Trailer tie-down

[John Weaver]

I have a JD 790, it was delivered to me by the dealer. I am now interested in getting a trailer so I can move it around. The tractor weighs about 2100 lbs. What is the best way to tie-down the tractor to a trailer? Where do I attach to the tractor? Any comments as to size trailer, loading methods, towing hints also welcome. John.

 

[TomG]

The archives here and on CTB have a number of good discussions. One of the main points is that your tractor probably weighs more than you think it does. Towing many compacts is very marginal with a 1/2 ton, and weight is a critical issue.

After reading the discussions, I decided I wouldn't try it with my 1/2 ton. For the few times a year I need to transport it, I just pay a local trucker to put it on his float. The utility trailer I got, instead of the tandem axle/electric brake thing needed for a tractor, is a lot better for most uses.

 

[Thomas]

Good morning John,and hows everything down south./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

If I was going to use a single axle trailer I would find the balancing point w/ your JD,so there wounldn't be to much strees on your ball./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

The trailer I use is a double axle and the balancing point much easier to find,also the extra breaking and spare room for attachments makes it much easier.

For a tie down I like to set the brakes and use a come along in the front also the rear.

I'm not sure what the differents in price between a double to a single axle cost in your location,but the price was about $450.oo and more safety./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Stay safe and/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

Thomas..NH

 

[W5FL]

The ideal trailer for a light tractor would be a tandem (4 wheel) with brakes on one axle and a GVW between 7000 and 10,000#. Standard length is 16 ft, but 18 feet is just a little more. This allows a tractor with mower and front end loader to fit on the trailer. The trailers with strong tie downs and pipe rails are easier to use.

 

[John Weaver]

Thanks for the input. I am looking at a trailer with capacity of 7,000. lbs., dual axles (one with an electric brake). I will be pulling with a 1/2 ton, F150 Ford. Do I tie down the front and rear only or also side to side? Where do I connect to the tractor, frame, wheels, drawbar? Should the tractor be centered over the axles? It may make "cents" to pay someone to move it for me, I can have it moved several times for the cost of a $1,000. trailer. Additional comments welcome. John.

 

[Von]

Jon,
I looked at paying someone to move my tractor to bush hog the 3ac. at my other property that I got last year. I do it about once a month and the cost was $100 round trip. I ended up buying a trailer as you described and am so glad I did. I've used it to take my tractor to my other property to do more than just cut the grass, haul lots of other things and move a few cars. I use 5/16" chain and go from the draw bar to the two sides and from the loader frame to the sides. This pulls it from the front and the back and holds it quite well. I pull mine with my Jeep GC with the 6 cyl. I wouldn't want to do it every day, but it works fine for the 12 miles one way that I do. Hope this helps, Von

 

[MChalkley]

For my L4310HST, I use 3/8" chain through the loader subframe tube in the front and throuh a shackle mounted to the drawbar for the rear.

As was mentioned, balance on a trailer is critical. You don't want too much weight on the rear axle of the towing vehicle, but whatever you do, don't underload it either - if you do, you run the risk of everything seeming fine until you get up to a certain speed, where progressively violent oscillation begins, which can quickly become bad enough to make you lose control. If this ever happens, don't brake using the tow vehicle's brakes - use your manual braking button on the brake controller to apply trailer brakes only, which will tend to stop the oscillations and pull the combination straight again.

Mark

 

[Bird]

I agree. Mark's had some trailering experience. If you don't have a way to measure tongue weight and do everything scientifically, what I do is simply take a yardstick and measure the height of the hitch ball, with the trailer hooked up but nothing on it, then pull the tractor (or whatever load I'm going to haul) far enough forward to lower the back of the towing vehicle about an inch or inch and a half. And I chain mine down like Mark does, if I have the front end loader on. If not, I fasten the front end by the lower bar of the grill guard (not too good for the paint, but I guess you could wrap it with a rag if you wanted to).

Bird

 

[W5FL]

Trailers are kind convenient to have around acreage in addition to hauling tractors. I notice my kids call me when they have a double door that won't fit in their pickup, or some furniture, or to move a few things, or to haul a few round bales of hay, or any of 1000 other uses it gets put to. When you need an implement, it will be too large to fit in your truck and you will need the trailer for that too.

If you tie down a tractor, use 3/8 chain on the assumption you might have to stop really fast and you don't want to see if your tractor will fit in the back of your pickup! Go to a dealer when they get a shipment of tractors and look how they are tied down. The dealer will know. They tie them around the front axle and around the rear axle or transmission such that they cannot move front to back or side to side. I also use a chain tightener to be sure nothing moves.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

After reading Marks post about axle weight/load distribution, I know a local fellow who has a pair of soiled underwear, a mashed up truck bed and utility pole bill to prove how critical this point is. A short time after setting off down the highway with a terramite backhoe/loader in tow, the backend of his pickup started hopping up and down like a dog's tail thumping the floor when he's happy to see you. In an attempt to slow down, he hit the brakes on the pickup. Since only the front brakes grabbed, he jack-knifed, did a 180, slide off the road and used his truck bed like a rotary cutter to trim a utility pole down to size. Fortunately he was not injured, pride excluded.