Towing Questions/Refs

Hi, All,

I bought a beater F250 to pull my tractors with. 7.3L V8 diesel,
auto trasnmission. I guess any fool can hook up a trailer and use
some Walmart straps to hold down a big chunk of iron, and get
home most of the time, but myself I'm reluctant to learn this by
trial and error.

The biggest thing I'll ever haul is a 5k pound ferguson backhoe.
This will almost always be rare, but till involve an interstate or at
least a state road- ie its not just around dirt roads and farm roads.
Mostly x00 and or Ns. If someone can suggest keywords I should
use when trolling CL for a trailer, and, MUCH more important,
direct me to a step-by-step guide for purchasing and using straps
or chains to hold my tractor on my trailer, I'd be very veyr
appreciative.

Bill
 
if that backhoe has a loader.. get a 20' trailer. if no loader.. 18' is what I would reccomend. 16' would likely work.. but be a tight fit.. and may not ( probably won't ) let you get tounge weight orrect.

if you have a GN ball.. don't be afraid to get a 24' GN traler and drive in luxory.

a 16' trailer and that f250 for a N or 00/small 000 is fine..

having more is almost always better.. thus the 18' rec.

5k payload means you are right onthe edge of a 7k trailer.. however.. most 7k trailers will be abound 2kweight and that is 16'. going 18 and you are on the edge.. thus i reccomend a 10k trailer ( if gn.. go 14k )

ps.. you will be getting a tandem axle.. not single.. and make sure yours is legal per brake requirements of your state. most now want all axles braked. some allow 1.

you will also need a brake controller.
. if your truck is wired for 7 pin already.. you are pretty much there, though you may have to put in a couple relays under the hood.
your ford is new enough that you can hit a walmart and buy the plug for under the dash.. plug it in, and then plug in a brake controller.

if you are only wired for a 4 pin flat, then you need to run a couple more wires. 1, power wire from brake controller for brakes. and also a breakered or maxi fused line for power tot he 7 pin. both of those can easilly be run downt he rail of the truck with some zip ties.. the 14awg trailer wire packs is fine for this.. double insulated usually. find the 4 flat and union your 7 pin onto it.. that way you have both.

your f250 is a fine truck for the load.

one question.. i read 7.3 and 250 and just assumed a 7.3 psd and since you said auto, that would mean 95.5 or later.

is that what it is.. or is it the 93.5-94.5 7.3IDI w/ATS turbo? or the previous? 89-93.5 NA 7.3?

all will have the guts to pull an 18-20' 10k trailer... the 7.3NA might take a lil while to get up to steam on the interstate.. but will make it. the 7.3 turbo and the 7.3 PSD will be fine even at interstate speeds.
 
i always load my tractors and backhoe backwards..they wont rear up..and chain them to prevent them from going off front of trailer..hold them from going off back...phil
 
for binding down.. some people prefer chains.. some straps.

I'm a mostly strap person, with a chain or 2 maybee.

I like a strap at each corner, a strap over the center, and a strap on each implement. IE.. if it hs a laoder and a hoe.. that means 7 straps.

if the load is exceptionally long.. 2 middle straps, spaced. if it is extremely heavy load.. then a chain is added to the 2 rear corner straps, to keep the load from jumping into truck bed on a panic stop. I sometimes use a front and rear chain with ratched binders 'just because' if it's a heavy load. like a TLB.

always use straps that are the 20K 2" or better size.. not worth using anything smaller.

check your straps.

repalce frayed ones and in general.. keep your straps in a 5g bucket with a lid, out of the sunlight and they will last longer.

