Trailer north or south

[Rara Avis]

A plain tractor is one thing but if you have an implement like a brush mower attached then you may be forced to put your heavy tractor way to the rear of the trailer which will lighten the tongue of the trailer and make it sway. You always want the heavy end on the tongue if there must be a heavy end.

That is a given...but you don't really want to exceed the 10% of Gross on the tongue...

Manufacturers consider the loaded weight of a trailer when specifying tongue weight葉he amount of the trailer痴 weight that presses down on the trailer hitch. Too little tongue weight can cause the trailer to sway. Too much tongue weight can cause many problems, including not enough weight on the front wheels of the tow vehicle. When this occurs, the tow vehicle will be less responsive to steering. A weight-distributing hitch can remedy this problem by transferring weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle.

 

[bdeboer]

IMHO, it depends on the location of the axles of your trailer, and what tongue weight your tow vehicle can safely handle. My trailer has the axles located towards the rear, and is much more balanced with the tractor facing the rear and the attachment(s) towards the tongue. I back the tractor up until I start to feel the weight shift from the rear of the trailer to the front. This where I set the brake and chain it down.

 

[madpogue]

Wha'bout just taking the canopy off for the duration?

Generally, I'd load it based on the weight distribution, location/number of axles on the trailer, tow vehicle tongue capacity, etc., as discussed, and disregard the canopy. If the other factors add up to loading it backward, fine. If they mean you load it forward, remove the canopy.

 

[rback33]

Wha'bout just taking the canopy off for the duration?

Generally, I'd load it based on the weight distribution, location/number of axles on the trailer, tow vehicle tongue capacity, etc., as discussed, and disregard the canopy. If the other factors add up to loading it backward, fine. If they mean you load it forward, remove the canopy.

I agree with this, but only say that you could put a strap on the front of the canopy to hold it in place when trailering forward so that you did not have to remove it.

 

[SnowRidge]

You can generally find a way to load it in the direction you want, while maintaining safe balance.

 

[john_bud]

SnowRidge,

Did you scale that load in that configuration? It looks like it is not well balanced with too much tongue weight and probably too much weight on the front trailer axle. (It's real hard to tell from looking, super hard to tell from a pictue - so don't take it the wrong way. The only way to KNOW is to run across a scale)

 

[SnowRidge]

SnowRidge,

Did you scale that load in that configuration? It looks like it is not well balanced with too much tongue weight and probably too much weight on the front trailer axle. (It's real hard to tell from looking, super hard to tell from a pictue - so don't take it the wrong way. The only way to KNOW is to run across a scale)

ROFL. No, I did not scale it. No scales between here and where the picture was taken. Precious little straight or flat road, either.

The truck is rated to pull 12,000 pounds. The trailer, tractor, and implements total around 7,500 pounds. The trailer axles are rated at 5,200 pounds a piece, and the truck sits nice and level with that load. In the photo, the front end of the truck is starting up an incline, which may make the back appeared to be squatting.

It tows beautifully. And yes, I do know what an imbalanced load feels like.

 

[john_bud]

Ahhh, that explains it! Truck sitting up high in the front will make the tongue sit lower. Like I said, real hard to tell from a picture!

Funny, but my impression from the picture was of a larger heavier tractor. My Kubota L3410 looks about the same on it's trailer and with the Woods BB600 cutter, filled R4's, tire chaines, FEL, full of fluids the load is 9350# including the 2500# 18' tag trailer.


I like the way you have it chained down. Then again, I also use the ratcheting binders. They are nice and easy to adjust tighter after a short time on the road. Have you ever gotten any "guff" from the men in blue about the cutter? Around here some would jump on you where others wouldn't even take a second glance.

 

[SnowRidge]

No, this is Tennessee.

The law is pretty reasonable. I have never seen anyone around here who is hauling farm equipment stopped. Not saying it doesn't ever happen, but I have never seen it.

The 7,500 lbs is an estimate. My tires aren't loaded, the trailer weighs 2,400 lbs. The cutter doesn't weigh as much as a Woods, I'm sure. I could be off a little. No more than 500 lbs, though. Still well within ratings. It is a 10K trailer.

 

[garth466]

I trailered it on my own trailer the other day but the 3' sides were still on it. I brought it back to the dealer for a few things and to pick up my box blade. Because of the sides a wasn't able to get the tractor far enough in the front of the trailer. I worked, but I wouldn't want to go very far with such a light tongue.

I think with the sides off, it will work out beautiful. I have a huge empty space between my truck and the front bar of the trailer. I should be able to back the tractor up to the front top bar and hang whatever implement I have in that empty space. Really, I think I'll need more than 16' if I'm going to move this thing much.

The canopy manufacturer apparently says to tow backwards. One of the older salesman said he's been towing his forward for more years than I've been alive without a problem. It was his opinion that (makes sense) the recommendation to tow it backwards is for the idiots that need to go 80 mph while towing (whoops, that's my Dad).