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waltsuz

Moving heavy trailers with a 520H

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waltsuz

Looking for opinions on something I want to try. I want to move a car hauler and or a travel trailer, both with trailer brakes with my 520H. I want to fab up an underside full length hitch receiver set up, that I can pin a ball receiver on the front or rear of the tractor. The car hauler has a small Kubota backhoe on it and weighs approx 5000# tractor trailer complete. I plan to install a brake actuator on the 520 to actuate the electric trailer brakes to stop all this once it gets going..I can't park this rig with my truck where I want it to set because I have no room to maneuver all this around. I have asked around, searched the net and have not found what I think is a good opinion. If anybody has moved larger heavy trailers with a small tractor what am I in for???? Thanks for any advice or suggestions...Walt   

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WH nut

I have moved my Travel trailer but I just use the rear hitch with a ball. Don't move far but the front wheels get light. I wouldn't move it to far, just the final position when the truck wont fit.

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octfst

Your biggest problem will be ballast weight. I really like your idea of some kind of frame to put your hitch on both ends. & brakes. I move trailers around all the time with my 867 I leave the snow plow on all year & put  about 50lb on it to move my empty car hauler & loaded toy hauler aprox. 5000lb.

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can whlvr

I wouldn't even think of it if its 5000 lb,i have moved my 12 foot tandem trailer that weighs 1800 lb,and that was way too much for it,ya you can do it here and there but im never hooking up anything that big again,its just not built to move that kind of weight

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jeremi3210

Just remember thesetractors will pull way more than they can stop on there own.

Edited by jeremi3210

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smoreau

you better hook up a electric brake control up to your 520!

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Tim

are you moving it on a tar surface?

what do you think the tongue weight will be (how much stress are you putting on the frame?)

my opinion, I think you can do it as long as the trailer breaks work and you are reasonably balanced

I think the tractor will get it rolling on, but will not be able to stop it without help

 

went to the Big E in Springfield mass and saw the Hallamore riggers display.  they had a truck from the 1920's or so

it had a 40 HP engine and would move 40,000 lb loads.  just would not move it fast

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waltsuz

are you moving it on a tar surface?

what do you think the tongue weight will be (how much stress are you putting on the frame?)

my opinion, I think you can do it as long as the trailer breaks work and you are reasonably balanced

I think the tractor will get it rolling on, but will not be able to stop it without help

 

went to the Big E in Springfield mass and saw the Hallamore riggers display.  they had a truck from the 1920's or so

it had a 40 HP engine and would move 40,000 lb loads.  just would not move it fast

With the trailer hooked up my truck remains level. I don't think there's more than 200# tonque weight with the tractor on the trailer, just judging by eye from the truck not squatting. I am setting on concrete right now and there's a slight downhill in my driveway which worries me a bit. The trailer brakes will stop my truck  if I set the actuator to so.  I think I have enough braking to stop this from the trailer brakes. I am planning to hook up to the front to ease moving it around. I will tie the hitch frame to the rear end and under the frame towards the front axle. About all this 520 does is pull stuff around just nothing like I want to try so the frame will stay on the tractor. I appreciate the thoughts on this. Thanks Walt 

Edited by waltsuz

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Tim

200 lb. tongue weight- have at it that's,not enough to break anything

I can't see how you will break the tractor

think about it- if you had a Chevy Sburban (about 5000 lb on wheels) could two or three guys push it around on level ground?

could two or three guys win a tug of war with  a wheel horse? would you worry about breaking the tractor?

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Sethro

I move my boat around flat paved surfaces with 416H all the time without an issues.  Total weight of the rig shown is probably close to 3500lbs.  I do keep the trailer jack wheel close to the ground in case something goes wrong, but it hasn't....yet.

post-2211-0-42456700-1390617027.jpg

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bmsgaffer

I used to tow around a 4800# loaded trailer around our property with my C-105 but it was an 8 speed. I kept it in Low range and let engine braking take care of it.