Iput my straps on a rotation.. and repalce 1-2 a year .. moving the old ones to less critical tasks on the farm.. etc.

ps.. on brake controllers.. obviously.. the more $.. the more options.

as to technology.. there are about 3 styles.

timed, timed with a pendulum, and direct hyd connection.

latter is $$$$$

the middle is under 200$ and gives good usage on freuent tows.

the least $ one can be had for 50-75$ and for 'most' work.. is ok. walmart sells one for about 55$ it looks a lil plain.. but works fine.

i have cheap palne jane hoppy in my work truck.. it cost 35$ 8ys ago.. it's made many, many, multi state hauls. it's a timed unit.. and has 3 led display. green good, yellow error, red not connected. that's it.

there was a 50$ version of it that actually had error codes with 2 multi segment display. I have that in my 350. i have a drawtight activator 2 in my yukon.. both are same technology and function. in my 450 I have a prodigy. that is an up[grade unit with a pendulum. ie.. it senses stopping inertia and has some brake boost options for towing trailers weighig more or being physically longer than the truck.. nice controller if you tow alot.

for average user..a timed unit is more than fine... most try to get away with NO controller :(
 
Sounder, thanks for the information

1999 F250 with the turbodiesel. 222k miles.

Fergie backhoe has the wheels set wide -like 7 feet wide....
 
It would also be a good idea to check your state laws.
Not only for the trailer, but safety chains, tie downs, driver's license requirements etc.
Michigan's DOT web site has specifications posted for tie down strength,
although they're a little (read very) vague on the number required.
 
a 99 is not commonly called a 'turbo diesel' it is the powerstroke. ( yes.. it is a diesel with a turbo.. etc.. ) but the powerstroke is a completely different engine build than the 2 previous 7.3's

the 7.3 turbo diesel was built only from 93.5 to 94.5 prior to that was the NA 7.3.. after that was the powerstroke.
 
I always load front end first and was taught that by my jobs I did. Retired truck driver heavy equip. operator ans ALL machines where always loader front first be it back hoe or dozier due the the fact most have the most weight up front so you load the rear of the truck the correct way. Only time we did not do it that way is if we had 2 trike type tractors and that was so we could put then side by side at least 50% of the way
 
I never use straps always chains. Boomer at each end on chain and chains rated for a lot more then the load. Depending on the state some require 4 boomers as in 4 chains so one chain per side front and back. Also always stop and check chains and boomers after about 5 miles and if you use the over center type boomers be sure to tie them in the locked position or they can/will pop open
 
a powerstroke 7.3 will pull real good. they wo't race into traffic like a race car but they pull good.

I have a 350 and 450 DRW.. I pull a GN deckover with BT trailer and have pulled my buddies e350 stretch conversion ( 16 passanger) van home from being broke down in georgia. the van was long enough that it was nosed up to the front frame and rear was just a couple feet off the beavertail. we ran interstate speed home with no problems on power. I got a big scoop on top of my 450 that was pulling that one. 4.88 rear end and 19.5" rims. I included a pic of the rig.

in short. I love those 7.3psd engines.. you will have no power problem..
a31802.jpg
 
Interesting... I had noted that it was a little slower into traffic than my subaru :) but when the pedal is put down- it GOES.

is this following the document i should work off of for TN?

http://www.tn.gov/safety/dlhandbook/11cdl03.pdf
 
can't help ya on TN stuff.

in florida.. under 26k and no cdl.. as long as not for hirte / commercial ( farms are now commercial..e tc.. )
 
I tow my camper (GVW=14K) with my 2000 F-350 DRW Powerstroke and it does the job, as long as you have the wallet to feed it. Brings it right up the Fancy Gap hill on I-77 at 60-65, (as long as it's not too foggy). Camper weighs almost twice as much as the truck, and I stopped it once starting down hill at 65 when the trailer brakes disconnected just with the truck brakes - did have to wash out my undies on that one though. I have used my friend's 22 foot trailer to haul tractors and implements on the interstate using chains and tighteners (wired or taped shut) with no problems - I do stop every so often and retighten - also use a 2 inch strap across the tranny on the tractor in addition to 4 corner chains. You should be fine with the Powerstroke - best truck Ford has made - later models not so hot IMHO.
 
Gr.70 {Gold} transport chain and ratchet binders is the safest way to go. May cost an extra bit more getting set up but you're good to go from then on. Straps have their use but not on equipment. Just my $.02.
 

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