Got a tractor hauler (finally)

[flusher]

My problem: transport my restored parade tractors (Farmall Cub, Farmall Super A, Minneapolis Moline BF, Massey Ferguson 135, and counting) to tractor club outings (parades, picnics, tractor meets, etc). Max tractor weight is about 4000 lb.

After agonizing over 3/4T vs 1T pickups, Ford/GMC/Dodge, gas vs diesel, gooseneck vs tag along trailers, low-boy vs deckover dual axle trailers, I decided to go with this setup:



It's a 2004 Isuzu NPR EFI stakebed (8ft wide x 14 ft long bed) with 49500 miles showing. It has the 6.0L (366 cu in) GMC gas engine (LQ4) the 4L80 4-speed automatic tranny and 4.78 rear end. This baby easily hits 75 mph (unloaded) but is a gas hog (10-12 mpg). No problem since I only need it on weekends to haul tractors (less than 3000 miles per year).

Next steps:
a) Get D-rings welded to the bed for chain attachments
b) Get an electric winch with wireless remote installed (I'm looking at the T-Max EW-9000W)
c) Get two sets of aluminum ramps. Discount ramps has car hauling ramps rated at 5000 lb per axle (10 ft long, 16" wide #05-16-120-01). I'll pair these up to make 32" wide ramps for the tractors I have now which are non-tricycle types. If I get a tricycle type tractor in the future, I'll have enough ramps to handle that configuration.
d) An underbody tool box (I'm looking at an aluminum 36x18x18 box by Highway Products).

Boy o boy, this is fun!!!!!!

 

[Diamondpilot]

Nice truck. All the landscapers are going with these to haul supplies and the mowers around here. Very maneuverable and cost effective.

Chris

 

[bdeboer]

Neat truck.

What is max GVW of that truck?

You wouldn't get much better mileage with 6.0L 4.10 geared truck. I had a 3/4 Ton suburban with 6.0L/4L80e 3.73 Gears and the best it ever got was 14.5 on the highway. Typically mileage was around 12.

I imagine the first trip up the ramps will be interesting, you can always add a winch if too much pucker factor.

 

[jayste]

Flusher, nice truck. I'm interested in your next posts of how it loads and hauls the old iron.:thumbsup:

 

[flusher]

Neat truck.

What is max GVW of that truck?

You wouldn't get much better mileage with 6.0L 4.10 geared truck. I had a 3/4 Ton suburban with 6.0L/4L80e 3.73 Gears and the best it ever got was 14.5 on the highway. Typically mileage was around 12.

I imagine the first trip up the ramps will be interesting, you can always add a winch if too much pucker factor.

It's 12000 lb GWVR. I would have preferred 14,000 lb GVWR but I couldn't pass up the deal on this truck.

I haven't weighed it yet at the Petro scales--next week. My guess is about 7000 lb no load with 3/4 tank of gas.

The belt is chirping--could be the tensioner. I'll get to that problem when it stops raining around here.

The bed is about 37" high. I'm getting two pairs of 16" wide x 10ft long aluminum ramps so each wheel will be on a 32" wide doubled ramp. I plan to back the tractors onto the bed. And I'll be sure to get that winch installed before doing any tractor hauling.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

 

[jayste]

The bed is about 37" high. I'm getting two pairs of 16" wide x 10ft long aluminum ramps so each wheel will be on a 32" wide doubled ramp. I plan to back the tractors onto the bed. And I'll be sure to get that winch installed before doing any tractor hauling.

If my Jethro math is right that's about a 17 deg. angle if your bed is parallel to the ground when loading. That doesn't seem too bad but, of course, i'm not the one on the tractor!

 

[Soundguy]

I know when I switched from my flatbed lowboy to my gooseneck there was quite a difference in feel of loading a tractor... even with the dovetail.. it sure seems like way up there!

I'm not real keen on aluminum ramps though...

soundguy

 

[flusher]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

Good info. Thanks.

I notice that deckover GNs such as the PJs have 36" bed height, with 5-ft dovetails and 5-ft foldover ramps. And I visited Daves Tractor and measured the dovetail/ramp setup on his big 2-axle delivery deckover--same as the PJ and within an inch of the deck height on the NPR. Dave delivered my Mahindra 5525 on that trailer. He's a pro, of course, but backing that 5525 down the dovetail didn't look too scary.



I considered taking the NPR to the weld shop and having a 5ft self-cleaning steel dovetail with 5-ft self-cleaning ramps installed by a certified welder (like the ones on Dave's trailer). I haven't gotten a bid yet, but I may do that. It'll add 500-600 lb to the truck weight and increase the length by 4.5 ft or so.
With only 12,000 GVWR I have be careful of overloading since the NPR has to go through the scales on I5.

One of the reasons I'm going with the stakebed is it's relatively short length (about 21 ft), making it nice and compact. I decided against a PU/trailer option because the trailer doubles the length of the configuration, because I don't like the hassle of hitching a large trailer, and because I suck at backing a trailer with a PU.

 

[flusher]

I know when I switched from my flatbed lowboy to my gooseneck there was quite a difference in feel of loading a tractor... even with the dovetail.. it sure seems like way up there!

I'm not real keen on aluminum ramps though...

soundguy

But, I guess, you've gotten use to your deckover GN by now:thumbsup:.

Aluminum ramps--what's the deal here? Have you had problems with them?

 

[flusher]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

Pucker factor--how about this one



That's an 11,000+ lb Minneapolis Moline G1000 pulling tractor unloading at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in Guymon, OK in May08. He's backing that beast down 10-ft ramps-- those ramps can't be more than 18" wide and look pretty beat up to me.

 

[Soundguy]

But, I guess, you've gotten use to your deckover GN by now:thumbsup:.

Aluminum ramps--what's the deal here? Have you had problems with them?

for sure, fine with it now. I even load trikes on it. In fact. trikes are what I mainly play with now. I have a 5' self cleaning dovetail, and 5' flip up self cleaning ramps, with ramp feet to prevent trailer tail dip.

the issue I have seen with aluminum is hardening and cracking.. and it's lower strencth compaired to steel of similar size. i know you can over build them and use lots of bracing to overcome that.. but i've seen a lone aluminum car loading ramp crack and fold while a guy was loading a car on a flatbed truck one time. ripped the nose of the car off damaged some body panels.. paint. and I'm sure the pan slammed the ground... these ramps were a type that folded near the middle, and had corrugated rolled edges to make a trough to guide the tires. fold happened where a side split occured in the edge.. that allowd the corrugated fold to flatten out and fold and bow. I do not know the weigt rating or any specifics.. I merely witnessed it.. from then on.. I've never touched an aluminum ramp. have made my own steel ones though with heavy angle, and heave flat.. using 3" angle for sides and 2 " for cross members, and 3"x3/8 flat sections as additional support bracing.

i made that ramp as a center for my trikes near a decade ago.. and I've had for sure 5000# on it by itself loading a heavy jd with huge cast axle weights, and the base tractor was over 4K by itself.. and it's never deflected or deformed a bit.. .. whereas aluminum can floex and if it does it can work harden.. then get brittle.

still.. if built correctly.. it should be ok.. just not for me..

soundguy

 

[flusher]

for sure, fine with it now. I even load trikes on it. In fact. trikes are what I mainly play with now. I have a 5' self cleaning dovetail, and 5' flip up self cleaning ramps, with ramp feet to prevent trailer tail dip.

the issue I have seen with aluminum is hardening and cracking.. and it's lower strencth compaired to steel of similar size. i know you can over build them and use lots of bracing to overcome that.. but i've seen a lone aluminum car loading ramp crack and fold while a guy was loading a car on a flatbed truck one time. ripped the nose of the car off damaged some body panels.. paint. and I'm sure the pan slammed the ground... these ramps were a type that folded near the middle, and had corrugated rolled edges to make a trough to guide the tires. fold happened where a side split occured in the edge.. that allowd the corrugated fold to flatten out and fold and bow. I do not know the weigt rating or any specifics.. I merely witnessed it.. from then on.. I've never touched an aluminum ramp. have made my own steel ones though with heavy angle, and heave flat.. using 3" angle for sides and 2 " for cross members, and 3"x3/8 flat sections as additional support bracing.

i made that ramp as a center for my trikes near a decade ago.. and I've had for sure 5000# on it by itself loading a heavy jd with huge cast axle weights, and the base tractor was over 4K by itself.. and it's never deflected or deformed a bit.. .. whereas aluminum can floex and if it does it can work harden.. then get brittle.

still.. if built correctly.. it should be ok.. just not for me..

soundguy

SG:Thanks for the info. Helpful as usual.

Here're the ramps I'm considering:

5,000lb Per Axle Truck Trailer Ramps From Discount Ramps.Com

There is a heavier-duty version also available from Discount Ramps.

 

[Soundguy]

i see they are not reccomended for things that weight over 5000# that might actually get both axles on the ramps at one time.. ie.. short wheel base. skid laoders.. etc. since they are 10'.. I bet a tractor falls in that.


hey.. if they say they are good and have a warranty... it's not my cash.. since you are weight limited for scales.. I understand. we do what we gotta do. I'm sure they are high quality deals..

soundguy

 

[flusher]

i see they are not reccomended for things that weight over 5000# that might actually get both axles on the ramps at one time.. ie.. short wheel base. skid laoders.. etc. since they are 10'.. I bet a tractor falls in that.


hey.. if they say they are good and have a warranty... it's not my cash.. since you are weight limited for scales.. I understand. we do what we gotta do. I'm sure they are high quality deals..

soundguy

Yep, you're right. I'm OK because my heaviest tractor is around 4000 lb.

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like you are good to go then!

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

For that much money I would have a DT and custom fold up ramps made for you truck. The aluminum ramps are expensive and where will you put them and how will you secure them on the rig once you are loaded?

I can see where the 12K can be a limit. I have 11.5K on my F-350 Diesel SRW truck. 14K would not be a issue so this is something you will have to get on paper and figure out before you go welding on the truck.

Like you said, the first step is to weigh the rig so you know were you are at for payload.

Chris

 

[flusher]

For that much money I would have a DT and custom fold up ramps made for you truck. The aluminum ramps are expensive and where will you put them and how will you secure them on the rig once you are loaded?

I can see where the 12K can be a limit. I have 11.5K on my F-350 Diesel SRW truck. 14K would not be a issue so this is something you will have to get on paper and figure out before you go welding on the truck.

Like you said, the first step is to weigh the rig so you know were you are at for payload.

Chris

Where will you put them? On the bed under the tractor, chained to the drawbar and to the front axle of the tractor.

My guess is that the aluminum ramps are less expensive than having a steel dovetail/flip ramp setup welded up and attached to the rear of the stakebed. This is one welding project that I'd have done by a certified welder in a bonded weld shop (liability issues).

 

[flusher]

Backing on is the safest way to go. Many guys around here have them made into a dove tail to help with the angle. Its going to give you some pucker factor unless you and find a ditch to put the rear wheels of the truck into or at your place you could get a few loads of clay and make a earthen loading dock to back up to.

Chris

Roger that.

But some folks do it their own way. Here's my contractor backing his JD410C TLB off his deckover trailer



Those ramps can't be more than 5 ft long. Looks like fun.

I had him over to my place to dig a couple of holes to bury several concrete pony walls (lower right in the 2nd photo) left over from an old dairy barn that burned down or fell down, I don't know which. Cheaper than breaking up the concrete and hauling it away.

 

[bdeboer]

My thoughts were going up a set of ramps with 1950's brakes on a half running tractor. Sounds like your truck is lower at 37" than I would have imagined.