STOOPID Question: How do you transport a Ford Tractor ???

NC_n00bie

New User
I've been thinking a lot about upgrading to something in the 40/50/60 HP range - something like a Workmaster or a Powermaster or an early 4000.

I see a lot of ads on Craigslist which look very interesting, but then I get to wondering: Okay, how would I get the tractor back home with me?

The largest trailers which I can rent from UHaul or SunBelt Rental are only 6' wide - meaning no more than 72" of interior space, and possibly even less than that.

So are there any general guidelines for how "wide" a tractor should be?

I can see the "wheelbase" [axle to axle lengthwise] numbers at TractorData, but I can't see the "widths".

For instance:

861 Powermaster
Wheelbase: 74.5 inches [189 cm]
Weight: 3,500 lbs [1587 kg]
http://www.external_link/farm-tractors/001/6/6/1666-ford-861.html

4000 Early Model, 1962-1964
Wheelbase: 84.5 inches [214 cm]
Weight: 3,400 lbs [1542 kg]
http://www.external_link/farm-tractors/000/2/6/262-ford-4000.html

So do most of these Ford tractors come in at less than a 72" width?

And if not, then how do people move them?

Do you have to contract with some dude who owns something like a "Jerr Dan" flatbed, for half-a-day's worth of his time [to go and fetch the thing and bring it back for you]?

Thanks so much for any insight y'all might have!
 
My 960 is right at 72" wide with the rear wheels set out about 1 3/4" on each side. I haul on a trailer that is about 78" with no problem.
Hope that helps!
 
You need to measure the outside width the wheels are set to. I bought a deck over so it does matter anymore. There are contract haulers out there that can transport safely.
 

You won't find widths for tractors because non-adjustable track widths are rare. This situation tells you that it is time to buy a trailer. you want to go primarily by load capacity, which you can get off the tires if the owner doesn't know when looking at used ones.
 
All of the tractors you mentioned have adjustable wheel width.
So you would need to measure where they are set or adjust them.
How far are you planning on going? If it's not over 30 or 40 miles, drive it.
Seriously. I have a friend who bought one in Ohio and drove it home to Michigan.
If you need to rent a uhaul, don't tell them you're hauling a tractor.
Not allowed in most places. "65 Ford pickup".
 
(quoted from post at 17:07:27 09/01/13) My 960 is right at 72" wide with the rear wheels set out about 1 3/4" on each side. I haul on a trailer that is about 78" with no problem.
My problem is that all the rentals around here max out at 6' = 72":

http://www.uhaul.com/Reservations/EquipmentDetail.aspx?model=HO

http://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment/category.aspx?id=28

But even at 78" wide, that would only give you 3" clearance on either side:

3" + 72" + 3" = 78"

We're talking some "Dale Earnhardt Tractor Ballerina" action right there - backing up a 3500 lb rig for 12 feet with only 3" to spare.

(quoted from post at 17:23:38 09/01/13) Call a towing co. We had a 955 Cat lift moved 30 miles for about $200.00, that thing must weigh 30,000 lbs.

Yeah, it's starting to dawn on me that I'd better budget for the Craigslist price PLUS another $250 or more in "Jerr Dan" contractor's fees:

http://www.jerrdan.com/image-gallery

Ugh.
 
(quoted from post at 17:53:49 09/01/13) If it's not over 30 or 40 miles, drive it.
Seriously. I have a friend who bought one in Ohio and drove it home to Michigan.
Oh my God.

That would be so awesome.

LOL'ed.
 
Hire it done. You get an adequate truck and/or trailer and a driver who's been there, done that. And adequate insurance. Tractor dealer or a towing company.

If you need to become that guy (ie, you're going to haul the thing everywhere) that's one thing - and I hope you are getting adequate equipment for it if you do. If it's a one time move when you buy it, hiring it done is a lot more sensible than asking for the trouble you can get into with inadequate equipment and lack of experience - I've seen very few (if any) things from U-Haul I'd want to put a 4000 size tractor on, for instance. Much less hitch to my truck with a tractor on it.
 
