Pulling GN trailer with a Tractor

[gzfrt9]

Just purchased a new PJ 28 foot GN lowboy. We are looking move the lowboy to the field with tractor unhook. Load up, hook back up to a 3PT hitch trailer mover. And pull them about a mile home. The question is will this be treated as a farm implement or treated as a trailer. The reason I ask is: 1. If treated as farm implement, I do not need to strap bales down. 2. If treated as trailer, I must strap down to prevent unsecured load ticket. Live in Michigan, Any one have any experience with how the law treats this?

 

[countrybumpkin]

Really don't matter, TIE the darn bales down, if something happens while on the road you'll wish you had of tied them down.

 

[oosik]

I really don't think you will give a tinkers toot or feel any better calling it a farm implement or trailer - if those bales start falling off while moving them. Strap the load down and be safe.

 

[BLSXJ]

on the other side of the lake... if you keep it under 40km/h and have a SMV sign on the back.... its farm equipment.

That said... if this is something you plan on doing on a regular basis, I'd have a cargo net made up to make securing the load fast and easy

 

[M5farms]

I do not know about your area but a trailer loaded proper does not need to be strapped down for 1 mile IMO . Ive feed 1000s of bales of hay off of a 34' GN trailer and tractor where I would load and go 15 miles from the hay stack and load and feed and do this several times over 5 to 6 hrs a day.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I do not know about your area but a trailer loaded proper does not need to be strapped down for 1 mile IMO . Ive feed 1000s of bales of hay off of a 34' GN trailer and tractor where I would load and go 15 miles from the hay stack and load and feed and do this several times over 5 to 6 hrs a day.

I understand where you are coming from, But, Try explainIng that to the judge and jury when the defendants lawyer asks you about it. I'm going to guess he doesn't have a lot of experience in this area, hence why he is asking, so if someone just said "Sure, they will be fine not tied down" then he has a problem, we didn't help him any. If he starts out tiring them down and gets to a point he feels that he don't, then that's his decision, least we have given the safest advise we can.

 

[M5farms]

I understand where you are coming from, But, Try explainIng that to the judge and jury when the defendants lawyer asks you about it. I'm going to guess he doesn't have a lot of experience in this area, hence why he is asking, so if someone just said "Sure, they will be fine not tied down" then he has a problem, we didn't help him any. If he starts out tiring them down and gets to a point he feels that he don't, then that's his decision, least we have given the safest advise we can.

If a person takes advise off of the internet and uses that as the end all. Then what ever happens, happens . Every single person will have a different opinion. I tend to err on the side of efficiency and common sense. If it makes a person feel better to tie down a load and drive a mile then do it. and if I were concerned about the local laws I would ask someone that enforces the local law . FWIW the DOT , state troopers and sherriff dept here does not bother you if you act like you halfway know what your doing . traveling an interstate is different situation all together and again OP said 1 mile .

 

[gzfrt9]

5Mfarms, I was looking for opinions and what they do. Your right, I haul hundreds of bales on hay wagons. Single and two tier and I will with my lowboy.
Just was wondering if anyone out there had a bad experience with the Law.
Here in our area, you can not pull two wagons with a pickup. Without getting a ticket. Also if you are pulling a wagon with your pickup without strapping your round bales they ticket you for unsecured load.
That's why a GN behind a tractor looks very appealing, because you can just load and go. With out strapping.
Also properly loaded there not moving.
BTW, I'm not talking about down the highway. These are dirt back roads!

 

[Redneck in training]

I would hook it up to draw bar instead to 3 point trailer hitch.

 

[M5farms]

5Mfarms, I was looking for opinions and what they do. Your right, I haul hundreds of bales on hay wagons. Single and two tier and I will with my lowboy.
Just was wondering if anyone out there had a bad experience with the Law.
Here in our area, you can not pull two wagons with a pickup. Without getting a ticket. Also if you are pulling a wagon with your pickup without strapping your round bales they ticket you for unsecured load.
That's why a GN behind a tractor looks very appealing, because you can just load and go. With out strapping.
Also properly loaded there not moving.
BTW, I'm not talking about down the highway. These are dirt back roads!

I understand you dilemma Personally I would just do it and deal with a situation if it arose. We don't have any issues with The law when it comes to agricultural here .

