Trailer Recommendations

pburchett

Member
My tractor weighs about 6500lbs, this includes tractor, fluids, front end loader and bucket. Any implements will push it close to 7000Lbs.

I need a new trailer as I have a 7000lb car hauler. My current trailer will haul the bare tractor and bush hog, nothing else. I only transport it once to twice a year but would like to be able to use the front end loader at my other property.

I have looked at 10K and 14K bumper hitch trailers. There seem to be nothing different about the construction except the axles and springs. The weights of the trailers are almost identical at around 3000 lbs. So it looks like the 14k would be the best option.

I also looked at goose neck 14k trailers but I have a 2008 4x4 Ford F-150 Crew Cab with the 6.5 foot bed. I think the extra weight of the goose neck would put me over weight. Another truck is out of the question as the boss will KILL me.

What would you do?
 
my thoughts are ,,,new to you F-250 or equivalent, then go with 14K trailer,,, I think 1/2 ton pickup is just to light for the kinda loads your looking at,,, and can always use the extra capacity...
 
How far do you have to go once or twice a year? Would a folding hitch attached to the tractor and
towed at say 20 mph with your truck work? Knew a guy that would tow his 45 hp tractor all over
with a half ton pickup.Way cheaper than buying a trailer!
 
Yes. I need a bigger truck for that load (at the top of the towing capacity) but my truck only has 65,000 miles on it and I only need to do it twice a year. The wife would kill me if I bought a new truck, and trailer after buying a new tractor.
 
Put your car trailer behind the tractor, put your truck, and or any implements you need on the trailer, if the truck won't fit on the trailer then flat tow your truck behind you trailer. It may take at least 2 hours to drive the tractor there, but then you have your truck to go back, and forth with.
 
It's times like this that I wonder why people don't look more into older, lower-hp trucks. You can pick up a decent, fully operational older truck for just a few thousand and have much more towing capacity than the F-250 would have (at a MUCH higher price tag!). The downfalls are lack of speed and lack of comfort. But if that's all you need it for, then why not??
 
A half ton pickup is too light for towing a 10,000 pound trailer. Your 7K car hauler was also overloaded carrying a 6,5000 pound tractor. It probably weighs between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds empty?

How far do you need to move the tractor? Depending on the model tractor, it should be able to move at somewhere between 11 MPH to over 20 MPH in road gear. In the time it takes to hitch up the trailer, load the tractor and tie everything down, you could have driven the tractor five or ten miles down the road. Add a few more miles with the time you save not having to unload.

For the cost of trading pickups and trailers, you could buy a second tractor with another loader and a second set of implements.
 
Be careful on a 14k trailer as quite a few
states are requiring cdl's to pull them
now. There wouldn't be much difference
between 10, 12, and 14k trailers as they
are all the same family, including the
axles. The axle tube is the same size with
only the 7k getting a thicker wall. The 7k
also gets a stronger magnet in th e brakes,
but all the other brake parts are the same.
Way back the 5200lb axles got a different
spindle too, but I don't think they do that
any more. If you get the 5200 or 6000lb
axles you can bolt the 7k brakes right on
when you replace them. The 5 and 6k axles
can have 6 bolkt wheels, but the 7k only
comes with 8 bolt.
 
If the loader is removed from the tractor and I only have the bush hog on the tractor I am good on weight with the 7000lb car hauler. Probably in the upper limits of its capacity without overloading it, but I am good.
 
Man, that is a tough one because according to the Ford towing guide you are right on the edge depending on your truck's configuration. I am surprised you found a 10K trailer that weighed 3000 lbs, that seems light because a EBY 14K aluminum skid steer trailer is 2570 lbs. I personally prefer gooseneck trailers but surprisingly, the Ford guide does not show any difference between that and a bumper hitch as far as capacity. For you the big advantage is you don't have buy additional hardware for a gooseneck.

The good thing is since you are not hauling everyday, you can get the lightest built trailer you can find that is rated for your load. That way you can hopefully stay within the capacity of your F150. And to state the obvious, trailer brakes are a must.
Ford 2008 Towing Guide
 
My brother has a old 2001 Chevy 1 ton dually to pull his goose neck trailer with. You can probably find a older, used 3/4, or 1 ton truck for cheap to use for pulling a trailer.

6385.jpg
 
Does your truck not handle it fine ?

You guys would s#$% and I may too if I ran some of the loads I pulled with my 1981 F350 dually and a 25 foot gooseneck tandem dually trailer across a scale !
 
