Could I use a 5-ton for this?

[Olympus]

Hey guys, I've been wanting a 5-ton for several years now and I can never get the wife on board. For the most part, it's just been a "for fun" toy to play with and maybe to drive in some local parades. But now I may have a situation where I could actually have a use for the truck. That is if it's even possible to use the truck for what I'm thinking.

Here's the deal. I own a large hunting property that's 25 miles from my house. The property is about 2 miles down a rough and neglected gravel county road. I recently bought a bigger tractor to use mainly because of this property. The tractor weighs 4500lbs and I currently don't have a trailer big enough to haul it. I have a 12ft trailer with a 3500lb axle. The tractor with the front loader attached will just barely fit inside the 12ft trailer, but it overloads the axle and my truck is only a 1/2 ton so it's not exactly a light load to pull through the hills and curves on the way to the property. My neighbor has a 16ft car hauler trailer and the tractor fits great and with a brush hog just overhangs the back of the trailer a couple feet. Problem is the neighbors trailer doesn't have safety chains, doesn't have working lights, and doesn't have trailer brakes. And positioning the tractor on the trailer either gives you a TON of tongue weight that squats my truck really bad or if you turn it around backwards, it's too much weight on the back of the trailer and wants to fishtail something dangerous. So I've been loading it tongue-heavy, but that's gotta be hard on my truck.

So I'm thinking I can spend $2500 on a new 16ft tandem axle trailer with trailer brakes or maybe I can pick up a decent M923 at auction for about $5000 and use the bed to haul my tractor back and forth? That gives me a legitimate use for the truck and it could fit a need that I currently have with getting my tractor back and forth to my hunting property. I'll attach some pictures of my tractor so you can see what I'm working with. Like I said it will just barely fit inside the interior of my current trailer that's 6.5ft x12ft without any attachments. And the loader frame and bucket are easily removed and gives another 3-4ft of room.

So do you think I could use an M923 in this manner?
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[M543A2]

Here is a photo of our M35A2 with the 18 ton Ferree trailer we use to haul farm equipment. I don't think you need a 5 ton to do it. We have no problems with hauling tractors up to 16,000 pounds and a dozer at about 22,000 weight. The trailer has air brakes which I find to be very nice. I gave $1500 for the trailer but it needed some frame repair to get it in good shape. You would not need a trailer that heavy. A duece would handle it fine but we pull the trailer with our 5 tons also. My personal opinion from working with friends who have the 900 series 5 tons is I would stay away from them; too problematic. Too much electronic systems, etc. The M series trucks are simpler systems much easier to maintain and dependable "on the farm" so to say. Before some of you guys jump on me in defense, I recognize there are those who have good luck with the 900 series, but my son quit the state highway as a mechanic because their trucks went to electronics similar to what the 900 series have. They had so many vexing problems with the systems that he said enough is enough.

 

[Olympus]

Well everything I read says the power steering and auto tranny is well worth moving to the 5 ton.

But you're missing the point. I don't want to buy a bigger trailer PLUS buy a 5-ton (or deuce for that matter). I can buy a bigger trailer and use the truck I already have. I don't need air brakes. Electric trailer brakes will be fine. I'm talking about buying a 5-ton and using the bed to haul my tractor and bush hog.


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[gimpyrobb]

I say get a 5ton with drop sides and run it.

One question, how will a 12ft bed work if your tractor hangs over a 16ft bed a couple feet?

 

[Olympus]

I say get a 5ton with drop sides and run it.

One question, how will a 12ft bed work if your tractor hangs over a 16ft bed a couple feet?

Thought I ready that the bed on the 923 was 14ft? Overhanging a little shouldn't make a lot of difference.

 

[jasonjc]

How do you plan to get the tractor into the bed? How tall is your tractor?

 

[Olympus]

How do you plan to get the tractor into the bed? How tall is your tractor?

I was thinking ramps? But that's the main reason why I'm asking.

 

[simp5782]

I have a good running deuce in Memphis for $4000. or $4500 delivered to you. You won't pick up a 939 series truck for under 7 or 8k now adays. Maybe an 809 series truck from a forestry service but not a 939 truck. It is along climb to get a tractor into the bed of a 5 ton. You could easily get a deuce and a M1061 trailer or similar and be under $6000. Or buy a bolster trailer. Add 14ft or 20ft cargo bed to it and drive your tractor into that. Be about $2000 for a trailer either way.

