Trailer recommendation

[cgraham]

Thank you, a lot of good points.

My mistake, it's a 351 cu" V8 engine in a fullsize Bronco. The hitch is welded to the frame and a custom heavy-duty bumper. Aftermarket tranny cooler and guage. Modern break controller.

My dealer and I went over the weights this afternoon and it appears the tractor, backhoe and loader weigh 5000#, not 6000#. That improves the tow capaciy and 18' trailer with 3500# axles to marginal, depending on the actual trailer weight. Marginal is not good.

I frequently tow a 19' camper (about 6000# loaded, I guess), without trouble, with the Bronco, but the load distributing hitch and swaybar are essential: I will not have the beneft of these with a tractor trailer. As pointed out, the load can be balanced by positioning the tractor on an 18' trailer, so it's mostly the swaybar I'll miss. I expect I'd be driving pretty slow on I 40.

If I did drive, quite right I need to have the truck brakes checked - thanks for the reminder, Bob.

I am persuaded that I am going to have to look into having the trailer delivered. It's more expensive, but appears to be worth it. I can't afford a heavier duty trailer and truck to tow it for the 640 mi 1-way loaded journey. It's a pity to loose the tow savings, but better to preserve an intact truck, load & body.

I found several threads on tie-down methods, and I now know more about chain ratings, etc (I MEANT 5/16", InlineDieselFan). It seems there about as many ways of securing the load as there are posters. Clearly, some are superior. Anyway, that may be irrelevant for delivery.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again for the cautions; I have learned a lot about towing in the last 2 days!

C

 

[bluechip]

LB1914 2132lbs with ag tires, industrials might be a little heavier.
KL1210 loader 710lbs
KB2365 backhoe 785lbs
backhoe bucket and foot pads est. 100lbs
Foam fill tires 800-900lbs
sunshade 75lbs
estimated load is 4600-4700lbs, in any case, comfortably under my earlier estimate of 5000lbs. (I always try to err ot the good).

This load will be easier to pull than the camping trailer, much less wind resistance and lower center of gravity on the trailer.

The tractor will fit on 16', 7000lb trailer which is the lowest cost and easiest to find, albeit minimum for the job. 18' would give more room for load placement to adjust tounge weight. a 10,000 lb trailer would add significantly to the cost, isnt really needed and would most likely require a 3/4 ton tow vehicle.

 

[TomKioti]

Bluechip,

You are correct. I was starting to wonder why folks were saying the 7k trailer was not enough. Not a whole lot left over but certainly within the margins.
Just my 2 cents.

Happy Trailoring Cgraham and good luck!

 

[cgraham]

Hummmm, Buechip. Interesting figures. Thank you. I looked up the weights that I could, and you are on the money. I did not mention I will get a blade also which will be 277#, because I only decided yesterday. It brings us back to 5000#. I could undecide and get the blade locally for $100 more, but 277# should not be a deal killer.

How many stop for the weigh station guys in NM, TX, OH and AR?. In my travels most say "commercial vehicles", but I have seen "ALL trailers" -I remember going through one - somewhere. (Maybe this is OT enough to deserve a seperate thread.)

I do have an adjustable height towbar, which could help reduce tongue weight if too great with a 16' trailer.

I'll be interested to see the comments on your post, Bluechip.

 

[cgraham]

I just started a new thread in this subforum seeking to compile weigh station data frm the 50 States.

Weigh Station Procedures by State.

The operators probably have a computer to figure out if you'r legal, while we have to figure out how to figure out the answer.

C

 

[George2615]

Cgraham,
Now that you checked with the dealer and your load is closer to 5K, a 7K trailer will do the job but you'll probably be at trailer max. load cap. Since you have hauled a camper with W/D hitch you can move the W/D hitch brackets or buy another set of brackets for the trailer you get to haul the tractor with.

 

[Highbeam]

Let me try and hit some points:

"I frequently tow a 19' camper (about 6000# loaded, I guess), without trouble, with the Bronco, but the load distributing hitch and swaybar are essential: I will not have the beneft of these with a tractor trailer."