 

[Btown]

How do you hoop up a goose neck trailer to the three point hitch? Do you drop down the adjustable goose neck all the way? Even still you would need a large tractor to be able to lift the 3 point 3 feet in the air to pick it up. No sure I would do this. That's a lot of weight on that 3 point hitch. How big is the tractor you are using? I would think it's over 100 hp. The other question is how fast can you stop the tractor and trailer with a full load?

 

[gzfrt9]

I will be using a JD 6615 with home built trailer mover that we are building.
The lift capacity on that is 5919. If not that tractor my 5083e. The lift capacity is 3600. That's more weight than would be put on my 3/4 truck.
And for stopping I'm sure I can stop it from 15 mph.
As I build the trailer mover I will post photo's. Just waiting on my new Lincoln 210MP welder!

 

[Deere Dude]

I will be using a JD 6615 with home built trailer mover that we are building.
The lift capacity on that is 5919. If not that tractor my 5083e. The lift capacity is 3600. That's more weight than would be put on my 3/4 truck.
And for stopping I'm sure I can stop it from 15 mph.
As I build the trailer mover I will post photo's. Just waiting on my new Lincoln 210MP welder!

I don't know if it is what you had in mind to fabricate but I bought a trailer mover at a Fleet Farm for $130 or so if I recall a few years ago. They have a 2-3/8" ball the right height for gn trailers. I never used that part for my GN but it works good for regular trailers to.

 

[gzfrt9]

When I picked up my trailer I was measuring up their trailer mover. And the yard manager was telling me that this is there second trailer mover from TSC. Because they broke the last one.

And all they do is move empty trailers, so that lead me to believe that there cheap.
For this load, I want something beefy and something I can depend on with that kind of load behind me!

 

[aczlan]

How do you hoop up a goose neck trailer to the three point hitch? Do you drop down the adjustable goose neck all the way?

Usually, it's a regular trailer mover that shaped like an upside down t and there is a gooseneck ball where the top link connects in. That way the gooseneck​ ball is up pretty high.
Personally if it were me, I would put a timed brake controller with a large manual lever in the cab so you can use the trailer brakes from in the cab. If needed, you can add a switch to your brake pedal so it comes on automatically when you hit the brakes.

Aaron Z

 

[breadtrk]

The instant you hit a public road, it had better be strapped down. Period.

Even if a methhead, drunk, childmolesting, woman beater slams into your tailgate, with the right lawyer, he will own you and everything you think you own.

Plus there's that whole "don't be a lazy cheap person who just doesn't do the right thing because it's the right thing to do" thing you have to sleep with.

 

[rustyshakelford]

It will be ok. Your going 1 mile. Probably less than 15 mph. Not like the interstate at rush hour. I wouldn't bother tossing straps. If you loose a bale, pick it up with the spike and keep going. Not a big deal at all. This is more than likely in a rural setting so the falling bale shouldn't land on a kid. Both tractors have more than enough to handle this.

Brett

 

[stuckmotor]

Really don't matter, TIE the darn bales down, if something happens while on the road you'll wish you had of tied them down.

On top of that, if a few bales fall off a sportsman might pick them up and think that bringing them to you gives him life time hunting and fishing rights. One nearly beat me to the barn with a few bales one time.

 

[Wagtail]

Good Lord you folks in the US seem to have a huge fear of litigation... we tend to go with a more common sense approach here in Aus.

During haying season, if you're transporting from the paddock to the shed - short distance - (even on a two lane 'country' public road) there's no need to strap down. You're going to quickly dump and head straight back to the paddock for another load. It's haying season fer cryin' out loud. It's a crop that needs to be brought in. Crikey, if the local constabulary ever tried to enforce strap-down load laws under these circumstances they'd shut down the entire Shire!

If you're going to deliver that load of hay -say over 5-10 km- then you strap it down. Simple.

 

[oosik]

Wagtail - a whole lot of common sense here in the US went out the door when our litigators found those who were in this life just for the fast buck. My God man, you would be completely shocked at the litigation advertising on our TV. There are lawyers who will start a law suit for you for just about anything under the sun.

The latest and greatest - beyond all the medication lawsuits - is the firm that will sue if you had an accident on one of those powered hover board things.

Sorry about the detour off subject here but this is just one of my pet peeves.