trailer size for 790 w/ loader

[foggy1111]

OK...so I have been searching locally for a suitable trailer to haul my tractor around on a very occasional basis. My biggest tow will be to take it 200 miles north to my land....then it will get occasional use for a few miles here and there. I dont want to spend alot of money...and I think I like the "car hauler" version for loading over the side on some other projects.

My towing rig is limited to about 5400 lbs. My tractor (790 with 70 loader and fluid in the tires) weighs about 3500 lbs....and figure another 500 lbs for chains and spare tire and micl stuff.

I currently have a line on a used 16 foot (14+2 beavertail) car trailer (two 3500 lb axels with brakes) that looks pretty good....and its affordable. I figure the weight on this about 1500 lbs (= -).

I gotta "pull the trigger" pretty soon on this used trailer. Does this seem like a good combination given my circumstances?.....or would a longer trailer be better to adjust the load? I DO NOT want to invest in a bigger tow vehicle. Any thoughts?

 

[RobS]

foggy,

I have basically the same tractor plus backhoe. I don't tow it much anymore but have an 18 foot trailer (16 plus 2 dove). 3500 pound axles like you mentioned. It handles the tractor just fine and is great for hauling other stuff as well. The downside to shorter trailers is less room to move the tractor to adjust tongue weight. Without the backhoe, it may not be an issue for you. Make sure you have working trailer brakes. It's not the heaviest load in the world, but I sure can tell it's back there when I do pull it.

 

[kennyd]

My 4110 (very close in size to your 790) with FEL fit's fine on my 16' trailer.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would really look for a trailer that is 16' of flat deck. You will probably have to back it on to hang the loader over the beaver tail to get it back far enough to keep your tongue weight down.

Chris

 

[foggy1111]

Yep...thats my concern....getting the weight distribution right on a shorter trailer. I figured that with the tractor facing the front with the loader down on the deck that the rear tractor tire will be just behind the rear trailer tire...leaving just the beaver tail and maybe 6" or so of the deck open. I'm not sure this will load the tongue right....but it sounds about right to me... Being my tow vehicle is a bit on the light side, I was hoping somebody had the same set-up or close to it.

I appreciate the feedback. I think I'm gonna give it a whirl....trailer is too nice to pass by.

 

[kennyd]

Being my tow vehicle is a bit on the light side, I was hoping somebody had the same set-up or close to it.

What is your tow vehicle?

 

[foggy1111]

GMC Acadia.

 

[Diamondpilot]

What year is your Arcadia? My books show 2007-2008 data as 4500# max.

Chris

 

[foggy1111]

The new ones are rated for higher towing now. I think its rated for 5400 (but may be 5200) lbs. So....I'm right around the limit. I did pull a heavy boat and trailer (est 6000 lbs) with it this fall....and it did pretty well with the load. I am not about to recommend this as an everyday thing...but if a person is reasonable with this load....and the land is flat...it will do the job.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yep, you are correct. I went to GM's site and the 2009 model is 5,200#'s You will be a few pounds over but like you said Minnesota is as flat as my first girl friend so just be sensible and keep a low profile and you should be ok. My biggest concern with a shorter trailer is still getting it to a good balance and not too much tongue weight.

Chris

 

[zr2blz]

I use a 16' flat for my 3320/447 bh. I've upgrade the tires to 225x15 from 205's and re-did the spring mounts to raise the front of front spring and the back of the rear springs 1 1/2" higher ( I didn't think the axles were true ). So, I'm about max as trailer weights 1,600 empty.

Note: the picture was taken 5/18/08 at 8,500' at sons house. They had over 500" snow last year.

 

[foggy1111]

I use a 16' flat for my 3320/447 bh. I've upgrade the tires to 225x15 from 205's and re-did the spring mounts to raise the front of front spring and the back of the rear springs 1 1/2" higher ( I didn't think the axles were true ). So, I'm about max as trailer weights 1,600 empty.

Note: the picture was taken 5/18/08 at 8,500' at sons house. They had over 500" snow last year.

Wow....thats alot of elevation and snow. They live that high?.....what do they do for water, electric? Sounds like highest elevation in America....no?
Thanks for the post.

 

[zr2blz]

haha, they live just east of rabbit ears pass which is east of of Steamboat Springs Co. The snow come from the west most of the time in CO., well it hits there place and stalls / dumps before going over the 'front range'. We live on the front range at 6,200' and only got around 24" last year. This is why ski'ng is so good in CO. The mountains get the snow and Denver / Boulder / Ft. Collins get just a little.

Here's a google map to his place ==>> Google Maps <<== shows an emply lot. I dug his 4' basement, footings for garage, elect trench and septic in Aug 07 with a 2520/200cx/46bh. I broke it somehow and deere could fix it fast enough (hydraulic problem) so I upgraded to 3320 in Dec 07.

Heres where I live ==>> Google Maps

I was raised in Sioux Falls and have 2 brothers and 1 sister living in twins cities area.

Below is the 2520, it broke about this time with only 67 hrs on it. Deere fix it somewhat once but couldn't fix real problem fast enough for me.

