Hauling with BX

OregonTom · Nov 5, 2001

I attached a 2" ball to the hole in what appears to me to be the hitch receiver of my BX and have been using it to haul my boats and my trailer around. It works great. I read something recently (can't recall where), however, which led me to wonder if what I was doing violated some time honored tractor safety rule.

Any thoughts?

OregonTom

Bird · Nov 5, 2001

You don't say what size that boat is or what the boat and trailer weigh, but if it isn't heavy enough to prevent you from stopping, so it doesn't run over you or push you into someplace you didn't want to be, then what you're doing is perfectly normal./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

woodstock · Nov 5, 2001

For wanabe haulers llike use a safe rule of thumb is to never tow anything heavier than the tow vehicle.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

2001 BX2200 (50 hrs)

jwstewar · Nov 6, 2001

That may hold true for tractors, but certainly not trucks. I tow an 8500# camper with my Chevy Silverado Z71, and last time I checked it didn't weigh 8500#, probably only around 5k. Duallies are also rated to tow 12 - 15k. They certainly don't weigh that much. Again your rule of thumb may be good for tractors but not trucks.

Still going for your Gold status heh/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif? Keep going you'll get it. Maybe one day I'll make it to veteran.

Hope this didn't sound like I was bashing you, I'm not, just either clerifying what you said or disagreeing with you.

Jim

Jeff396 · Nov 6, 2001

I think the weight issue is correct in that if the trailer weighs more than the towing vehicle you then need trailer brakes. The vehicle alone cannot stop it.

Jeff

Bird · Nov 6, 2001

Woodstock & Jeff, there's certainly nothing wrong with being overly cautious or conservative, but that's pretty extreme./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif The manual says my B2710 weighs 1740 pounds, and the trailer weight limitation is 3300 pounds. And of course, I too have pulled a lot of trailers that weighed more than the towing vehicle. I haven't kept up with any changes in the past several years, but for on road trailering, there at least used to be a federal recommendation to require trailer brakes if the trailer weighed 40% or more of the weight on the towing vehicle.

Jeff396 · Nov 6, 2001

I wasn't really referring to pulling trailers with our tractors. I was referring to Jim's reference of pulling trailers which are dramatically heavier than the towing vehicle on the road. I have a friend who happens to be an ex cop and he got into an accident. He was pulling his CASE loader backhoe and some moron ran a red light and my friend t-boned him. Seems pretty cut and dry until you get questions from the morons lawyer concerning what tire pressure you are running, weight rating of you towing vehicle, brake stopping rating on the trailer etc. I never really towed much in weight with my truck, but his story kinda has me erroring on the safe side.

Jeff

Bird · Nov 6, 2001

Jeff, I was responding to two people in one message and may not have made myself clear. I thought Woodstock was being overly conservative on weights that could be safely towed, but I was agreeing with you, and even go a little farther, on trailer weights before brakes are needed on the trailer. And of course, if we err, let's hope it's on the safe side./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Needless to say, I've seen plenty of trailers wrecked, including some that resulted in fatalities./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Egon · Nov 6, 2001

Trailer Towing:
Trailer towing with trucks on public highways will be coverd by very definate regulations. Towing with a tractor is completly different as speeds are much slower and if on private land your own disgression may be the regulation in place. Tractor towing on public roads may be different from a legal standpoint.
Sure hope I can tow a lot more than the 6500 # my 3/4 ton truck weighs.
Egon

Hogkeeper · May 3, 2002

I can get a 10k trailer load in motion with my Toyota but, can I stop it???? use you brain man!

Egon · May 3, 2002

HogKeeper
I can/have gotten a 10K load in motion and stopped. Didn't use a Toyato though. Had truck with proper rating and all the proper rated brakes and hitch. With 5th. wheel hitch the rating goes up about 4K#. Even had the dealer specifations for the rating on my truck.

Egon

BearLakeBota · May 3, 2002

Has anyone had experience using the Agrifab 17 Cu. ft. Dump cart? Is it worth $200?

hazmat · May 3, 2002

I've used a craftsman 10 cubic foot dump cart. Seen the agrifab at the local hardware store. They both have the same limitation, ie, when you dump it, it pivots on the axle with the tailgate hitting the ground. This means that you can't make a high pile of dirt. Might not matter if you have the FEL to reposition the dirt after you dump it. Kind of a PITA to have to disconnect the cart (they don't back up well) to use the FEL to move the dirt.

I would think you'd be better off using the FEL to move dirt around (haven't had the pleasure yet myself). If you want to move tools, plants etc, around the property, the cart works well for that.

Have you considered a dirt scoop? I don't have any experience with one, but do a search. The added bonus is it can act as a counterweight while you use the FEL

Hazmat

Old_Wanker · May 3, 2002

Has anyone had experience using the Agrifab 17 Cu. ft. Dump cart?

Yes. Its handy for taking tools and materials out to the other side of the property but nothing fancy. Im thinking about getting a sprayer and might use the cart to mount the tank in.

Ive used it to move wood and rocks. The latch mechanism on the dump has been bent a couple of times and seems a bit flimsy.

Is it worth $200?

Depends. If I did tti again then Id probably go with a small utility trailer that I could also pull behind a vehicle on the road. I believe Northern Tool does a few like that for a reasonable price.

I dont regret the purchase but Im not that excited about it either I suppose. Ill probably still be using it 10 years from now though.

kyoders · May 3, 2002

BearLake,

I've got one, and I wish I had spent the money on something better. It works fine for moving light materials, like mulch. For dirt and rocks, you can't get very much in it before you stress the thing out. The "sleeve bearings" don't like to go very fast, and the dump angle doesn't allow you to actually empty the trailer w/out shoveling. If you try to dump and move forward, the back lip is likely to catch and bend the back up badly enough so the gate won't fit right anymore. And if you have very rough terrain, the whole thing warps enough to bind up the dump lever. I'll probably keep it for moving mulch, but I am definitely in the market for something more rugged.

Kevin

jwstewar · May 4, 2002

I've got a Rubbermaid (Yes Rubbermaid) 10 or 12 cu. ft. Like the others have said it works pretty well for most of the light stuff and tools. I have however hauled quite a bit of dirt on my as I don't have a real tractor yet. The beauty of the Rubbermaid trailer is the bed/box of it is plastic. Don't have to worry about scratching it and then the "r" word. Only things metal is the tongue, axle, and wheels. Like some have said about the others the tongue is a little flimsy. What we had done at one point was but a 1 7/8" ball coupler on it and pulled it from that. That steady it up quite a bit and also made it pull easier and allowed it to haul heavier loads - within reason of course.

hazmat · May 6, 2002

kyoders brought up a good point about bending the metal lip. been there, done that.

Hazmat

Maker102 · May 6, 2002

I purchased a 4x4 trailer from Harbor Freight for $151.00 or right around there shipped. Its rated for 780 lbs and is road ready. Put a few sides and bed on it about $15.00 in lumber and I have not only a utility trailer for off road but I also have a small trailer that I can take on the road if I want to. I to had a really hard time justifying $200 plus for a strictly off road trailer. It has done everything that I have asked of it and more. Better hurry once the free shipping goes away it won't be a bargain anymore.