Your advice ?

[Rivco]

This site might be of interest to you - regarding worksite and mobile equipment security/alarm systems. DEWALT Portable Alarms

 

[Barryh]

Very interesting thanks...

 

[KentT]

Barry,

Here's a pic of my PT-425 on my 14x6.5 ft tandem trailer. It hauls the tractor and most attachments just fine -- however it is too short for the tractor and my 1-ton Country Manufacturing cart. I cannot close the tailgates/ramps -- I'm about 2" off -- so I have to chain those up when I haul the cart. As shown here, I'm using straps just to cinch up and hold the tailgate while I put the chains on, then I remove the straps. I need to get more load binders...

My space to part the trailer itself is very tight -- I have to turn it 90 degrees to park it behind my house -- so I chose to go with a 14' instead of the 16'. Overall, I do not regret that, even if it is a pain to haul the cart along. I typically haul the minihoe and a couple of buckets in addition to the PT, or the PT with the 48" rough-cut mower attached, and it works great in those circumstances.

The 6.5x14 seems to also be a good fit for v8 Dodge Dakota. It tracks behind the truck well, with just enough fender sticking out on each side to be quite visible in the mirrors. Whatever size you decide on, I strongly recommend you get a weight-distributing hitch -- it makes a world of difference in handling and is MUCH, MUCH safer.

 

[Barryh]

Barry,

Here's a pic of my PT-425 on my 14x6.5 ft tandem trailer. It hauls the tractor and most attachments just fine -- however it is too short for the tractor and my 1-ton Country Manufacturing cart. I cannot close the tailgates/ramps -- I'm about 2" off -- so I have to chain those up when I haul the cart. As shown here, I'm using straps just to cinch up and hold the tailgate while I put the chains on, then I remove the straps. I need to get more load binders...

My space to part the trailer itself is very tight -- I have to turn it 90 degrees to park it behind my house -- so I chose to go with a 14' instead of the 16'. Overall, I do not regret that, even if it is a pain to haul the cart along. I typically haul the minihoe and a couple of buckets in addition to the PT, or the PT with the 48" rough-cut mower attached, and it works great in those circumstances.

The 6.5x14 seems to also be a good fit for v8 Dodge Dakota. It tracks behind the truck well, with just enough fender sticking out on each side to be quite visible in the mirrors. Whatever size you decide on, I strongly recommend you get a weight-distributing hitch -- it makes a world of difference in handling and is MUCH, MUCH safer.

Hey Kent,

I’m looking at two trailers. One is just like MR's the other is just like yours, only in a 16 Ft. I think I may need 16 Ft doing lawns and landscaping.

In some cases hauling the PT with the lawn equipment. I was going with the car trailer, but now I am leaning toward the equipment trailer for my needs. Both are very nice trailers rated at 7,000 pounds. I think that they are really the same, except for the added rail and ramp like on yours. It is possible the channel frame on the car trailer may be a slightly heavier I will be checking that out. Thanks for the pictures, and input. Nice trailer! will take your advice on the hitch.

 

[bbabineau]

Barry,


Whatever size you decide on, I strongly recommend you get a weight-distributing hitch -- it makes a world of difference in handling and is MUCH, MUCH safer.

Wlile a weight distributing hitch may be nice, it is a lot of effort if you don't need it. I have an 18 ft car trailer (10k) and haul a 6k car with no distributing hitch. It tows great behind my F150. With my PT 1430 I hardly know it is there. Suggest you try it first without the weight hitch and do it if you feel insecure or get too much sway or rear drop on the truck.

 

[Barryh]

Wlile a weight distributing hitch may be nice, it is a lot of effort if you don't need it. I have an 18 ft car trailer (10k) and haul a 6k car with no distributing hitch. It tows great behind my F150. With my PT 1430 I hardly know it is there. Suggest you try it first without the weight hitch and do it if you feel insecure or get too much sway or rear drop on the truck.

Well that's what I will be towing with, an F-150 short bed. Talking to another F-150 owner today. He has a 18ft also, and said the the same thing the truck and trialer track really nice togther even on ice. I'll test it and see thanks.

 

[SpringHollow]

I bought a Blue Ox weight distributing hitch (WDH) for my 20' long car hauler. It is a very nice weight distributing hitch with anti-sway built into it. I picked this one because once you do the initial setup, it only takes a couple of minutes at most to add the weight distributing setup and hook it up. It was easier to hook up than the Reese which is why I got it. Without the WDH, my truck was not rated for the load. I must say it works extremely well. The truck is level when the trailer is loaded and everything goes down the road very nice.

Ken

 

[KentT]

I bought a Blue Ox weight distributing hitch (WDH) for my 20' long car hauler. It is a very nice weight distributing hitch with anti-sway built into it. I picked this one because once you do the initial setup, it only takes a couple of minutes at most to add the weight distributing setup and hook it up. It was easier to hook up than the Reese which is why I got it. Without the WDH, my truck was not rated for the load. I must say it works extremely well. The truck is level when the trailer is loaded and everything goes down the road very nice.

Ken

Yep, I never knew the difference a WDH hitch could make until a friend of mine and I took his 16ft trailer to Illinois a few years ago to pick up 3 garden tractors. I pulled it with my Dodge Ram that I had...

Even though I didn't need it for the weight, I found several positive benefits, including:

1. The trailer tracked beautifully with zero swaying, even though the hitch did not have the optional anti-sway shock absorbers. The tension between the truck and trailer seemed to cancel out any tendency to sway, even when passing or being passed by semis, or when encountering strong gusts of wind, etc.

2. There was NO rocking or up-and-down motion of the truck as the truck and trailer went over bumps, expansion joints, bridge ramps, etc. The trailer and truck respond almost like one vehicle with an extremely long wheelbase.

3. There was reduced tendency or indications of the trailer trying to push the truck as you went around curves, etc. The combination actually feels far more stable on sharp curves (such as cloverleaf entrance/exit ramps) than the truck without a trailer behind it...

To make a long story short, I bought one for my new tandem trailer when I bought it (I upgraded from a single-axle 3500 lb trailer), and it is one of the best investments I've ever made. I use it even when I have nothing loaded on the trailer -- when the trailer is empty -- because it improves the handling of the package so well.

I now cruise comfortably (and relatively safely) down the freeway at 65-70 MPH -- something I NEVER would've considered without this hitch... If you've never used one, try it -- you won't go back, and you'll likely find yourself using it all the time....

 

[Barryh]

Well ended up buying the 16 Ft Car trailer. I drove it home today. Here's a few pic's along with my Very Dirty Truck, from all of the mud around here. It was very tight getting it back here.

I know I'm really going to have a hard time if I meet a large truck coming the other way. Seems the problem is going around corners the back end is still out in the road until I can straighten it out. I barley get past the cars. I don't think buying the 14 ft would have made to much difference.

I had no tracking problems even at 70 miles and hour with wheel hop or sway, but the real test will be with a load onboard. So I'll have to wait until I can load up and test it out. I May end up taking Kent’s advise always better safe than sorry. Kent what might we be talking about price wise for the Weight distributing hitch?

 

[KentT]

Barry,

That's a nice looking trailer. With 12" sideboards, it should be very versatile for you, and haul everything you need to haul.

A decent weight-distributing hitch should cost you no more than $300-350... There's more expensive ones out there, but I bought the 8000 lb version of this hitch (Hidden Hitch brand, American made in Michigan) when it was on sale for $249.95 with free shipping.

Hidden Hitch WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories