What do you tow with?

[Dartagnan]

Vehicle: 1986 Ford F250 "Cowboy Caddilac" Conversion. Dually with mostly 1 Ton Suspension parts, why they didn't give it the 350 label I don't know, Rated +/-18k GVW, Truck is 6K. 460 Auto with headers,edelbrock carb and a cam. Luckily we don't have emmision inspections here...yet. Cheap was the operative word on this one as I only tow 2 or 3 times a year for a short distance, and @ 10-12 mpg she def is not the daily driver. Counting airfare, time off work to go get her and overhaul, I'm into this one about $3200 5 years ago. Not a great deal in some parts of the country, but I was in Central Florida at the time, anything comparable would have cost me 4-5k up front and still would have been buyer beware on top of that.

Hitch, have two, one is a home made gooseneck made out of 3/4 plate bolted to the frame rails....have not used it yet, no gn trailer. The other is a 10k rated bumper assembly, have an 8k stainless 2" ball on that one. Not sure of the brand on the brake controller.

Trailer is a 7k tandem carhauler 16+2ft dove. with one set of brakes, breakaway box, fold up ramps,diamond plate fenders, and wood deck. The ramps are removable if needed. Cost me $1800 and change Jan 05.

Since the TC30 only comes in @3500 +/- with the loader and filled rears, I have capacity to spare all the way around. Although I plan (once I figure out where to put it) to have a piece of c channel welded across the underside where the rear tractor tires sit before I actually haul it anywhere.

Dart

 

[GeneD14]

Cripes Gene, something tells me that the 310 plus trailer will put you over the 12k GVWR of your 16'er.

I think that you are right. It is about 1,000 lbs over. The 16' trailer came with the track loader. My plan is to eventually sell both trailers and get a bigger tilt bed gooseneck.

 

[Highbeam]

Nothing quite as creepy as going up moderately steep ramps with a dozer and then coming to the balance point where the whole dozer tips forward onto the trailer deck. You don't want to go too fast and slam the nose down but you don't want to go slow and hang there in the balance for long since it really feels like you are going to slide off. I guess the only thing more creepy is when the trailer is wet and slick and you are backing off the trailer. When you get to the balance point and the back of the machine seems to fall a long ways down to the ramps so you are sure you missed the ramps.

A tilt bed would be good. My tine International 500c dozer weighed 10,000 lbs so I figured that 310 with a loader must weigh another couple thousand.

 

[GeneD14]

Nothing quite as creepy as going up moderately steep ramps with a dozer and then coming to the balance point where the whole dozer tips forward onto the trailer deck. You don't want to go too fast and slam the nose down but you don't want to go slow and hang there in the balance for long since it really feels like you are going to slide off. I guess the only thing more creepy is when the trailer is wet and slick and you are backing off the trailer. When you get to the balance point and the back of the machine seems to fall a long ways down to the ramps so you are sure you missed the ramps.

Highbeam,

Truer words have never been spoken!

Several years ago I unloaded an Allis Chalmers HD4 dozer off of a deck over gooseneck trailer with a steel dove tail and steel ramps. I slid down side ways! That was an experience that "cleansed the soul". I kept shaking for several minutes. It also horrified my wife who was watching. After that little stunt I laid down 2 rubber truck tire treads over the ramps so the steel tracks could grip.

 

[HarleyEnough]

I tow with a 2005 GMC Sierra loaded with pretty much everything but leather. 5.3L alum block with 4.10 gears, xm radio, onStar, Bose Stereo, 6 Disc In-dash CD Changer, etc... Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller and Pequea 7k deckover trailer with heavy duty drop down ramps. As you can see it also works well for picking up loads of dirt and mulch as well as being wide enough to hold 4 full size ATVs. The ATVs can be loaded side by side because of the width.

 

[kentrodngun]

Harley, - Man, have you got some nice new toys! Everything is so clean - did you polish them up just for us ? Judging from your name, can we assume you tote motorcycles on that rig too? Hey, don't forget to fill out your profile.

 

[Dargo]

OMG! Harley, by the looks of your last picture I think you are about ready to back over someone! Hopefully they lived. I'm guessing that they were blinded by the shine off of your equipment and that's how you got 'em.

Aww man! What an awesome tractor setup in the 2nd pic!! Love that setup with the MMM that doesn't have to be removed every time you need to use the 3 pt. hitch. Is it brand new?

 

[HarleyEnough]

LOL...yeah that was my dad behind the trailer. He was putting the registration sticker on the license plate. The tractor is pretty new. They were delivered about 2 months ago, my dad and I each got one of the 3320s (MMM, balast box, loaders, iMatch, extra lights and switches), chainsaws, blowers, and weedwackers. Then we bought one backhoe which we split the price of. The backhoe is on my dad's tractor right now. The combination of equipment qualified us for the Fleet Discount Program.

The MMM is awesome now that I have it adjusted. It cut my mowing time down dramatically! And kentrodngun, I haven't had the FatBoy on the trailer but someday I might. My dad and I also have a 5'x8' solid diamond plate deck trailer that we bought together several years ago (we work alot of deals that we buy two of something or split the price to get a better deal...ATVs, trailers, chainsaws, tractors, even trucks once). It works great to pull a single motorcycle, small tractor, or ATV. Just too small for the new tractor or whole family of ATVs.

 

[Dmace]

I use my 2003 Ram 1500 QC 4x4 HEMI to tow the race car around with a 10k GVW dual axle trailer w/ brakes. I have yet to tow the tractor with it, but it should be no problem for the truck.

 

[Dargo]

...my dad and I each got one of the 3320s (MMM, balast box, loaders, iMatch, extra lights and switches), chainsaws, blowers, and weedwackers.

What awesome tractor set ups!! I know, if you look, I own Kubota right now, but I've gone back and forth between the two. I think I slightly like the JD better, but JD did not have a factory cab option in the 50 hp size when I bought a couple of years ago, so it's orange right now. Still, I love the tractors you and your dad have! Sweet!!

For my towing, I use an old '96 Dodge 1 ton dually 4X4. I test drive a new diesel about every other year and they just seem so weak to me after driving my truck for so many years. There again, on a dyno, my truck put out just over 420 hp and over 1000 ft. lbs. of torque. And, yes, for those thinking "that'll just kill your tranny", I have the full Stage V ATS setup which can handle plenty more power than what I put out right now. I can yank around my 25' gooseneck with about 16k total weight with no problems. Heck, I know for a fact that I can tow said trailer with said weight over 100 mph; I've done that more than once.

Here is a pic of my old truck and my trailer I use to haul my tractor.