4300 Trailer?

[npalomba]

I just got done reading the thread labeled: Trailer tie-down. It's discussion was mostly about trailering a 790 but I have a 4300 and was wondering if anyone has a dump trailer that they use to move around their 4300. I was looking at the Foster 12 foot dump since I need a lot of fill for my yard I could use it for many purposes. Does anyone know about this trailer? Could it handle it? Hoping to get away with a 6x12 since anything bigger gets very expensive.

If this has been covered somewhere else in a thread please tell me the title of the thread and I will search again.

Thanks and I love TBN and my new JD4300.

 

[GrantMO]

Nick,

Check out the thread "Trailer for towing tractor" which is in Attachments, I think. I don't know anything about the trailer you're interested in but my advice would be to pay particular attention to the weight, as in GVW. Dual axle trailers advertised as having two 3500# axles often will only have a GVW of 5000#. When you subtract the trailer weight of about 1500# you're only left with 3500# for tractor and implements. If your 4300 weighs 2900# that doesn't leave much room for extras. This is the position I'm in with a 5000# GVW utility trailer which I really like and use for all kinds of things including my 8N. In the future I will probably need to trade up to 7500# or more to accomodate a heavier tractor, FEL etc. Of course that means a new 3/4 ton truck and so on./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Have fun shopping.

 

[DDT]

I looked at foster trailer but only after I bought a 18' car trailer and since I have a dump trailer I decided to keep what I have. Any way I think there a good trailer, most of them are made to hual skidsteers to a job site do your hauling with the same trailer. So if I were to do it again I would get a foster. My dump trailer is a 6' x 10' @ $4K and 18' dove tail @ $2K is more money and I have to make two trips to the job site when I need both trailers.
DDT

 

[npalomba]

Thanks DDT, yeah they are nice but they are really $$$$. I just don't know if the 12 footer is big enough and the 14 footer is amost 9K. That's more than I could spend right now.

 

[DDT]

npalomba
I'm sure I'll get alittle ribbing out of this, but a thought. A 12' bed is about the same lenth as my 4300 with loader. You should need alittle more room for rear ballast or box blade ect. What if you got the 12' trailer and you or a welder made a soild headache rack to set the bucket on (over the top and in front of the trailer bed) this should gain another 3 to 4'. I'm always hanging my bucket over a grass seeder or pulverizer to gain enough floor space.
DDT

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I agree with Dana... the 12' would be a minimum length.

A quick test is to hook up your most popular rear implement you plan on using with the loader attached... and measure the overall length... I think you will surprised... maybe 17-18', but if you allow some overhang for the bucket and say rear rotary cutter... the 16' should do it...

A dual axle 16' w/ brakes @ Quality Farm & Family is $1700....{w/ 7000 lb. GVW} Where are you looking @ $9000? {with a little shopping around, I'm sure you'll find some for even less...}

 

[RobS]

I think the 12 footer will be way too short. I've got an 18 foot car hauler and it's nice to be able to adjust the tractor position for weight balance. With no implement, or a short one (box blade) I can put the tractor a bit further back to take some weight off the tongue. My worst case is loader and rotary cutter. I pretty much have to put the tractor all the way forward (bucket against front edge of trailer bed). It's a bit too tongue heavy in this situation. If I were hauling more than my three miles, I'd probably load it backwards.

If you need to haul a lot of fill, you might consider hiring a dump truck. You could also rent a dump trailer but they don't haul nearly as much volume as you might think. It would take a lot of trips to move much earth.

If you rent or hire the dirt hauling, you can afford a much more desirable trailer for tractor hauling /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[DFB]

Hey Rob,

I hear ya on that weight distribution. I've been trailering with the tractor facing rearward for the last two trips and was able to balance out the load much better. Keeps the bug splatter off the seat too! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Got a 1000 mi on the trailer so far.

Rob you got a battery operated breakaway system?
Mine says to check the battery before every trip. Any idea how long that battery stays good? Indefinitly? Haven't taken the time to open up the case and look at it, guess it must be a gel type.

DFB

 

[RobS]

DFB, I don't have the battery breakaway system but may add one for peace of mind. I've got a breakaway system on our fifth wheel, but it has it's own "house" battery. I suspect you are right, the breakaway battery is Gel type. On our camper the battery will charge off the truck, but I don't know if utility trailers are wired the same. If not, I don't see why it couldn't be.

Sounds like you're trailering a lot more than I am. My longest trek with the tractor was last week where I intended to get out to the property at 5:30am (3 mile drive). As I walked to my truck (tractor already loaded and lawn tractor in the truck bed) it started raining... hard. I drove to the gas station and filled everything up. Still raining. Drove to the bank to use the ATM. Still raining. Drove to another bank to deposit a check. Still raining. Went to Quality Farm. Waited a minute or two for them to open. Still raining. Looked at a lot of things I "need". Rain letting up. Left with all my money in my pocket and drove to the property. As I unlocked my gate, the sun came out and I went right to work. Total of about 15 miles /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[DFB]

Rob,

It is wired into the vehicle's system. Got a sticker with the wiring diagram right on the housing.
No tellin' how long that will last out in the weather. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif The brake setup on my little SUNLINE camper works the same way as your 5th wheel. Thanks.

That long haul gets old quick.

"Oh Hon, What are your thoughts on me getting a 2nd (larger) tractor and then we could leave the smaller one at camp all summer instead of towing it all the time."

YEA RIGHT /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

YA JUST NEVER KNOW /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

DFB