Trailer for a MF 165?

[JohnDeere4300]

First, Texas John GREAT POST. Thanks alot! One thing I try to do is read as much as I can on a subject and ask alot of questions. The people on this thread have been very helpful without being demeaning.

Next, flusher, I am looking into having it moved for me. The distance is around 300 miles and weighing that against the cost of the trailer, hassle, pucker factor...etc. The pucker factor alone probably justifies the cost, but I do like learing things...This next paragaph has put this option back into play.

Lastly, I went to look at the trailer today, cash in hand, ready to go...I even got a brake controller just incase and was quite disappointed. The seller represented to have 10K lb capacity....It had a 5K capacity. He clearly said it was rated for 10K lbs. and even told me he has moved a tractor weighing over 8000 lbs...good grief. What is even scarier is before I checked the GVWR, he said the brakes must be in good shape as he NEVER USED THEM. I saw the pics of this trailer online, but what threw me off is the brand he told me it was has two models that look exactly alike and well, one is rated at 10,000 lbs and the other is rated at 5,000 lbs...Long drive and a somewhat a waste of time....I did stop by a dealer on the way back and got a look at some new ones...Oh boy $$.

My primary plan is to get the trailer, because the place I'll be keeping until I can store it at my property is about 5 miles away and frankly I don't want to always be driving it to the property. I am estimating at least a dozen trips during that time. I still may pay some one though as the legth of the trip is what is bothering me the most...highway speeds, comfort level driving with this beast on the back.

Is it unreasonable to think I could get it moved for 300 or less? Anyway, thanks for all the help...I read the safety forum last night...Need to get the ROPS for sure.

Welcome to TBN!

If you are going to haul it a lot, you might want to get a weight distribution hitch,( i don't know if anyone has already mention that)

But i use one and it has sway-control, i can post pictures if you need to see them.

Good Luck!

 

[texasjohn]

I've been where you are.... as regards pickup/trailer/tractor...need to haul, money concerns, etc.

I know it costs $$, but in the long run I'd suggest, strongly, the following:

Your current pickup is just dandy... you are on first base. Now, complement it with the right stuff.

The brake controller you have is a good critical start. You are on second base

I recommend putting a gooseneck hitch in the back of your pickup... the kind that you can remove or turn upside down when need be... so you still have a flat pickup bed for non-towing times. This moves you to third base.

Get a 18 foot lowboy trailer, gooseneck, with manual winch, wide enough for the tractor, with removable/adjustable ramps. This makes a home run.

Get 3 boomers, several tie down trucker's chains. This makes it a two run homer!

Given what you are going to be doing, all the above will be used over and over again...for many purposes. and save you money in the long run... like not having to pay to have it brought to you.... you can make the trip yourself.... and visit your benefactor....

Moving from a bumper hitch to a gooseneck increases the towing safety by a factor of 10, IMHO. Load is FAR more stable. Load balance is far less critical. You are much more able to properly load the bed of your pickup, which improves stability.

I've towed a lot of animals (lots of movement) and equipment using both bumper hitch and gooseneck pickups. Bumper hitch is always a white knuckle event, even using a 1 ton pickup, and I am always extremely tense during the entire trip. With a gooseneck, I simply worry about how to best adjust speed for up and down hills to maintain the desired reasonably constant speed... whip/sway/bounce... not a problem with gooseneck. I know it's your money... but I owe you my experience/conclusions.....

am sure that others will defend a bumper hitch with sway controller. With the 1/2 ton pickup you have, it is the gooseneck hitch that will make a huge difference in the long run....I cannot recommend it too strongly.... I would only have a Tundra if it had a gooseneck hitch.

 

[FenderBender711]

Welcome to TBN!

If you are going to haul it a lot, you might want to get a weight distribution hitch,( i don't know if anyone has already mention that)

But i use one and it has sway-control, i can post pictures if you need to see them.

Good Luck!

Please post...Thanks!

 

[FenderBender711]

I've been where you are.... as regards pickup/trailer/tractor...need to haul, money concerns, etc.

I know it costs $$, but in the long run I'd suggest, strongly, the following:

Your current pickup is just dandy... you are on first base. Now, complement it with the right stuff.

The brake controller you have is a good critical start. You are on second base

I recommend putting a gooseneck hitch in the back of your pickup... the kind that you can remove or turn upside down when need be... so you still have a flat pickup bed for non-towing times. This moves you to third base.

Get a 18 foot lowboy trailer, gooseneck, with manual winch, wide enough for the tractor, with removable/adjustable ramps. This makes a home run.

Get 3 boomers, several tie down trucker's chains. This makes it a two run homer!

Given what you are going to be doing, all the above will be used over and over again...for many purposes. and save you money in the long run... like not having to pay to have it brought to you.... you can make the trip yourself.... and visit your benefactor....

Moving from a bumper hitch to a gooseneck increases the towing safety by a factor of 10, IMHO. Load is FAR more stable. Load balance is far less critical. You are much more able to properly load the bed of your pickup, which improves stability.

I've towed a lot of animals (lots of movement) and equipment using both bumper hitch and gooseneck pickups. Bumper hitch is always a white knuckle event, even using a 1 ton pickup, and I am always extremely tense during the entire trip. With a gooseneck, I simply worry about how to best adjust speed for up and down hills to maintain the desired reasonably constant speed... whip/sway/bounce... not a problem with gooseneck. I know it's your money... but I owe you my experience/conclusions.....

am sure that others will defend a bumper hitch with sway controller. With the 1/2 ton pickup you have, it is the gooseneck hitch that will make a huge difference in the long run....I cannot recommend it too strongly.... I would only have a Tundra if it had a gooseneck hitch.

Are you in sales? haha...If not, you should be. I'll give it some serious consideration. Not that I would have a problem with it, but another benefit so to speak is I don't know anyone other than my benefactor who has a gooseneck hitch.

Guess I'll hit Craigslist and take a quick look at the goosenecks as I had been excluding them from consideration.

I was looking at the Prodigy Controller.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Please post...Thanks!

Here's a couple pictures.

Weight distribution hitch_"Equalizer-4-point sway control"

Tongue weight---1,200

Max weight----12,000

It has 2 solid 1-1/2 tubes.

 

[LBrown59]

The Toyota pickup you have is exactly the one I was very tempted to get..but bought a used diesel 97 ford F 350 instead.
I simply needed more pulling power than the Toyota could provide

I need to haul up to 4000 pounds of loose material at a time so my vote goes for a 1 ton over a 1/2 ton so I'm looking at payload more than tow rating.

Get enough pay load and tow rating will take care of it's self.

 

[FenderBender711]

Take a look at the cost of renting a trailer and stack that against the cost of hiring a wrecker service with a rollback. I've had several tractors hauled that way. The cost was reasonable and they take ALL the risk.

Getting a quote now...I'm still getting a trailer, but decided I may need the tractor before I am adequately prepared to get it myself...Also, 325 mile trip for a first timer is a little intimidating.

 

[texasjohn]

OK... FenderBender... here are some threads that are relative to your dilemma

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/132165-gooseneck-hitch.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/123067-bumper-pull-vs-gooseneck-help.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/117999-its-go-time-my-trailer-2.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...17854-need-bigtime-help-trailer-decision.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/117383-if-you-could-only-own-2.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/.../89595-gooseneck-5th-wheel-bumper-pull-2.html

Now didn't reading all those threads (you DID read them, didn't you?) ask every question and give every answer possible??? That is the combined wisdom of TBN... It doesn't get any better

hmm... seems that a few others have had the same questions... and the answers won't change... only you can understand your situation, needs, $$ situation, what is available in your area, etc..... and make your decision.

good luck on your studies!!

Hint... ask your benefactor why he has a gooseneck.... and his opinion of the SAFETY/FORGIVENESS factor between a gooseneck and a bumper pull... am sure he's used both and has an opinion. I would be stunned if he believes the safety of a bumper hitch is equal to that of a gooseneck trailer under emergency/problem conditions.

 

[FenderBender711]

A final update to this post. I "just" got my tractor delivered this past weekend...I really did not need it until a month or so ago so no big deal on the wait. With that said, I went with hiring out the job. I used a guy by the name of Ben Cleveland and he did a great job all the way around. Best money I spent in a long time.

I realized after searching for a decent trailer that unless you are prepared to spend about 75% of what a new one costs, you are going to find all the rest have some kind of issue that is a deal killer. I did not want to shell out that kind of money for a limited use piece of equipment.

Anyway, Ben got the tractor and 4 implements on his 30' gooseneck. I would have had to make two trips with anything I would have bought. Two trips 340 or so miles (one way), the time and trouble, etc...It proved to me I absolutely made the right decision. In addition, I did not take into consideration the amount of time and work it was to load and unload. I may still get a trailer one day, but if I do, at least I will not have to start out hauling a huge load at highway speeds.

Thanks for all of the advice. It was truly helpful.