trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward?

   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #11  
My JD manual says facing backwards so the hood won't fly open if the wind catches it. I always have it facing forward because it balances easier that way.
 
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   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #12  
I always put them backwards as i have seen wind rip the doors open many times .My bil hauls for tractor dealerships Exhausts are "ALWAYS" taped over if moving more than a few miles .
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward?
  • Thread Starter
#13  
I prefer that my trailer does the hauling and not the hitch. I try not to load the front heavy.
What's "front heavy"? More than 15% TW (tongue weight)?

I also agree with this. I bought my trailer to haul a load and the truck to pull it. I load to attain a good balance that pulls comfortably.
I'm trying to discuss which way to park the truck on the trailer.

My JD manual says facing backwards so the hood won't fly open if the wind catches it. I always have it facing forward because it balances easier that way.
that is A GOOD POINT! I'll put a strap over the hood.

I always put them backwards as i have seen wind rip the doors open many times .My bil hauls for tractor dealerships Exhausts are "ALWAYS" taped over if moving more than a few miles .
Almost wish I had doors :)

The "poor man's tongue scale" is fairly simple to assemble.
faq118_dd.jpg


What I've done is use it a couple of times to get an idea of the change in truck butt height per 450 lbs of tongue weight.

My son and I stand on the tongue (adding 450 lbs) w/ a yardstick by the bumper.
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #14  
It doesn't matter to me as long as the tongue weight is right. I see a lot of cases where it's obviously way off (and many pictures here on the forum of first time owners bringing home a used tractor where it's real obvious the tongue weight is wrong). I'd rather have part of the tractor hanging off the back, or part dangling over the front of the trailer if that's what it takes to get tongue weight right.

You can buy a tongue weight scale, or rig up a method with a bathroom scale, some bricks, and a board (setup as a lever to limit what the scale reads to it's range). I've never done that myself, but wondered. What I did early on was to eyeball the suspension drop with my empty trailer, and then let it drop a little more with the tractor on (knowing the weights of both situations and aiming for 10% or so). Springs do compress linearly, so it's possible you could calibrate a method based on drop alone, if you have the time.

At a bare minimum, you should see more drop on the loaded trailer than the empty trailer. That's a basic sanity check. Common sense, but I see loaded trailers with too little or negative tongue weight all the time, so obviously folks don't check that.

I noticed when trailering my B2920 nearly every weekend for 1.5 years that it sure started harder after the 20 minute ride to our new property in cold weather, even if it had just started fine during loading up earlier. I assume the cold air blowing over the battery and engine had some effect. I have not trailered my newer L3200 enough in cold weather to notice if it behaves the same way.


here's a thread where the tractor was hauled incorrectly. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...intage/288388-massey-65-field-find-going.html page 3
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #15  
Hmmmmmm,,, I read all the way thru that thread and never saw anything that would indicate the ball came unhooked because of which way the tractor was driven onto the trailer. A lot of discussion about proper binding, which again, had nothing to do with the trailer coming unhooked. Seems everyone missed the biggest safety issue of all. Properly securing the ball hitch. My question would be, what size ball was on the vehicle and what size hitch was on the trailer.. Maybe,,,,, 2" ball in a 2 5/16" hitch?? Lastly OP was fortunate the rental company hitched him up.
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #16  
I wonder how much of an impact that is?? I see new tractors and construction equipment going down the hiway on trailers all the time with exhaust facing forward and no cover. The last two graders my township has bought were delivered hauled backward with the exhaust facing forward and no cover. Beats me?? :)

Ya know they probably have some kind of protection for such an issue these days....but I figure why risk it? Just me. I like my turbo!
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #17  
Ya know they probably have some kind of protection for such an issue these days....but I figure why risk it? Just me. I like my turbo!

Yeah I understand.


The issue is spinning the turbo at high speed with no oil pressure to lube the bearings. I wonder how fast it could possibly turn and with absolutely no load how long it would have to spin at high speed to take out the bearings?? I can't say I've ever heard it confirmed that a turbo was destroyed hauling with an open pipe.
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #18  
safely backward when loading less chance of backward roll over
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #19  
safely backward when loading less chance of backward roll over
If loading on a trailer high enough to cause backward roll over if driving on, how do you see the trailer to back on when standing on your nose??
 
   / trailering with the Tractor facing forward or backward? #20  
Yeah I understand.


The issue is spinning the turbo at high speed with no oil pressure to lube the bearings. I wonder how fast it could possibly turn and with absolutely no load how long it would have to spin at high speed to take out the bearings?? I can't say I've ever heard it confirmed that a turbo was destroyed hauling with an open pipe.
Could the turbo turn? with no flo thru the exhaust?
 

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