Trailering.....

[stormpetrel]

I've never pulled a trailer with a tractor on it. Will I need chains? Truck tie-down straps? I need to hear from those who know how to do it......I'll be towing from Virginia to Rhode Island. Carrying a 2210D w/loader & 5' bush hog. On an eighteen foot 5 ton trailer. Thanks in advance for your help.....

 

[careyo63]

You need Chains better safe than sorry I hope the Trailer has Brakes your pushing your limit on wieght the trailer is rated for. Guessing real quick 5M trailer minus it's weight good guess 800lbs.down to 4200lbs. tracktor 2500lbs. down to 1700lbs weight of the loader? Will say 1000lbs.down to 700Lbs. With any Implement or other weight your maxed. This is just guessing at the weights so if pos. get a bigger trailer or higher load rating. Mine in the avatar is a Dove Tail 20' 7000 Lbs. dual axle brakes

Carey

 

[careyo63]

Just seen the 10M Lbs Trailer.If that is true your not even going to come close. Just make sure of the Rating.Sorry about that :ashamed: On the Ph. also I'm doing good just to Reply much less Multi task. Still though gives you a good Idea.

Carey

 

[clemsonfor]

Yep get chains or straps, i got the 10000lb straps from loes to not scuf the tractor. I use one throught the tires pulling rearward and one on the middle of the tractor pulling foward or the bumper pulling foward. Id want brakes to, that said i dont have breaks on my 16 ft. I have pulled my diskharrow tractor and bushog before all on my 7000lb trailer. and also the same except for my field cultivator instead of the harrow.

One day i will add brakes.

I think you should be fine on the trip though just use straps and look at them in your mirrors and stop every hour or so once your on the road and check to make sure there not getting loose as the tractor bounces. You should check straps after about the first 10 mins on the road as well as the tractor will situate itself and need retighting most of the time.

 

[jgrreed]

You need chains and boomers. Two holding it back, and two holding it forward. Likely cost you~ 150$ in chain, hooks, boomers, and a 'persuader' to close the boomers. There is a real trucker name for the persuader, but I can never remember the name.

If you're not familiar with tensioning the chains with the boomers, ask a friend and be sure you pull it tight. Your tractor tires should squish a wee bit when you crank it down.

I'd say that unless you're pulling it with a Kenworth, you'd better have functioning trailer brakes.

I'm sure a peeing match will soon start over "chains vs. straps". Don't be distracted by this.....buy chains, today.

Be safe.

-Jer.

 

[stormpetrel]

Good info, thanks. Chains VS straps......? I have some serious heavy-duty ratcheting tie-down straps. Three or four of these wouldn't work? I had planned on chocking the wheels as well. What do people think about that? The trailer has brakes on both axles

 

[JimRB]

I have used straps and really frayed them doing a short trip of 20 miles. If you think an edge could cut or fray it will. I couldn't remember where my chains were that day.

I am a big fan of brakes on the trailer powerful enough to stop the trailer and then some. And now my trailer sits useless because my tires are too old to trust. But I have no where to go.

 

[whistlepig]

Good info, thanks. Chains VS straps......? I have some serious heavy-duty ratcheting tie-down straps. Three or four of these wouldn't work? I had planned on chocking the wheels as well. What do people think about that? The trailer has brakes on both axles

I use chains. Straps have some elasticity to them. Elasticity equals tractor bouncing. Tractor bouncing equals the straps working loose. For me anyway. Again, there is going to be many others saying straps are better. Chocking the front wheels is a good idea. I always push the loader up against the front rail and lock the brakes. Chocking for rearward movement isn't as important as having a good solid stop in front of the tractor. Emergency stopping is the most dangerous part of trailering. You want things to stay put back there. You will have enough to worry about dealing with what's in front of you.

 

[Duffster]

Good info, thanks. Chains VS straps......? I have some serious heavy-duty ratcheting tie-down straps. Three or four of these wouldn't work? I had planned on chocking the wheels as well. What do people think about that? The trailer has brakes on both axles

Yes the straps will work, just pay attention to how you use them. Many on here think they a chaining down a D8.

 

[LBrown59]

You need chains and boomers. Two holding it back, and two holding it forward. Likely cost you~ 150$ in chain, hooks, boomers, and a 'persuader' to close the boomers. There is a real trucker name for the persuader, but I can never remember the name.

If you're not familiar with tensioning the chains with the boomers, ask a friend and be sure you pull it tight. Your tractor tires should squish a wee bit when you crank it down.

I'd say that unless you're pulling it with a Kenworth, you'd better have functioning trailer brakes.

I'm sure a peeing match will soon start over "chains vs. straps". Don't be distracted by this.....buy chains, today.

Be safe.

-Jer.

Also will his tow vehicle handle and stop the trailer ?

 

[whistlepig]

Also will his tow vehicle handle and stop the trailer ?

Good question. Before going long haul he should take the truck, trailer, tractor, and his new hookup for trial run out in the country. Hit the brakes real hard. Drive a while and make sure things stay tight. Take some time and get comfortable with the set up. Making emergency adjustments in rush hour traffic many miles from nowhere wouldn't be much fun.

