Trailer loading plan..

[LD1]

Tongue Weight: The Key To Safe Towing

If you’re looking at towing a trailered boat this summer, you are going to need to learn a little bit about your tongue […]

www.legendboats.com

Watch the video in that link.

It's always a good illustration when dealing with tongue weight.

(Don't know how to imbed that video from my phone so if someone wants to. I know that same video has been shared several times on this forum)

 

[ptsg]

It depends on where you are. I towed an old gravity wagon 40 miles at 15 mph with my Subaru and saw about 4 other motorists. No concerns. When I haul my race car from Indiana to Birmingham AL, I use a 1-ton van and a real trailer with real tie downs and secure it for roll over. If your 25 miles includes interstates or highways, I'd find a friend with experience to double check your work. Even posting pictures, we can miss things, like attaching to something that should not be used as an attachment point.

I bet @ptsg never hits 80 mph with that trailer, like some of you will on US interstates.

Definitely not with a loaded trailer. I've done that with an empty trailer but I was on a rush that day.

Typically, speed limit for non toll roads is 55 MPH. Pulling a trailer, it drops to 43 MPH. I typically run between 45 to 60 MPH with a loaded trailer, only because the setup is stable and I feel comfortable with it.

 

[JDAOWNER]

ANY TIM A RUBBER TIRED LOAD IS HAULED, THE STRAPS OR CHAINS SHOULD BE AS CLOSE TO HORIZONTAL AS POSSIBLE. OVER THE FRONT AXIL AND OVER THE DRAW BAR.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I'd just get another bush hog and leave it permanently on the remote place. Not much chance it would disappear chained up to a stout tree with the drive line detached. Another thought: what size bush hog do you have? Why not load it in the back of the truck (presumably a pick-up) you're towing with?

 

[crashz]

I'll get a picture this weekend as I have a mowing job, but I have the same size tractor, a 5ft brush cutter and a 18ft trailer (16+2). I leave the cutter attached to the tractor and drive on the trailer, curling the loader bucket so that the cutting edge is pointed directly down. The bucket is placed on the deck and I have just enough room to fold up my ramps. The tailwheel sticks out about 12 inches, but that is the same as the legs of the ramps.

I bind the tractor with four 3/8" chains and binders to the front bracket (2) and draw bar in the rear (2). I use one 2" cross strap on the cutter and one on the loader bucket.

I think another poster suggested this, but swap the box blade with the cutter. You should be able to tuck that right in and strap everything down. I have plenty of tongue weight. Never measured, but it makes my F450 dump truck level out and tows nice. I don't have a box blade or grapple, but my trailer is a bit heavier (10k).

 

[Henniker]

Not a very technical thing , but what I do to try to make sure that the trailer weight is distributed relatively accurately, before I load anything, I hang a strap from the from hitch so that it’s just touching the ground.

After i load stuff on, I check the strap to make sure that it’s as close as possible to the same pre-loaded length (just touching the ground).

I don't own a trailer, but this seems like a good "down and dirty" trick to check trailer balance.

 

[Rowalker]

Hey folks—
I’m finally going to me moving the equipment on a regular basis…
New property is 25-30 miles down the road so I’ve bought a nice 16+2 trailer.
6k load rating for my L3400, did the math and it should be less than 5k with that I plan to move regularly..

But I do have a few thoughts I want to ask questions about…

The plan is to put the bushhog on the front 5 ft of the trailer- then raise the loader up, drive the tractor forward until the front tires hit the bushhog… and then lower the loader on some kind of wood base that will allow it to rest on top of the bushhog with a beam wider than the bushhog.

Does anyone do this?
I’ve vaguely remember seeing some setups like this on the road.. but now that I’m doing it I can’t seem to find those examples….


Thanks
Jim

You say 16+2. is it a 18ft Trailer. If it is 16' ,you are overloaded, if it is 18' you are probably ok

 

[JWR]

Not a very technical thing , but what I do to try to make sure that the trailer weight is distributed relatively accurately, before I load anything, I hang a strap from the from hitch so that it’s just touching the ground.

After i load stuff on, I check the strap to make sure that it’s as close as possible to the same pre-loaded length (just touching the ground).

Oh Dear ! That is bad advice. With all due respect, that is NOT the right thing to do. Yes, that ensures your weight is distributed evenly (not a valid goal for any reason I know of) and guarantees you lack enough tongue weight (which is an absolute requirement to avoid instability and fishtailing.) There are all sorts of rules of thumb (such and such % of the load weight being the tongue weight, etc.) but your hitch should be CLOSER the ground when properly loaded than it was empty. That is a direct measure of tongue weight which is essential.

 

[JWR]

I don't own a trailer, but this seems like a good "down and dirty" trick to check trailer balance.

No, it is a good way to prove you DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TONGUE WEIGHT !!

 

[seville009]

Oh Dear ! That is bad advice. With all due respect, that is NOT the right thing to do. Yes, that ensures your weight is distributed evenly (not a valid goal for any reason I know of) and guarantees you lack enough tongue weight (which is an absolute requirement to avoid instability and fishtailing.) There are all sorts of rules of thumb (such and such % of the load weight being the tongue weight, etc.) but your hitch should be CLOSER the ground when properly loaded than it was empty. That is a direct measure of tongue weight which is essential.

You did not read my follow up post