210 Excavator on Tri-Axle Tag Trailer

[Rimrock dirt]

Hi everyone,
This has been a really helpful forum to me, lots of good stuff on here.

I just purchased a 2019 John Deere 210G LC excavator. Operating weight will be in the 50k-52k range with the 42" dig bucket, thumb, and hydraulic quick coupler installed.

I have a Towmaster T50 tri-axle tag trailer that I pull with a tri-axle Freightliner FLD 120 dump truck (425 HP detroit w/Jake brake). This setup handles a 160 class machine or Deere 644K loader (~43,000 lbs) with no issue.

I'm wondering what everyone's experience has been with moving 210 size hoes on tag trailers behind dump trucks. Obviously it's not preferred, but I'm hoping to make this setup work for local moves in the near term, until I get a lowboy added to the fleet. I'm in MT, so being over Federal bridge axle weights is ok as I can purchase term over-weight permits for non-reducible loads. Additionally, I'm thinking that to reduce the weight on the trailer, I'll drop the bucket into the truck dump box for moves (takes ~2000 lbs off the trailer).

Does anyone move their 210 class excavator behind a dump truck? Is this a terrible idea for short, around town moves?

Thanks for any input around this!

 

[KSSS]

Dropping the bucket in the box instead of on the machine isn't going to fly. My understanding is that has to fly separately. I am maxed out with a triple axle trailer and a 4 axle Mack pulling a 160. I can't believe you would even be close with another 10-12K pounds. You could load it up and put it on a CAT scale and know where your at exactly. Or go to the 4 corners Port, they would love to tell you all about it. Kidding, not kidding.

 

[CaptainE]

I have been looking to do this same setup for moving around the local farm properties. Can you report back how it goes? Also how to you like that trailer? Someone recommended the tilt version, but Im concerned it might not handle the weight shift? Thanks for reporting back at some point...

 

[JPSouth]

IMHO, kinda falls in that "just because you can doesn't mean you should". I've only hauled up to 160 type weight on a tri-axle behind either a tandem or tri, and that's about the limit for me. Anything beyond that, I want the trailer weight to be centered on a 5th wheel over the drivers, especially for braking. And I would prefer it sitting lower on a step-deck or DGN.

I'm down the road from you aways, and I've never seen anyone haul over 20T-22T on a tri-axle, tilt or swallowtail. 210 would be a pretty heavy, high CG on a especially a tilt trailer. All about physics .. straight and level you'd probably be fine depending on your trailer rating. Do it very often and I think you'd be buying trailer rubber on a regular basis.

 

[skyking1]

I hauled a 200 onto the freeway nightly with an old water truck for the tow rig. It was pretty tricky to get it balanced. I don't think i ever found the sweet spot.
I broke the 200 and all they had was a 160. That was heaven in comparison.