Welder Dave
Senior Member
No. Have you noticed anytime they show an ad of a 1 ton towing a way too big of load it's always off road and never on the highway.
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Hauling dozer
- Thread starter Bandit44
- Start date
Shimmy1
Senior Member
I hang a 4500 pound bumper-pull tilt-deck trailer with the T770, dirt bucket, grapple bucket, and 2500 lb brush mower behind my F550.
The whole rig weighs right around 33k when I have the service tanks full of fuel. I can stop from 65 mph a whole lot faster than I can with my 7 axle lowboy rig at 100k.
Now, I've never pulled this load with a 1 ton, but I can't believe it would be much different. The pickup, trailer, and load in that picture probably weighs right at the 37k. 10k pickup, 7k trailer, 20k dozer. I would not be scared to drive that rig anywhere on the open road. Now, if I had to drive in Kansas City traffic, I'd surely want a class 8 truck, but that's because the idiot public respects a semi.
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Montecresto
Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t be afraid to run that set up either and have. When I first got my Case 650 I pulled it with my F-250 as pictured. It did fine too. But I’m using a 1 ton Dodge now with the high output engine and aisin transmission and prefer it. The load is compliant with the mfg specs on truck and trailer and legal as not for hire personal use….I hang a 4500 pound bumper-pull tilt-deck trailer with the T770, dirt bucket, grapple bucket, and 2500 lb brush mower behind my F550.
The whole rig weighs right around 33k when I have the service tanks full of fuel. I can stop from 65 mph a whole lot faster than I can with my 7 axle lowboy rig at 100k.
Now, I've never pulled this load with a 1 ton, but I can't believe it would be much different. The pickup, trailer, and load in that picture probably weighs right at the 37k. 10k pickup, 7k trailer, 20k dozer. I would not be scared to drive that rig anywhere on the open road. Now, if I had to drive in Kansas City traffic, I'd surely want a class 8 truck, but that's because the idiot public respects a semi.
Montecresto
Well-Known Member
I can totally see “operators” using small dump trucks to haul with. I’m always trying to differentiate between commercial operators and the guy like myself that has to move personal equipment from one property to another on rare (like once every 4-5 years) occasions. I too own an F-650 dump truck rated at 25,999K pounds, but I won’t move my dozer with it as it seems very dangerous to me with its hydraulic brakes. I prefer my new 1 ton Dodge flat bed…I wish my dump truck had air brakes like my A class…..
That is 100% unsafe, regardless of what the truck/trailer mfg's say. You don't have nearly enough tongue weight on the truck, in fact the truck isn't even rated to carry the ~5000lbs of tongue weight you should have. Come into a down hill curve a little too fast or get cut off in traffic and that's all she wrote. Lastly, if you still think that rig is safe, unplug the electric trailer brakes and try to stop from 65mph, it won't be pretty. You think that sounds like crazy talk, but your life and everyone around you is dependent on one little wire and a plastic trailer plug....
crane operator
Senior Member
You seem stuck on this idea. Why? what possible difference does it make on the legality of the move, if you do it once a year, or once a day?
If you're not legal and want to be, figure out what you need to do to be legal. If you don't want to be legal, and don't care if you are or not, what difference does it make what the law is? Why even ask what legal is, or want to argue about it, if you have no intention of doing it? Do whatever you want.
Feeling "unsafe" in a f-650 because its got hydraulic brakes, but you do feel safe in your 1 ton flatbed dodge? Well, don't look what the dodge is using for brakes....
If I only drive a couple times a year to see my great aunt matilida, should I be able to do it at 105 mph? I'm not doing it every day commercially.....
Explain how using a class 6 truck with hydraulic brakes is less safe than using a 3/4-1 ton pickup with hydraulic brakes? Most modern medium duty trucks with hydraulic brakes have as much or more redundancy built into the braking system than light duty trucks. You're relying on electric trailer brakes either way, at least the f650 has the tires, suspension, brakes and weight to control the trailer better in the event the electric trailer brakes fail.
I second the "one little wire" argument. 20 years ago I was pulling a John Deere 35 mini on a trailer that my old boss now uses to haul a 50 behind an '88 Chevy 3500. I went to a job, making many stops at intersections and lights. Finished that and headed for the next job. Stopped at several lights no problem until I was coming down a hill to a light and it changed. The dump truck and pup in front of me stopped but I didn't. I immediately got on the brakes and got it slowed down from 25 or 30 to about 10 when I hit, but there was no braking coming from the trailer and all it did was make me hit harder. DOT came and looked everything over, weighed everything and let me go without giving me any trouble.
Moral of the story is, even if you're doing it legal and within limits, you're still relying on electricity getting to the trailer brakes. I'm way more comfortable in a lowboy with 120k on 7 axles. With air brakes you have multiple ways to figure out if there's a problem before it's a big problem. Electric, not so much.
I've learned that when you're done something sketchy, that's when someone is gonna mess you up. Even something as simple as tossing an appliance in the back of the pickup and not bothering to throw a strap around it because you aren't going far on a quiet road. That's when someone decides to back out of an obscured driveway forcing you to slam it into the back of the cab.
