Buying a Trailer to Haul Equipment, 10 Things to Look For

Had a question from Lonnie who is in need of a trailer to haul his new tractor. He asked if I could provide a list of what to look for when purchasing a trailer to haul equipment. I came up with 10 things to look for when buying a trailer to haul your tractor.

First, you need to look at your truck. Is it big enough for the amount of weight you're looking to tow with it? I've seen way too many 1/2 ton trucks and Suburbans asked to do more that what they're rated for.

Next look at the axle capacity on the trailer and remember that you have to subtract the weight of the trailer from the combined axle rating. Also, most manufacturers don't include the weight of the front end loader with the tractor in the spec sheet. If you're hauling attachments, what do they weigh? So, calculate the total weight of the tractor, loader, attachments, and anything else you'll be hauling and add in the trailer weight and make sure the axle capacity exceeds that number.

Third, get brakes. The cheaper trailers don't have brakes and require the brakes of the towing vehicle to stop everything and that can be a problem. The better trailers will have a set of brakes on one axle.

The next two considerations go together. Make sure you get a trailer that's long enough, and tied in with that, how do the ramps work?

I've seen folks get trailers that were too short, and too long. If you're used to towing items, a 20' trailer may be no big deal to maneuver, but if you're never hauled anything, you'll be amazed at how tough it is to get around. You want it to be just long enough for your needs, but not too long.

Some states allow implements to hang off the back, but if you have fold-up ramps, that may not work. If you were planning on a shorter trailer and letting your bush hog, for example, hang off the back a couple of feet, the fold up ramps may prevent that, so slide-in ramps may be a better option. If you get slide in ramps, make sure they're long enough. 4' ramps make that driving up on the trailer pretty abrupt, 5' ramps are better. A dovetail, or a slant at the back of the trailer, is also a nice feature to make loading the trailer easier and safer.

Next, does the trailer have a spare tire? Many of the cheaper trailers don't have one and don't have anywhere to mount one. It's a big hassle to carry the spare for your trailer in the back of the truck or to have to load and unload each time.

If I were buying a trailer I'd get a good jack. Cheaper jacks you have to crank from the top to the bottom of their range every time you hook up. A jack with an extendable spring-loaded leg and a pin to hold it is a much better choice.

Finally, two options I'd get with a trailer are 9) a winch and 10) d-rings to secure the load to. A winch will help you save hauling bills even when the tractor won't move and d-rings make the chaining or booming process much easier.

Thanks to WD-40 Company for sponsoring this video, WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease and other WD-40 Brand products are available at a retailer near you: https://bit.ly/2Ls39Ki.
Visit wd40.customink.shop to get your WD-40 Brand gear today.

OTHER LINKS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT...
The Tractor Fun Store: https://asktractormike.com/products-for-sale/
Support the Tractor Mike Channel: https://www.patreon.com/TractorMike
Visit the Tractor Mike website: http://asktractormike.com/
Visit Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Ask-Tractor-Mike-312112962245304/

Copyright 2021 Tractor Mike LLC

Видео Buying a Trailer to Haul Equipment, 10 Things to Look For канала Tractor Mike