Choosing a Tipping Trailer

[Stroppymonkey]

Looking to upgrade the trailer for the Tafe 45di. I’m thinking to get a dropside tipper trailer to suit the tractor better. Trouble with the dumper trailer is it doesn’t put any/much weight on the tractor due the design of it and the long drawbar.
Tractor doesn’t have a braking system, so looking to size the trailer to suit the tractor. 4WD/45hp and weights about 2500kg or so plus whatever is on the front of the loader.

I’ve got a vintage Pettit 3 ton trailer sat in my shed that a neighbour is storing that I’ve been offered for £750+vat.

BIL has offered me his smaller dump trailer which is steel dropside and much more robust. 10ft x 6 ft ish Will take 5000kg of stone and has a tailgate that will hinge top or bottom. He built it and to be fair it’s very solid. Wider axle (6.6ft) than the little Pettit trailer. He wants nearly £2000+vat for it. Also it needs a jack as no pick up hitch on tractor

I don’t know enough about tractor towing.

 

[Smiffy]

You don't need a braking system wired into the clutch pedal on tractors below a certain speed. Possibly 20 or 30 kph.
The brake system on agricultural trailers will work just fine if you plug them into the spool valve. Preferably a spool that when you let go of the lever will release the pressure. Otherwise you turn it into a hand brake. Takes a bit of practice to use but helps with jackknifing.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

You don't need a braking system wired into the clutch pedal on tractors below a certain speed. Possibly 20 or 30 kph.
The brake system on agricultural trailers will work just fine if you plug them into the spool valve. Preferably a spool that when you let go of the lever will release the pressure. Otherwise you turn it into a hand brake. Takes a bit of practice to use but helps with jackknifing.

Tafe only has single hyd point which would be needed to operate the tip.
I have run a pair of pipes from the loader Aux to the back for 2 way function though?
All the trailers in that size are unbraked anyway it seems.
Also not looking for road use as tractor not plated.

Google say 10hp per ton and or trailer upto 400% of tractor weight

Big difference between those two

 

[Smiffy]

Tafe only has single hyd point which would be needed to operate the tip.
I have run a pair of pipes from the loader Aux to the back for 2 way function though?
All the trailers in that size are unbraked anyway it seems.
Also not looking for road use as tractor not plated.

Google say 10hp per ton and or trailer upto 400% of tractor weight

Big difference between those two

10hp per tonne is if you want to go carting on the road. They will move far in excess of that.

And you could put a 2 way diverter valve in the tip line. You would be able to reach it without leaving the seat

 

[Stroppymonkey]

10hp per tonne is if you want to go carting on the road. They will move far in excess of that.

And you could put a 2 way diverter valve in the tip line. You would be able to reach it without leaving the seat

So a 5T trailer will be fine if going steady / not overloading it etc and avoiding excessive gradient .?

Thanks for update on the trailer brakes and spool valve. Dad’s spreader has brakes but never plugged in. I will take a closer look at the options for that.

 

[craig]

So a 5T trailer will be fine if going steady / not overloading it etc and avoiding excessive gradient .?

If your on a clevis drawbar, it could get interesting, wheelie wise a PUH would be a lot better. Tafe`s are Massey based, I would think it wouldn't be too hard to find something and make it fit.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

If your on a clevis drawbar, it could get interesting, wheelie wise a PUH would be a lot better. Tafe`s are Massey based, I would think it wouldn't be too hard to find something and make it fit.

I need to investigate the PUH. Tafe do an option for it but It’s a bit complicated because the tractor has a large rear weight on a quick fit frame that’s on the link arms and top hitch. We have a new local TAFE dealer so I might have a word with him.

 

[craig]

I need to investigate the PUH. Tafe do an option for it but It’s a bit complicated because the tractor has a large rear weight on a quick fit frame that’s on the link arms and top hitch. We have a new local TAFE dealer so I might have a word with him.

Ballast the rear wheels, wheel wights and or fill with water, and do away with the 3 point weight?

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Ballast the rear wheels, wheel wights and or fill with water, and do away with the 3 point weight?

Rear weight about 900kg I think . Not going to be straightforward replacing that with wheel weights and nice to lose the weight for topping works in moist fields if you drop the loader off and the rear weight it almost floats
Rear weight is easy to drop on and off but the frame that holds it may get in way of PUH.

 

[DaveDCB]

So a 5T trailer will be fine if going steady / not overloading it etc and avoiding excessive gradient .?

