Towing 17000lb dozer

[fbaurley]

I have a 2001 2500 ext cab 5 speed and was wondering if towing a 17000lb 850 case dozer for short distances (up to 20 miles) would be to much for the truck to handle. I would plan on using a dual tandem 20K gooseneck trailer. Any help would be appreciated, because i am fairly new to towing with a gooseneck hitch.

 

[Skydiver]

Its risky!

Fbaurley

I would advise anyone not to tow that much weight on a 2500.

I have once pull a Cat 931 trackloader with my 3500 and the trailer was a 3 axle that was not a goose-neck. The load was not fun at all.

If you must tow it make sure your trailer has brakes that all engage.

15mph in curves

20 mph downhill

30 mph on level ground

fast as you feel safe uphill.

Remember its not how much your truck can pull but how much it can stop thats important.

Goodluck

Tim

 

[DarrellB]

We have a 450 Case Highlift on the farm and I have pulled it several times with my 2500. The wait isn't the killer it's the top heavy feel of the load on the trailer. It is really a hand full on back roads with lots of holes and dips, I just take it slow and everything works out just fine. I think the 450 is about 12k ot 14k (not sure though), and my truck has the overloads and swaybar on the backend. The scariest part is driving the thing up on the goose neck trailer It's a lot taller than it locks once you start up those ramps, and watch out when the front end comes down, because our's always slides to the right. :{



The fun part of the haul is the looks you get going through town with that bad boy behind the truck. :--)



I think you'ld be alright as long as you take it slow and make sure those trailer brakes are working good.



Big D

 

[n7gxz]

Darrell,



I just helped move a friends Ford 4500 backhoe from Washington down to California with my 2500 and I had no problems. We ran I5 down to Sacramento (yes even over the Siskiyous’) and then East to the big town of Fiddletown. Trailer was a 24' tandem axel gooseneck that grossed out at 15560# with the tractor onboard. If you don't have an E-brake I would recommend getting one.



Kevin

 

[dseabaugh]

I've got a 32 ft tandem dual gooseneck and haul forklifts and backhoes. Only problem I have is loading. first time I drove a backhoe up on th back of the trailer it picked the back of the pickup about 4 feet off the ground:--) I put blocks under the back of the trailer now. Wasn't used to loading light trucks with equipment as I have a big truck and trailer for moving my equipment. (1978 Ford LN 9000 Big cam with 179,000 actual miles now) Plenty of power and I have plenty of brakes (make sure you have). Just a little top heavy on curves. My trailer GVW is 20 K. trailer is 7. 8 K empty so with a 17 K machine on top it would be over loaded by 25%.

 

[DarrellB]

My trailer is a 24' with 4 dovetail and dual tandams, but the ramps have legs on them so you don't have to worry about it raising the backend of the truck up. Never hauled a backhoe but they look really top heavy like the dozer. Hauled our new 7810 MFWD JD the other day and that is a real top heavy peace of equipment, not sure how much wait it was but when going under stop lights my uncle had to stick his head out the window of the truck and steer me around the lights. I was over 14' tall and the limit around here is 13', anything over and you have to get a permit to haul it. (oups) If I ever get a scaner I have pictures of both the dozer and the 7810 on the truck. (looks way too cool) These big hauling days are over now though, since we just bought a semi and lowboy trailer. Now I have to go get my CDL's.



Darrell

 

[jimk]

towing

I think that you can tow the dozer by the dodge, however if you have to make a fast stop like a car pulls out in frount of you will the trailer try to go around you? I have been there before.

Even a one ton is better than a 3/4 for my use as the rear tire blows out then things can get out of hand fast.

If you are in a accident and the other driver finds out that you own anything and you are overloaded or such. Then all the money that you are trying to save in not getting a larger truck or hiring someone will quickly be gone. I perfer to use a 2 ton or larger truck with air brakes on trailer and truck.

