How much weight can I safely pull with my CK27HST?

Looking4new · Oct 9, 2013

I want to rig up a wagon to haul firewood and anything else I see fit to haul, but I am wondering about weight vs traction.
Maximum weight would be around 5 tons/10,000 lbs.

George2615 · Oct 9, 2013

Pulling the load of firewood on a level surface won't be a problem. The problem comes going up or down hill towing that kind of load. I doubt the tractor brakes will be able to stop both the tractor and loaded trailer. I have pulled a 30' 6000 lb. camping trailer on a level surface with my Mahindra 2615HST but would never try it if I had any hills to go up or down. Too much tongue weight on a loaded trailer would be bad as well. It could make the front end of the tractor light enough to lose steering.

Looking4new · Oct 9, 2013

Tongue weight won't be a problem as the wagon has a steer axle as well as the rear axle.

whis · Oct 9, 2013

You can pull way more than You can stop. 5 ton trailer will push you all over. Best way is load a little and try until it seems to heavy. I would try a little less than your tractor weighs

bcp · Oct 9, 2013

http://www.islandguardian.com/archives/00003987.html

"..a farm tractor pulling a flatbed trailer carrying approximately 50 people lost braking control as it travelled down Hoffman Cove Road. The trailer reportedly overpowered the tractor and began pushing it down the grade.

As the tractor and trailer gained speed and momentum the trailer caused the tractor to jackknife. As it did, the drawbar bent and the front axle of the trailer failed, dumping the occupants off the trailer. Fortunately the vehicle never left the roadway and did not roll over. "

k0ua · Oct 9, 2013

It should be in your operators manual.. I looked it up for my tractor and also DK40se is listed at 7716.1 lbs. And I can tell you your tractor weighs considerably less and has smaller brakes.. I would say 5000 lbs would be pushing it, and I would not go down any hills with that, or swapping any gears going up a hill.. I can tell you this, there is no way I would tow 7716 lbs up or down any of my hills. I probably would be OK on flat ground with my maximum tow load.

James K0UA

Sysop · Oct 9, 2013

A properly made wagon should go anywhere the tractor can. As for how much weight you can safely pull will vary from day to day based on variables from temperature, ground moisture, tire wear, and many other factors. There are many things that can create limitations and there are too many to predict. Best is start small and work your way up to heavier loads slowly and learn the limitations of your environment and equipment carefully.

Looking4new · Oct 9, 2013

Thanks guys. That gives me a base figure to use. I can forget 10 thousand unless I put surge brakes on the wagon.Brakes wasn't in the budget, but I will if I have to. My life is worth way more than brakes.

bcp · Oct 9, 2013

I posted this video before, but think of what would happen if he had a downhill section or needed an emergency stop.

The important question is not "What can I pull?" but "What can I stop?"

Bruce

SPYDERLK · Oct 9, 2013

Looking4new said:
Thanks guys. That gives me a base figure to use. I can forget 10 thousand unless I put surge brakes on the wagon.Brakes wasn't in the budget, but I will if I have to. My life is worth way more than brakes.

Yes. Wagons are a problem because they add no tongue weight. The tractor weight is all you have for traction. A heavy wagon will overide a light tractor on downhill. ... Extremely dangerous. -- A trailer that " leans" on the tractor gives a great deal of rear wheel traction. As long as the pull point does not lighten the fronts too much you can control a much greater payload. The HST provides an added advantage.

,,,In our haying operation we pull a horsetrailer, sometimes weighing over 6000 pounds loaded [80 bales] using our BX1500 ... uphill and down ~ 10° max. Lots of tongue weight lets us handle this safely.
larry