Unsafe towing... Heavy tractor on broken "7k" landscape trailer

radioman · Oct 3, 2011

You DIDNT report him?!

:confused3:

He is ILLEGAL in MANY ways. I am willing to bet he is WAY overloaded. The safety chains. doesnt really look safe. no brake hook up?! I'd ask him for the inspection sticker of trailer as there is inspection for trailers NYS. I dont even think his brakes even worked on trailer if they were hooked up due to look of it. His truck brakes has got to be toast by now.

RobertN · Oct 3, 2011

I have had my much nicer/heavier built 7k trailer loaded to max. It worked fine, but I could tell it was really loaded. I would not want to run it past it's max based on those previous experience.

Interestingly, the thing I noted the most when it was fully loaded, was the tires. They are "C" rated, and match up fine for the GVWR of the trailer, axles ect. They just feel mushy and squirmy, even with a balanced load and correct inflation.

Next set of tires will be rated higher, even though I have no plan to overload it. Would just like to have stiffer sidewalls...

aczlan said:
A good 7k trailer would be fine, but this trailer is built lighter than our 3k Kauffman.
The tractor is 2700#, at least 1000# in loaded tires (probably more as all 4 are loaded), 700# for the cab, 1000# for the loader, 500# for the bushhog and you are looking at about 6000# on a 7000# trailer.

aczlan · Oct 3, 2011

radioman said:
You DIDNT report him?! :confused3:
He is ILLEGAL in MANY ways. I am willing to bet he is WAY overloaded. The safety chains. doesnt really look safe. no brake hook up?! I'd ask him for the inspection sticker of trailer as there is inspection for trailers NYS. I dont even think his brakes even worked on trailer if they were hooked up due to look of it. His truck brakes has got to be toast by now.

I would have liked to, but I need to find a number to call besides 911. Also, I didn't know his route home and didn't want to follow him.

Aaron Z

slowzuki · Oct 3, 2011

The no brakes and poor tie down alone win it for me as an unsafe load but at least I don't think the weight is as bad as you think. I know the 50 series are well built but my L5030 HSTC has much bigger loaded tires and a cab and bigger loader and only weighs in at 6500 lb.

aczlan said:
A good 7k trailer would be fine, but this trailer is built lighter than our 3k Kauffman.
The tractor is 2700#, at least 1000# in loaded tires (probably more as all 4 are loaded), 700# for the cab, 1000# for the loader, 500# for the bushhog and you are looking at about 6000# on a 7000# trailer.

grsthegreat · Oct 3, 2011

slowzuki said:
The no brakes and poor tie down alone win it for me as an unsafe load but at least I don't think the weight is as bad as you think. I know the 50 series are well built but my L5030 HSTC has much bigger loaded tires and a cab and bigger loader and only weighs in at 6500 lb.

But a 7000# rated trailer that weighs 1500 empty has a useful load of 5,500#. must remember this

Diamondpilot · Oct 3, 2011

RobertN said:
Wow, my 7000lb 16' trailer looks totally different; ie a lot more steel, bigger beams ect. That is one wimpy looking trailer...

Yep, see it all the time around here. I do have to say that has to be the cheapest built 7K trailer I have ever seen. I do not like any trailer that does not have a "Full Wrap Around Tongue" For those of you who are not familiar with that term its where the steel beam that make up the A-Frame which the ball coupler is welded or bolted on to extends all the way back to the first axle area.

That Tongue only extends back 24" at the most to the first cross member.

I would be scared of anything that guy has owned. If he overworks his trailer like that I hope that tractor your dad got off him has not beat all to He!I also.

Chris

RobertN · Oct 3, 2011

My 7k trailer is 1600 empty

grsthegreat said:
But a 7000# rated trailer that weighs 1500 empty has a useful load of 5,500#. must remember this

aczlan · Oct 3, 2011

Diamondpilot said:
I would be scared of anything that guy has owned. If he overworks his trailer like that I hope that tractor your dad got off him has not beat all to He!I also.

It has been worked hard, but most of the issues are cosmetic.

Aaron Z

Soundguy · Oct 3, 2011

Diamondpilot said:
Yep, see it all the time around here. I do have to say that has to be the cheapest built 7K trailer I have ever seen. I do not like any trailer that does not have a "Full Wrap Around Tongue" For those of you who are not familiar with that term its where the steel beam that make up the A-Frame which the ball coupler is welded or bolted on to extends all the way back to the first axle area.

That Tongue only extends back 24" at the most to the first cross member.

I would be scared of anything that guy has owned. If he overworks his trailer like that I hope that tractor your dad got off him has not beat all to He!I also.

Chris

ditto that. I see 3500# landscape trailers here that look sturdier..

is it just my eyes on this lil netbook monitor.. but does that look like 2" angle construction.. and not 3" or the preferred 4" ??

soundguy

powerstroke444e · Oct 3, 2011

schoolsout said:
I miss a lot of sales (commercial trucks) because I spec them out for the customers' needs...meaning I try to sell them the proper truck for their weight. They care not, though. It's all about the $$$

Transport Police doesn't even mess with them, either, and it is kind of disheartening.

I went to local dealer couple years ago he knows what I do and use them for. He works up quote I go to see a few days later and shows me a f650 when I was thinking a f250 or f350 lol. We settled on a f450 but really should have got the bigger truck.

The trailer pic OP posted I see all the time around here. Makes me wonder how he will treat the machine when he gets it home lol