Tractor position on the trailer

Goreef · Sep 22, 2016

I have a 24 foot gooseneck with dual 10k axles and a 1 ton single wheel chevy duramax.My question is i need to haul my tractor that weighs 7500# to the shop and i dont know how far foward to put the tractor on the trailer.

pmsmechanic · Sep 22, 2016

Are you serious here? With that setup you could put the tractor just about anywhere and not run into problems. Get the center of the weight of the tractor just a bit forward of the trailer axles and chain it down and go. You will hardly know it's on the trailer.

Goreef · Sep 22, 2016

Im dead serious LOL. I have never pulled the trailer with that much weight on it so i guess im just a bit paranoid.

Argonne · Sep 23, 2016

What I started doing is measure the distance between the truck's rear bumper and the ground before loading the tractor. I then drive the tractor forward on the trailer until the truck squats an inch or two more, as indicated on the ruler. What you want to avoid is too little tongue weight, so even if you don't do the ruler thing, err on the side of pulling too far forward. Like PMS said, your trailer is golden.

Lucky32 · Sep 23, 2016

Place the tractor in trailer where the centre of gravity falls near the axle of the trailer. You should go fine with that.

Goreef · Sep 23, 2016

i like your methodology thats kind of what i had in mind, I did a trial run the other day and when i put the rear tire of the right over the forward most axle on the trailer. when i checked the truck it squatted it to where the overload springs were just starting to touch. I think this is the sweet spot where the truck has a decent amount of weight over the axle.

jack707 · Sep 23, 2016

Don't go all the way up you have to much tounge weight!I.stay back a little of the 2nd wheel well not much but alittle.

bspeedy · Sep 23, 2016

Goreef said:
i like your methodology thats kind of what i had in mind, I did a trial run the other day and when i put the rear tire of the right over the forward most axle on the trailer. when i checked the truck it squatted it to where the overload springs were just starting to touch. I think this is the sweet spot where the truck has a decent amount of weight over the axle.

This is exactly what I do. Pull forward til the helpers are just touching. Tows great like that with my bumper pull.