well could be Bird. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Your right my experience is with a truck and blade combination, and plow manufacturer's do warn of overheating thru airflow restriction while transporting. Usually something like this warning from Boss Snowplows

"When transporting a plow or while plowing, check the temperature gauge often. Overheating the engine can be costly.
If the vehicle overheats, stop and correct the problem.
If overheating occurs while transporting, stop and adjust the blade position to allow more airflow to the radiator."

Ain't my tractor./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Myself, I'd rather errr on the side of caution.

DFB

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>negative tounge weight </font color=blue>

My first trailer pulling experience was pulling a relatively small utility trailer with a bumper hitch on a '46 Chev. sedan and about the second time I used that trailer, it was loaded with a very slight negative tongue weight (made it easier to hook up and unhook)./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif It also made for a very terrifying experience when I got it up to about 50 mph./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Fortunately, there was no other traffic and I avoided crashing, but you can bet I never did that again. Nothing like experience to make you remember a lesson if you survive the experience./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif