Moving trailers around

[AlbertaDan]

I have a BX2360 and a 27ft travel trailer. I want to build a pad to park the trailer on.But the issue I have is that there isn't enough room to maneuver the truck to park the trailer where I want it.

Can I just use a ball on the back of the 2360 to move the trailer? Or will the 700lb tongue weight of the trailer be too much? The trailer weighs about 6500lbs.

All the ground is level so I won't have to worry about runaways, but I don't want to overload my tractor by doing this either.

 

[dmay]

I have a BX2360 and a 27ft travel trailer. I want to build a pad to park the trailer on.But the issue I have is that there isn't enough room to maneuver the truck to park the trailer where I want it.

Can I just use a ball on the back of the 2360 to move the trailer? Or will the 700lb tongue weight of the trailer be too much? The trailer weighs about 6500lbs.

All the ground is level so I won't have to worry about runaways, but I don't want to overload my tractor by doing this either.

Look at it this way. Would you think it safe to move your 27 ft, 6500 lb, 700 lb tongue weight travel trailer with a sub-compact car? Same answer will apply to a sub-compact tractor.

 

[sld]

If the ground is truly flat, I would not have any worries.

 

[johnrex62]

Check your manual first. My L3700 manual lists an implement limit of 730 lbs for the drawbar load and 2200 lbs for the trailer loading weight. I cannot imagine your BX being able to handle a 6500 lb trailer.

 

[TripleR]

As mentioned, if your ground is truly flat, and you are only talking about short distances I would try it to see how it works out. The tongue weight is not in excess of the effect some heavy 3-point stuff would have and the rolling resistance is not going to exceed what you might run into with some ground engagement equipment. A local marina used a similar, older model to move boats, pontoons and everything else around his lot and it was not close to being level.

 

[Wacky]

I would probably make or buy a 3pt hitch trailer mover attachment. They are generally less than $200. They put all the weight distributed among the 3pts, rather than just the one point a ball in the hole on the tractor, providing you already have the tractor 3pt...Just my:2cents:

 

[Wacky]

Plus, you could just back up to the trailer, raise or lower the hitch to connect to the trailer, without getting off to raise or lower the jack. Just remember to lock the tongue :thumbsup:.

 

[wedge40]

Do you have a fel with your scut?

Wedge

 

[maybar]

If you don't want to go this expensive route maybe you could build a dual wheel dolly to take the tongue weight and move it manually with your tractor.

Parkit360 the Motorized, Powered Trailer Dolly, Electric Trailer Dolly, Mover or Tug and Trailer Pusher

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

If the area is truly flat and braking is not a problem it should work. I recently moved a 27' SeaRay on a tandem axle trailer (probably 8,500 lbs) with my little Honda 6522. I have a multi hole draw bar that fits in the 3 pth arms (was about $25 at the JD store) with a trailer ball in the middle hole. A large clevis keeps the ball / bar from spinning.

The boat was in my shed with concrete floor and easily moved it forward about 20 feet to move some junk around in the shed and then back it into place again. The Honda was already set up and since I was by myself it was easier to back into place and the 3 pth allowed raising and lowering the hitch for easy hookup.

Could have used the JD, but the BH was in place and truck is pita to back into place when alone.

 

[dcyrilc]

I would probably make or buy a 3pt hitch trailer mover attachment. They are generally less than $200. They put all the weight distributed among the 3pts, rather than just the one point a ball in the hole on the tractor, providing you already have the tractor 3pt...Just my:2cents:

Plus, you could just back up to the trailer, raise or lower the hitch to connect to the trailer, without getting off to raise or lower the jack. Just remember to lock the tongue :thumbsup:.

I have one of these and it is great for moving trailers around.:thumbsup:

 

[ccsial]

Do you have a fel with your scut?

Wedge

I move trailers with a ball on the FEL. It is much easier to see where your parking it that way. I first tried the rear hitch and the visibility was not good if you have a high trailer.

I use my 1910 to back my car hauler into the pole barn. It is much easier than the truck.

 

[Travelover]

I think you'll do fine on flat ground. If you are worried about it getting away from you, wire in a connector so you can apply the electric brakes on the trailer.

 

[Runner]

I move about 5000 lbs of boat and trailer around with a loader-mounted hitch, on a JD2520, but for your tractor, I'd probably stick with a three-point hitch. I'll bet it can handle it (level ground).

 

[Dargo]

Here is what I designed for what you're talking about. It has a 2" insert for regular trailers and a larger gooseneck or 5th wheel ball on the top. I don't use any thin or weak materials either. I make my movers out of 3/8" side wall 2" square tubing with 1/2" flat bar bracing. No cheap crap here. That way you can use one implement for either type of trailer. Since everything around my area is concrete, I use the adapter shown in the 2nd picture on a fork of one of my forklifts to move any type of trailer, including pintle hitch trailers.

If you have an FEL on your tractor, I have designed several receivers that either weld on or bolt on them for moving trailers as well. It only took one trailer falling on a steel toe boot so hard that I had to have the boot cut off (boot saved my toes though!) for me to start designing better methods of moving trailers.

 

[dmay]

As a general practice when moving heavy items you should offset the weight. So in this case it means carry 700 lbs on both ends just to balance the load, then try to move 6500 lbs safely. All with a subcompact BX2360 that has specs that state:

3pt capacity = 670 lbs
FEL capacity = 745 lbs
Tractor weight = 1322 lbs.

Just carrying 700 lbs at both ends would be challange enough.

I think anyone that is suggesting a Kubota BX2360 can safely move a large and heavy 700/6500lb tongue/travel trailer, even on flat ground is :confused2:.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Reg]

I don't know your specific tractorette, but if it can't take it at the back it MIGHT be able to take it at the front.
I have an Andy Tatro adapter that goes over one half of a standard skid steer FEL hitch.
It has a standard 2 inch square receiver.
Another possibility is a front bumper hitch on your truck, THAT would also be useful at camp grounds.
It isn't the "Girlie way out" of maneuvering a trailer, sometimes it is just about the ONLY way that will work.

ONE thing to be VERY CAREFUL about with FEL and/or 3pt hitch trailer moving;
It can be very tempting to just lift the tongue and start moving the trailer - just DON'T !
a) Lift the tongue just enough to take the load off the tongue jack.
b) Wind the tongue jack up, to it's normal travel position.
c) Lower the ball to it's normal travel height.

 

[deere4320]

I have towed a 5,000 pound towable Genie Manlift up a muddy hill which we got our F-250 stuck on. Then i towed it back down (in low)with not problem. But then again my 4320 weights 5,945 (w/loader and loaded R4's). I would be very careful towing with your bx.

 

[jimmer2880]

I own a Kubota 1830, and a Wildwood 32' (35.5' bumper to ball) camper, with 2 slide outs. Weights in at just under 7900 lbs.

I move it on my flat, gravel camper site with little problems. However, I MUST have either my loader on, or my 250lbs of suitcase weights on the front.

NOTE: I would NEVER attempt to move it far, or on anything with any kind of incline. I've had a 30' with 0 slide outs jackknife my 1830 on a 6" decline. (wet grass, but very tight spot, tractor was only thing that could do it).

 

[jimmer2880]

Also - if I were to do it regularly, I would NOT use the 3pt., as that increases the distance between your rear axle and ball. Every inch counts on these small tractors.

If you are just "putting it on the pad", then the 3pt should be fine. But, more than that, put it on the draw bar.