Trailer for an L3400

[RobertN]

My aunt hit a deer in her mini-van a few years ago. Did a job on the frontend.

When she got home, my Uncle did not even look at the front; he went and opened up the back so he could start getting the deer ready to butcher. He was upset my Aunt did not bring the deer home

Why the heck would you try to stop for a deer?

Grilled venison is delicious. LOL

 

[wushaw]

I have a L3400 HST and a 16 foot tandem axle trailer (7K rated). My 2003 Chevrolet 1500 (5.3L with auto) pulls the tractor just fine on flat ground. The tractor and box blade fit completely on the trailer and my FEL sits at the very front of the trailer flat and firm. The truck has plenty of stopping power.

If I bring the mower it will stick off the back of the trailer a few feet, no big deal.

Remember, with trailer brakes, it's one more thing to keep up. I think you are fine without them, unless you are towing heavily.

Good luck.

Your towing something that weighs more than the trruck pulling it and you do not consider that heavy?

 

[TheGoose]

Well, I just checked this thread and I see I am being blasted.

I guess I need to do what most people do and run down and buy me a 3/4 ton truck with a diesel motor. Yep, that is exactly what I need to pull my trailer the three or four miles every year or two and maybe the occassional lawn-mower or a few square bales. That is exactly what I need so that I will fit in at the mall with all the other urban cowboys.

Give me a break. The tractor weighs 2600 lbs. I do not have loaded tires. I do not know exactly what the boxblade/FEL weighs but I am well within my vehicles capability. I don't really see what the weight of my vehicle has to do with it either in this case, the vehicle braking capability is the most important factor. I guess those new 1/2 tons they are advertising with an 11,000 # towing capacity are the ticket.

I would never do anything that I felt was unsafe or overload a vehicle. If you think that a modern 1/2 PICK-UP TRUCK is not worthy of doing what it was designed to do then I just don't know what else to say.

 

[TheGoose]

BTW: I'm glad you can lecture me on safety seeing as how you put an unmanned vehicle in gear to pull a tractor out of the mud. Are you going to give classes on how to operate unmanned machinery?

Your towing something that weighs more than the trruck pulling it and you do not consider that heavy?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Well, I just checked this thread and I see I am being blasted.

I guess I need to do what most people do and run down and buy me a 3/4 ton truck with a diesel motor. Yep, that is exactly what I need to pull my trailer the three or four miles every year or two and maybe the occassional lawn-mower or a few square bales. That is exactly what I need so that I will fit in at the mall with all the other urban cowboys.

Give me a break. The tractor weighs 2600 lbs. I do not have loaded tires. I do not know exactly what the boxblade/FEL weighs but I am well within my vehicles capability. I don't really see what the weight of my vehicle has to do with it either in this case, the vehicle braking capability is the most important factor. I guess those new 1/2 tons they are advertising with an 11,000 # towing capacity are the ticket.

I would never do anything that I felt was unsafe or overload a vehicle. If you think that a modern 1/2 PICK-UP TRUCK is not worthy of doing what it was designed to do then I just don't know what else to say.

I know I was not telling you a 1/2 ton truck could not do the job. I have a very capable 1/2 ton truck and have owned a 1/2 ton truck along with 2 3/4 tons and 3 1 tons since 1997. What we are saying is your trailer need brakes. You can get a kit to put on your trailer for around $200 and it will keep you legal and and away from jurisdiction if the worst ever happens.

I am a trailer dealer. I go through this all the time but will admit I have never seen the absolute worst happen, just lots of close calls and a few bent trailers and trucks.

Chris

 

[TheGoose]

Thanks for the advice. I do all my towing in Kentucky and Massachusetts where I'm perfectly legal.

Regards.

 

[RobertN]

You can tow that load with a 1/2 ton.

My point simply is brakes. "I" would not tow the load without brakes, even if it is legal in your state.

My point above; as I noted I have been in a "stop or I'm hitting the guy in the little Honda that just cut me off" situation. My 3/4 ton barely did it. With a lighter tractor on the trailer. The brakes on that borrowed trailer were marginal at best, but bad when a wire came loose...

I would tow the load stated in this thread with a 1/2 ton. And... I would have working trailer brakes. In case that little white Honda cuts you off. Or, a little 5 year old kid chases a ball in to the road...

Well, I just checked this thread and I see I am being blasted.

I guess I need to do what most people do and run down and buy me a 3/4 ton truck with a diesel motor.

 

[buck12]

Goose I tow a similar load with a 1/2 ton and as you and others have said the truck is more than capable. I pulled this setup without brakes a couple of times before buying a new truck with a brake controller. After experiencing the difference that trailer brakes make I will never tow that kind of load without trailer brakes. Even if its legal to tow the load without trailer brakes I think I owe to others on the road, my family, and myself to be as safe as possible.

 

[aczlan]

I have a L3400 HST and a 16 foot tandem axle trailer (7K rated). My 2003 Chevrolet 1500 (5.3L with auto) pulls the tractor just fine on flat ground. The tractor and box blade fit completely on the trailer and my FEL sits at the very front of the trailer flat and firm. The truck has plenty of stopping power.
If I bring the mower it will stick off the back of the trailer a few feet, no big deal.

For the 2009 Silverado trucks Chevrolet disagrees with you (if you look in your manual you will probably find a similar statement, but I could not find a 2003 Silverado manual online). On page 4-67 of the 2009 Silverado Owners Manual (PDF page 397) it says:

A loaded trailer that weighs more than 2,000 lbs (900 kg) needs to have its own brake system that is adequate for the weight of the trailer. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so they are installed, adjusted and maintained properly.

As for your disdain for trailer brakes

Remember, with trailer brakes, it's one more thing to keep up. I think you are fine without them, unless you are towing heavily.

I agree that you are fine without them if you are not towing heavily. however, I define "towing heavily" as pulling anything more than a 3000# single axle trailer.
You owe it to the other people on the road to have working brakes on a trailer that weighs more than 3500#. The life you save may be your own.

Aaron Z

 

[firefighter jim]

Goose I tow a similar load with a 1/2 ton and as you and others have said the truck is more than capable. I pulled this setup without brakes a couple of times before buying a new truck with a brake controller. After experiencing the difference that trailer brakes make I will never tow that kind of load without trailer brakes. Even if its legal to tow the load without trailer brakes I think I owe to others on the road, my family, and myself to be as safe as possible.

Well said and totally agree. Jim