Moral of the story is, even if you're doing it legal and within limits, you're still relying on electricity getting to the trailer brakes. I'm way more comfortable in a lowboy with 120k on 7 axles. With air brakes you have multiple ways to figure out if there's a problem before it's a big problem. Electric, not so much.
I've learned that when you're done something sketchy, that's when someone is gonna mess you up. Even something as simple as tossing an appliance in the back of the pickup and not bothering to throw a strap around it because you aren't going far on a quiet road. That's when someone decides to back out of an obscured driveway forcing you to slam it into the back of the cab.
BC Placer gold
Senior Member
No doubt overkill; but works for us (especially) when off-road….gravel roads will quickly demonstrate how easily the “tail can wag the dog” on a pickup.
Setup as shown, 5000lbs tongue weight for solid braking/traction.
A close call on greasy/steep roads with a Dodge 3500 several years ago was a good education. It hasn’t hauled a heavy load since; but it does carry tools & two tidy tanks…a useful support vehicle.
Setup as shown, 5000lbs tongue weight for solid braking/traction.
A close call on greasy/steep roads with a Dodge 3500 several years ago was a good education. It hasn’t hauled a heavy load since; but it does carry tools & two tidy tanks…a useful support vehicle.
Attachments
I too learned the hard way about 20yrs ago. My cousin and I were working summers for my uncles HVAC/electrical company. We were in a mid '90s Chevy C1500 long bed towing a 16' tandem axle enclosed job site trailer with some tools, fittings and a gas furnace in it. Total towed load was less than 5000lbs, so not over loaded 'by the specs' for the truck. My cousin was driving and were headed down I-74 just across the IL line when someone not paying attention changed lanes without looking. My cousin swerved to avoid being hit which started the whole rig wagging. It got out of control very quickly, he grabbed the trailer brakes but they weren't enough to straighten it out. Next thing you know we were upside down in the median, luckily we had slowed down enough the roll over was pretty gentle. We were wearing our seat belts and were uninjured. Before we could even get our seat belts off other motorist had stopped and were kicking out the windows and screaming and ripping at us trying to pull us out. Obliviously it must have looked a lot worse than it was or people just like to over react, but we crawled out without a scratch. It could have been much worse, but was a very good lesson.
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BC Placer gold
Senior Member
Sounds like you did everything right, glad it turned out okay! Scary…..wow
BC Placer gold
Senior Member
1693TA
Senior Member
We've talked about this in the past but this is a tractor with fluid in the tires and just under 23K in weight. The trailer is about 8900# empty and the truck is a 2013 F-650 Ford with a V-10 gasolline engine.
I hauled this tractor to Kansas City, MO back in February 2021 and didn't have issues other than slow going and fuel thirsty:
Truck has hydraulic brakes and trailer brakes are electric. I installed a four axle capacity brake controller to allow for additional "grab" in brake application and it works well
I hauled this tractor to Kansas City, MO back in February 2021 and didn't have issues other than slow going and fuel thirsty:
Truck has hydraulic brakes and trailer brakes are electric. I installed a four axle capacity brake controller to allow for additional "grab" in brake application and it works well
Montecresto
Well-Known Member
I’ve moved with both and I do not like the braking on the dump truck….♂️
Montecresto
Well-Known Member
I’m moving legal, what are you referring to?
Montecresto
Well-Known Member
The 1 ton Dodge flatbed and tandem dually I move with is legal and safe…
BC Placer gold
Senior Member
That’s a good looking truck/trailer setup, signage etc….
1693TA
Senior Member
Thanks. I don't own it but I cut the truck down from a 26' Budgit rental van and installed the used bed. The signage, flags, and strobe on the rear are mine and I use them often. At one of my fuel stops when transporting that tractor a MO state cop pulled into the gas pump next to me and he told me I did a good job chaining, and flagging that load. I don't know if he was DOT enforcement or not, but was state patrol. Nice guy and we conversed about my route and he told me about some areas of concern where there were reported slick spots. I didn't have any problems but I'm pretty easy when driving.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
I don't get what's so bad with hyd. brakes on an F650? It's a lot better suited to haul a dozer than a 1 ton. If the brakes weren't adequate for a fully loaded F650, the truck wouldn't pass the requirements to be road legal.
As far as electric trailer brakes, they can be good IF they are regularly checked and maintained. When hauling heavy loads it's best to check them before heading out. Same with the trailer plug and wiring.The problem is a lot of people just hook up and go assuming everything is good because they didn't have a problem the last time they towed the trailer. This can be a problem especially when the trailer isn't used very often. I know a trailer shop pretty good and you wouldn't believe the stuff they find regarding brakes and suspension on trailers. Brakes are the most frequent jobs they do. They buy brake drums with the bearings by the pallet. I think 100 at time but maybe more.
As far as electric trailer brakes, they can be good IF they are regularly checked and maintained. When hauling heavy loads it's best to check them before heading out. Same with the trailer plug and wiring.The problem is a lot of people just hook up and go assuming everything is good because they didn't have a problem the last time they towed the trailer. This can be a problem especially when the trailer isn't used very often. I know a trailer shop pretty good and you wouldn't believe the stuff they find regarding brakes and suspension on trailers. Brakes are the most frequent jobs they do. They buy brake drums with the bearings by the pallet. I think 100 at time but maybe more.