Hauling 2 tractors

[Wayne in NE]

I usually haul only one tractor. This weekend I’m going on a ride with my son, therefore the need for the second tractor. One tractor is a 4020, roughly 8700 lbs and an IH 454, roughly 4800 lbs. I have a 3/4 ton pickup with a 28 foot gooseneck and two 7,000 lb axles with single wheels. I will be traveling 20 miles on flat ground and on pavement. What is your suggestions to load, which tractor first and drive on or back on. Thanks for the input.

 

[Fordy20]

If I understand, you're hauling around 16,000# of tractors plus maybe 5,000# of trailer for a total of 20 - 21,000# on 14,000# of axels. For only 20 miles you might be ahead to make two trips.

 

[matthies]

Just drive the tractors there or have somebody taxi you around. Time wise it will be about the same.

 

[rustred]

I usually haul only one tractor. This weekend I’m going on a ride with my son, therefore the need for the second tractor. One tractor is a 4020, roughly 8700 lbs and an IH 454, roughly 4800 lbs. I have a 3/4 ton pickup with a 28 foot gooseneck and two 7,000 lb axles with single wheels. I will be traveling 20 miles on flat ground and on pavement. What is your suggestions to load, which tractor first and drive on or back on. Thanks for the input.

Too much weight for that trailer , it’s a close trip so go twice or drive one home. Always drive on to centre the weight over the wheels.

 

[matthies]

Just drive the tractors there or have somebody taxi you around. Time wise it will be about the same.

Sorry Wayne, didn't realize it was you.

 

[scootergmc]

It's not the axles I'm worried about, those four single tires will be pretty taxed.

 

[rustred]

Plus by the time u load and screw around you will
darn near be home driving them. Be over an hr drive.

 

[Janicholson]

Plus by the time u load and screw around you will
darn near be home driving them. Be over an hr drive.

At 20 miles, just consider the ride to and from as 40 miles that are part of the "ride". Jim

 

[Fixingfarmer]

I’d haul them twice if it’s just you. That’s 80 miles all together that would take a day. Or half a day of hauling in the AC of your pickup. If you can convince someone else to drive one then it’s even Steven and I might drive them.

If you were dead set on putting them both on it would be the ih first backwards all the way to the front then the 4020 as close to centered on the trailer axles as possible

A 4020 on a single tandem axle trailer is plenty I had this exact same setup about 15 years ago going to a tractor ride about three times the distance away. There was a hill about 8 miles from the end of the trip that made the ride much more interesting. And I didn’t have the extra 5000 lbs.

 

[farmersamm]

A gooseneck trailer can generally transfer about 20% to the hitch without adverse effects on the truck(depending on the weight rating of the truck rear suspension, and how much the ball is ahead of the rear axle) You're also splitting the load on the truck between front, and rear axle.

So................do the math for one tractor. Remembering that a tractor has a weight distribution around 70% on the rear axle. Spitballing it, you'll be loading the first tractor with the front forward, keeping the weight off the truck. The second tractor would be facing rearward to put the weight on the trailer axles, and counterbalance the weight of the first tractor, or at least making it a null situation. At this point, you're considering the GVW of the trailer axles. The trailer axles have to bear the weight of 70% of the weight of both tractors........if the rears come close to centering over those axles.

 

[farmersamm]

With singles on the trailer, plus the light duty suspension....................I'd not attempt it. On a dual tire trailer.......it's doable.

 

[caterpillar guy]

It's doable just not a good doable. I'de load the 4020 in front with the front up close to the end then put the 454 on behind it. Watch how they set as you drive them on. You said a 8 foot so plenty of room and easy to load . Biggest issue is weight versus the load rating of it all. I would either just drive them or load and go. Not worry about it. I also use a semi for these things so I just load .I don't worry about distribution to much with only a couple tractors and if more then I worry more about the space than I do the weight. I can load 6 tractors on my 48 ft stepdeck with some hanging off both ends. And the look like they are packed tight together on there. tires are tight against each other. Front ends are staggered so they fit. after all 6 5000 pound tractors is not even close to the limit.

 

[wh]

20 miles. Drive them. Be there or be home before you can load/unload and haul. Add additional warning lights such as the magnetic tail/brake lights from harbor freight. Depending on age of son let him lead with the 454. The 4020 would be easier seen in traffic

 

[moresmoke]

I’ve hauled two similar sized tractors on a 3x7k axle trailer many miles. Put the big one on forward on the front, and the smaller backed on the back. I always center my weight over the front axle.

If you had a dually, I would say put the 4020 on the front and possibly back it on to get enough weight on the truck. With a 3/4 ton and 2 axle trailer you will be overweight.

As others have said, 2 trips or drive one. Whatever you do, do not put the 4020 on the back as you will have the tail start wagging the dog. I made that mistake once. It won’t happen again.

 

[flying belgian]

Why not load one on the trailer and pull the trailer with the other one.

 

[RedMF40]

Why not load one on the trailer and pull the trailer with the other one.

Good idea except it’s a gooseneck trailer. It would have to be a pretty creative setup to make that work.

 

[wh]

Good idea except it’s a gooseneck trailer. It would have to be a pretty creative setup to make that work.

3 pt frame with ball on top would pull the gooseneck.

 

[wh]

3 pt frame with ball on top would pull the gooseneck.

Built an adapter for a guy one time to pull his gooseneck with a tractor. Made a long “T” that each end of the cross piece pinned to front of trailer. The leg of the “T” went to drawbar of tractor. At the correct place welded a riser to the leg that fasten to the gooseneck.

 

[RedMF40]

Built an adapter for a guy one time to pull his gooseneck with a tractor. Made a long “T” that each end of the cross piece pinned to front of trailer. The leg of the “T” went to drawbar of tractor. At the correct place welded a riser to the leg that fasten to the gooseneck.

How did it drive? I’ve never towed a gooseneck, looks like the design calls for a lot of the weight to be supported on the rear wheels of the tow vehicle.

 

[wh]

How did it drive? I’ve never towed a gooseneck, looks like the design calls for a lot of the weight to be supported on the rear wheels of the tow vehicle.

Have no idea. Evidently it worked fine. I know the upright into the gooseneck was very close to end of piece we made. I am sure weight transfer was fine. He used it to bring loaded trailer from field to house. Switched to his truck there to haul to market. Was hauling watermelons mostly. It was a 24 ft tri axle trailer. We built the trailer in the welding class. Rear axle was hung separate so that it was about 2 inches off the ground until trailer was loaded.