You can and absolutely should use a WD hitch with a car trailer. I use a WD system with mine that came right from the RV dealer. With the short wheel base bronco it is especially important to set up the trailer correctly including tongue weight and WD.

"This load will be easier to pull than the camping trailer, much less wind resistance and lower center of gravity on the trailer."

Agreed. My 7000 lb equipment trailer tows MUCH better and easier than a 6000 lb RV. Tracks better too. Trouble is you can't run back to the camper to use the facilities while on the road.

"a 10,000 lb trailer would add significantly to the cost, isnt really needed and would most likely require a 3/4 ton tow vehicle."

Nothing about a trailer rating changes the truck required to pull it. The weight to which you load that trailer is what would push you to a larger truck. I am very happy with how my half ton truck, 350 ci engine, tows a 10k rated trailer loaded to 7000lb. The trailer weighs more empty though so the same tractor will make for a heavier trailer weight. My 10k trailer weighs 2500 and cost a reasonable amount more than a 7000k version.

"I do have an adjustable height towbar, which could help reduce tongue weight"

Nope, set the ball height such that the trailer deck is level. Raising or lowering the ball doesn't remove tongue weight it only makes for a less stable tow.

You will find that the 10k rated trailer is built much more stoutly, really in a different league than the economy 7k car haulers. The tires are heavier duty, more lug nuts, bigger bearings, bigger brakes, etc. which are needed for 10k will be oversized (read safer) when only loading the trailer to 7000.

I like adventure type drives such as you're considering. Consider the road trip to be an all expenses paid vacation.

 

[cgraham]

Highbeam, good points and summary. I agree a load distributing hitch is essential: getting one installed in this neck of the woods may be difficult but I'll be looking as I happpen to be in Albuquerque for a couple of days.

I'm afraid the 10K # trailer would push the package weight to the Bronco limit, generally agreed to be something under 8000#. While I said I could pull a 6000# camper without trouble, I ws referring to stability - however it approaches the tow load limit in my experience.

10000# is also beyond my pocket book limit. I really only need a HD trailer for the delivery trip: for short trips thereafter, I could get by with a 7500#. I'd probably go with 7000# and drive slower.


"I like adventure type drives such as you're considering."

A white knuckle adventure, I expect. And a LONG drive, probably very slow on the return run. But it WILL be "interesting". As in the Chinese proverb: "May you live in interesting times"

I don't mean to sound negative, but the price of the equipment keeps creeping upward with each additional necessity to where a tow will be uneconomical. On the bright side, I know a lot more about what constitutes a safe rig

Charlie

 

[MossRoad]

I don't mean to sound negative, but the price of the equipment keeps creeping upward with each additional necessity to where a tow will be uneconomical. On the bright side, I know a lot more about what constitutes a safe rig

Charlie

Have you also figured in the cost of gas, a hotel or two, some cheap meals and the pennies per mile that it costs you to operate your Bronco? For instance, since I've been married I've occasionally taken a look at how many cents per mile it actually costs us to own a vehicle. It varies from a low of zero cents per mile (free car that required no repairs or maintenance) to 38 cents a mile for a very expensive truck(purchase price + maintenance costs + repairs + insurance - resale cost / miles driven = cost to own per mile).

At 10 cents per mile that 2600 mile round trip will cost you an addtional $260.00.

At 25 cents per mile that 2600 mile round trip will be an additional $650 dollars.

At 38 cents a mile, it will be closer to $1000.00.

Granted, all that is paid out over the life of the vehicle, so most people can afford it. But it is a real cost out of your pocket that most folks don't even think about. Every penny out of your pocket over your life is less money in your pocket towards the end of it. Which brings up my closing quote. I don't know who said it, but here it is anyway:

You can't take it with you but it is nice to at least have enough to get there.

 

[Bird]

I've occasionally taken a look at how many cents per mile it actually costs us to own a vehicle

Having been a fleet manager and playing with this computer and spreadsheets, I've been doing that for years. And if anything, David, your figures are quite conservative. Most people would be lucky to get their actual total costs that low.