What size trailer do I need for my tractor?

[Huntshillhaus Farm]

I am looking to buy a trailer for my JD 2150 with FEL, and would like to be able to trailer it safely with a 6' RCR1872 Brush Hog. The tractor weight with ballast is 5900lbs, the FEL adds another 900lbs, and the Brush Hog is 700+lbs. If I throw a tiller or box blade on, to do some extra stuff at a job, that's another 750lbs. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,260lbs total. That's bumping me into the category of 6k or 7k axles... the 5,200 ones just won't quite make it.

The rub is that I'm not likely to haul that much weight around very often; a few times a year at most. The tractor/brush hog or tractor/tiller combos are the same at around 7500ish pounds. The trailers with the 5200lb axles are mostly in the 7100-7400lb payload range according to the various placards I have seen. The rest of the time, the trailer will be used for stuff that a 16' utility trailer would probably handle, and some folks have suggested hiring out someone to do the hauling of the tractor when I need it.

I really have no idea how much I will actually haul the tractor, because I have not advertised my services without a trailer - but I would like to be able to. Plus I hate working around someone else's schedule, and then again, with a 12-14klb trailer, I could rent a decent mini-excavator skid-steer on the annual occasion I need some work done on the property.

So I basically want the heavier trailer, but one think I am not sure of is how long a trailer I need. If I pull straight up on the trailer with the brush hog connected, I am about 22+ feet without curling the bucket. I need to double check that, because my 3y/o was holding the end of the tape at the front of the bucket, and he was busy daydreaming, LOL. But even if I can fit on something with standup ramps with the tailwheel hanging out between the ramps, I would not have any wiggle room for balancing the load. My alternate plan would be to lift the cutter onto the front of the trailer, then pull up behind it with the tractor, and rest my loader on the brush hog. I have never hauled the tractor on anyone's trailer, so I'm not sure how well it will balance, but I am thinking an 18' plus a 2' dovetail would give me enough length. I would love the flip up ramps that turn a three foot dovetail into a full flatbed.

Thoughts? Length, load setup? Axle weight?

I am in the Southern Missouri area... are there any brands to steer clear of due to build quality? Paint vs powder-coat? Standup ramps vs stowed ramps? Folks around me are selling a lot of small shop brands, B/R, Stag, Lamar, as well as Load Trail, Load Carry, Big Tex, PJ, Doolittle, and Bulldog.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

I am looking to buy a trailer for my JD 2150 with FEL, and would like to be able to trailer it safely with a 6' RCR1872 Brush Hog. The tractor weight with ballast is 5900lbs, the FEL adds another 900lbs, and the Brush Hog is 700+lbs. If I throw a tiller or box blade on, to do some extra stuff at a job, that's another 750lbs. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,260lbs total. That's bumping me into the category of 6k or 7k axles... the 5,200 ones just won't quite make it.

The rub is that I'm not likely to haul that much weight around very often; a few times a year at most. The tractor/brush hog or tractor/tiller combos are the same at around 7500ish pounds. The trailers with the 5200lb axles are mostly in the 7100-7400lb payload range according to the various placards I have seen. The rest of the time, the trailer will be used for stuff that a 16' utility trailer would probably handle, and some folks have suggested hiring out someone to do the hauling of the tractor when I need it.

I really have no idea how much I will actually haul the tractor, because I have not advertised my services without a trailer - but I would like to be able to. Plus I hate working around someone else's schedule, and then again, with a 12-14klb trailer, I could rent a decent mini-excavator skid-steer on the annual occasion I need some work done on the property.

So I basically want the heavier trailer, but one think I am not sure of is how long a trailer I need. If I pull straight up on the trailer with the brush hog connected, I am about 22+ feet without curling the bucket. I need to double check that, because my 3y/o was holding the end of the tape at the front of the bucket, and he was busy daydreaming, LOL. But even if I can fit on something with standup ramps with the tailwheel hanging out between the ramps, I would not have any wiggle room for balancing the load. My alternate plan would be to lift the cutter onto the front of the trailer, then pull up behind it with the tractor, and rest my loader on the brush hog. I have never hauled the tractor on anyone's trailer, so I'm not sure how well it will balance, but I am thinking an 18' plus a 2' dovetail would give me enough length. I would love the flip up ramps that turn a three foot dovetail into a full flatbed.