The DOT comments below are certainly worth looking into if you are subject to those requirements. You are not using it very much. If you see you are going to go to heavier loads in the future, it might be worth while considering the bigger trailer, and you can upgrade your truck down the road a few years from now. I would certainly prefer the 5th wheel over the bumper hitch. My FIL has a pre-2000 F-150 with the 5.4 V8 engine. He has certainly used that truck with heavier loads than what you are talking. The one in particular I think of is a 500+ mile trip with a heavy duty 5th wheel equipped with tandem axles and dual wheels on each hub. He hauled a tractor he found in another state. When he started restoring the tractor, he discovered just how truly heavy it was because not only did it have 12-100 lb. wheel weights on a tractor already weighing in at around 9000 lb., but it also had 2700 lb. of fluid in the rear tires, too. Close to 300k on the truck and automatic transmission, but on the 3rd engine as the 5.4 V8 has been problematic for him, and I think that has been the case for others, too.
 
I just bought a 97 F250 460 5 spd 4wd in Pueblo CO for $1,200 bucks. A little dinged up, as the guy was a carpenter and the truck spent its life on a job site. But, NO salt ever and for a guy living in central MN that's really neat. It doesn't even down there very often. Desert type terrain. The frame is still painted, the brake lines still shiny cad plate. My son found it on Craig's list for me. What a deal, and that thing can pull. I've 2 others mid 90s 460s on the farm, and it handles my 14,000 goose like a dream. Stick with a manual trans for pulling any kind of load no matter what the salesmen will tell you, particularly with an older truck. It's no money, it's solid and safe and it will outlive me!
 
I know the feeling,my 7,000# has a bow in it from not blocking the the end of the trailer when I pulled a 656 up on it(lifted the rear of my 7,000# truck off of the ground.) You just have to go with what you find,I would expect the tires to cost about the same when you need to replace them,the plates go by the number of axles(in Missouri) insurance, ask before you buy. Of course you want a deck over,rub rail. I want a bumper pull, because I use an equalizer hitch and I use the truck bed,there are three tool boxes on it and I need a fourth.
 
"A half ton pickup is too light for towing a 10,000 pound trailer."

Not necessarily. My 2012 F-150 is rated by Ford with a higher conventional towing capacity than the 2002 F-250 diesel I used to have - 11,300 vs 10,000 lbs. BUT, the vehicle has to be properly equipped with the correct engine, axle ratio, cooling system, axle/spring package, tires, and hitch. And, any conventional towing of this weight requires a weight-distributing hitch. If a person were to tow loads like this on a regular basis the heavier truck would obviously be a better choice but modern half tons can be optioned up into quite capable tow vehicles. A person just has to know exactly how their particular vehicle is equipped to stay within the manufacturer's rating.
 
You will be fine with your f150, if it if properly equipped. I would go for a 14000lb. gooseneck, they tow a lot better than a bumper hook. I towed a 14000lb. Kaufman gooseneck with my 04 150 with a 9000lb.+ tractor on it for 7 years with no problems.
 

You are wise to want to keep it legal. After all, the question is not: How much can you put on and still get there? the question is: Who will be living in my house next year if somebody pulls out in front of you and gets killed or maimed? Could you fix up a means to lift or pull the loader off at your other place? That way you could drive it on remove the loader and back the tractor off, Then take the loader, pull it off, then return for the tractor. Do this just 2-3 times then you will be able to get hauler truck after some time has gone by.
 

Just find a neighbor with a 14K trailer and give him a few bucks to haul it. Once a year is not enough to warrant a trailer and the risk pulling it with a half ton truck. A 14k trailer weighing less than 4000 empty is not a well built trailer.
 
Your statement about 14k trailers less than
4,000lbs not being well built is not
necessarily true. They can be poorly built,
but that is not a certainty.
 
Unnecessary weight can be a poor replacement for careful design and craftsmanship. Anybody can throw together a trailer that strong and heavy; it takes good engineering to make one that is strong and light.
 
(quoted from post at 13:52:08 11/17/17) My tractor weighs about 6500lbs, this includes tractor, fluids, front end loader and bucket. Any implements will push it close to 7000Lbs.

I need a new trailer as I have a 7000lb car hauler. My current trailer will haul the bare tractor and bush hog, nothing else. I only transport it once to twice a year but would like to be able to use the front end loader at my other property.

I have looked at 10K and 14K bumper hitch trailers. There seem to be nothing different about the construction except the axles and springs. The weights of the trailers are almost identical at around 3000 lbs. So it looks like the 14k would be the best option.

I also looked at goose neck 14k trailers but I have a 2008 4x4 Ford F-150 Crew Cab with the 6.5 foot bed. I think the extra weight of the goose neck would put me over weight. Another truck is out of the question as the boss will KILL me.

What would you do?

First off I would weigh what you have and see if your weight estimates are accurate.

What tractor are you hauling?

Might find out you are way over or under which will change what options you can consider.

If it is only once or twice a year as you say then hiring a deck truck would probably be cheaper than the insurance and maintenance on another trailer.

You said you could haul the tractor and loader or the tractor and mower with what you have.