 

With the short wheelbase of the tractor you should have no problem maneuvering it with the trailer attached to the back (I could spin it in circles with one wheel of the trailer standing still). If you had it attached to the front and something shifted and 'lightened up' your rear wheels you loose all driving breaking and control. With the weight on the rear wheels it should improve traction and you might just need a set of front weights to keep the front end from getting light.

 

Also I wouldnt want to put that weight on the spindles.

 

But I guess to your original question, yea it should tow it. Just be careful.

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Tankman

I would find another spot to drop the trailer with the truck.

 

The Horse will move the trailer but, wouldn't you cry if something failed?   :scared-ghostface:

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MalMac

I have moved several trailers. In hindsight I wish I have not tried to move some of the bigger, heavier ones. To long a story to tell, but it end up costing money and time. If you are dead set on doing it then I would build a dolly to put the tongue on. No weight on the tractor. Most definably have a braking system. It only takes a second for a heavy object rolling to get away from you. In reality I would look for a alternative means or different location. Like they say to each his own, good luck.

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Uncle Buck

I have used my old LR to move my 17 foot tri boat around in my small backyard where there was not room for my truck. I think unless you have one of the largest WH tractors I would not try to move a car hauler or travel trailer. I also have several short frame WH tractors and I would not be comfortable doing that with any of those either.

 

That is just me though.

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AMC RULES

Just be safe...   :auto-ambulance:

it's not worth dying for just to prove it can be done. 

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leeave96

I'd say for something heavy, you need to be mindful of the tongue weight. I'd be inclined to mount it to the front, but if you distribute the load, say onto the front, mid and rear attachment points, that would be good. Also, I wouldn't pull a trailer that weight unless it was on dead flat ground with or without brakes.

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Foozerush

A lot of peeps saying it's too much for the 520. My answer says you should break down and get a bigger horse, yea, I said it. Find a D series and make it your dedicated trailer mover! It would be a Win/Win situation. I bet a D series would move those trailers more safer. Just a thought...... Gregg

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JackC

One of my D-160s would be ideal for the job.  The 520H is a little lighter and should do the job.  However, if I was working on an incline i would want another person available with a couple of boards or wheel chocks to block the wheels of the trailer in case it started getting away from me.

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varosd

Just be safe...   :auto-ambulance:

it's not worth dying for just to prove it can be done. 

you might need one of theses....

 

gallery_5727_10_1776945.jpg

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AMC RULES

..or these.

  :teasing-poke:  

post-3498-0-95921900-1390665300_thumb.jp

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dodgemike

I moved my two axle car trailer to

the backyard for storage. Rear

hitch on my C 121. It weighed 1800

empty. Loaded would have been

5000 and that would have been to

much. I might try it with a dolly.

One brand is Trailer Toad. They are

rated for highway use and exspensive. With some square tubing and HF stuff you could easily make one for off road use.

The brake controller is a good idea

just in case.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

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can whlvr

it will move it for a while,but pushing 5000 lb with a garden tractor WILL break something sooner or later

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Racinbob

I moved our 30 travel trailer quite often with a C160. If I was doing anything more than just pulling it out of the pole barn I would mount the snow blower on it for ballast. As everyone said, don't go down hill.

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Wheel-N-It

I'd say for something heavy, you need to be mindful of the tongue weight. I'd be inclined to mount it to the front, but if you distribute the load, say onto the front, mid and rear attachment points, that would be good. Also, I wouldn't pull a trailer that weight unless it was on dead flat ground with or without brakes.

I most certainly agree with Bill. If you are on dead flat ground then I'm sure I would try it but for any kind of incline situation at all then a Wheel Horse is out of the question. I have a Bobcat 325 track excavator which is probably wbout the same weight as your Kubota. I would not even try it here where I live as there are too many hills to even think about it. Why not get an old Ford 8n and let it do the heavy work?

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Forest Road

Plenty of guys have been successful moving similar loads. Id hate to be the one who fails at such a task.

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