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 | cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York 
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2001-11-16 33242
I have started looking around for a trailer since my 1979 box/pole trailer broke a weld this fall on the axle. It is in need of some other repair as well, so I put it out front for sale. I'll take what I am offered to send it down the road, it really is too small for my uses now anyhow. I would like to buy a tandem flat bed large (wide) enough to haul my 2910 with the belly mower on it as well as possibly an old car sometime down the road, so to speak. I have an 18' car hauler in my barn now I am storing for a friend, but would like something a bit smaller. Those landscape trailers seem to be quite versitile, with mesh ramps/gates and sideboards. Does anyone here have experience with these hauling a car or tractor the size of mine? Any idea where I can find used ones? I haven't had much luck, found two, one is a flatbed at only around 6' wide and the other is a landscape trailer with 3500# axles. I like the old utility trailers with large wooden beds and heavy steel frames, but try and find one!
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 | BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 649 Central West Virginia 
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2001-11-16 33244
Cutter,
I built a trailer before buying a tractor. It started out as a single axle, 9'x5' flatbed with 2500-lb axle (home built) because I was thinking of buying a TC21. Instead, I wound up with a TC29. With no ballast, that tractor is supposed to tip the scales at about 2500 lbs. I brought it home from the dealer (1-1/2 hours) on the little single axle trailer; the only problems I had were that the tires were overloaded. I used tires tires/wheels from a 2wd Ford Ranger, 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern. Anyway, since I had the bigger tractor, I needed a trailer that I could haul it and a mower on, so I extended the trailer to 14', and added a second axle. It is similar to a landscape trailer; the frame is made of 4-inch "C" section steel; the bed is treated 2x6's. The only drawback I see to a trailer of this type is you must support the rear end of it when loading a heavy tractor. I'll load/unload a Farmall Cub with no jack under the rear, but I suspect my TC would bend something if I loaded it that way. I can see a need for electric brakes, but don't have them. All of my towing is local and I go slow.
Hope it helps,
Bill Mullens ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-11-17 33247
Thanks for the input Bill. When I retire I hope to have time for all sorts of projects like the one you did with a trailer. For now, I work too many hours and get paid too well to divert my time to building one. This may sound greedy, but I am trying to make as much money as possible in the next five years before I retire. I want to walk out the door with the rest of my life pretty much paid for, and have and interesting little job on the side for tax and pocket change. Right now weekends are spent just keeping up with my property and wifely appointments. You did give me an idea though. Perhaps I could settle for that smaller tandem unit and when I have the time, split the axles and widen it to fit my needs as they broaden. I'll have to see how this shakes out, a friend of mine that lives near it is going back to take measurements and see if he can gain information on the axle ratings. I called him right after reading your post, as I had written that one off until you shook my brain a bit. They tell me these things happen as you get older. ....
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 | Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14 
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2001-11-18 33269
Cutter, I use a 7'x16' tandem flatbed with slideout ramps to haul my JD 4300. Once and a while a disabled car. Around here in southwest Idaho you can find new 16 & 18 foot flatbeds for $1200- 1500. I will try to attach and send an example just for fun. Also try bigtex.com. That site might give you some ideas. Jim in Middleton ....
Link:
Click Here
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| Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14
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2001-11-18 33270
Here's the picture. ....
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| Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14
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2001-11-18 33271
Cutter, I guess I have not figured out how to attach and send a picture on this forum. Got any helpful hints? Jim in Middleton. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2001-11-19 33273
I remember wanting a trailer and adding up the weight I figured I'd be carrying--tractor, loader, at least one implement, fuel, ballast etc. It didn't take much to get over 4,000 lbs. I figured a 16' tandem with electric brakes would do just fine, but I also figured that towing 4,000 lbs. with my 1/2-ton wasn't a good idea. Local travel here means on the highway and with some pretty good grades. However, even at low speeds I'd want electric brakes on one, and preferably both axles to tow with a 1/2-ton-especially one without the tow package. A 1/2 ton's power, frame and tires may be adequate, but the brakes often aren't. A 4,000 - 5,000 load without its own brakes has great potential for being able to out muscle the truck, especially in emergency stops on curves. That much weight also has potential for burning the TX when pulling long grades etc.
Trailering is what works for many people, and if so it's a good idea. For me, I figured that I really only move the tractor 10-miles to our camp for part of the summer and then back again. Even if I trailered the tractor, I'd still have to make second trips for implements, and then the tractor I need for loading implements would be at the camp. For me, it's just easier to plan my work so I do everything at the camp in one chunk and therefore only road the tractor twice a year. In exchange, I bought a 5' x 8' utility trailer, which is much more convenient than a tandem for most of my hauling. Still, when I bought the utility there was a 16' tandem with electric brakes on one axle sitting next to the one I bought. It was on a bit of a sale and was only $700 more than mine. It was very tempting, but most times I’m happy I'm not backing a 16-footer around at the dump.
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 | Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2001-11-19 33281
I had to make a move a few years back and purchased a trailer. I purchased a 16 foot tandem trailer without brakes. The implement trailer has ramps and a dove tail. I found it new for $900 US.
I moved my equipment from Kentucky on the trailer behind a Ford F150 (97). I did not have any trouble with the load and was not on the main highways. The F150 had a towing package.
I now have a 3500 Dodge and wish the trailer was a goose neck. I have the hook up in the bed. The goose neck makes a world of difference in backing up an manuvering.
I use the trailer often and have loaded up to 6000 lbs on the trailer, behind the Dodge. I have only experience problems once when I was carrying long streel trusses. The weight was back too far on the trailer. This allowed the back of the truck to become unloaded and push the truck. Knowiing what the problem was I stopped at a feed store and loaded 600lbs of feed on the front of the trailer. Then I drove home on the country roads. Load balance can make as much or more of a difference in the trailer performance as the brakes etc.
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| Rob Munach
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-11-20 33284
Peter,
I am dissapointed that you and other people drive around with that much weight on a trailer without trailer brakes. Not only is this illegal (in many states) it also puts other motorists at risk from getting rear ended or T-boned as you slide through an intersection. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-11-20 33286
Somewhere I heard a term and way of calculating a number that represents the max tow weight of a vehicle. It may be in the archives here. I believe the number applies to federal highways and maybe many state ones as well. Around here, our Ministry of Transport inspections can make getting caught with coloured fuel on the road seem cheap. There are weight violations and safety violations. It's also $175.00 for each clearance light burnt out or for load binders not tied shut, use of non-approved safety chains and a whole flock of other costly rules.
I also recall a rule of thumb about an ideal ratio of tongue to load weight, but I can't recall it. Nor can I recall a rule of thumb of a max GVW to towed weight before trailer brakes are recommended (or required). I believe that following the tongue to load ratio reduces the chance of unloading the rear truck wheels that Peters mentioned but also reduces the potential of overloading. My hitch is rated as CAT III and the is heaviest recommended for my garden variety F150. It specifies a max tongue weight. If I can't meet the tongue to load ratio without exceeding the max tongue weight than maybe I should thing twice about towing something. However, the problem doesn't come up with me because the lack of trailer brakes limits my loads more than the receiver and other gross weight rules.
My point here is that there is such a thing as overloading. I believe the rules are defined to apply to highway speeds. Chugging along section roads grossly over-loaded (according to the rules) may not be breaking the spirit of the rules, but common sense should never the less prevail. My point here is that there's a whole flock of rules about towing and they are good things to know. There are safety issues for oneself and others, but there also are financial issues. Taking a trailer on a public highway that is in violation of the regs can be very expensive.
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2001-11-20 33290
Tom, I haven't kept up with any recent changes in laws very well, but some of the "standards" you mentioned (which may or may not have been incorporated into the various state laws) are to have a minimum of 10% of the trailer weight as tongue weight (12 to 15% ideal, in my personal opinion) and to require trailer brakes if the gross weight of the loaded trailer exceeds 40% of the weight of the towing vehicle. I've been towing trailers from small utility trailers to boat trailers to U-hauls to conventional travel trailers and fifth wheel travel trailers for over 46 years - no accidents so far (knock on wood). Of course I've had the bejabbers scared out of me a few times. The bottom line is that I LIKE and RECOMMEND trailer brakes; HOWEVER, when we were building my brother's house, he bought a 6' x 16' tandem axle trailer with no brakes and it stays at my house. I don't haul my tractor a lot, when I do it's usually less than 10 miles out here in the country where there's very little traffic on farm-to-market roads, I don't get in any hurry, so I haven't spent the money to buy another trailer. This one hauls my B2710 w/FEL and an implement on the 3-point just fine. IF I were hauling it a great deal, going into town or traffic, etc., I'd sure buy one with brakes on all axles. ....
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| Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2001-11-20 33291
I'm sorry if I sound like a fool, but believe me I know what is prudent or not in towing. I grew up on the west coast and learned to drive with a trailer before I learned to drive with out. From the time I was 15 I worked for a marine repair company as a mechanic.
I stated that I had 6000 lb on the tailer in my previous post. I also has placed about 2000 lb in the truck to increase my tow weight. These are well with in the limits and specifications of my equipment. Note: I do not have a 1/2 ton but a 2 ton pickup. It has a tow max of 10.000 lbs. Believe me there is a world of difference.
Trailer brakes are fine and I have my truck set up for electric brakes for the 5th wheel, goose neck trailers and regular trailers. I just do not have electric brakes on my implement trailer.
On the west coast the electric brakes on the trailer lasted until the first emersion in salt water after that you needed to be more careful about the loading as the brakes barely worked. As I was alway towing different boats on our trailers I learned quickly you needed to determine the load distribution before heading down the road. We carried wrenches to allow us to move the front tie down mast on the trailer.
The brakes on the trailer could be working perfectly but you still have a problem if the tougue weight was light. As we are placing equipment on a trailer the weight on the tougue can be different if the tractor is backed on or driven on. You need to become aware of the level of the back of the truck and estimate the load transfered to the truck.
Again my recommendation would be to buy a goose neck trailer if possible. Here they are ~ 2x the price of the bumper pull. I have found used 16 ft implement trailers in good condition for less than $1500. Load distribution is less of a problem and manuvering is easier. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-11-21 33304
Thanks Bird. Those are the general rules I recall even if they don't really apply to me and my lightweight hauling, except for maintaining adequate tongue weight of course. This whole discussion good information for people who are thinking about hauling their equipment. I went through it several years ago and concluded it was easier for me to just road the tractor, but that might not work for everybody. Knowing the rules is good but knowing what makes good common sense and is prudent as well as the rules is even better. I'm still not clear whether the rules apply only to public highways or to all public roads.
As I think everybody understands, what is prudent at low speeds on back roads is a lot different than what is prudent on the highway. I hope people new to the subject find this information useful. Yes Peters, I believe I know your Dodge. It's probably the same one that delivered my tractor on its bed. The trucker who does some work for my dealer had an equipment delivery coming up this way and included my tractor to cut down on my mileage charges. The trailer was full, and he just put the tractor in the truck bed, dumped the trailer and came the rest of the way with my tractor (about 2,500 lbs. total I think. Lord only knows how much weight was in the trailer. Some truck. 'Course I prefer Fords--tractors as well as trucks. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-11-23 33370
Just arrived home from Las Vegas at midnight and started the computer, one of it's fans was squeeling like a stuffed pig for a few moments until it warmed, I usually don't shut it down. Other than being hit by a pick pocket, the trip was very pleasant. I see you guys have been burning up the canvas since I have been away. I didn't thoroughly read through all the posts, but see some real good thoughts on trailer size. After a good nights rest, I'll give everything a good going over. Anxious to see if my loader problem is fixed as well. I told the dealer the barn would be open and he said he would try and get to it while I was away. Haven't gone back there yet, no lights. ....
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