I have a friend who has a 3/4 ton dodge and has a duel wheel, tandum axle trailer who uses to transport hay and he has no problems but he told me that if he could fine a single axle two ton he might be better off. I have a two ton chev with a two speed rear end and a working 5 speed and it is a gas engine and it is ok for a yard truck, however if I can fine a good international with a dt466 and air then I will get rid of the chevy one way or the other. Jimk

 

[b.j.oneill]

I have pulled my Cat 416 siresII on a 32' tandem duel flat bed with my 2500 no problem but I have done some work on the rear springs. I pulled a D4 Cat w/ my 1 ton I wouldn't put that thing on my 2500. Like everyone else says its just alittle top heavy and be very carefull of everything it's not a simple task to stop that much weight.

Good Luck

Ben

 

[wrk2mtch]

b. j. oneill was that a gooseneck trailer? What kind of hitch are you using? That D4 on a trailer must have been around 22k!

 

[Turbo Thom]

I read all about the loaded weight, but one thing I have not read and it seems to be a given. Always secure the load with a two way pull set-up. I used to built the tandum trailers for the local Ditch-Witch dealer and had a "fool" load a new back hoe and trencher on a new trailer,chained the load down and off he went. Down a hill with a curve at the bottom. To fast for the curve and the trailer flipped over and two new pieces of equipment totaled. I was involved in a suit where the D rings were faulty, the lawer said. Well the D rings pull a section out of the steel rail with the D ring mount still intact. I suvived that one But Jimmy Carter got me.



Also, I had an uncle driving a log truck some years back and the load was not secured like it should have been. With a quick stop the logs came over on him and impailed the steering column in his chest. It took some cutting to get him out for burial.



Point... ... ... BE CAREFUL.



. . Preston. .

 

[b.j.oneill]

Terry It was a gooseneck. That D4 was alittle heavy it lifted my crew cab dually off the ground when we loaded it

 

[SOOT]

I pulled our 16' gooseneck (empty weight 5200) with my truck (see sig) and a tractor on the trailer with a laser leveling disc attached, it was a BIG disc. the tractor had the front weight rack completely full to try and keep the front end down, you could still barely steer the tractor with the disc off the ground. All in all I would not haved pulled it with my Moms truck or anything less than a duelly. It was HEAVY.



IMHO that is to much weight for a 3/4 ton.



BE CAREFULL



You may all of the go in the world, but it does not mean anything if you do not have all of the woe in the world.

 

[rob10858]

okay

17000 lb dozer, how much does the trailer weigh? hmm. . how much does your tow truck weigh? there's nothing worse than a load pushing the tow truck , when the truck isn't equipped for the extra load. look at at tractor trailer, the load exceeds the tow unit, but the combination makes it compatible. what you guys are doing is feasible but watch out. . it can come back and bite you.

 

[BrentL]

I have a TD8E that is about the same weight I pull with my 3500. With the brush rake on it it maybe 18K plus. My 33' tandem dual is a bout another 7K plus. If you pull it, select your route wisely. Avoid the steep grades if you can. You never know when you'll have to stop on a steep grade. I've used 4-low to keep the strain off of the drive train when stopping and starting on a hill.

My trailer has hydraulic disc brakes so it stops fairley well, and the cummins will have no trouble with the weight. A 9-speed transmission would be nice in front of the 4. 10 rear-end... . especially in the hills! And ..... if you have turned the fuel up at all keep a close eye on the EGT's. With those kind of GVW's it can climb quick!

If I was going to move this machine more often I would consider a bigger rig myself!

 

[jimk]

towing with a one ton

My brother did what you are talking about towing a dozer on a tandem axle duel wheel trailer, and pulling it with a one ton chev. I asked him one time how did the chev pull it? His father inlaw owns two large chev dealerships, and he replyed that the chev had plenty of power, I ask how it is stoping it, no problem.

Well a few months later a old fellow pulled out in frount of him on the free way and the trailer and dozer pushed him into the ditch. He had to be cut out of the truck but was not hurt.

His father in law told him to go get anouther truck off the lot. But my brother is a lot smarter now and he said not me. He just hires the hauling out.