What would be the best setup to haul a 550JD dozer. The weight of the dozer is around 18500 lbs. I can move it now with a one ton truck and trailer but I don't go far from the house. I am starting to need to move it longer distances and more often and would like a bigger setup, but don't want more truck and trailer than needed. Any suggestions?
I would use at least a single axle 33,000 lb. dump with at least a 10 ton tag trailer.
Honestly, it is always better to one up your truck and trailer combo from what you currently have planed. This way in the future, if you want to expand you do not have to expand your trucking to go with it. I would say your best bet will be a tandem axle dump with a good trailer. One other option, is build yourself a dozer truck based off of a tandem axle truck. I worked for one company that had three. Basically, it is a flat bed with beavertail on a tandem axle truck chassis. All three were set up specifically for fast movement and self sufficiency. All had a transfer pump that was hooked into the fuel tanks of the truck. You have to run on road fuel which is the only downside. They are a great option as long as you dont need to haul anything but the dozer. Of course the downside is you cannot drop the dozer off, and go get a load of dirt or stone for the job, you need to rely on someone else for materials.
These questions always blow me away...but yet I commend you for asking if you honestly dont know. The bigger the better of course, what is legal generally is not always safe. personally I like to see our investments going down the highway in a safe and secure manner. If I were going to set a truck up for the sole purpose of towing the 550 I would get a nice single axle,deisel engine with atleast a split rear end tranny,air brakes and a well built tag with air brakes. this way you can wizz down the highways and feel plenty relaxed
I didn't mean to ask a stupid question, just wanted advice from someone who had more experience in hauling equipment. I know there could be several ways to haul it, I just thought some setups might work better and be cheaper that others. I know that I could buy a large truck and a 50 ton lowboy to haul it but I don't think that's in my buget at this time. Thanks for the suggestions.
Exactly what erthmover said is the perfect rig.Please don't be stupid and try moving it with that 1 ton truck---not enough ass by any means.Been in this biz for 35 years now,I would like to think I know a thing or 2.Just to prove my point,I have a 450D which gets hauled by my 02 Chevy 7500{33K GVW} and 10 ton Evans trailer.
Keep in mind if your not moving the dozer at least several times a month its cheaper to hire someone to haul it. Check into the registration and insurance on a rig like that, not to mention the license to drive it.
A 26,000 GVW would be a great improvement over your 1 ton. You would still be a little on the small side. When you go over 26K your tags and insurances really goes up. Of course you want to be on the safe side. You can find some of those under 26K pretty reasonable. (Sometimes less that a 1 ton.) I know its safer and more practical to go larger than smaller, then you can expand. It would scare me to pull a JD450 with a 1 ton. I have a 1 ton and pull a little Mitsubishi dozer and this still makes me pucker in a panic situation. It weighs only 9K. I have a little Chev 6000 dump that is rated at 20k and it handles it vry well. Plently of brakes & additional weight. Plus I have good trailer brakes. You dont want to scrafice safety for price but you seem to be like me, there is a limit on what you can afford when you are a small businless. But definately none of us can afford a law suit to save a few dollars.
Just make sure you have a CDL license if you hook that trailer up! Remember if the GVW of the truck and trailer (even if empty) exceeds 26K you need a CDL
Yes:I Imagine even a 1 ton pulling a 550 would put you in the CDL catagory.
nobody but a fool would try to move that machine with a one ton. No less than a 26,000 GVW single axle dump truck and a 12 ton tag trailer with air brakes would be best. This will require a class A CDL to drive it too. Remember, the rating for the trailer is the gross, not the net.
You can't be even close to legal on the trucks GCWR in NY no matter how it tows. If you can into an accident even if it is not your fault it would be a laywers dream. In 1978 I had an old Lull which was 18,000 lbs and I had a decent trailer and a Chevy C-50 I forgot the spec's on the truck may be 18,000 GVWR. Towing the machine just ate the rears out of the truck so fast it was crazy. Then I got a C-7000 and it has a 28,000 GVWR and I was towing a 23,000+ lb telehandlers. Still a hard job for that truck although it never had a mechanical problem I now just pay someone to haul them for 400 bucks each way.
