Weights

[big61fourby]

I have a lot more respect for my 6.5 after a quick 300 mile trip to pick up tractor and implements for a friend. I was hoping tractor + trailer would be around 8k--not so. I crossed the scales at Flying J (in Joplin) at 17,500 lbs. Front to back axle weights were: 3900, 5280, 8260. My pickup empty is in the 6500 lb range. What would you figure the tongue weight at? Seems a bit high to me...if I owned the trailer, I think I'd move the axles forward a bit.
http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01286.JPG

http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/photopost/data/500/medium/DSC01290.JPG

Honestly, I was pretty impressed with the way it ran. Once you got it rolling, she'd run 65 on the flat ground no problem. Hills were a little different story, but temps stayed nice and cool all day long...

[DickWells]

:) Hi: I'd say 2680 doen't sound too bad, up there over the axle. After I extended the tongue on our old travel trailer, and started toting our big ATV on the front of it, my tougue weight was 1420 lbs! That's back on the rear of a Suburban 2500 with 3.52 gears. I was concerned, but heck, I towed like that for at least 40 K miles without incident. I think I was right around 19% tongue weight. Folks like to see about 12%, I think.
Anyway, the thing tracked arrow straight, and stopped just fine.
My son towed a long three horse goose-neck, with a good size camper in front. Exiss. Had a Dodge 2500 X-cab, Cummins, SRW. Always complained about that big trailer pushing him around. Firestone bags helped some, but he really likes his LB7 Dually with that same trailer. His tongue weight is at least 3500 lbs, though.
I did tow the extended TT from Del Rio to Sarasota last spring, after I traded the Dodge for the D-Max. Dodge in Del Rio? Long story. Anywho, the old TT with all that tongue weight towed just fine behind all three rigs. The difference was in the power. The Dodge had a few adders to the tune of about 650 lb/ft on the road, and the DM has about the same. Long ways from the 350 or so, at the RWs with the old Burb.
Nice photos, BTW. Like the white truck. I'll never own a vehicle that isn't white, if I can avoid it.
Have fun with that tractor.
Dick Wells:)

[big61fourby]

I don't pull gooseneck trailers that often, so what is an acceptable tongue weight %?? For this load, I figure it was around 2700 lbs, which is something like 25% of 11000. My door sticker say 4250 front and 6000 rear, so I was fine that respect, but 25% seems kinda high to me. Comments?

[Colorado Kid]

20-25% is the target range for gooseneck pin weight.

[big61fourby]

good to know...thanks

[Hubert]

Just for comparison I pulled a similar load (tractor & bushhog on deckover 20ft + 4ft dovetail GN).

My truck scale numbers were

Steer 3800
Drive 4380
Trailer 7680
Gross 15,860

More FYI than anything ....(Note GVWR is 8600 my load above was 8180 Yours adds to 9180 - I am not sure if that is legal problem) I 've been reading alot on GCWR and whats legal and whats liable/negligent concerning lawsuits etc.

My almost empty truck

Steer 3720
Drive 2720
Trailer 0
Gross 6440

I figure my pin weight was 17.6% and handled fine just like you towed great on level. Hills slowed me down. Stopped ok.

Depends on what was in your tool box and bed as to your pin weight. Using my empty numbers you were around 23%. The axle location seems ok its just the trailer looks like what some say is a skid steer trailer or car hauler (shorter even load). The trailer also looks like about 16ft flat. I like longer trailers so you can balance loads as you like. Thanks for the numbers & pics now for sure I would not recommend that type of trailer for farm tractor loads (since the bushhog hangs off with weight correct). I had to haul my tractor on a similar bumper pull trailer (16 footer - bushhog wheel hanging off back like your pic) and it towed horribly won't ever do it again.

[big61fourby]

So technically, I was running over my GVWR by several hundred pounds, right? Happen to know what the combined weight rating is?

That trailer is 18' deck, 2' dovetail. The reason I don't like the axle location is because the pin weight adds up so quickly. Pin weight probably would've been worse without the box blade moving the tractor back. Though, without the box blade, we probably could've turned the whole thing around backwards...(hate to think of the dist. on my dad's 3500 pulling 20' + 5' with 580k backhoe, 15k...yikes)

Learning a lot for whenever I start trailer shopping. Seems like small, compact loads would only work well on that trailer. Either need longer or different axle placement for irregular loads like that tractor/brush hog.

BTW, what temps were you running? Even with ambient around 55 and a driving rain, I was shocked to see the pyro struggle to crest 800 a couple times; trans never saw over 160 (have seen 190 in the pan, stop and go traffic...). Water temp was a nonissue...very surprised.

[Hubert]

My ambient temps were about 60F IIRC. I had a lot of rolling hills some were steep but nothing real long. Maybe a few pulls that were a mile or 2 uphill. My coolant temp was fine 200F or less always. My EGT climbed up to 850F or a little higher pre turbo several times and I had to downshift to 3rd (and/or slow down) on the bigger hills to keep RPM's above 1800 to 2000 and below 2700 RPM's with 85-90% throttle. I did set an SES light a few times; I am pretty sure from sustained overboosting to 11-12 psi on longer hills. The light went out after 20 minutes and it never cut fuel or caused any problems.

I don't know what the GCWR is. Its not really listed like that anywhere in my owners manual or door sticker. My owners manual says I am only suppose to haul a 6000 lb trailer (manual transmission 3.73 gears). I think the same truck (brakes/tires) with 454 gas and 4.10 gears is rated for 9000 lb trailer.

I've read several posts DOT will go by door sticker (gvwr, axle and tire ratings) and plate registration weight for regs but lawyers will sue because of over mfg rating if in a wreck. IMHO I think GM underrated the truck to reduce warranty claims etc in case someone used the truck for towing regularly in harsh conditions not that its not capable of perfectly safely towing a little heavier occasionally with common sense.