OP
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
Excellent suggestion. Thanks. I'll look into the cost. I'm already into this trailer for more than it's worth. What's another $100.
What Axle Do I Have?
- Thread starter Iplayfarmer
- Start date
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Excellent suggestion. Thanks. I'll look into the cost. I'm already into this trailer for more than it's worth. What's another $100.
OP
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
I took the maiden voyage last night when I pulled the trailer to the scale to weigh it.
The trailer empty weighs 1,760 pounds.
The tongue weight when empty is 360 Pounds.
I figure this gives me a payload of 5500 pounds (That's easier to remember than 5740).
I hauled one load of hay this morning. Due to time constraints I only ended up with about 4700 pounds on the trailer. My tongue weight was 800 pounds, and I had an equalizer hitch. The tongue weight is about 12% of the total loaded trailer weight.
I loaded the trailer a little bit front heavy since my axles weren't the full 60% back from the front. I'm glad I checked the load distribution with the lighter load. I can probably load the trailer square and be just fine. I can probably also take my equalizer bars up another chain link. My front axle is only 20 pounds heavier when loaded than when empty.
I'm going to get another load. I'll try to swing by the scale and get another set of weights to see if I can distribute my load better.
All in all I really like this trailer. It pulls well. the brakes are smooth. The option of using an equalizer is very nice, and it looks a little better than it did.
One more note: The brackets I welded for the rear lights are excellent shin killers. I don't think I could have made them more perfect for bruising my shins if I had tried.
The trailer empty weighs 1,760 pounds.
The tongue weight when empty is 360 Pounds.
I figure this gives me a payload of 5500 pounds (That's easier to remember than 5740).
I hauled one load of hay this morning. Due to time constraints I only ended up with about 4700 pounds on the trailer. My tongue weight was 800 pounds, and I had an equalizer hitch. The tongue weight is about 12% of the total loaded trailer weight.
I loaded the trailer a little bit front heavy since my axles weren't the full 60% back from the front. I'm glad I checked the load distribution with the lighter load. I can probably load the trailer square and be just fine. I can probably also take my equalizer bars up another chain link. My front axle is only 20 pounds heavier when loaded than when empty.
I'm going to get another load. I'll try to swing by the scale and get another set of weights to see if I can distribute my load better.
All in all I really like this trailer. It pulls well. the brakes are smooth. The option of using an equalizer is very nice, and it looks a little better than it did.
One more note: The brackets I welded for the rear lights are excellent shin killers. I don't think I could have made them more perfect for bruising my shins if I had tried.
OP
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
Here are the numbers from the second load for today...
Gross Weight = 13590
Trailer Axle weight = 7290
Tongue Weight = 460
My payload was 6230, but that includes four 60 pound bales in the bed of the truck.
That was not a fun ride being 300 pounds overweight with that little of tongue weight. I'll go back to my original system of loading the trailer a little front heavy.
The trailer still did well, though, considering how it used to pull. I think the longer tongue helped. I'm not going to say it's worth it yet since this rebuild cost so much and took so much time, but I am pleased with the end result.
Gross Weight = 13590
Trailer Axle weight = 7290
Tongue Weight = 460
My payload was 6230, but that includes four 60 pound bales in the bed of the truck.
That was not a fun ride being 300 pounds overweight with that little of tongue weight. I'll go back to my original system of loading the trailer a little front heavy.
The trailer still did well, though, considering how it used to pull. I think the longer tongue helped. I'm not going to say it's worth it yet since this rebuild cost so much and took so much time, but I am pleased with the end result.
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 16,316
- Location
- Daleville, IN
- Tractor
- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
Glad you got to finally put it to use.:thumbsup:
Chris
Chris
OP
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
Another post script to this project...
I loaded my tractor the other day and took it to the scale. I don't know if I had been loading it all wrong before or if the rebuild changed the geometry enough to throw my balance off. When I hit the scale I had almost 900 pounds of tongue weight (~20%). It took me two tries of re-positioning the tractor to get to my tongue weight in the 10%-15% range where I like it.
I loaded my tractor the other day and took it to the scale. I don't know if I had been loading it all wrong before or if the rebuild changed the geometry enough to throw my balance off. When I hit the scale I had almost 900 pounds of tongue weight (~20%). It took me two tries of re-positioning the tractor to get to my tongue weight in the 10%-15% range where I like it.
OP
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
It felt about like it does when I have the bed full to capacity. My reciever will handle 1500 pounds with a weight distributing hitch, 600 pounds without. I suppose I was technically over the limit of the receiver since I didn't use my equalizer this time.
It pulled a lot better on the way home, though, with the weight in the right place on the trailer.