Hey all, this is my first post over here on SDD. I need a little advice and encouragement. Later on this month or next my Dad and I will likely go to central Missouri and pick up a tractor. The tractor will weigh about 11,000 lbs more or less. It is high crop model and the center of gravity will be a little higher than a normal row crop tractor. We plan to tow it with my Dad's 99 F350 DRW with PSD, and a heavy duty gooseneck trailer borrowed from the neighbor guy. The trailer and cargo (tractor) will weigh a combined 17,000 lbs approximately. Before we go, we'll do the usual checkups on the trailer and tires. Electric brakes will probably need to be adjusted according to the neighbor. Is there anything else that I should be aware of. The trip will be about 600 miles one way and most of that will be on Interstate 70.
Trip Preparation Need Advice
- Thread starter OSU2003
- Start date
police stroker
Full Access Member
Air Pressure in the trucks tires and the trailer are a must proper inflation will make for a better tow and better gas mileage. Just my 2 cents 
WD40
Full Access Member
OSU2003, Welcome to the best Power Stroke site on the web. Glad to have you here.
Air pressure in the truck and trailer are very import, check them out first. Then check out the hitch in your truck and on the trailer. Check to make sure all of the lights are working on truck and trailer. Make sure the trailer you are pulling has large enough axles to not be over loaded with that tractor on it. Most of all don't be very carefull.
Air pressure in the truck and trailer are very import, check them out first. Then check out the hitch in your truck and on the trailer. Check to make sure all of the lights are working on truck and trailer. Make sure the trailer you are pulling has large enough axles to not be over loaded with that tractor on it. Most of all don't be very carefull.
Rex-a-FORD
Full Access Member
First off, welcome to SDD.com OSU2003.
Be sure to take a spare CPS, tools, oil, fuel filter, etc. with you. If you haven't already got these things let us know and we can give ya' some pointers and more details.
Remember the Boy Scout motto: "Be Prepared"
You might also want to check out the help network post here and copy down a few names and numbers of members that maybe along your planned travel path.
Be sure to take a spare CPS, tools, oil, fuel filter, etc. with you. If you haven't already got these things let us know and we can give ya' some pointers and more details.
Remember the Boy Scout motto: "Be Prepared"
You might also want to check out the help network post here and copy down a few names and numbers of members that maybe along your planned travel path.
powerboatr
living well in Texas
piggy back on some remarks
Welcome to the place for honest answers and good ribbing
17k gross for the trailer and tractor
99 psd dually, air pressure, trailer tire condition and last bearing grease, you know if it going to fail, its going to be with you.
spare trailer tires?
slow and easy I wouldnt be going 70 ish, maybe 55. with a such a high standing tractor. measure your actual height when your all hooked up, just incase you come across a low bridge crossing.
it happens even on interstates.
your trucks max gross combined is 20k.... I am not going to say it, we are all adults here
be safe and have a great trip
Welcome to the place for honest answers and good ribbing
17k gross for the trailer and tractor
99 psd dually, air pressure, trailer tire condition and last bearing grease, you know if it going to fail, its going to be with you.
spare trailer tires?
slow and easy I wouldnt be going 70 ish, maybe 55. with a such a high standing tractor. measure your actual height when your all hooked up, just incase you come across a low bridge crossing.
it happens even on interstates.
your trucks max gross combined is 20k.... I am not going to say it, we are all adults here
be safe and have a great trip
Saftman
SDD Junior Member
Sounds like everyone has covered most of the truck/trailer stuff. Make sure the tractor is loaded where most of the weight is over the axles. Move it around before you leave to see how the truck sits/squats. 13'6" is the max height allowable. Make sure you chain the h#%#%# out of it. Maybe chock the wheels. Make sure there are no fluid leaks on the tractor. Be sure nothing can come loose (seat pad, etc.).
Be cautious/courteous and enjoy.
Be cautious/courteous and enjoy.
Thanks guys for the replies. This site is already more friendly than another diesel stop I've spent time on. I've thought of all those things and I'm in the process of getting them all done and checked out. The neighbor guy with the trailer has already hauled a 14,000 lb tractor from Kansas with this particular trailer. If it hauled that tractor, it surely will be able to handle the weight of this one. The good thing about this is that we have a tractor almost identical to the one we're picking up. We can do a little trial run on this fiasco before we set out on the journey. The tractor we're buying was only avaliable with 18.4x34 rear tires opposed to 18.4x38 on the tractor we have. That makes it a little shorter as is. I'm sure we'll let the air out of the tires to make it lower yet. The cps was just replaced in the truck at 105k, it now has about 130k on it. I haven't the foggiest idea how to change one.
roosterdiesel
Earl needs B100
I've noticed everyone tell you some good things! No one's mentioned a jack that's up to snuff for the load. I saw spare tire but no good w/o a jack that will work.
Here's some of what I took on my trip towing a light load(trade show booth for cosmetics) for work to Orlando:
Oil, Mobil 1 ATF(covers tranny and steering), antifreeze, distilled water, oil filter, FUEL FILTER(never know when you'l get bad fuel), CPS(they can go out even with in 15k I've read), Fuel Power fuel additive, tote with all sockets and wrenches, four-way lug wrench, HD bottle jack, 4"x4" dunnage, tow strap, jumper cables, gloves, brownies, chips, steak and bean burritos, cooler of colas and water.
Be careful.
I saw spare tire but no good w/o a jack that will work.Here's some of what I took on my trip towing a light load(trade show booth for cosmetics) for work to Orlando:
Oil, Mobil 1 ATF(covers tranny and steering), antifreeze, distilled water, oil filter, FUEL FILTER(never know when you'l get bad fuel), CPS(they can go out even with in 15k I've read), Fuel Power fuel additive, tote with all sockets and wrenches, four-way lug wrench, HD bottle jack, 4"x4" dunnage, tow strap, jumper cables, gloves, brownies, chips, steak and bean burritos, cooler of colas and water.
Be careful.
I noticed you mentioned it's a high row, can you lower it temporarily or is it permanant. My grandfather had a tractor that could sit up high, about an two or three hours turning wrenches lowering it, might save you some worry. just a thought.
Good Luck
Good Luck
Thanks for the thought Eric. No that's not an option. The bolts wouldn't line up even if you could do it. Juggling an 11,000 lb tractor 600 miles from home is not something I would dare attempt.
We stopped down and looked at the trailer this Saturday. It actually is the perfect trailer for hauling this tractor. It has two wells in front of the axles that you can drive the rear tires into which will get the height down another 12" or so. This trailer was custom made to haul a self propelled combine for a seed company. The newest and largest problem is now the truck. Changing oil the other day resulted in seeing large chunks of metal in the oil drin pan. Did they come from this engine, or one of the other 25 engines on the farm? I ordered a sample bottle from Blackstone for an oil analysis, but I don't know how long it will take. I would think that if the chunks came from the truck, that engine would be smoked in no time.
We stopped down and looked at the trailer this Saturday. It actually is the perfect trailer for hauling this tractor. It has two wells in front of the axles that you can drive the rear tires into which will get the height down another 12" or so. This trailer was custom made to haul a self propelled combine for a seed company. The newest and largest problem is now the truck. Changing oil the other day resulted in seeing large chunks of metal in the oil drin pan. Did they come from this engine, or one of the other 25 engines on the farm? I ordered a sample bottle from Blackstone for an oil analysis, but I don't know how long it will take. I would think that if the chunks came from the truck, that engine would be smoked in no time.