[AT] Transporting a Massey Ferguson 135 across country

Dennis Johnson moscowengnr at outlook.com
Wed Sep 28 07:33:35 PDT 2016


Scott,

I do like the idea of getting a trailer, but that does not guarantee no problems. 

My last trailer is a 20 foot, 10,000 pound rated car hauler type trailer. I got it with 3 ramps so I can load tricycle type tractors using the 3rd ramp in the center. I use it to haul my MF 35D and my IHC 2504 tractors now, and others as I get them fixed or need to move them. It had an internal wiring issue, where the light wires were run inside metal conduit, which is generally a good idea. One piece of conduit had an internal burr on the end. Of course that rubbed through the light wire and would then blow a fuse in my truck loosing tail lights. The wire flexed enough that it only shorted part of the time when wires moved or bounced just right. That made it harder to find. Took it back to the trailer place and they did not find it. Finally found it when I got mad enough to rip out all of the wiring and replace it, and then I found the bad spot and the burr. There were a few trips between Oklahoma and Texas using 4 way flashers before I got this resolved. Point is that new does not always guarantee no problems. Putting some miles on it before you go on a long trip is advisable, as well as carrying a few tools that are accessible, fuses, etc.

Another discussion point is what weight rating and type of trailer should you get. There are many of the 16 foot angle iron frame trailers with a 7000 rating around Texas and nearby states. A significant portion of these end up with bent axles due to overload. One reason I went with a 10K load rated trailer is that my half ton pickup had a 9000 pound tow rating and I wanted enough trailer to haul larger loads from time to time. If I needed to haul a really large load I could hook to my dually and pull it with this.

One more discussion point is the type of trailer you get. Basically you can get "car hauler" type trailers without sides that let you haul wider loads outside of the fender area, or trailers with angle iron or pipe top sides that restrict your width to inside o the fender wells. I have looked at some older tractors that have wider wheels than you can fit in the trailers with sides. I know that many tractors have rear wheels that adjust in width, but I also know that for old rusty iron this is not always a quick 30 minute adjustment where you just got it out of the sellers field or barn. The "car hauler style" trailer will also haul 1950's "lead sled type" cars or pickups that might not fit or let you open doors to get out on trailers with sides. If you want to keep the trailer and expand your tractor or other toy collection this is a point to consider.

If you want to buy now and sell at destination, then these "nice to have" features may not mean much to you other than extra expense when buying. Some features like "car hauler style" might make it easier to sell. If you want to keep it then they become more significant.

Dennis

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 28, 2016, at 8:23 AM, Spencer Yost <yostsw at atis.net> wrote:
> 
> In a business setting my company once bought a new trailer and then immediately sold it at the destination.   $400 loss was all we took. It could have been less but selling quickly was important.  Turned out to be cheaper than renting and we got to haul cross country on new tires, bearings, lighting, etc.  If you are patient when selling it you might come out pretty good.  Another caveat is making sure you buy a  brand(I.e. A national brand) that has a reputation at your destination.
> 
> If you can't sell it for what you think you need to get, then you still have the trailer  for chores at the new place.
> 
> Just an idea....
> 
> Spencer Yost
> 
>> On Sep 28, 2016, at 12:04 AM, Dean VP <deanvp at att.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Scott,
>> 
>> Make sure you check with trailer rental companies before making any
>> decisions. Some maybe all rental trailers will rent a trailer to pull a car
>> but will not allow a tractor to be pulled.  I would not recommend buying an
>> old used trailer as you really don’t know what you willbne getting and
>> probably would be facing tire issues as well. Many trailers of this type
>> have ST tires on them and they are not worth the powder to blow them up.
>> Many of the ST tires have a warranty of 3 years or 10,000 mile whichever
>> comes first.  LT tires are much better.
>> 
>> Dean VP
>> Snohomish, WA 98290
>> 
>> It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6. 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Scott Williams
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2016 8:30 PM
>> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
>> Subject: [AT] Transporting a Massey Ferguson 135 across country
>> 
>> As our brand new house is nearing completion, we’re thinking there’s no
>> better time to do what we’ve always thought about – moving out of this crazy
>> tax-and-spend state!  We figure with a brand new house and freshly cleared
>> land behind it (giving the kitchen window a really nice view of the newly
>> cleared property) we’ll get top dollar for what we have here in NY, which
>> will allow us to move to Arizona (maybe even without a mortgage), which is
>> where we feel like we need to be for various reasons.  Not Phoenix (HOT),
>> but Snowflake, up near Holbrook and Route 66, at 5,600 ft. altitude, and
>> about 5,600 population, too.  Big change.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> We figure we’ll rent a couple of the big U-Haul trucks (or Penske, or
>> whatever’s cheapest) the biggest box trucks you can get without a CDL, and
>> load up most of our things in those, but I’ll need to get my tractor out
>> there somehow, and I don’t know what the best option for that will be.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Renting a trailer is an option, if I get a car hauler trailer, it will hold
>> the tractor (and maybe one implement, like the mower, I hope.)  That would
>> be around $700 for a one-way tow.  I could probably buy an old car hauler
>> trailer or other dual axle flatbed trailer for around $800-1000.  To pull
>> it, I’d use either my ’05 Sprinter, or maybe buy a pickup truck to pull it –
>> but that might just be something like an old 1500 Silverado, not a ¾ ton or
>> anything heavy duty like that.  I’d prefer to own a trailer to haul it with,
>> vs renting, for taking it for repairs, or to do work at someone else’s
>> property, so there’s a huge benefit to that, for not a lot more money.  But
>> a rental trailer comes with company support, vs. sitting at the side of the
>> road with a blowout or roasted bearing in my own trailer – who do I call
>> then?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Another option would be to somehow get it into the back of one of the box
>> trucks, I don’t know how possible or reasonable that is.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The tractor weighs about 3500 lbs., the mower another 900, I’ll be getting a
>> 550 lbs box blade, maybe a back blade (200-300 lbs.??)  Because this is a
>> vineyard model 135, it is very narrow, and would probably even just barely
>> fit (lengthwise) in an 8 foot truck bed, with the right loading ramp (the
>> width for sure would be fine, at about 50 inches.)  Here’s a vineyard model
>> that sold at auction, same year as mine (but, ahem, a bit nicer…):
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> https://www.mecum.com/lots/GL0616-251644/massey-ferguson-135-vineyard/
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> So what should I do?  I’m afraid of selling, because I’ve always been sorry
>> when I sold something I love as much as I love this tractor.  Sure, there
>> are always other tractors, but if you sell your tractor, then buy another
>> house, does the money really end up in another tractor, or just a nice
>> granite countertop in the new house?  But that might be the best option, if
>> moving it will end up too costly and maybe dangerous.  Because of where I
>> live (where farms are going away, and people are leaving too, selling off
>> what they have,) I think it is much easier and cheaper to find used
>> implements here than in Arizona.  I can get a good 6 foot box blade for
>> about $500 here, and I’ve looked online in AZ and it looked like a Woods or
>> Bush Hog box blade would be closer to $800, just as an example.  I missed
>> out on a really sturdy Gannon box for $300 or less, really kicking myself
>> for that.  So selling here doesn’t automatically translate to buying there.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> If you have any advice about hauling tractors, I’m all ears.  I may not
>> follow your advice, but I’ll listen!  Also, any websites about this topic
>> would be great, too.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Scott in Penfield NY
>> 
>> 
>> 
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