Will my truck work?

[back_the_pack]

I have a Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.2L V8 engine. I would like to know if it will pull a compact tractor safely. I don't have a tractor yet, but I want something in the 30 hp range with FEL and backhoe. Is it going to be possible, or am I going to have to use the old ton truck??

 

[Soundguy]

I'll tell you what I've got.. then let you decide. Ive got the 1500,v8, with the 5.9 with a custom towing package ( changed out rear end, 3" body lift, gooseneck hitch in bed, and a heavy hitch on the rear.)

I pull a 16' car hauler flatbed trailer, ( 1720 lbs ) and a NH 1920 tractor 3500 lbs ) and usually about 400- 600 lbs of impliments.... thats a little less than 6k

Pulls fine. 1 trailer axle has breaks. I also have a gmc yukon with a 5.3v8 and pull my horse trailer loaded with two equines. That's around 1500+900+1100

Have no problems.

Just depends on what you are doing.. if comercial.. I would think you may wear you truck over time.. if limited use, you are probably fine

Soundguy

"""I have a Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.2L V8 engine. I would like to know if it will pull a compact tractor safely. I don't have a tractor yet, but I want something in the 30 hp range with FEL and backhoe. Is it going to be possible, or am I going to have to use the old ton truck?? """

 

[ByuBill]

When I had my Long 2360 delivered, it was brought over from Franklin on a 16' trailer pulled behind a 1982 , 2 wheel drive, automatic, ford with a 302. Over Cowee Mtn no less. (No, not up my driveway) Your Dodge should do fine in most cases.
<font color=blue>FYI</font color=blue>
I'm not for sure when yet but my neighbor says that there is supposed to be an open house or tractor show or something in Franklin next month. I'll see what I can find out.

 

[fishman]

back_the_pack,

I don't see why not. Towing capacity on a truck like that should be in excess of 6000 lbs, perhaps 8000 or more. As a comparison, my Chevy half ton 4x4 is rated for 8100 lbs. It tows my Kubota 2910 and a 16' trailer with ease. Although my trailer has no brakes, I would recommend them for an extra margin of safety. If you have little or no towing experience, I would do some trial runs without the tractor in the trailer to get a feel for it. Also, bind the tractor to trailer to keep it in one place, and make sure it is positioned correctly, with enough weight on the tongue to keep the trailer stable, without exceeding the recommendation in your owners manual.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I would get a receiver hitch installed. I would not rely on the bumper.

 

[back_the_pack]

Thanks guys, your help is great! I hope I have found a tractor, but it is 350 miles away! I would like to go and get it myself to save a few $$. Hey Byu, I saw you got some seat time yesterday! Nice looking rig you got there. I would have stopped, but I had the wife and dog with me!

 

[ByuBill]

<font color=blue>I saw you got some seat time yesterday!</font color=blue>
Yeah, every chance that I get. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If I keep moving this dirt and rocks around, my house is going to be at the bottom of the hill. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[back_the_pack]

Maybe some of you can clear this up for me. I was told by a friend that if I do tow a tractor, I should not put the truck in 5th gear (it is a five speed manual). Is that true? Will it damage my transmission if I do? It seems like 350 miles is a long way to go in 4th gear!

 

[Soundguy]

I know on an automatic xmission, the larger vehicles usually have an overdrive lockout feature, keeping the torque converter from locking up, so it does not continually engage/disengage with the load shifting back and forth .
I don't tow with a stick but would imagine that in 5th gear... any slope whatsoever is going to require a downshift.

Soundguy

 

[ByuBill]

<font color=blue>I should not put the truck in 5th gear</font color=blue>

From my past experiences of trailer towing, on flat to rolling hwys, you should be able to use 5th gear as long you can keep your speed up. From living in this area you just naturally know when you have to down shift. Expect to down shift a lot more, for longer periods of time. Expect to be pushed downhill also. If you are new at pulling trailers in the mountains, it is an experience. I hope that it is a good one.

Now you have to tell us what kind of tractor you are looking at, where it is, what attachments you are getting with it, ect. ect. You know that we have to know all of these things./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Oh, don't forget to take your camera on the trip. We'll want to see photos also. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Good luck and have a safe trip.

 

[back_the_pack]

Well, what I am looking at is a NH 1920. It is a 1998 model with 4x4, FEL and backhoe. It has a little less than 500 hrs on it. I haven't seen it yet, but I am going to inspect it hopefully this Wednesday. I will keep you posted.