Thoughts? Length, load setup? Axle weight?

View attachment 718594I am in the Southern Missouri area... are there any brands to steer clear of due to build quality? Paint vs powder-coat? Standup ramps vs stowed ramps? Folks around me are selling a lot of small shop brands, B/R, Stag, Lamar, as well as Load Trail, Load Carry, Big Tex, PJ, Doolittle, and Bulldog.

What is your truck that will be pulling the trailer?

 

[Huntshillhaus Farm]

I have a 1997 Chevy 2500, with the 5.7, and a Chevy Express 3500 with 6.0.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I would personally want longer. 22' won't really cut it for carrying extra attachments along.

I'm looking for basically the same thing, and my next one is going to be a 30' deckover gooseneck.

For all the reasons you already listed. I also want to be able to carry extra attachments along when needed.

 

[4570Man]

I’d get a 14k trailer. I’d get a different ramp setup thought. Those ramps are nice but they stop you from sticking anything off the trailer. With the standard width ramps you can stick the bushhog tail wheel off the back or a backhoe boom. I know most people say get a ridiculously long trailer but I like having just enough. The difficulty of getting a 30 foot trailer in places is a lot more than a 20’. You could easily set the tiller and box blade on the front of the trailer and then set the loader on top of them and get the whole setup on the 22’. If you were moving it every day I’d say get something different but that doesn’t sound like your plan.

 

[dlctcg]

Paint vs powder-coat?

I'm personally not a fan of powder coating on anything that is going to take real road abuse.... don't get me wrong powder coating has it's place (my bike & multiple cars had powder coated parts), but my issue is sooner or later it is going to get chipped (it's a trailer) & paint is easier to to touch-up. If moisture gets under powder coating it can be ugly & not as easy to repair....
Just my opinion...

 

[kthompson]

I have a 5 ton mini excavator and it is easy to haul on my 18 foot trailer. Plenty long. But my Kubota L606 with FEL and any rear attachment is a bear. Only way I have been able to is with fel lifted over the front end of my bumper pull. Right now trying to figure out what I need in trailer to replace mine. Had a 35 foot bed goose neck and it took a very wide swing and on a dirt road pulling it into a standard drive was not going to happen. My suggestion would be take each implement you might combine to give you the longest length and park them as you would on the trailer on the ground and measure them. The length connected can easy vary on a implement and tractor combo depending on how it hitches and lengths of the hitch whether 3rd arms of fixed draw bar. I would also consider does it have room to place some implements across the front of the deck to be hauled there but loaded and unloaded with fel or rear hitch. Would want axles further back on this as the main weight the tractor will be sitting further back.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

If tractordata is approximately right, your tractor and loader are about 166" or almost 14'.

Myself I'd suggest considering a 16' - 20' dump/box trailer with ramps and the largest tandem axles you can afford 7.5, 10, or 12.5. Or that your license allows you.

Been many times I wish I had a box, although my tilt deck is very handy as well, it's not well suited for a load of brush or gravel.

It's a personal choice if you want to unhitch your mower or not, the same as it is for those who drop their bucket when they mow or plow. If you do drop your bucket, you could make or get a mount to move it around with. Or JD's fancy mount grapple they made just for standing up their mowers.

 

[4570Man]

If tractordata is approximately right, your tractor and loader are about 166" or almost 14'.

Myself I'd suggest considering a 16' - 20' dump/box trailer with ramps and the largest tandem axles you can afford 7.5, 10, or 12.5. Or that your license allows you.

Been many times I wish I had a box, although my tilt deck is very handy as well, it's not well suited for a load of brush or gravel.

It's a personal choice if you want to unhitch your mower or not, the same as it is for those who drop their bucket when they mow or plow. If you do drop your bucket, you could make or get a mount to move it around with. Or JD's fancy mount grapple they made just for standing up their mowers.

A 20’ dump trailer is going to be way too big and heavy for most uses.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

A 20’ dump trailer is going to be way too big and heavy for most uses.

Few examples where it is too heavy for you? Just curious if we use trailers for the same types of things.

It is likely the OP has no need for a trailer with walls. I just seem to be renting one more often these days.