Pretty soon here I will be towing daily in the Texas hill country. I'm waiting for funds to buy/lease a skid steer that will weigh 8500-9000 lbs with attatchments. I've been looking at flatbed g/n trailers anywhere from 25-32' (dovetail). Something like this:

http://www.andersontrailers.com/Imag...rs/g82910t.jpg

Hopefully here in the next 2 years, I will be able to afford 2 skid steers and would like to be able to haul both at the same time, thats why I'm leaning towards the 32'er. I've seen a guy here locally who hauls 2 skid steers on a 25' but has the bucket on the front one over the top of the trailer. Would it be better to do that or stick w. my idea of the longer trailer? Price of the trailers has somewhat of a decision on me also.

Also how do yall feel about my lift and towing? If I do eventually get 2 skid steers (gonna be close to 18,000 lbs) how do yall think the lift on my 3/4 ton will handle. I'm not opposed to removing it, but would rather not go through the hassle.

 

I think for a load of 18,000lbs you will DEFINATELY want a DRW, and no lift. That is a hefty load. Not to mention if the skid steers weigh about 9K EACH, that trailer will probably be in the range of 4K, so you are realistically looking at closer to 22K, which is far beyond what you would want to tow with a lifted 3/4 ton. But then again, what the hell do I know?

 

18000 trailer, or 18000 load plus a 6000 trailer?

Either way I would not run a lift grossing 26K

 

Same here on drw and no lift! Keep your current ride for playing...

 

your 3/4 will not handle it or be legal for that weight also dont forget you will need a TXDOT # and a class A commercial liscense. Get an exhaust brake and some real good brakes on the trailer cuz thats a lot of weight to stop with around here.

 

dumped my 3/4 ton for a dually just pulling 16k.

 

as far as the trailer goes i have a 32' triple and i haul two skidsteers regularly with it, but if i was buying a new trailer i would go tandem dually.

 

Sorry guys, I forgot to tell yall that I do have a class A CDL and the only difference between my truck and a dually (correct me if I'm wrong) is the extra set of tires, I have the dana 80 and the towing package.

Well when I first get everything up and running, I'm still gonna only be towing one skid steer. So back to my question about which trailer is best gonna suit me. Lets talk trailer, not truck, cuz I think I'm clear about the DRW and towing the two skid steers. Thanks for the replies.

 

that looks like a pretty cool trailer,I pull my bobcat with my 04 dually and with my bed full of tools, extra bucket,fuel,etc.I cant even feel it back there.If it was me I would go with the longer trailer,safer and less chance of drawing the cops attention with the bucket up there.The extra length would be nice, when I'm pulling to a job there never sems to be enough room on the trailer,I always wish I had another 4-5 feet of trailer for tools or whatever.I also would like to be able to pull my bobcat and mini excavator at the same time instead of two trips.as far as the trailer, the longer is better in my opinion and its cheaper to buy right the first time then try to get by with something cheaper just to end up not happy and eventually buying what you wanted inthe first place anyway (I know from experience,I've cost my myself alot by guessing I could get by with less to find out I couldnt and buying twice)by the way how much $ is that trailer?

 

Big Tex

32 footers tandem, dual rear wheel.. heavy but they will work excellently. and FYI i have towed two skiddies with a 3/4 ton, no biggie.... it can be done, altough im not as lifted as you are..

Tx

Tx

 

I think you're going to wish you didn't have a lift kit and those tires if your going to use your truck to do some serious towing.

 

To stay on your question about which trailer to get.....bigger is always better

I have bought alot of trailers and it always seems like after I buy one I wish I would have gotten a bigger one

I haul a single skid steer on a 3 axle tag along and wish I had a gooseneck to be able to haul my tractor with at times.....if I buy another trailer it will be a 32-35 ft gooseneck that way I can equip it to haul both plus a 100 gal fuel tank and a tool box filled with everything I never use but mite need some day

 

I saw that thing in a Heavy Equipment Trader for $6100.

Well for now, I guess I'm gonna stick with this truck and I think I'll go for the 32' dual tandum and see how evrything goes from there. Like I said, I probably won't be towing much over 11k with one skid steer and some extras (tools, fuel, and so on). Maybe after a few years when I get rich ( ) I will upgrade as needed. Thanks for all the help.

 

dodgediesel4x4 have you thought about 1skidsteer and 1 mini excavator instead of 2 skids? it may be worth your time to research it.thats what I did and it opens you up to a lot more work,you'de be surprised at how many more things you could do.a skid and mini excavator is the perfect setup.when I added a mini exc. I tripled the amount of work I picked up,especially residential where a big backhoe wont fit in the backyards or tear up the grass.the dozer blade on front is very usable,something to think about.

by the way I picked up so much work where both machines were needed at the same time that I payed off the excavator in less than a year.

 

I never thought about a mini excavator. I plan on doing brush management in the hill country area on ranches with a skid steer and a hydraulic shear attatchment to clear/ sculpt cedar on ranches for wildlife/ cattle operatins. I'm graduating here in Dec. w/ a Rangeland Ecology degree w/ a minor in Agronomy, and any type of work is good work. I'll look into the mini ex. Thanks.