 

[bgott]

The diesels with the NV4500 had a propensity to loosen the nut that holds fifth gear on the mainshaft when pulling a load in the hills in fifth gear. I haven't heard of anybody having this problem with a 318.

 

[ByuBill]

back the pack

I think that I know of which tractor you speak. If I am correct, I-40 Black Mtn will be a toughy on the way back. Again, if I am correct, you want be a long way from Tarboro NC. Maybe you can ask around and find out 'what's up with Long'.
Their website has been under const. for months, my e-mail contact is no longer valid, their ph # isn't any good any more. They are still selling tractors because BlueRidge in Franklin is still getting them. If you were going further north you could check out the Long 410 DTC for 15,850. Maybe a little less. It is just across the Va. state line.
Have a safe trip.

 

[WVBill]

I have a Ram 1500, 5.9L engine, auto transmission.
I towed my B6100 with a FEL, tiller, boxblade and a 200 pound table saw (Total load probably about 2,500 lb) on a dual-axel 16' trailer from California to West Virginia with absolutely no problem. I did use Overdrive lock-out in rolling terrain and on long gentle climbs to keep the tranny from "hunting" between OD and drive.

 

[Corm]

I had a setup just like yours except I had an auto tranny in it. It towed OK, but just barely. I found that when I got into the hills, it ran out of power pretty quickly. It did work however. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is brakes. A half ton truck pulling a 1k to 2k lb trailer with a 3 ton tractor on it, takes awhile to stop. Make darn sure your trailer has real good brakes on both axles. Test out the trailer brakes before you put a tractor on it. I can't emphasize this enough. I had to make a panic stop one time a few years ago with a loaded trailer behind me. I stopped in time and narrowly avoided an accident, but I was amazed at how long it took me to stop. It was a greasy shorts learning experience that I don't care to repeat!!

A 3/4 ton truck won't necessarily tow any better, but they have much bigger brakes. For me, that is reason enough to do all my towing now with a 3/4 ton truck, and I check my brakes often /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

Corm

 

[back_the_pack]

Does anyone know about how much the total load would be in this case. I just don't know how much the loader and backhoe will add to the tractor. SoundGuy said that the tractor was 3500 pounds, is that with the FEL? I am guessing that the trailer is going to add about 1500 to 2000 more pounds.

 

[ByuBill]

<font color=blue>Does anyone know about how much the total load would be in this case.</font color=blue>

Tractor - 3500,
fel - 800-1000,
backhoe - avg. 1000,
trailer - 1500 ??
Looks like you will be pulling + - 6500lbs
oops
If tires are filled add another 500 to 800 lbs

 

[Soundguy]

The 3500 lbs is the 1920 with fluids.. the fel will add more.
My 16' trailer, dual axle, and wood decking, and ramps, weighs 1720 lbs.

Soundguy

By the way.. I love my NH 1920..

 

[Phred]

Corn,
Your right that the braking is the major concern for the 1/2 ton.

I also second the reciver hitch. Get a professional to install as heavy duty one as you can find. Make sure that the hitch, ball, etc.. are all rated to more than your load.

my two cents...
Fred

 

[RanchMan]

back_the_pack-

Brakes are definitely a good thing to talk about.

I have a 18' all steel "car hauler" (works great for tractors though! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.) Electric brakes are a must for use with a heavy load. I have surge brakes (hydraulic) on a boat trailer, which work great too, just not as flexible when it comes to hills & the such.

Anywho, in addition to trailer brakes, definitely use "engine braking" as well (you can certainly do it in an automatic - just a little more "technique" is involved than a standard). It will save your brakes - long term wear and short term "fading" too.

I used a Dodge Durango (5.9 4x4) to tow a Jeep (and a BUNCH of junk) to Colorado & back. Definitely would have been a lot easier with a diesel, but it worked - of course I wish the trailer brakes had been working at the time going up and down those 7% grade mountains! (a LONG story...../w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif)

 

[hosejockey2002]

It won't hurt your truck to drive your truck in fourth gear. Fifth is an overdrive, and before about the early or mid eighties or so very few pickups had overdrive. Getting the load rolling might be your biggest issue with the manual transmission. Newer half-ton pickups usually don't have a "granny" or extra low gear to start out in whereas heavy duty 3/4 or 1 ton pickups usually do. I tow a smaller Yanmar compact (total load 3500 pounds) with a manual transmission Ford Explorer and it does fine once I'm rolling but starting on a hill can be tough on the clutch. Since you have 4WD you can use low range if you need to back up a steep driveway or anything hairy like that.