Looking to Tow a Bobcat 323 Excavator

I have a home project here to bury my rain gutters (120 foot run) around the house and therefore have a need to rent a compact excavator. However, per the Best Line Equipment page that machine weighs 3655 lbs.

http://www.bestline.com/custompage.asp?pg=excavators

I thought no problem given our trucks are rated for 6500lbs of towing capacity and my truck does have the towing package. However per the guy at Bestline, they use a 2 axle 7,000 lb capacity utility trailer which is were the rub lies. Per him, that trailer weights near 3,500 lbs. So that plus the 3655 lbs puts me at 7155 lbs which is obviously over the 6,500 lbs towing capacity rated for our trucks. I'm a bit disappointed and was sort of looking forward to towing it with my truck, but was wondering has anyone attempted it with no issues? I doubt they would even let me leave the yard with my truck so I'll have to borrow a full size to grab the machine, but not sure how much buffer is built into our 6,500 lb towing capacity. It's my understanding the biggest challenge is stopping the truck and not getting it going. I should mention I only live about 10 miles from the rental place, but understand safety is more important than anything else.

 

I don't tow my tractor with backhoe with the Tacoma , no matter how you load it and with sway control bars , it does some pretty scary things if the road is bumpy and twisty, the trailer and tractor are right at 6500 lbs, I use my 3/4 ton van with no issues or my Tahoe , the Tacoma just doesn't weigh enough, it does however have enough power to do it.

 

Good point and what I suspected as well. No worries, i'll just grab a full size pickup from a friend/family member. This is just one of those rare times where theTacoma isn't up to the challenge despite having the muscle and tow package.

 

I wouldn't do it.

 

Wouldn't do it.

 

Ridgeline would pull it...

 

I dont see a picture on their website. But I rented a front-end loader and an escavator from the Bobcat rental place before. They were the biggest that they had on the lot that did not require a gooseneck trailer. They were pretty big in my opinion(hauled with an 18' lowboy). I hauled these with my Taco for about 30miles each way. I would do it again but not an every day thing. I was terrified the entire way home. But I did it. Tow at your own risk..............When loading the tractors my front end nose was sniffing the gravel parking lot. My rear end was about 30" off the ground.

 

I googled images for a 323. It looks like the one I hauled a few weeks back. The front end loader was the heavy one in my opinion. That one was easily 7,000lbs.

 

Yup and hence my concern. I honestly don't think they let me out of the yard if I arrived with the Tacoma. At least that's the impression I got from the guy on the phone. Too bad they don't maker a lighter version.

 

They told me to take at least a 3/4 ton truck...........but i'm a mexiCAN, so i took my taco

 

I also have the tow package with no relevant modifications, and in the spring I regularly tow 7000-8000 #, gross, anhydrous ammonia tanks, with no little difficulties. Although I do take them less than 10 miles, drive slower than 30 mph (tank gets a swaying and tank tires not rated for over 40), and make sure I take my sweet ass time. The drive usually involves rolling hilly gravel roads and some moderately hilly fields. Also the anhydrous tanks have almost zero tongue weight so I figure that would help with stability a lot. So if it were me and I knew that I could take it slow and easy (no freeway BS), I'd do it (assuming your staying under your tongue weight). Something to judge my sanity by though: Before I bought the Tacoma, Dad and I would occasionally pull tanks with his 82' 4X4 Toyota Pickup (I4,~3000#'s).

 

I highly doubt the 7000lb GVW trailer weighs anywhere near 3500lbs, unless I'm misunderstanding and its a 10,500lb GVW trailer with 7000 lb capacity. Either way, won't the rental company drop off the machine and pick it up when you're done? The ones 'round these parts don't even give you the option to haul equipment yourself.

 

I've done the baby bobcat, brakes not as nice as I would like, but it will do it, BTW, I have airbags, don't expect yours to sit as pretty

 

Awwww baby bobcat......just kidding. I had the big daddy one because I was redoing my entire driveway and building mountains.........still babies are heavy.

 

Borrow a hd truck.

 

Trade it in for the 2014 tundra

 

Is that right? I would have never guess that, but also don't know anyone with a Ridgeline.

 

Yeah, I had my doubts as well but a quick Google search turned up a few hits supporting the dealers claim. I have to take his word on it since I have no other way to verify the trailer weight.

I just checked out the 70TV model off this link and the weight of the trailer ranges from 1810, 1990 and 2010 lbs depending on the length of
12, 14, or 16 feet. So I should be fine if that is the case.
http://www.bigtextrailers.com/trailers/tandem_axle.html

 

Right, my trip would only be about 10 miles and all under 35 mph within city limits so speed would not be an issue. As for tongue weight, I believe it is usually 9-10% of the trailer + cargo. Correct me if I'm wrong, but our trucks have a 650 lb tongue weight which is exactly 10% of the 6,500 lb towing capacity. I would be over that if the trailer + Bob cat are pushing 7100 lbs.

 

Even better, I'm going to borrow one.