Can <40hp compact tractor tow a trailer?

[makey98]

Hello. I have small property, only 8 acres with severs acres of grass and creek and then 4 acres of pasture. My land is this Miami loam clay in the Midwest and my stupid truck f-250 is always getting stuck if it is wet at all. Would be interested in compact tractor like the Yanmar yt series or kioti or other modes. Just for some various land uses, moving firewood around and random projects. The question I have is could a small tractor like this pull a 14k bumper pull equipment trailer just around the property? I assume it could empty but with anything in it? I am limited on when I can do any work based on how hard the ground is, either in the middle of the summer or dead of winter. Keep getting my truck stuck and or tearing up the place. Any suggestions? No companies that I have seen ever really talk about how much a tractor could pull.

 

[Will S]

I can't answer your exact question, but when my 9000 lb trailer being towed by 4wd drive pickup, got stuck in the mud on my property, I took my 32hp JD out of the barn, raised the trailer off the hitch with the pallet forks, then pulled it to the side, connected it to my hitch receiver in the ballast box, and pulled it out of the mud. No chains, and not even AG tires. My tractor has the newer R3 radials, and it worked like a charm.

 

[ptsg]

Hello there, of course it can. Tractors were made to pull things after all. A tractor is far better suited at pull things than to have a loader on for instance, but I've noticed people in the US seem a bit reluctant at pulling trailers for some reason.

You just need to be conscious how much you load the trailer, depending on the tractor you get and the tire choice as well, but you get a feeling for it after using for a while.

As an example, my 35HP Branson gets 7700 lbs tow rating with a braked trailer here in Europe. This is just the legal ratings, in reality, these tractors end up seeing quite a bit more than what's rated, specially if it won't be going on the public road.

Here is a couple other examples.

Kubota B2261 pulling a trailer full of logs. No idea on the weight though.

Kioti DK5010 with a 1050 gallon liquid manure spreader on the left and an excavator on the right, weighting right at 12000 lbs (excavator + trailer)

 

[orezok]

I move my 7000# empty RV trailer around all the time with my B7800 (30 HP). BUT the area I move it in is absolutely flat. I wouldn’t do it if there was any kind of slope.

 

[Jstpssng]

Pulling it is one thing. Stopping is another altogether. Remember that a tractor the size you mention is going to weigh <4000 lbs, and only has brakes on the rear tires. So depending on how heavy you load the trailer, it could end up pushing the tractor, or as they say; "the tail might wag the dog."

 

[LouNY]

I'll agree with the pulling may be easy, but it may not be.
Most likely those trailer tires are quite narrow for the load and that tandem axle is likely to cut a good rut,
and maybe stop your tractor, all depending on the load.
But the tractor should tow more then the pickup off road.

 

[strantor]

Search youtube for "india tractor pulling trailer" for a bottomless bucket of videos that will illustrate just how much weight a given size tractor can pull without popping wheelies, with popping wheelies, without splitting in half, with splitting in half, without flipping over, with flipping over, etc. As well as give you some ideas of some super cool aesthetic mods for your tractor (hint: did someone say tassles?)

Edit: just found this.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

I pull a dual axle dump with 2 yards of dirt or millings - so 4500 lb payload and about 1500 in trailer weight. Pull it with a 30 hp with manual transmission.
Weight needs to be centered over the dual axles. If the weight is too far back on the trailer, it lifts the 3 pt hitch to the maximum. If the weight is too far front on the trailer, then the weight on the rear axle of the tractor raises the front steering axle.
When I have loaded the trailer with more weight, I can easily get bogged down in wet grass or loose millings.
Others have written about going down hills and stopping. I have transported 5 adults, 3 children and 8 bales of hay so lets say 1100 lbs, and a 1200 lb trailer, down some hills of consequence. I put tractor in low range and first gear and let the engine do the work of braking. All works fine and no scary moments. I did "test" the descent with just the trailer and hay, before adding the humans.

 

[makey98]

Thank you all, that makes me feel better. Seems like even these subcompact tractors would do more than what I would need. I can’t imagine really needing to move big weight, more just the empty trailer or some light stuff in it and didn’t want to risk it with the truck. Like today I have my neighbors 35ton splitter and thought I could get some work done, instead got stuck and the day was wasted. While I have your attention any suggestions on which models? Would like to find something in reasonable condition for $10-15k but seems like new is 25k-30k or even used is $20….

 

[nybirdman]

Also pull from the draw bar and not the three point(no down pressure).