Hi all. I have a couple of 30ft campers that I have to move around my property from time to time. Usually just 20-50 ft. Sometimes back to our pond to camp for the weekend. I was wondering if anyone has done this with their BX. My land is flat without obstacles. Pond is in the middle of the 5 acres and the house at the front. I have seen videos of people moving campers, but am not sure.
BX2200 Moving Camper
- Thread starter JeremyBX2200
- Start date
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
The “correct” answer is to check the owner manual and see if the weight of the trailer is within the rated trailering capacity for your tractor but I doubt that’s the answer you’re looking for.
I have a 30’ 9,000lb bumper pull camper I sometimes move with my L4701 which I am aware is a larger machine. The 4701 is rated for a 6,000lb trailer. Pulling the 9000lb trailer on relatively flat solid ground is not a problem. What I have to be careful with is stopping it, particularly since I don’t have use of the trailer’s brakes like I can with my truck. I would not want to get it on much of a slope. Other than that, the only concern would be whether your tractor can handle the tongue weight. If the tongue weight is within specs for your 3 point that’s swell so long as you have a loader or weights on the front so you don’t end up with the front of the tractor pointed at the sky. On flat ground and low speeds there’s not much danger of losing control. I usually leave the tongue jack down a bit so if I got in a real bind I could drop the 3 point and ground the trailer tongue on the jack. If you’re in low range and your tractor clearly doesn’t want to pull it, just stop and get your truck. Just have to be smart about it if your going to tow something well over the rated trailer capacity of the tractor.
Hopefully someone with a machine more similar to yours will weigh in with some real world experience.
By the way, if you’ve ever been driving a tractor or truck with the tow unit’s wheels locked and a trailer pulling you down a slope out of control, it’s an experience you won’t want to repeat.
I have a 30’ 9,000lb bumper pull camper I sometimes move with my L4701 which I am aware is a larger machine. The 4701 is rated for a 6,000lb trailer. Pulling the 9000lb trailer on relatively flat solid ground is not a problem. What I have to be careful with is stopping it, particularly since I don’t have use of the trailer’s brakes like I can with my truck. I would not want to get it on much of a slope. Other than that, the only concern would be whether your tractor can handle the tongue weight. If the tongue weight is within specs for your 3 point that’s swell so long as you have a loader or weights on the front so you don’t end up with the front of the tractor pointed at the sky. On flat ground and low speeds there’s not much danger of losing control. I usually leave the tongue jack down a bit so if I got in a real bind I could drop the 3 point and ground the trailer tongue on the jack. If you’re in low range and your tractor clearly doesn’t want to pull it, just stop and get your truck. Just have to be smart about it if your going to tow something well over the rated trailer capacity of the tractor.
Hopefully someone with a machine more similar to yours will weigh in with some real world experience.
By the way, if you’ve ever been driving a tractor or truck with the tow unit’s wheels locked and a trailer pulling you down a slope out of control, it’s an experience you won’t want to repeat.
Last edited:
shelkol
Active member
Equipment
bx-2200, Woods BH6000 backhoe, Tach-N-Go quick attach bucket, snow blower
I had a 25' bumper pull that I would move around with the BX 2200. Just remember the brakes on the BX will not be able to stop all that weight. Just go slow and be careful.
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
I have a 20 foot travel trailer that has a tongue weight of ~500 pounds. I also have a level 5 acre property that I have twice towed that trailer around with my BX1860. Although the tractor handles the weight well, it is not really suitable for pulling that 7500 pound trailer.
If you do decide to give it a try, be very careful about starting the pull. If the trailer hitch is higher than the center of the axle, the tractor is prone to flipping over backward. When starting out do so in low range and be very cognizant of the front wheels. If they start to lift immediately stop, and abandon your attempt. That is the only warning I can give that will maybe prevent injury or worse.
If you do decide to give it a try, be very careful about starting the pull. If the trailer hitch is higher than the center of the axle, the tractor is prone to flipping over backward. When starting out do so in low range and be very cognizant of the front wheels. If they start to lift immediately stop, and abandon your attempt. That is the only warning I can give that will maybe prevent injury or worse.
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Make or buy something like this to move your trailers. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=trailer+mover
Check out the ones that are built to tow.
Check out the ones that are built to tow.
Thanks for all the input. The other night I needed to move the trailer back a few feet. The FEL had enough power that it could just about lift the trailer tongue. It got it light enough that I could push it back the few feet I needed fairly easily. Not sure if I will try it or not. Probably jet end up using my van. Maybe it was really more curiosity. I have been really impressed with what I have been able to do with my BX2200. One of the best purchases I made since moving out to the country.
I wouldn't rec using the FEL bucket for that tongue weight. The load isn't the same as picking up a bucket load of dirt or gravel. Unless you opt for a spreader bar that distributes the load evenly you chance bending the bucket in the middle. If you still need to do it - spring for the 3pt receiver adapter suggested by BigG, and whatever size ball that your camper hitch uses.
I would be using a 3pt hitch receiver if I was planning on moving the camper normally. I do like the idea that BigG suggested. With it the tractor would not be required to support the tongue weight of the trailer. I would just need to look into it a little more to make sure the dolly will handle the tongue weight.
What you suddenly find out with the dolly connected to the tractor is that backing up is a whole different experience.
Now you have two hinge points. The connection of the dolly to the tractor and the connection of the trailer to the dolly.
Unless you grew up on a farm backing up farms wagons or are a professional big rig driver, you will get very frustrated.
Dave
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
The other thing that I noticed is that the weight capacity is only 1000 pounds. I take that to mean not just tongue weight but total weight. I would not want to start pushing or pulling around 10,000 of camper on any terrain with that thing. It is dangerous enough with any BX, and that thing has less control than the BX has.
In the questions section someone asked about that. Here was their reply " The Tow Tuff 2-in-1 trailer dolly weight capacity is referring to the tongue weight and not the gross vehicle weight. "
So the 1000lbs is referring to the tongue weight
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
The towable dolly seems all wrong ... don't you want the tongue weight on the tractor to give it weight and some more control of the weight of the trailer ...?... And nobody mentioned towing in 4 wheel drive so that, although there are only brakes on the rear axle, tying the front and rear driveline together by being in 4wd might help to keep from skidding just the rear tires when braking.
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
I have towed my trailers with my BX1860. My tractor is the same physical size as the OP's. Believe me, 4WD does nothing to help with towing on level ground. There is so much weight on the rear axle that the front end gets very light and traction is not an issue even on wet grass, just because of the several hundred extra pounds on behind the rear axle.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Thx. Actually I should have said, “I will have a MX 5400“. Taking delivery tomorrow. I’ll look in the manual
armylifer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
The lift capacity is 2310 pounds 24 inches behind the lift point.