Thanks for update on the trailer brakes and spool valve. Dad’s spreader has brakes but never plugged in. I will take a closer look at the options for that.

Why would he want to ruin the tractor brakes? Just plug them in and save the wear on the tractor all helps, and certainly slows things down when something goes wrong!

 

[JD450A]

That tractor will piss the 5t trailer, and as said just load light run fast.

Brakes want plumbing into a spool..... Running a trailer without brakes is ok off highway, but nothing like peace of mind.

A pickup hitch off a 200 series MF should plonk straight on. Possibly likewise off a MF65/35..... I may have some of it, take a photo of the gearbox underside.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Why would he want to ruin the tractor brakes? Just plug them in and save the wear on the tractor all helps, and certainly slows things down when something goes wrong!

From memory the spreader has Hyd line (or lines) for brakes and Hyd line for lid, so it was one or tother as the tractor only has a single tipping Hyd spool connection. Will investigate.

Lots of conflicting advice about using a tipping spool for braking.

Tractor trailer brakes?

Hi All, Can my Marshall 802 have trailer brakes fitted? or set up in some fashion my issue is I need to move tonnes of cordwood so firstly I need a good-sized trailer 6/8 tonne and am a bit worried for the legal side of things with the "brakes" I have looked at 3.5 t trailers with override...

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[JD450A]

Lots of conflicting advice about using a tipping spool for braking.

Only from people with the mechanical excellence of an investment banker.

If the spool is free flow return (one way, then ram can come down) it'll function grand.

Has the added advantage of you not jack knifing too.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Only from people with the mechanical excellence of an investment banker.

If the spool is free flow return (one way, then ram can come down) it'll function grand.

Has the added advantage of you not jack knifing too.

Thanks will try it out on spreader.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

That tractor will piss the 5t trailer, and as said just load light run fast.

Brakes want plumbing into a spool..... Running a trailer without brakes is ok off highway, but nothing like peace of mind.

A pickup hitch off a 200 series MF should plonk straight on. Possibly likewise off a MF65/35..... I may have some of it, take a photo of the gearbox underside.

 

[craig]

That hitch, you should be able to convert it to puh using massey parts. you could also knock something up using the tee bar, like a grey fergie or mf35 style.

 

[craig]

What are the 3 hyd connections, one double acting and free flow return?

 

[Stroppymonkey]

What are the 3 hyd connections, one double acting and free flow return?

the one on the left is the tipping spool, as factory. The pair on the right are ones I added. There is a pair of 3/8” hoses running upto the loader spool and I can plug these in to provide a 2-way connection to back end (needed for my dumper trailer as that needs power up and down). Also plan on using it for a hydraulic top link for my leveller, and when I find a nice PTO powered brush / bucket with hydraulic tip. Not much flow rate though so can’t power anything meaty with them.
The tractor has a hydraulic diverter under the seat to send flow either to the loader or the back end, so a little bit of faffage required at times .

Sounds like I need to add another one (diverter) to make the spreader brakes work as well as spreader lid

 

[Smiffy]

the one on the left is the tipping spool, as factory. The pair on the right are ones I added. There is a pair of 3/8” hoses running upto the loader spool and I can plug these in to provide a 2-way connection to back end (needed for my dumper trailer as that needs power up and down). Also plan on using it for a hydraulic top link for my leveller, and when I find a nice PTO powered brush / bucket with hydraulic tip. Not much flow rate though so can’t power anything meaty with them.
The tractor has a hydraulic diverter under the seat to send flow either to the loader or the back end, so a little bit of faffage required at times .

Sounds like I need to add another one (diverter) to make the spreader brakes work as well as spreader lid

Is the spreader lid double acting ?

 

[Bri963]

When I was a lad, I pulled one of those Pettit 3 tonners for miles behind a Dexta, on the pick up hitch. No weights on the tractor, no hydraulic brakes, never once had a jack knifing episode, and the 3 ton bit was very conservative. Soil you could get more like 4 and a half. A modern tractor with modern brakes would piss a Pettit, barring operator error, if you want a no-frills, blacksmith repairable trailer, that is.

just for interest, Pettit trailers were made at Holbeach just up the road from me, most went out by train until the M&GN line closed. Pettit’s brother Jack allegedly had the biggest fleet of BTD 20’s in the UK, with the possible exception of the RE. Did a lot of the initial land clearance for Rutland Water with them in the 1960’s. I like bank holidays to be educational.