 

[Jbulach]

Thought I ready that the bed on the 923 was 14ft? Overhanging a little shouldn't make a lot of difference.

Yes, M923 has 14' bed, about 15-1/2' with the tailgate open. If you can devise a way to load and unload your tractor, it will work great, height doesnt look to be a problem with your ROPS folded down.

 

[Olympus]

Yes, M923 has 14' bed, about 15-1/2' with the tailgate open. If you can devise a way to load and unload your tractor, it will work great, height doesnt look to be a problem with your ROPS folded down.

With the tailgate down, that would be pretty much perfect. I think the biggest unknown is how to load and unload. That's really been my unknown from the start. Whether it's possible get a tractor pulled up on the bed or not.

 

[74M35A2]

You just need justification to buy one. Yes, it will pull the trailer you desire for your tractor. No way is a tractor going in and out of the bed in a safe manner though, even if it does physically fit, unless you can back into a ditch at both locations and drive the tractor in and out. Use the new 5 ton truck to pull your neighbors car trailer. You'll need to add a civilian hitch to the 5 ton truck, and convert your neighbors trailer to newer LED lights which can typically accept 12v and 24v. This is low cost and easy to do. Adding safety chains to the trailer is the easiest part of all of this.

 

[Jbulach]

On your 25 acres you could build a ramp with dirt and blocks from a concrete plant, dont know if that is feasible at your house though?


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[98G]

The auto transmission in the 939series is not a plus.

The power steering is.

$5k will no longer get a decent 939series truck. Even nonrunners are bringing more than that at auction.

Screenshot of last week's auction showing a nonrunner selling for $9300. Add fees and taxes and that's over $11k at invoice, and it still doesn't run....

 

[Olympus]

The auto transmission in the 939series is not a plus.

The power steering is.

$5k will no longer get a decent 939series truck. Even nonrunners are bringing more than that at auction.

Screenshot of last week's auction showing a nonrunner selling for $9300. Add fees and taxes and that's over $11k at invoice, and it still doesn't run....

View attachment 699958

Bummer. Looking on Gov Planet sold units look to be around $7-$8k and those are running.


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[Olympus]

On your 25 acres you could build a ramp with dirt and blocks from a concrete plant, dont know if that is feasible at your house though?


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That would be tough. Probably not a good option.

 

[simp5782]

With the tailgate down, that would be pretty much perfect. I think the biggest unknown is how to load and unload. That's really been my unknown from the start. Whether it's possible get a tractor pulled up on the bed or not.

a Hmmwv will barely fit in the bed by comparison. an SEE is 16ft overall with its backhoe and loader and it wont fit in the back of a 14' bed length ways regardless of height.

You could also look at a LWB 927 truck or 934 and put a 20ft bed on it and then overhang isn't an issue. Ramps are easy to make but the guts to drive up them is another thing.

 

[98G]

Bummer. Looking on Gov Planet sold units look to be around $7-$8k and those are running.


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Sort it by date. Prices have gone up lately. Also add about 20% for fees and taxes.

And a wait for an EUC, and then a "time frame unknown" for titling documents - they ran out of them (couldn't make this up , lol!)

There was a time when you could be into a fairly decent 939series for about $5k, but that's been a while. In today's market, by the time it's sitting in your driveway with batteries, a fluid change, and plates on it its going to be $8k-$12k.

 

[Olympus]

Alright well I guess I'm going back to the drawing board.


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[simp5782]

Alright well I guess I'm going back to the drawing board.


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Deuce or M809 5 ton is the cheaper market at this point. My M923 has a $18,000 price tag on it but it is the only one of its kind in the world, much less with air condition.

 

[Scar59]

I've got a M923 located in Lou. KY. Good truck, runs good, good tires, titled. Needs a paint job. needs a good home $6000. Might be to tall for ramps, do you have a earthen berm/hill you can work with? Also have a M1031 trailer, good tires, needs an air line ($1500.00).
JC