Trailer size recommendations

[Blank01]

I'm a new member here, I've read many threads and just recently purchased my 2003 Kubota l4630 (mainly for my 175 acre hunting property). Anyhow, I plan on trailering an hour from my house to the property and am in the market for a sufficient trailer. I am having a hard time finding the operating weight with the loader, in order to determine the appropriate trailer. I really don't want to buy too much trailer, as I'll use the trailer much more for uses other than trailering the tractor. I called the local dealer, who wasn't much help and never called me back.

I'm thinking I can get away with an 82"x18' with tandem 3,500 axles (that appears to be what some local dealers include in their tractor packages with similar tractors). Any insight or recommendations are appreciated. I hope I've posted this in the correct section. Thank you

 

[nybirdman]

I have owned a L3130 and currently a L4240 HSTC Kubotas.Your L4630? is closest to the L4240.
I have loaded R1 tires,FEL and approximately weights 7,000 lbs,with bush-hog attached(another 600#) around 23' long.
You will need a trailer rated for at least 10,000lbs(with E-brakes).Remember you have to deduct the weight of the trailer.
We have a 7,000lb.trailer and no way would I use it for my L4240.

 

[audsp98]

TractorData.com Kubota L463 tractor information

This has some good info on your tractor. It doesn't say how much the loader weighs but I'd guess 1000-1500 lbs at most.

 

[audsp98]

I concur with nybirdman, you should be looking at a 10-14k lb trailer that is 20' at a minimum.

 

[bigtiller]

A 7000 lb trailer is borderline. A 10,000 lb trailer would be much safer on an hour long trip.

 

[powerscol]

This is the trailer I have it in the 20' GN configuration and the 3' dovetail. I also got the extra wide ramps
PJ Trailers | 8" I-Beam Deckover (F8)
PJ Trailers Heavy Duty Ramps

It handles my tractor with attachments and doubles as a hay trailer. The wide movable ramps have come in handy when loading odd ball equipment or other tractors.
TractorData.com has your base unit weight as 3815. If you fill your rear tires (recommended) and have the front loader I would guess your closer to 5000 or more. Then add a good tiller or backhoe and you will need the 14.000 GVW trailer. Don't limit yourself to what you can do.

You also might ask this question in the Trailers and Transportation forum

Hope this helps

 

[Blank01]

Perfect, thanks guys. I had looked at the tractor data page, but couldn't tell if the tractor without the loader was 3,400 or 3,800 (I think the 3,800 is with a cab)...the dealer thought the same thing. I think it's smart to be safe, but am somewhat budget conscious. May go middle of the road and get the dual 5k lb with brakes on all wheels.

I've gone round and round about fluid or no fluid in tires, and have decided at the moment to not put fluid in the tires (my wife's uncle is a big time farmer - 6k+ acres) and says he hasn't run fluid in tires in decades...due to the mess if they need to be repaired/replaced and he thinks it's no longer needed on the newer tractors.

 

[fried1765]

I'm a new member here, I've read many threads and just recently purchased my 2003 Kubota l4630 (mainly for my 175 acre hunting property). Anyhow, I plan on trailering an hour from my house to the property and am in the market for a sufficient trailer. I am having a hard time finding the operating weight with the loader, in order to determine the appropriate trailer. I really don't want to buy too much trailer, as I'll use the trailer much more for uses other than trailering the tractor. I called the local dealer, who wasn't much help and never called me back.

I'm thinking I can get away with an 82"x18' with tandem 3,500 axles (that appears to be what some local dealers include in their tractor packages with similar tractors). Any insight or recommendations are appreciated. I hope I've posted this in the correct section. Thank you

It would be barely sufficient to get a trailer with 2 - 5200 lb. axles, but for the slight price difference, I would recommend 2 - 6000 lb. axles.
Brakes on ALL axles!!
Absolutely NO 3500 lb. axles.
20' length would be better than 18', to better accommodate implements.

I have a 14K x 20' trailer, and I wish it were 22'+

 

[nybirdman]

Perfect, thanks guys. I had looked at the tractor data page, but couldn't tell if the tractor without the loader was 3,400 or 3,800 (I think the 3,800 is with a cab)...the dealer thought the same thing. I think it's smart to be safe, but am somewhat budget conscious. May go middle of the road and get the dual 5k lb with brakes on all wheels.

I've gone round and round about fluid or no fluid in tires, and have decided at the moment to not put fluid in the tires (my wife's uncle is a big time farmer - 6k+ acres) and says he hasn't run fluid in tires in decades...due to the mess if they need to be repaired/replaced and he thinks it's no longer needed on the newer tractors.

Big time farmers have a lot bigger tractors than yours.With-out ballast(filled tires or a weight box) you will be over-stressing your front axel and tires.Kubotas are light in the rear and have strong loaders.

 

[John_Mc]

Big time farmers have a lot bigger tractors than yours.With-out ballast(filled tires or a weight box) you will be over-stressing your front axel and tires.Kubotas are light in the rear and have strong loaders.

Filled tires do nothing to relieve strain on the front axle. You need weight hanging off the back for that.

 

[skipmarcy]

Filled tires do nothing to relieve strain on the front axle. You need weight hanging off the back for that.

The filled tires DO add weight to better keep the rear tires on the ground. If those rear tires come off the ground, all of the weight of the tractor is on the front 2 tires (axle). Weight on the 3 pt is just more efficient with the leverage being out back.

 

[MossRoad]

Big time farmers have a lot bigger tractors than yours.With-out ballast(filled tires or a weight box) you will be over-stressing your front axel and tires.Kubotas are light in the rear and have strong loaders.

Filled tires do nothing to relieve strain on the front axle. You need weight hanging off the back for that.

The filled tires DO add weight to better keep the rear tires on the ground. If those rear tires come off the ground, all of the weight of the tractor is on the front 2 tires (axle). Weight on the 3 pt is just more efficient with the leverage being out back.

The way you worded it in the first post was "filled tires OR a weight box". If you think about your scenario, lets say you put the FEL under an imovable object and lift the rears off the ground. Now, as you suggest, we add 1000# weight to the rear of the tractor, tire ballast or ballast box, doesn't matter, and try and lift it again. The front axle now has to take not only the original weight of the tractor, but the additional weight and leverage of the 1000#. It's stressing the front axle more than if you'd have left it stock.

 

[4570Man]

I think the rear tires should be loaded unless there's a good reason not to, but it's not saving the front axle at least in the form of weight reduction.

 

[AxleHub]

The way you worded it in the first post was "filled tires OR a weight box". If you think about your scenario, lets say you put the FEL under an imovable object and lift the rears off the ground. Now, as you suggest, we add 1000# weight to the rear of the tractor, tire ballast or ballast box, doesn't matter, and try and lift it again. The front axle now has to take not only the original weight of the tractor, but the additional weight and leverage of the 1000#. It's stressing the front axle more than if you'd have left it stock.

Greetings MossRoad,

Your reasoning is not logical because operating a tractor running off of only the front axle is not operating a tractor. If your back wheels are off the ground, you either are setting without motion forward or backward. . . or you are in a state of impending accident.

 

[4570Man]

Adding fluid to the back tires does absolutely nothing to reduce the front axel weight. Unless you never lift more than about 1/3 of the loader capacity than the fluid increases the front axle weight.

 

[oosik]

Well - bat guano. I buzzed around the internet, looked at all my various OP manuals and finally came up with an "estimated" weight for my new 2009 M6040. I estimated a weight of 8850#. My M6040 has Rimguard filled rear tires(add 1550 pounds) - Land Pride SGC1560 grapple @ 820# - Rhino 950 rear blade @ 1050#.

I took the plunge - drove into Cheney and across the ADM(Archer Daniels Midland) semi-truck grain scales. My M6040 weighed out at 10,100 pounds. That's 1250 pounds heavier than my estimate. I have two choices for getting an accurate weight - the grain scales in Cheney or the Highway Dept scales off I-90, about 15 to 18 miles away.

Once is sufficient on my tractor weight. I can manipulate the weight by adding/deleting any and all implements I own.

In any case - the bare tractor with nothing on the FEL or 3-point weighs - - 8230 pounds.

I would suggest - - look for a commercial weigh station close to your home and put your tractor across those scales to get an accurate weight - to start with. FWIW - my getting weighed at the grain scales cost nothing. I did not get an "official" stamped document - they simply turn the digital readout head so I can see it. Pretty neat. I did check with ADM before driving the tractor in to Cheney - it is twelve miles one way and I didn't want to find that I would be refused AFTER I got in to town.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Well - bat guano. I buzzed around the internet, looked at all my various OP manuals and finally came up with an "estimated" weight for my new 2009 M6040. I estimated a weight of 8850#. My M6040 has Rimguard filled rear tires(add 1550 pounds) - Land Pride SGC1560 grapple @ 820# - Rhino 950 rear blade @ 1050#.

I took the plunge - drove into Cheney and across the ADM(Archer Daniels Midland) semi-truck grain scales. My M6040 weighed out at 10,100 pounds. That's 1250 pounds heavier than my estimate. I have two choices for getting an accurate weight - the grain scales in Cheney or the Highway Dept scales off I-90, about 15 to 18 miles away.

Once is sufficient on my tractor weight. I can manipulate the weight by adding/deleting any and all implements I own.

In any case - the bare tractor with nothing on the FEL or 3-point weighs - - 8230 pounds.

I would suggest - - look for a commercial weigh station close to your home and put your tractor across those scales to get an accurate weight - to start with. FWIW - my getting weighed at the grain scales cost nothing. I did not get an "official" stamped document - they simply turn the digital readout head so I can see it. Pretty neat. I did check with ADM before driving the tractor in to Cheney - it is twelve miles one way and I didn't want to find that I would be refused AFTER I got in to town.

I would agree with this.

I had "estimated" my tractor weight with filled tires, FEL and attachment on, then I actually went and weighed it on a CAT scale, to my surprise, like oosik, I was off on my "estimate" by quite a bit.

My "guess" was "around 6K". My real scaled weight was 7100 lbs. So much for guessing.

 

[MossRoad]

Greetings MossRoad,

Your reasoning is not logical because operating a tractor running off of only the front axle is not operating a tractor. If your back wheels are off the ground, you either are setting without motion forward or backward. . . or you are in a state of impending accident.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[fried1765]

I would agree with this.

I had "estimated" my tractor weight with filled tires, FEL and attachment on, then I actually went and weighed it on a CAT scale, to my surprise, like oosik, I was off on my "estimate" by quite a bit.

My "guess" was "around 6K". My real scaled weight was 7100 lbs. So much for guessing.

Same goes for all those folks here on TBN who guess their loaded trailer, and tongue weights.
Weight guessing is almost always ...way wrong!

 

[powerscol]

Getting back on topic
The OP needs to have enough trailer length to be able to get his tractor load over the trailer axles, and probably slightly forward of that point to correctly distribute the load over the rig. Too far back and he will have handling problems big time. Do some measuring and determine how you can load to carry the tractor correctly. Remember if you go with a less robust trailer the chances of something getting over stressed go up.