2023 TRD Pro.....Can I tow this tractor package.....?

Tractor and brush hog weighs about 2200 lbs. The trailer is 18’ tandem axle 7k pound trailer with square tubing with fold down ramps. I'm guessing it weighs about 2500 lbs. So about 4700-5000 lbs. I understand this is under the spec or towing capacity so I figure it will tow it but the truck won't be too happy about it. I will only tow this on a rare occasion. I know I will need a brake controller. I don't know tongue weight.



Brian

 

You need to figure tongue weight. Looking at that setup and positioning, it's going to be pretty high. I'd at least look at adjustable air bags when towing that.

 

I'd try to confirm the weight on both the tractor and trailer. Maybe look at a comparable Big Tex trailer or something for an idea, but 18' is a good sized trailer.

Does that tractor weight include the bucket? That's a lot of steel hanging up front.

For tongue weight, you want it to be 10-15% of the overall load, which you still need to calculate (or take it somewhere to weigh it). And the tongue weight depends on where you place the tractor on the trailer, so you could use a scale for the tongue and fine tune your tractor location.

Or, if you're confident in the weights, you could just eyeball a good tongue weight by watching the truck (maybe measuring sag in the back) when you load the tractor.

Make sure to use the parking brake whenever you load/ unload the tractor.

 

Plus moving the tractor back even 6 inches will help a huge amount, so think about adjusting the weight to be closer to over the axles if you can.

 

You'll burn up your clutch. Just looking at that trailer I'd feel a lot better with that behind me in a HD. 1/2 ton would do it, Tacoma could do it but I wouldn't want to go over 30mph on flat ground.

 

I was wondering if he backed it onto the trailer for that very reason. The engine is in the front of the tractor. I'm guessing a 60/40 weight split favoring the front.

 

I pull almost the same weight with my manual frontier and it does great. The wind isn’t as big of a deal with this kind of setup like it is a travel trailer of similar weight.


Use a bathroom scale or two to get your tongue weight right. 11% of the weight

 

I really just need to get it home….At most I’d pull it once or twice a year to my sons farm to bush hog his field. The tractor with the loader is 1881 lbs unless the tires are filled. The brush hog is just over 400 lbs. Similar big Tex trailer shows 2026 lbs. My truck is an automatic.

Brian

 

That should be right in this truck's wheelhouse. I tow similar weight with my car trailer with a sxs and utility quad. Just know that the first time you haul it, you should take the time to test the trailer balance with a short drive and reload/adjust as necessary. If the truck has too much tongue weight, your truck will wander and your drive will be horrible. Not enough tongue weight and your rear end could spin it's tires or slide around.

Good luck, you should be fine. I'd tow that weight across the country and not stress about it. I find a load like this easier to tow than a much lighter enclosed trailer.

 

I'm wrong on the brush hog weight.....That's a 5 foot cutter and weighs 596 lbs.

 

you are still fine

make sure you sort out the brake controller and send it

 

Chain it down and hitch it up see what it looks like.

 

Make 2 trips. One with the tractor with bucket and mower removed and one with the mower and bucket. That would reduce the total weight by around 1,000 lbs

 

Have the trailer and tractor load weighed so you know for sure weight wise what you are dealing with. If within specs and not exceeding tongue weight then tow it. Towing it a couple times a year for short distances and within specs you’ll be just fine. And I agree back the tractor on to the trailer. The engine and the front bucket will likely cause excessive hitch weight if driven on rather than backed.

 

Tractor package sold before u even had a chance to go look at it.

 

I think you’re fine my man.