 

[kebo]

I have a 16ft trailer that I use to haul my 790 with FEL on and it fits just fine. Below is a picture of it with the 790 loaded. Let me point out that in this picture, there is no attachment on the tractor. If the bushhog is attached to it, then I back the 790 on to the trailer and let the bushog tailwheel hang over the front wall of the trailer. That way, the majority weight of the tractor balances out pretty evenly over the tandem axles. Sometimes I will raise the bucket and let it hang over the loading ramp. It just depends on which implement I have attached to it and how much it weighs

I learned from a very smart man that a good rule of thumb when loading a trailer is to park the rig on flat level ground (if you can) and then measure the height from the trailer tongue to the ground. Load the trailer with whatever, but place the weight to where the tongue height has dropped about 2 inches or so. That will usually put about 200-300 lbs of weight on the rear of the truck which is usually what you want on it.

Keith

 

[foggy1111]

Thanks for the trailer info Kebo. The trailer I am looking to buy has a little different build with a beavertail on the back...but from my measurments I think it will work out good...and I should be able to balance the load...as you suggest.

ON another note: I saw in your equipment list that you have a 4' Lowry Disc Harrow. That's another item on my "to buy" list...a disc.

Can you elaborate a bit on the lowry and how its size works for your 790? How much weight? How many blades? Any pics?

I have been doing some mental gymnastics on fitting a suitable 3 point disc to my 790. I have sandy loam soil...pretty much level ground...and have figured that a 5 1/2' box frame with 16 18" blades would work for me (as in the King Kutter). Some have said yes...others think I'm gonna spin my wheels. Kinda want a box frame disc for adjustability and weight and durability...but don't want to miscue here. I don't object to a smaller disc size....as it would be good to get around the trees and such....but I haven't seen many smaller sized disc's that looked to be any good so far....so...the search continues.

 

[RobS]

Thanks for the trailer info Kebo. The trailer I am looking to buy has a little different build with a beavertail on the back...but from my measurments I think it will work out good...and I should be able to balance the load...as you suggest.

ON another note: I saw in your equipment list that you have a 4' Lowry Disc Harrow. That's another item on my "to buy" list...a disc.

Can you elaborate a bit on the lowry and how its size works for your 790? How much weight? How many blades? Any pics?

I have been doing some mental gymnastics on fitting a suitable 3 point disc to my 790. I have sandy loam soil...pretty much level ground...and have figured that a 5 1/2' box frame with 16 18" blades would work for me (as in the King Kutter). Some have said yes...others think I'm gonna spin my wheels. Kinda want a box frame disc for adjustability and weight and durability...but don't want to miscue here. I don't object to a smaller disc size....as it would be good to get around the trees and such....but I haven't seen many smaller sized disc's that looked to be any good so far....so...the search continues.

One of the first chores I did when I got my 790 was disc our then new property. I borrowed a very old disc from a friend. It was 6 1/5 or 7 feet, looked much too large for the tractor. My soil is quite sandy and flat and it all worked just fine. I'm sure you'll be fine with a 5 1/2 footer.

 

[kebo]

Thanks for the trailer info Kebo. The trailer I am looking to buy has a little different build with a beavertail on the back...but from my measurments I think it will work out good...and I should be able to balance the load...as you suggest.

ON another note: I saw in your equipment list that you have a 4' Lowry Disc Harrow. That's another item on my "to buy" list...a disc.

Can you elaborate a bit on the lowry and how its size works for your 790? How much weight? How many blades? Any pics?

I have been doing some mental gymnastics on fitting a suitable 3 point disc to my 790. I have sandy loam soil...pretty much level ground...and have figured that a 5 1/2' box frame with 16 18" blades would work for me (as in the King Kutter). Some have said yes...others think I'm gonna spin my wheels. Kinda want a box frame disc for adjustability and weight and durability...but don't want to miscue here. I don't object to a smaller disc size....as it would be good to get around the trees and such....but I haven't seen many smaller sized disc's that looked to be any good so far....so...the search continues.

Hey, the Lowery disc I have came with a 2whl drive JD 750 that I bought about 9 years ago. I traded that 4x2 750 for a 4x4 750 that was a bit newer and I kept my disc harrow to use with it since the 750 is rated for 4ft implements. However, my harrow ain't much to look at!! No telling how old it is, it's got a nice custom overcoat of rust. To be honest, I just got the 790 not too long ago and haven't had a chance to use the 4 ft harrow behind it. I use it mainly to disc up food plots at my hunt club usually in the early fall. It worked just fine with both 750's I had, so I have no doubt the 790 will pull it with no trouble at all. Don't know exactly how much it weighed but would guess about 250 lbs. I added a 75lb IH suitcase weight to it to help it dig a bit deeper but really I think it would use more wieght. My harrow only has 12 discs on it, the bolts to adjust the angles are pretty much rusted up, so I haven't tried to change them. It's worked fine so far, but who knows, I may want to move up to a 5 or 5.5 ft harrow later on myself. I feel surethe 790 will handle that size pretty well so I think you might want to seriously consider at least getting a 5ft disc. I will say the Lowery has been one tough disc harrow and I haven't broken or bent anything on it yet!!

 

[foggy1111]

There isn't too much information on sizing discs to tractors on the search I did here on tbn....I think I read everything that pertained. A big problem is there are lots of soil variations and such. My use is going to be mostly for deer food plots and to disc my trails for clover.

Given the information so far....I am going to go to that 5 to 6 foot box frame disc.....and probably the KK if I go for a new one. But I got all winter to search for a good used disc......gonna try to save a little money and find a used one if I can (so I can spend more on the other implements I need. )

And......a 20 foot trailer just showed up locally on Craig s List....I guess I need to check that out before deciding on the other one. There's been so much snow here that I couldn't go after the 16' trailer yet. Decisions....Decisions.

Thanks for the advice....it's sure nice to get some advice from folks with similar situations and equipment.