 

[grnspot110]

I have used straps and really frayed them doing a short trip of 20 miles. If you think an edge could cut or fray it will. I couldn't remember where my chains were that day.

I am a big fan of brakes on the trailer powerful enough to stop the trailer and then some. And now my trailer sits useless because my tires are too old to trust. But I have no where to go.

Old fire hose makes excellent chafing pads, check with your local Fire Dept. to see if they have any to throw away! Before I retired, I saved a 50' section each of old 1-1/2" & 3" hose (w/o couplers), comes in handy! Just split a piece of the hose & put it over the strap where you need it.

I use 10,000# straps on my 790 w/loader (around 3000#), much heavier I would use chains. At least 3/8" grade 70! From years of hauling farm machinery, both mine & for a dealer. Never lost anything bigger than a 1206! ~~ grnspot110

 

[sacsr]

As a newbie in this deal I will throw in my 2 cents. Buy the chains....last longer and can be used for other projects (I keep my tractor down on my property chained up to a tree...keeps honest people honest..at least the thieves will have to work at it).......you are tying down the tractor to protect yourself and others....a lose projectile going down the street can not be good for anyone involved. I put my tractor's weight toward the back of the trailer more centered on the dual tires rather than all the way up front....I don't want too much weight on the back of my vehicle. The first few times you pull the load will be a little unnerving.....I have pulled alot of small trailers...but not with that much weight pushing you forward.....trailer brakes are imperative.....mine were not working one day and I had to come to a quick stop....that tractor and trailer pushing me along was not a good thing....fortunate for me everything worked out but it was close...... I always check my trailer brakes before leaving now.
I bought my ratchets from Northern tools on sale....chains were from harbor freight...probably an over kill for my little tractor...but I think it will still be on the trailer if I am in accident which is important to me.....I will visit my local fire department soon to see if I can pick up some old pieces of hoses....I don't like the chains against my paint.

Go to the transportation and trailering section of this site...search and you can find out how most tie their tractors down.....I would rather be safe than sorry. Good luck on the new tractor. You will be amazed with what you can do with one!

scott

 

[Pete Judd]

I carry 2 10 foot chains, and 2 16 foot chains to carry my 186d on my 16 foot trailer. the troopers here say that you must cross the chains to be legal. I bought my binders at harbor freight for around 20 bucks apiece X 4 and I carry a 4 foot chunk of pipe to pull everything together. Make shure that you load the weight forward or you will be going down the road with the tail waging the dog.

 

[whodat526]

i always use straps unless have to much equipment on trailer and have to use my chains because if u put the loader and bushog down flat and the trailer a chain can and binder can be to tight to close the binder are bind something are move it one link down the chain and to loose and just scratches everything up i have never lost anything so for using straps and i have hauled up to 150hp tractors it is just in how u strap the tractor i would but a strap every six to eight feet on everything i haul

 

[jgrreed]

Absolutely on ensuring your trailer and truck are working well. Go for a cruise and practice a bit - slowing down, how much time you need to get up to speed when you cross or enter a busy highway. Practice backing up, and turning wide to avoid gate corner posts and pedestrians on the corner. Know how to engage the trailer brakes on their own if the trailer tries to get ahead of you.

The guy that hauled my tractor from AB to SK for me (on a semi) used some straps on top of the chains... big, expensive looking straps. He used pieces of carpet at rub-stops when the strap crossed anything metal. They were ratcheted down with the ratchet mechanism on the side of the trailer, not a hand ratchet.

Go slow, be careful, leave lots of space, check your mirrors obsessively (several times a minute), and don't forget its back there!! Not kidding about that one, if you balance your trailer right sometimes it'll feel like it's not even there.

-Jer.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I towed my l2800 up the alcan last year(35 ft boat trailer made into a flat bed for the trip. Chains front and rear and a couple of straps in the middle for good measure. Had to keep retitening the straps they really stretched not sure if it was the 30 below or what. Probably would just do it with chains next time. Had one racheting chain binder the other standard the ratcheting one was great. Also put as much weight in the truck as you can really gave me extra control on the ice and snow. Only had to chain up the truck a couple of times. Only takes a minute to screw in blocking front and rear and it gives a lot more security.
Good Luck
Rick

 

[California]

the troopers here say that you must cross the chains to be legal.

That's an important point, and one not sufficiently emphasized to amateurs (like me). You want to create a side tension using the chains, not a straight down force that could pull the tractor through the floor boards. So you should hook each chain to the far side of the tractor, relative to where the chain meets the trailer.

Seems to me if you don't have enough binders you can chain the back corners of the tractor first then pull some tension with two binders at the front. I've done this but I'm no pro. Comments?

 

[jgrreed]

That's an important point, and one not sufficiently emphasized to amateurs (like me). You want to create a side tension using the chains, not a straight down force that could pull the tractor through the floor boards. So you should hook each chain to the far side of the tractor, relative to where the chain meets the trailer.

That's a good point, I don't do that. Maybe I should...

-Jer.

 

[chopped]

hope you get off to a better start than these guys.
YouTube - trailer troubles in the ghetto.wmv
I do see they use a blancket in the end for safety.:thumbsup: