Trailer Noob Here......

[gltrap54]

Was talkin' when I should have been listening.... Opened my mouth & bought myself a trailer.... 1997 T-10 Towmaster Nephew used it in his landscaping business.... I've hitch towed many campers/boats throughout my 65 years but have never owned an equipment trailer... This ol' girl has had some serious use & abuse but it won't see much use here... Bought it mostly for hauling my B3200 Kubota (and a host of equipment) to & from the dealer, etc...

I'll need to install a winch of some sort to trailer my tractor if it'd dead, so what type of winch should I buy? What about load binders & chains? I'll also need a 7 prong receptacle installed in my truck... Truck has a brake installed but I've never used it so I'm totally ignorant about it... What else am I overlooking?

OBTW... Paid $1750 for the ol' heap......

 

[Deere Dude]

Nice trailer. I wouldn't worry about a winch yet. I bought a 10k HF winch 10 years ago for the same reason as you and never hooked it up and never missed it. Still piled in the corner. Get everything else figured out first.

I would get 5/16" chain for everything along with HF load binders to tie stuff down. Chain is cheap at HF. Looks like D rings are adequate. I would make sure wiring is good and tied up nice and then brakes work. Possibly I would remove and check all the hubs and brakes unless you know they are good. I bought a new GN trailer, used it for a cross country move, put 10k miles on it and brakes
were shot buy then. Trailer was only 3 months old.

Check the grease history and make sure hubs have adequate grease. Also check for tire wear and cuts and age. Tires are good for possibly 10 years at the most..

I don't know if your controller works or not adequately but new Tekonsha controllers work super.sh nicer than older style.

Others will add to this and it seems like a nice thread to learn from.

 

[gltrap54]

Nice trailer. I wouldn't worry about a winch yet. I bought a 10k HF winch 10 years ago for the same reason as you and never hooked it up and never missed it. Still piled in the corner. Get everything else figured out first.

I would get 5/16" chain for everything along with HF load binders to tie stuff down. Chain is cheap at HF. Looks like D rings are adequate. I would make sure wiring is good and tied up nice and then brakes work. Possibly I would remove and check all the hubs and brakes unless you know they are good. I bought a new GN trailer, used it for a cross country move, put 10k miles on it and brakes
were shot buy then. Trailer was only 3 months old.

Check the grease history and make sure hubs have adequate grease. Also check for tire wear and cuts and age. Tires are good for possibly 10 years at the most..

I don't know if your controller works or not adequately but new Tekonsha controllers work super.sh nicer than older style.

Others will add to this and it seems like a nice thread to learn from.

Thanks Deere Dude! HF was who I had in mind for chains & binders... How long do the chains need to be? My nephew had the wheels greased, wiring checked, & replaced the hitch, all before pulling it from Colorado Springs, CO to Topeka, KS... How do I load my B3200 if it won't start? I installed a new brake controller in my truck some 10 years ago & have yet to use it, so that will be a learning experience... OBTW... My sister lived in Beaver Dam for 15 years....

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks Deere Dude! HF was who I had in mind for chains & binders... How long do the chains need to be? My nephew had the wheels greased, wiring checked, & replaced the hitch, all before pulling it from Colorado Springs, CO to Topeka, KS... How do I load my B3200 if it won't start? I installed a new brake controller in my truck some 10 years ago & have yet to use it, so that will be a learning experience... OBTW... My sister lived in Beaver Dam for 15 years....

If it fails to start, would it cost you more to repair it in the field VS the cost of a winch to take it somewhere else to get it started?

Has the tractor had a history of not starting?

Things like that you gotta weigh VS the cost of a winch, mount, battery, wiring, etc...

You could always back the trailer up to the tractor, block the trailer wheels, put blocks under the rear of the trailer so it won't drop down, disconnect the tow vehicle, and use that to pull the tractor up onto the trailer with your tie-down chains.

 

[sandman2234]

If it fails to start, would it cost you more to repair it in the field VS the cost of a winch to take it somewhere else to get it started?

Has the tractor had a history of not starting?

Things like that you gotta weigh VS the cost of a winch, mount, battery, wiring, etc...

You could always back the trailer up to the tractor, block the trailer wheels, put blocks under the rear of the trailer so it won't drop down, disconnect the tow vehicle, and use that to pull the tractor up onto the trailer with your tie-down chains.

Mossroad, i think leaving the trailer hitched to tow vehicle and using another vehicle to pull it up would be safer. Might need to angle the tow vehicle to the side a little to give room for the tow strap to clear.
Gltrap54, chains are usually 20 foot in my line of work, but i can foresee 10 foot chains working, just more of them. Would look for a more reputable chain supplier than HF, as cheap chains will show their value at the worst time, when you need them the most! As far as the winch, a good comealong with a long cable will get it loaded, just take your time and be careful.
David from jax

 

[aczlan]

Mossroad, i think leaving the trailer hitched to tow vehicle and using another vehicle to pull it up would be safer. Might need to angle the tow vehicle to the side a little to give room for the tow strap to clear.
Gltrap54, chains are usually 20 foot in my line of work, but i can foresee 10 foot chains working, just more of them. Would look for a more reputable chain supplier than HF, as cheap chains will show their value at the worst time, when you need them the most! As far as the winch, a good comealong with a long cable will get it loaded, just take your time and be careful.
David from jax

Lowe's used to have Campbell US made 20' long 5/16" Grade 70 chain for about the same price as HF Chinese Grade 70 chain. I buy the 20' pieces, cut them in half and add a clevis to the cut ends and have 2 10' pieces to use.

Aaron Z

 

[Reb954]

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/418641-receiver-style-trailer-winch-mount.html This link is from the build yourself forum and will show you how I mounted my winch.

You can do a permanent winch mount on the trailer or make it portable as I did, just depends on what you want to do and what your resources are. I know guys that have used 2500 lb to 5000 lb ATV winches on their trailers and they get by just fine. I choose a 9000 lb winch but I was winching heavy objects and wanted to limit the times I would have to 2 part the line. Or as suggested, you can use a come along.

In regards to chains, I prefer 5/16" grade 70 chains and matching binders. I cross chain the tractor with 4 10' chains and have 2 more 20 foot chains for implements. Plus I have 4 straps for appropriate stuff.


The nice thing about shorter chains is they are easier to work with. But, if needed you can just hook two of them together to get your 20 feet.


Enjoy your new purchase.

 

[gltrap54]

Thanks fellas for all your input! I'm sure I'll need more guidance in the future! :thumbsup:

 

[flyerdan]

Number 4 pic above shows a missing dust cap on the front hub, and a dodgy one on the back, so I'd get a set of new caps, pull the affected (if not all) bearings and clean and repack, check the rear seal, etc. Way cheaper and more pleasant to do it now than along the road somewhere when the rain is lashing down.

 

[nikerret]

I have a Warn 9k winch on a plate welded to a 2” square tube. It mounts in a 2” receiver welded to the front frame. The winch and battery are kept in the tongue toolbox. Instead of cutting a hole in the toolbox, the winch is pulled out and mounted only when in use. It works well, but it is heavy. The winch alone is around 100 pounds.

What trailer wiring does your truck currently support? What is the truck?