(quoted from post at 22:12:04 09/01/13) I'm still not over the trauma of hauling my 641 home in June! :shock:
Trauma? I must have missed that story? LOL
I haul several of mine all over to the local shows, etc.
No big deal to me.
I got rid of my deck-over trailer and now have nothing to haul
my F20 on. It's too wide for my car hauler I use for the rest.
We quite literally drive it when we want to take it to a show.
 
(quoted from post at 03:20:32 09/02/13)
(quoted from post at 22:12:04 09/01/13) I'm still not over the trauma of hauling my 641 home in June! :shock:
Trauma? I must have missed that story? LOL
I haul several of mine all over to the local shows, etc.
No big deal to me.
I got rid of my deck-over trailer and now have nothing to haul
my F20 on. It's too wide for my car hauler I use for the rest.
We quite literally drive it when we want to take it to a show.

You want the short version! Lol..
:)
 
(quoted from post at 22:30:06 09/01/13)
(quoted from post at 03:20:32 09/02/13)
(quoted from post at 22:12:04 09/01/13) I'm still not over the trauma of hauling my 641 home in June! :shock:
Trauma? I must have missed that story? LOL
I haul several of mine all over to the local shows, etc.
No big deal to me.
I got rid of my deck-over trailer and now have nothing to haul
my F20 on. It's too wide for my car hauler I use for the rest.
We quite literally drive it when we want to take it to a show.

You want the short version! Lol..
:)
Wow, that bad? LOL
I have heard some horror stories, and, tragically, know of
some deaths from attempting to load tractors on a trailer.
Local retired farmer was killed recently loading a steel wheeled tractor
he bought when it was new. Not a matter of inexperience. Just an accident.
There are no guarantees.
 
Look at the hauling schedule on this site. Narrow it down by state and "can haul".

Or buy it and advertise a "need hauled". I got a lot of responses for my tractor and got a guy to haul it ~175 miles for $275.
 
I would reiterate to hire someone if you do not feel safe hauling it.

Much cheaper than paying if someone or something gets damaged.
 
3 inches on either side of the tires is a whopping LOT. Really.
I haul tractors all the time - to and from my land/home and I've bought and sold a few. 1/2" on either side is all you need.
Put it in low and idle the tractor onto the trailer. EZ.
You say you are upgrading. What do you have now?
You also mention a tractor in the 40, 50, 60 HP range. You could easily get any of the Hundreds, early Thousands or a 3000 onto a 6' trailer. But a 50, 60 hp tractor would be the size of a 3 cyl 4000 or a 5000. Both would be too wide for a 6' trailer.
Lastly, many sellers are willing to deliver a tractor for reasonable fee. Like even just fuel costs.
You might put that into the deal when you buy the tractor.
 
my buddy just brought home a 861 Ford for a friend of his.

instead of using his 16ft trailer they rented a car hauler from U-Haul, because it has brakes on all trailer wheels. brakes operate off a slide type cylinder on the hitch.

he pulled the trailer with a Dodge pickup

said it did fine and tractor/trailer was within his load range, was nice to have the trailer brakes as he had some down hill travel.

got it home safe and sound.

but, if you have any issues or concerns, hire it done.
 
NC,

now they did get the tractor home in good repair,

but/however, I did forget to tell you my friend who drove the truck pulling the ford tractor is a card holder in good standing of the American red neck society

http://www.americanrednecksociety.com/

so he is incline to do things different or reverse of how normal people would do things.
 
while I use my 20' car hauler type trailer to haul my own,
buying a JD, and another time, a Farmall, that were too wide for my trailer,
I had a small local tractor dealer haul them on their big tractor-sized rollback. Watching them winch em up, chain em down and drive away in 5 minutes, made me decide to have them
haul all my new buys with unknown to me tractors.
price was very reasonable.
 
I called in a regular ole flatbed towtruck for a 40
HP Massey industrial tractor, cost me $105 for 25
miles.
 
(quoted from post at 10:27:39 09/02/13) I called in a regular ole flatbed towtruck for a 40
HP Massey industrial tractor, cost me $105 for 25
miles.

I paid a tow company with a standard automobile rollback tow truck around $90.00 each way for a 12 mile trip to the local dealer when I had them put new tires on my '73 4000. The manual adjust wheels were adjusted to the second to the widest available setting with 13.6x38's on them and they fit inside the rails on the truck bed with a few inches to spare on each side.
 

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