Moving travel trailer around with ball on FEL.

[SmallChange]

We have been toying with the idea of getting a travel trailer. If we did, the best place to store it would be in our back woods, which are fenced in. There's driveway and gate and space between trees sufficient to drive multiple cars back there and turn them around. But I doubt I could get a trailer in there and get it out again with it hitched to the back of my car.

I think I could do it with a ball hitch mounted to my FEL, and I already have the SSQA adapter to do that, which I sometimes use with a short 2" square boom pole. It is easy to compare trailer tongue weights and FEL capacities, so I know that particular load requirement could be met.

What is harder to know is what happens when the tractor is moving the trailer gross vehicle weight. If my space was flat, this wouldn't be an issue. But I do have some slopes. I can imagine scenarios where I would want the tractor to move the trailer up and down the driveway which has a 14% grade at the steepest point, and I don't like the thought of doing that while imagining what would happen if I popped out of gear, or getting complacent and then realizing I was pulling back hard and had forgotten to engage 4WD. At a minimum I would have to be OK with about a 5% grade while turning, and I can imagine jackknifing.

So... any experience or rules of thumb or guidance about GVW and FEL hitching? Does anybody here do something similar?

P.S. Yes, I know things could grow rambunctious if I tried to use the 3PT instead, because there's no downforce and the trailer could crowd behind me and drive the hitch point upward until things got away from me. We're not making that mistake! I have a drawbar I could use. I just figured the FEL would be better because the front end of the trailer would be more easily steered where I want it if it were in front of the tractor steering wheels and in my plain view.

Thanks!!

 

[Hoobie]

We have been toying with the idea of getting a travel trailer. If we did, the best place to store it would be in our back woods, which are fenced in. There's driveway and gate and space between trees sufficient to drive multiple cars back there and turn them around. But I doubt I could get a trailer in there and get it out again with it hitched to the back of my car.

I think I could do it with a ball hitch mounted to my FEL, and I already have the SSQA adapter to do that, which I sometimes use with a short 2" square boom pole. It is easy to compare trailer tongue weights and FEL capacities, so I know that particular load requirement could be met.

What is harder to know is what happens when the tractor is moving the trailer gross vehicle weight. If my space was flat, this wouldn't be an issue. But I do have some slopes. I can imagine scenarios where I would want the tractor to move the trailer up and down the driveway which has a 14% grade at the steepest point, and I don't like the thought of doing that while imagining what would happen if I popped out of gear, or getting complacent and then realizing I was pulling back hard and had forgotten to engage 4WD. At a minimum I would have to be OK with about a 5% grade while turning, and I can imagine jackknifing.

So... any experience or rules of thumb or guidance about GVW and FEL hitching? Does anybody here do something similar?

P.S. Yes, I know things could grow rambunctious if I tried to use the 3PT instead, because there's no downforce and the trailer could crowd behind me and drive the hitch point upward until things got away from me. We're not making that mistake! I have a drawbar I could use. I just figured the FEL would be better because the front end of the trailer would be more easily steered where I want it if it were in front of the tractor steering wheels and in my plain view.

Thanks!!

I have a ball adapter I use on one FEL fork. I slide the fork to centre to give equal lift on the arms. This adapter clamps on easily and quickly. I use it to position a very heavy wood splitter, boat trailer and loaded log trailer. I don't want to advise on your weight / slope question.
But I can tell you pushing and pulling with the FEL can get squirrelly. You just have to get used to it. When pushing the extended front hitch point makes a huge sweeping arc. Any turn of the steering will cause large sweeps. Same thing for rises and dips in the terrain. Slight holes or humps will cause huge ups and downs. Just be aware and go slow.

 

[BLSXJ]

I've got both (front and rear hitches) on my L3400. I move trailers up to 3500lbs (2 horse + tack)

For spotting(backing) a trailer into a tight spot, the FEL is the way to go. but any distance the 3point is preferred.

Given the low cost of adding a hitch ball to both ends I'd just get both... you can chain down the 3pt if your afraid of up lift.

one thing to note: with the centered driving position and no mirrors seeing down the sides of a enclosed trailer is difficult

 

[ruffdog]

If you can, use a ball on the drawbar to get the trailer close to it's home then use the FEL to place it. The weight of the trailer tongue on the drawbar will greatly help plant the rear of the tractor. Also, side loads won't bother it like it does when using the FEL.

 

[alexinPA]

I got ball hitch that I clamp to FEL with 2 straps to avoid side to side movement. Use it to move 22' boat on trailer to the garage for storage. Works fine no problem. Sometimes use it to move 3200# dump trailer. I wouldn't use it down the hill...

 

[Gem99ultra]

I also use my Kubota L3400 to move any of my trailers. For me, that's the best way to go. I can precisely set the trailer on any spot desired. I'll admit though, my backing a trailer up with my pickup is a total joke. Never learned how to do that. Admittedly, it's entaining for on-lookers.

(No advice on the incline nor weight.)

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I use my FEL mounted hitch to move my flatbed car trailer from time to time. It works well, but I'm not lifting anywhere near the tongue weight you are. As long as you're hitching plenty of ballast weight to the 3 pt hitch, and you've matched FEL capacity to LOADED (not "dry") tongue weight on your trailer, well then have at it.

 

[scootr]

I use a SSQA plate with 2" receiver on the Skid Steer to move an enclosed Cargo trailer. It works good but visibility is poor. Visibility might be better with a tractor, operator further away from the hitch point. In any case you will need a spotter.

 

[WranglerX]

Whatever you do, DO NOT use anything that clamps on, only use ball attachment that are securely bolted, pinned or welded.....

 

[nyone]

We have been toying with the idea of getting a travel trailer. If we did, the best place to store it would be in our back woods, which are fenced in. There's driveway and gate and space between trees sufficient to drive multiple cars back there and turn them around. But I doubt I could get a trailer in there and get it out again with it hitched to the back of my car.

I think I could do it with a ball hitch mounted to my FEL, and I already have the SSQA adapter to do that, which I sometimes use with a short 2" square boom pole. It is easy to compare trailer tongue weights and FEL capacities, so I know that particular load requirement could be met.

What is harder to know is what happens when the tractor is moving the trailer gross vehicle weight. If my space was flat, this wouldn't be an issue. But I do have some slopes. I can imagine scenarios where I would want the tractor to move the trailer up and down the driveway which has a 14% grade at the steepest point, and I don't like the thought of doing that while imagining what would happen if I popped out of gear, or getting complacent and then realizing I was pulling back hard and had forgotten to engage 4WD. At a minimum I would have to be OK with about a 5% grade while turning, and I can imagine jackknifing.

So... any experience or rules of thumb or guidance about GVW and FEL hitching? Does anybody here do something similar?

P.S. Yes, I know things could grow rambunctious if I tried to use the 3PT instead, because there's no downforce and the trailer could crowd behind me and drive the hitch point upward until things got away from me. We're not making that mistake! I have a drawbar I could use. I just figured the FEL would be better because the front end of the trailer would be more easily steered where I want it if it were in front of the tractor steering wheels and in my plain view.

Thanks!!

You didnt tell us about your tractor or trailer size?

 

[RobertEH]

I use my tractor to spin my RV in our upper driveway so I can back it into its parking spot. Driveway is gravel, and I use a 3 point receiver to attach it to the tractor (The pivot spot is flat). The RV is 35 feet long with dual axles, and probably between 8 and 9K lbs depending on what is in it.

Before a trip a while back, I was looking at the suspension of the trailer, and noted the rear tire leaf spring was resting on the frame and the shackle plate connecting leaf to equalizer had sheared! (see photo)

After the repair I got to wondering how this could have happened. the next time I was spinning the RV I noticed that the act of spinning the RV in place was putting side torque on the tire (one wheel was pushing inward, the other outward). I am not 100% sure, but I think this was the cause of the shackle shearing.

All this to say, if you are trying to turn a dual axle trailer 180 degrees (using the 3 point or FEL), Keep an eye on any sideways pressures being put on the suspension system!

 

[hosspuller]

If you can, use a ball on the drawbar to get the trailer close to it's home then use the FEL to place it. The weight of the trailer tongue on the drawbar will greatly help plant the rear of the tractor. Also, side loads won't bother it like it does when using the FEL.

Be wary of twisting your FEL arms when acutely turning the trailer to position it.

 

[CobyRupert]

The heavier the tractor (especially the rear), the better.
The disadvantage, is weight on the FEL makes the rear tires and rear traction less.
I’d want a plan B when thing go wrong.
14% grade is steep!
What happens when you need to drop the FEL and use the trailer stands as brakes?
Is there a way to use the trailer brakes?

 

[SmallChange]

You didnt tell us about your tractor or trailer size?

Fair 'nuff. The tractor is a NH WM25 with LC200 FEL that is 3400 lbs dry, plus 500 lbs for filled R4 rears, plus 800 on the rear counterweight if I use it (which I probably would unless the spaces are too tight). The trailer, well, I haven't chosen or bought one yet. I'm thinking, roughly, around 4000 lbs. That is, it'd be a pretty light travel trailer, though not the lightest you can get. Part of the choosing process is thinking through my towing vehicle and any other handling considerations. Not sure if it would wind up having 1 or 2 axles.

My driveway is a bit twisty-turny, as well as having varying slopes. It's probably a workable approach to get the trailer up the hill with my car, and only tractor it around on the upper part which is fairly flat. I should measure the steepest region of the upper part but I bet it's no more than 5% grade.

If I knew for sure that my tractor could easily move the trailer anywhere on my property I wanted it, that would relax some of the limitations on choosing the trailer, but I don't know if the tractor can do that easily. At this stage that's what I'm trying to pin down.

 

[SmallChange]

14% grade is steep!
What happens when you need to drop the FEL and use the trailer stands as brakes?
Is there a way to use the trailer brakes?

O my yes, 14% is steep!

I figured I could drop the FEL if everything else goes wrong. I might even tie rubber onto the bottom of the trailer stand to make it grab better.

Not sure the trailer will have brakes - do they all, even the small ones? The tiny little utility trailer I had didn't.

 

[dfkrug]

...At a minimum I would have to be OK with about a 5% grade while turning, and I can imagine jackknifing.

So... any experience or rules of thumb or guidance about GVW and FEL hitching? Does anybody here do something similar?

I do what you describe, and my paved road is 15% grade, measured, for hundreds of feet.

I have pulled and pushed with my FEL my flatbed dually trailer (1500#), 2 towable manlifts (2500#), and the chipper in this photo (2500#).

Turning sharply on this kind of slope, even on pavement, is to be done very carefully, and always in 4WD, low range. Jackknifing is a real risk. That noted, my tractors were 2x or more the weight of the trailers, 5000-5500#.

I did go off my pavement pulling/pushing all 4 of these machines, and did go on steeper slopes, but it got too dodgy to do any significant turning on the slopes. Better to pull uphill, vs. push.

I prefer a bolted-on ball, or welded-on receiver. My Kioti's forks can attach a dedicated custom trailer-tender that works quite well.

Be careful.

 

[YanmarFever]

That's awful nice of you to provide a trailer home for all the mice and rodents in the nearby woods.
Dont ask how I know....

 

[civilian]

Little late to the party. Like someone above said above, better to pull uphill, and to push downhill. My empty tandem axle flat bed trailer weighing about 3000# tried to jack knive my B26TLB hitch to oneside of my FEL arms, while pulling downhill. And yes twisting tandem axles especially when loaded, are hard on the suspension. Jon

 

[Joel/ak]

I just have an attachment for my 3 point. Throw a ball on it and go

 

[bdhsfz6]

I broke a FEL arm weld on my old B7100 when moving a 2000# trailer. I made too tight a turn pushing the trailer uphill. FEL's aren't designed to handle excessive side loads.