Perfect size trailer

[Larry_Davis]

Just bought a new L3830 with LA723 FEL, R4 Tires, 72" Woods BB and 72" Woods brushhog. Please tell me what size and type trailer you feel would be absolutely "perfect" for transporting this unit. The need would only be occasional (maybe once a month) and the distance no more than 15 miles.

Thanks,
Larry

 

[LeRoi]

You didn't say what you would be towing it with,but this one works well for me.
It's a 24ft 14,000 GVWR from Kaufman Trailers, and it's long enough to carry the tractor with FEL, and the bushhog attached without overhang.
What ever you get make sure it has brakes on both axles, my rig as shown weighs 10,300 lbs on the CAT scales at the truckstop and that doesn't include the F-250 pulling it. Truck and all weighs 17,500 lbs and I pull round trip to my land about 40 miles every saturday the weather will cooperate. Trailer pulls very well and I am quite satisfied with it.l
It cost $3645.00 delivered to South Mississippi.
Hope this helps
Leroy

 

[Larry_Davis]

Leroy,
Thanks for the reply. That's really a good looking trailer you've got. However, I only have a Dodge 1500 (with a class lV hitch) and after buying this tractor do not have the available dollars left to upgrade to a larger truck. I am hoping that since transporting will be infrequent and the distance short I can get by with less length and weight in a trailer. According to the dealer the combined weight of the L3830 and LA723 FEL is 4950 lbs. After looking at your photo it certainly does not appear that I would be able transport this tractor with the 72" brushhog on anything less in length than your trailer. In your opinion, what would be the shortest trailer that would easily accommodate just the tractor and FEL? I am sure a double axle, 7,000 lb capacity (obviously with electric brakes) would handle it with no problem.

 

[wushaw]

You might be able to squeek by with a 16ft 7k trailer if you don't have any rear implements. And if you do then make two trips, 30mi round trip is not that far.

My 16ft 7k Big Tex trailer weighs 1900lbs with a CCC of 5100lbs.

 

[graybeard451]

It says you live in the mountains and you have a good sized tractor with a bush hog. If you want to haul this combo, you'll need something with a 24 feet long bed. I also have a 16' but I'm hauling a BX 23 with a GVW of 7,000. The trailer weights around 1600 lbs so that leaves a cap of 5400 lbs. Which is fine for my BX. A bigger trailer will also have bigger tires, wheels and most importantly in the mountains, brakes. The up side is that the price difference between a 7,000 and a 10,000 lb trailer is not that big. The down side is the 10,000 lb trailer will weight more empty, further taxing that poor 1/2 ton pick-up. I know, my trailer and tractor combined is around 4500 lbs and I'm hauling it with a V-6 Toytota pick-up. It's rated for towing cap of 5,000 and I feel it is maxed out. No mountains in RI either. Good luck, Richard Happy New Year

 

[Dman]

Larry,
Looking at the picture of Leroy's tractor on his 24' trailer it looks he may have a foot or two to spare. Also, if yours just has a bucket and not a grapple like his you'd pick up another foot or two. I'm betting you could get away with a 20' trailer and still be able to haul the loader and bush hog with the bush hog wheel hanging off the back of the trailer.

The only problem I'd see with making two trips, one for tractor and loader and the other with bushhog only, is that at one place you wouldn't have anything to load/unload the implement (assuming you don't have another tractor).

Take a look at www.bigtextrailers.com. They have several different models of all types of trailers. It looks to me that something like their 10ET equipment trailer would do the trick. It has way more weight capacity than you need and the trailer only weighs 2,400lbs which should keep it and the tractor within your trucks tow limit.

 

[DmansPadge]

Have you measured it with the bucket curled up... sitting on the ground and with the brushhog?

LeRoi's trailer is very nice, but, I'm sure you can get away with less. I used to pull my B series with a V6 Tacoma on an 18' trailer and with the FEL and brushhog on... the hog hung off about 2-3 feet. The part that seemed most important to me was making sure the weight was centered over the axles. When I had my boxblade on I had about a foot to spare on the front and back.

 

[George2615]

Larry,
I have a 20' Tiltbed for my tractor. I don't have a brushhog but I have had my tractor with loader and snowblower mounted plus a Polaris 4 wheeler behind the blower all on the trailer at the same time. My tractor,loader,& blower measure about 16' long and weigh in about 4500Lb. Trailer is a 7K unit w/ brakes on both axles. (pics in photo section Mahindra) and was all I needed. Yours may weigh more. Measure the overall length and add the weights of yours. Your probably weighs over 5-6K so you'd need at least a 10K 20-22' trailer. Trailer will weigh about 2300-2500 Lb of the 10K rating which leaves up to 7500Lb. for your load. Most 1/2 ton truck can haul a 10K trailer without problem but check your trucks towing capacity to be legal.

George

 

[RobertN]

The first thing to do is sit down for a few minutes, and search this site for "trailer". There have been some very good discussions about sizing trailers, trucks, brakes and hooking it all together, over the last 4-6 months.

Start by getting all the data for your tractor. You have the basic weight, but get a little more info. These are some of the things I considered when getting my trailer:

- overall length with the biggest/longest implements mounted
- Weight of tractor
- Weight of implements(I often take a couple when I transport, ie tractor with the bushhog and scraper)
- Tool box
- Fuel cans
- ice chest(lunch and drinks)

Now you can start to size your trailer, and think about whether it will work with the GVWR and GCWR of your truck too...

Based on just the weight of your tractor, you are looking at a 10k trailer. My 16' 7000lb trailer weighs 1600lbs, with a cargo capacity of 5400lbs. Guestimating that a scraper or mower for your tractor would be in the 4-500lb range, you would be pushing PAST the capacity of my trailer. Your tractor is much longer, so you would be looking at a 18' or longer trailer, which weighs at least a few hundred pounds more than mine. With that in mind, a 18' 7000lb trailer might wigh in the 1800-1900lb range, giving you barely 5000lb capacity.

When looking at a trailer, make sure you get a spare tire, and a lug wrench to fit too. You can probably use the jack from your truck, or even unload the tractor and use the FEL. But, it doesn't help if you don't have the spare tire, or a way to get those lugs off. It would really be a bummer to have to leave that tractor and trailer on the side of the road while you get your flat repaired.

Make sure you have plenty of tie points. Mine came with ok chain tie points. I have added rope hooks, as my trailer gets used to haul all sorts of things besides tractors. It's interesting all the uses you'll find for a trailer...

Get plenty of chain and binders. Chain and bind at all four corners and over implements. There is a lot of debates about the requirements, but if you chain and bind all four corners you'll be legal in 50 states... And, a couple hundred dollars of chain and binders is really cheap insurance for $20k of tractor, $2500 of trailer.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Larry,

I would opt for a 10,000 lb GVWR trailer or more, right now you could get by with a 7,000 GVWR trailer. But as time goes by you will get more implements, you may load your tires, you may even get a back hoe. For the few extra dollars buy the most trailer that you can afford, both GVWR and length. When the weight is two much you can go buy the next new truck, but you can still use your trailer.

When I bought my 18 foot, 12,000 GVRW trailer a year before the tractor (at the time we were looking at 5 or so acres and a BX 23 size tractor). I thought I had plenty of trailer. Well lessons learned. To go buy new now I would opt for the 28'-32' gooseneck trailer. As time goes by we just keep buying more toys.

steve