If it is an easy loader to pull off then trailer the tractor to where you need it, drop the loader go back and hook on the mower load it up and you are done.
70 mile round trip is only going to cost you a few gallons of fuel and a couple of hours of your time.

Now if you are just trying to justify to your wife aka accountant another purchase then disregard these suggestions.
 
(quoted from post at 07:52:32 11/18/17) Unnecessary weight can be a poor replacement for careful design and craftsmanship. Anybody can throw together a trailer that strong and heavy; it takes good engineering to make one that is strong and light.

Yeah I'm sure the big guys like PJ and Big Tex just throw them together.....why would they take the time to "engineer" a trailer LOL!
 
A goose neck does pull a lot better than a bumper pull. I would want to actually look at the weight differences between the two, it may not as heavy as you may think.
 
I have a 24FT. 8" I beam low pro file bumper pull that weighs 4,200 lbs empty and if I would have went gooseneck it would have weighted 500 lbs. heavier.
a178441.jpg
 

You could probably just replace your existing axles, springs, and tires on your present trailer.

KEH
 
(quoted from post at 17:22:03 11/18/17) I have a 24FT. 8" I beam low pro file bumper pull that weighs 4,200 lbs empty and if I would have went gooseneck it would have weighted 500 lbs. heavier.
a178441.jpg
I've pulled three of these PJ's (20, 22, 22') with a Dodge dually over the last 15 years and really liked them. When I bought the new Duramax dually last year I thought I would go with the GN, so I bought a 25' Big Tex w/mega ramps. It's been a year, and I just don't care for the GN, tired of climbing in the truck bed to hook/unhook tripping over junk in the bed...no place to put bigger things in the bed, tripping over stuff when I want to pump fuel in the truck from the slip tank. I lost track of the times the tail drug on the pavement trying to get to a job, sometimes had to use 4x4 low to drag it off. Last week I was in a hilly neighborhood and coming back out with a load I just about clipped the bed with the GN frame, not sure what I would have done if it had hit the bed. Needless to say, I am seriously thinking about going back to a PJ bumper pull.
 
(quoted from post at 18:51:23 11/18/17)
I've pulled three of these PJ's (20, 22, 22') with a Dodge dually over the last 15 years and really liked them. When I bought the new Duramax dually last year I thought I would go with the GN, so I bought a 25' Big Tex w/mega ramps. It's been a year, and I just don't care for the GN, tired of climbing in the truck bed to hook/unhook tripping over junk in the bed...no place to put bigger things in the bed, tripping over stuff when I want to pump fuel in the truck from the slip tank. I lost track of the times the tail drug on the pavement trying to get to a job, sometimes had to use 4x4 low to drag it off. Last week I was in a hilly neighborhood and coming back out with a load I just about clipped the bed with the GN frame, not sure what I would have done if it had hit the bed. Needless to say, I am seriously thinking about going back to a PJ bumper pull.

I bought a new Gooseneck October 2015 and would NEVER go back to a bumper pull. Turn sharper, pull easier, ride nicer... Just everything about a gooseneck is better. Mine is a Custom Built made in Sulphur Springs TX.
 
(quoted from post at 19:17:29 11/18/17)
(quoted from post at 18:51:23 11/18/17)
I've pulled three of these PJ's (20, 22, 22') with a Dodge dually over the last 15 years and really liked them. When I bought the new Duramax dually last year I thought I would go with the GN, so I bought a 25' Big Tex w/mega ramps. It's been a year, and I just don't care for the GN, tired of climbing in the truck bed to hook/unhook tripping over junk in the bed...no place to put bigger things in the bed, tripping over stuff when I want to pump fuel in the truck from the slip tank. I lost track of the times the tail drug on the pavement trying to get to a job, sometimes had to use 4x4 low to drag it off. Last week I was in a hilly neighborhood and coming back out with a load I just about clipped the bed with the GN frame, not sure what I would have done if it had hit the bed. Needless to say, I am seriously thinking about going back to a PJ bumper pull.

I bought a new Gooseneck October 2015 and would NEVER go back to a bumper pull. Turn sharper, pull easier, ride nicer... Just everything about a gooseneck is better. Mine is a Custom Built made in Sulphur Springs TX.

Yeah that is what I had read....I guess mine just doesn't fit well with a crew cab long bed truck...certain roads it sets up a rhythm that is very annoying...and it tracks way too far on the inside corners than the bumper pull. Sure you can cut it tight, back up and cut it tighter, but try that coming off a narrow drive onto a busy highway. Also those tight cuts are going to significantly reduce tire life from all the scrubbing. The gn is not nearly as responsive when backing up as the PJ with that long tongue...but to each his own.
 
Ohio the plates are by the empty weight of the trailer, noes not mater if 1 axle or 4 axles. Or the weight capacity of the axles, 3,500# or 7,000#. Just empty weight of trailer. The heavier trailers have to have a title, lighter ones do not.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top