[torchroadster]

I'm looking for advice on this - here's the situation. Buddy bought a backhoe and asked me to tow it home for him - approximately 75 miles. The total weight of the loaded trailer is estimated at 18,000 lbs. The trailer is 3 axle with a 2 5/16 ball coupler. I have a stock 2500, 6 speed with a 12000 lb hitch bar, I need to double check but I think my ball is 10,000 lbs. I have a load equalizer bars but they are mounted on my trailer and it isn't convenient to move them. The backhoe trailer doesn't have any provisions for equalizer bars.

The trailer is very old and has no markings, although it is all steel and looks very sturdy I'm wondering if it can handle this much weight? What are the maximums for even the strongest ball couplers?

Am I overstressing my setup too much for this? I'd never tow this rig routinely but I'm wondering is it feasible to get it home for him?

By the way the trailer isn't used with the backhoe by the current owner. So no prior experience on the setup by anyone.

 

[Hot Stuff]

I wouldn't pull that much weight on a bumper pull. Especially a shoddy looking trailer. Gooseneck or 5th wheel only. That's just me.

 

[mike uz]

If it does not look safe, it probably is not. You would hate to take out a family of four.. ( like mine )

 

[Dieselguy8599]

If it does not look safe, it probably is not. You would hate to take out a family of four.. ( like mine )

My dad and I use to haul 5th wheel campers or travel trailers and some of the stuff people wanted you to haul was amazing. Some of these trailers had been sitting on a lot for 10 years. The tires were shot, the berings were shot, and the trailer didn't look like it was going to make it off the lot with out falling apart.

I totally agree with Mike... If your gut doesn't think its safe then don't do it. You don't want to be on the evening news after the trailer wipes out a mini van and kills the family inside.

Plus the ball coupler on that trailer is most likely setup to be pulled by a larger size dump truck.

 

[Joe Reitman]

Agreed- even the heaviest bumper pull hitches are only rated for 15k or 16k. Even with the extra heavy duty custom reinforced hitch on my dually I would not pull that load for the reasons stated above. Maybe your buddy can find a Kodiak or other medium duty truck to pull it...

 

[dirtbike375]

If it does not look safe, it probably is not. You would hate to take out a family of four.. ( like mine )

You dont want to be messing around with that much weight. Worst case scenerio is that he rents a trailer that can handle it and that will accept you stabalizer bars. But still be careful, thats alot of weight to play around with and its not safe dont do it, period

 

[fxwannabe]

I have the meanest recievers and balls I could find and they are rated at 20,000. I would want that load on a pintle ring though. I would also have the trailer inspected. Being a triple if its in decent shape the trailer will handle all the weight all you have to do is start and stop it. It will be a pull thats for sure. I have pulled 15,000 behind mine and you know its back there for sure.

 

[DodgeCummins98]

I wouldn't even consider pulling that much weight with a bumper pull.

 

[ynots57]

i wouldnt do it on a bumper pull especially with a stock hitch

 

[highrollinmopars]

I have pulled several 580 Case Backhoes on a 10 ton Hudson lowboy with a pintle hitch. Its a very heavy load and you have to be careful but I dont mind doing it. I pull a 36' Fifth wheel all the time with no problem and my 7 ton gooseneck lowboy pulls like a dream. You can do it but I would make sure my hitch and trailer was rated for it and be careful.

 

[TVtruck]

i wouldnt do it on a bumper pull especially with a stock hitch

I agree......your stock hitch isn't designed for that kind of weight....be safe.

 

[az04cummins]

I think the stock hitch is only rated to 12000 pounds when using wheight distributing and 10000 with out it . I have a putman XDR that I believe to have the highest rating at the time I was looking. It is rated at 16000 pounds with the distribution bars

I think your concern should be more about what would happen if you were to get in an accident and they found out you were over wheight. Dodges web site states that my truck is only rated to 13300 pounds for a tag trailer. I have been over that many times and can say the truck does fine. I would just hate to have an accident and have an issue for being overloaded.

 

[iowacummins]

just go have a goose neck hitch installed in your truck adn borrow a trailer thats rated for that load and then you can do it safely.

 

[LittleOleHotShotter]

JUST LET YOUR FRIEND DO IT!!! Friend wouldnt ask you to do that IMHO. Or your friend isnt to smart!!!!

 

[Dodge_this]

Also remember, pulling the load is one thing...getting it to stop is another. I don't recall reading anything in this thread about the brake setup for this tri-axle.

Be safe:thumbsup

 

[IABountyHunter]

like has been said do it with a gooseneck triple with brakes and that should be fine, we pull one that weighs about the same but we do it with a goose neck triple axle with brakes on all axles and make sure you get it placed in the right spot on the trailer for weight transfer of it will drive like crap, just be carefull

 

[torchroadster]

Wow - thanks for all the advice.

Someone asked about brakes - this trailer has brakes on two of the three axles. I have a Prodigy brake controller.

I suppose the advice is pretty much what I expected - from don't exceed the ratings, which I would definitely be doing, to you can do it but be careful.

I'm sure it would probably go OK, the tow is mostly 2 lane country roads, through only one town of any size, and I can take my time and go slow. Nevertheless I told my friend this afternoon that I really didn't think it was a good idea. I told him I didn't think he should buy the trailer at all because it really isn't built to haul this backhoe and he should just buy the backhoe alone and hire someone to haul it home.

Anyone have a recommendation to a hotshot/trucking company that would take on something like this in northeast Texas?

 

[sofakingbad]

i hauled my 420d cat backhoe on a gooseneck once an it wasnt to bad....... if you do haul it make sure an put it on the trailer in the right sopt!!!!! the hard part is not pulling it its stopping it!!!! It was to much weight for the truck IMO but i was not about to pay someone to haul it for me........ good luck