Carrying capacity

[yanmars]

I have a chance to get a Quality Steel 18 foot tandem axle car trailer with winch. I think made in Decatur, IN. It has a steel deck. The axles are both rated at 3500 each for a total of 7000 pounds. I think the trailer with winch could be near 2000 pounds. I would like to carry my 45HP Mahindra 4510 cab tractor, loader and 6 foot Bush Hog brand mower. The tractor combo would go near 7400 pounds. Would this be overloading the same?
I never travel too fast and generally not more than 20 miles. The trailer is not a tilt but has steel ramps. Would they stand the weight?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I have a chance to get a Quality Steel 18 foot tandem axle car trailer with winch. I think made in Decatur, IN. It has a steel deck. The axles are both rated at 3500 each for a total of 7000 pounds. I think the trailer with winch could be near 2000 pounds. I would like to carry my 45HP Mahindra 4510 cab tractor, loader and 6 foot Bush Hog brand mower. The tractor combo would go near 7400 pounds. Would this be overloading the same?
I never travel too fast and generally not more than 20 miles. The trailer is not a tilt but has steel ramps. Would they stand the weight?

Do yourself a favor and get you a trailer with at least 2-7k axles and a minimum of 20' long , you will never hear someone say "I wish my trailer would haul less" and it's a huge benefit to have a little wiggle room on the length of your trailer to get your tractor in the sweet spot where you have a little tongue weight so it pulls good, there is a better than average chance that your tractor with FEL and bush hog will hang off of an 18' trailer a little much, measure it. But you could haul your rig on it, would it be comfortable? I doubt it.

 

[Yander]

Your trailer will be too
Lite for your tractor I'm afraid.

It would look probably haul it, just pushing it past safe.

 

[dieselscout80]

I regret the day I bought a 18’ 7k pound trailer that weighs 2500 pounds back in 2003.

Truthfully it 4500 pounds of payload.

The other issue is it’s to short to really position the load for proper tow weight with equipment (flail mower which is way shorter than your bush hog) and tractor.

That said I have hauled way more than 4.5k pounds.

think a 20’, 22’ or even 24’ would be fine. At least 6k axles if not 7k.

However, on the cheap you could get 5200 pound axles.

My setup with my TC45 w/ loader and Ford 917 flail.

Tractor weight w/ loader, bucket & flail: 6520 lbs.

Note I run load range E tires and trailer has 5” frame rails.

 

[BlueKnife]

I have a chance to get a Quality Steel 18 foot tandem axle car trailer with winch. I think made in Decatur, IN. It has a steel deck. The axles are both rated at 3500 each for a total of 7000 pounds. I think the trailer with winch could be near 2000 pounds. I would like to carry my 45HP Mahindra 4510 cab tractor, loader and 6 foot Bush Hog brand mower. The tractor combo would go near 7400 pounds. Would this be overloading the same?
I never travel too fast and generally not more than 20 miles. The trailer is not a tilt but has steel ramps. Would they stand the weight?

With tongue weight, you'd probably technically not be overloading the axles. You'd certainly be on the edge though. As far as the ramps, we have no way of knowing without more information. What size and shape of steel? Tube? Channel? How long are they? How are they constructed. It makes a big difference.

 

[MTGreen]

Make sure you have rear jacks/supports installed if you're planning on driving 7k+ up ramps on a 2k trailer, especially if you're on an incline and/or have ramps designed for a 5k payload. There are several humorous /horrifying pics/videos in the pics of people towing/hauling wrong thread of what happens when you don't

 

[jyoutz]

I regret the day I bought a 18’ 7k pound trailer that weighs 2500 pounds back in 2003.

Truthfully it 4500 pounds of payload.

The other issue is it’s to short to really position the load for proper tow weight with equipment (flail mower which is way shorter than your bush hog) and tractor.

That said I have hauled way more than 4.5k pounds.

think a 20’, 22’ or even 24’ would be fine. At least 6k axles if not 7k.

However, on the cheap you could get 5200 pound axles.

My setup with my TC45 w/ loader and Ford 917 flail.

Tractor weight w/ loader, bucket & flail: 6520 lbs.

Note I run load range E tires and trailer has 5” frame rails.

I have a 20’ trailer with 5,200# axles. It hauls my MX nicely. But I wouldn’t go any shorter or lighter weight rating.

 

[Yander]

I also agree with @dieselscout80 it will be too short.

That trailer is too short for my small subcompact (SA425) and a bush hog.

I think you will regret that decision.

 

[RandyT]

You will be another person that I see pulling a trailer with the camber gone from the axles because they have been overloaded to the point that the tube is bent. And something that needs to be looked at hard is how close are the axle tubes to the trailer deck since some trailers will allow the center of the axle to contact the deck before the springs are fully compressed causing the same effect as putting a press in the middle and pulling on both ends.

 

[RjCorazza]

For a similar tractor weight I ended up with a 12k trailer, and considered that a minimum capacity trailer.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I have a chance to get a Quality Steel 18 foot tandem axle car trailer with winch. I think made in Decatur, IN. It has a steel deck. The axles are both rated at 3500 each for a total of 7000 pounds. I think the trailer with winch could be near 2000 pounds. I would like to carry my 45HP Mahindra 4510 cab tractor, loader and 6 foot Bush Hog brand mower. The tractor combo would go near 7400 pounds. Would this be overloading the same?
I never travel too fast and generally not more than 20 miles. The trailer is not a tilt but has steel ramps. Would they stand the weight?

My advice would be to pass up that trailer.

I can't be sure how much it would weigh, but I can assure you it will be much more than 2000 lbs.

I have an 18' car trailer with a wood deck, and it weighs 1900 lbs. With a steel deck that's at least thicker than tissue paper, you can expect at least another 1000 lbs to that. And the deck will be too short for a 6' brush hog on a loader tractor. How can I be sure, you ask?

Simple:

This is what it will look like.

I would also bet that your tractor weighs more than 7400 lbs, if the tires are filled with ballast. Mine, the one in the picture, weighs 7100 lbs as it sits in the picture. I know the weights on these things because I have weighed them all on a certified CAT scale.

I suggest you look at bigger and heavier duty trailers. My next one will be a gooseneck deckover at least 30' long (34' would be better) so I can bring a couple extra implements if I need to.

 

[yanmars]

Thanks for all the replies. Even though it is a nice trailer at a good price I am not going to buy it, just too short and light for my needs.

 

[dieselscout80]

You will be another person that I see pulling a trailer with the camber gone from the axles because they have been overloaded to the point that the tube is bent. And something that needs to be looked at hard is how close are the axle tubes to the trailer deck since some trailers will allow the center of the axle to contact the deck before the springs are fully compressed causing the same effect as putting a press in the middle and pulling on both ends.

I’m not sure the camber being loss due bent axles is just because of overloading the axles.

Many 7k trailers are just an angle iron frame that flexes too much when overloaded.

Mine with the 5” channel iron frame has never bent the axles.

That said I have debated replacing my axle, but the trailer is still too short.

 

[RandyT]

I’m not sure the camber being loss due bent axles is just because of overloading the axles.

Many 7k trailers are just an angle iron frame that flexes too much when overloaded.

Mine with the 5” channel iron frame has never bent the axles.

That said I have debated replacing my axle, but the trailer is still too short.

I am sure there are several factors at play that lead to permanent camber lose.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Thanks for all the replies. Even though it is a nice trailer at a good price I am not going to buy it, just too short and light for my needs.

I think you made a good decision.