Still looking for something to haul my dozer on. I looked at an auction Friday and they had a 1999 International forestry truck. It was a 4900 DT 466E with a dozer bed and hyd. ramps. This truck had a dual axle rear end and they said they had been hauling a 550 dozer on it. Do yall think a setup like this would be considered a good way to move the dozer? I don't know the specs on this truck but if the state forestry commission had been using it it should be legal. Looks like it would be just what I need and easy to get around with.
Thats almost the exact truck I talk about in post #3 in this thread. Its a good option even with its versitility downsides. Ive never driven one down the road, and it seems like there would be a few situations where it would be a harry ride, considering you have the weight up there. Then again, maybe its no different than a dumptruck :beatsme
The worst drawback I can see Turbo with a setup like this is the dozer setting up kinda high. But other than that I think it would do just fine with what I am wanting to do with it. I am not going to be going far from home just moving it around the county. But it might end up driving and handling like my wife's Jeep Cherokee with that dozer sitting on it. Thanks for your advice Turbo.
The forestry division around here use those type trucks to haul their dozers on.They look like a good set up if you drive a lot on small country roads.I know my tandem dump and tag trailer are hard to get turned on small roads.As for the handling I would say they would drive about like a log truck.
Load is going to be high and behind the cab. If you have to stopt quick or God forbid somebody should it you head on the dozer will be right through the cab. I won't haul anything like that on a bed behind the cab.
I have a buddy that hauls a D4H with a similar setup. The disadvantages are difficulty loading/unloading in uneven terrain and the high center of gravity. We are in a hilly area where access is sometimes tight. His truck gets in and out of tight areas much better than my triaxle dump and equipment trailer.
Towing I have a Komatsu D31p-20. I think it weighs in around 15,000lbs. I pull it with my F-450 and a 32ft tandem dual gooseneck dovetail with 12k dexter axles. I have no problems, but I cant go 100mph but I dont need to either that would be dangerous. Does anyone have any input on this by the way it has 12 1/4" x 5" electric brakes. Thanks
So is this not realistic
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.
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.
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….
Many of our small operators roll with a dump truck and appropriate trailer for small dozers, track loaders, backhoes, and excavators. Lots of flexibility because of the overall usefulness of a dump truck as well.
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....
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.
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.
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.
Sounds like you did everything right, glad it turned out okay! Scary…..wow
The sign here says it all lol! Trips in years prior with 2005 Dodge 3500, 4lo 1st gear to avoid overspeed….. Very unforgiving country….really relaxing drive now; jake 2/3 and enjoy the scenery!
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’ve moved with both and I do not like the braking on the dump truck….♂️
I’m moving legal, what are you referring to?
The 1 ton Dodge flatbed and tandem dually I move with is legal and safe…
That’s a good looking truck/trailer setup, signage etc….
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.
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.
Any modern f650 say 2000 model and up has to have better brakes then a Dodge 1 ton. Perhaps they need repair. Now if it's a f600 from 1983 with them good old brakes of that day I'd understand. I believe in Australia (correct me if I'm wrong) any trailer over 10000 pounds or so is to be equipped with air brakes. In America we should adapt such a rule.
Who said small dump truck? I'd be thinking 5 or 6yd. to tandem when someone mentioned dump truck. If you got in an accident, do you think it matters if you're hauling commercially or personally? You've got an F650 but think a 1 ton is better??
I'm beginning to think he bought that 1-ton dodge solely with the intent of being able to pull the dozer with it. He's desperately trying to convince himself and others it's a good idea to justify the purchase. Either that or he just likes to be contrarian and go against everyone's advice and common sense.
It's like someone on you tube posting video's. Doesn't matter if anyone says it's wrong or how dangerous it is. Look what I did...
Your F650 has far better braking ability even with the hydraulic brakes than a 1 ton Dodge with disc brakes, which are also hydraulically actuated.
Hold my beer....lol
We have a Ford CF6000 parts truck for our CF7000 (full air brakes). The 6000 has the Lucas-Girling air over hydraulic system; what I do notice is the rotors & calipers/drums & shoes on the 6000 are massive in comparison to our Dodge 3500….