Safe Trailer Towing Capacity for L3901 - I'm Confused.

[UpNorthMI]

I'm confused with the Implementation Limitation information in my Operators Manual. Sorry if I'm being repetative as I raised this on several prior threads that were not directly about the tow limits.

The maximum trailer load is quoted at 2,200lbs but ignores the actual trailer weight, this seems a very confusing statement as surely the trailer weight has to be considered?

My goal is to tow a small farm dump trailer (2 or 3 ton rated, single axle without brakes) from the drawbar on both my L3901 and MX5800, I have no concerns with the capacity of my MX5800 but would like to understand what Kubota considers the safe recommended gross trailer load rating for my L3901, after all that's how all of our road vehicles quote us recommended safety limits. Obviously I will use my MX5800 for any real heavy loads (sand, stone etc.) but will use the L3901 for most of the time with my firewood and forestry cleanup work.

So what should be my maximum gross towing weight for my L3901 ? Why is Kubota unclear on this? Kubota posts the same numbers for the B & L series for trailer load data.

 

[Bmyers]

Yeah, the manual makes it clear as mud. If you read the sheet you posted, you could pull a trailer weighing 12,000lbs, but to be compliant with the chart, only put 2,200lbs on the trailer.

I think what becomes the determining factor on how much you can trailer safely is the W2 factor (max drawer bar weight). As long as you don't exceed that, IMO (I'm not a tractor expert nor have I slept at a Holiday Inn lately) you should be okay. My guess, the engineers figured that a load of 2,200 and an average trailer for that load size, the tractor/drawbar is able to handle it and will be close to the W2 max weight.

I will be curious to see what those with more knowledge in this area post.

 

[MINICUP28]

I read it differently: Drawbar load is 1/3 of the tow load... 730 #/ 2200#. That is the normal 1/3 hitch weight of Gross towed load.
I think the confusion is in the "Trailer loading weight" caption. I would have worded it "Total trailer weight, including load"
On a more common sense level...disregard the manual...
Tractor Data weight for an L3901 4WD-HSD is 2778# Towed weight is 80% of tractor weight: 2200#
That may be appropriate for level dry smooth ground. I can tell you I am not taking a trailer that heavy down a wet grass meadow that has any bumps...
I tried to move my empty Cam 8050# Gross ( ~1900# empty) dump trailer and it pushed me around so bad I dropped it and got the truck.

 

[rhines81]

The above 2 posters have hit the mark. It's all about the tongue weight. A trailer like this
(https://midsotamfg.com/trailers/dump-trailers/mini-dump/) would probably put you at around 600# tongue weight with a 3/4 ton load capacity.
Also keep in mind the CAT 1 rating ... 2,000# limit.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Our 3901 towing 3000 pounds of trailer and firewood was a scary slow trip. It would pull it but super twitchy on the slightest downhill. Probably not doing that heavy again

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I got curious about this so I found the chart on page 40 of my BX23s owners Manual.Hmm, I have a 'W4' pointing to ground at the trailers tire !! That's the 'total wt', trailer + load, and in my case it's 1100kg ( 2425 lbs).
W2(hitch) is 250kg(550 lbs), W3(payload) is 800kg(1765 lbs).
I'd _think_ you could just 'scale up my numbers using some of yours to get a true 'W4'. I would however contact Kubota to see if there's an updated owners Manual that has 'W4' in it.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the writer of the book did a lot of 'cut and paste' and this 'minor' detail got left out......

The BIG issue is not so much pulling the load it's STOPPING it. If you're going to haul lots of heavy loads over 'fun' terrain definitly add brakes to the trailer !!!

 

[UpNorthMI]

Thanks for all the comments and thoughts. I use my tractors a lot for moving around empty trailers, typically with a 3pt hitch receiver, I even move my large goose neck equiment trailer when empty and my 8,000 lbs travel trailer with my MX tractor, but all of that is slow and not going very far.

I'm about to invest in a farm dump trailer that I plan to use a lot behind my L series tractors for woodland / forestry clean up work. Up until now I have been using a 3,000 lbs gross weight single axle high sided utility trailer, road version on my trails but need something that will go off road, will take a few bumps with trees and will allow me to dump loads quickly.

I agree with the comments about the tongue weight being a very important factor as that seems to be driving more of the mechanical limitations of the tractor, it seems as if maximum tongue load weight is similar to the implement recommended limit weight of the 3pt hitch. I'm planning to buy a 2 ton load capacity, 4 wheel dump trailer which hopefully will assist in limiting tongue weight. The trailer empty weight is about 1,400lbs. My ground is pretty flat and with steady operation I believe my L series will do most of what I want for timber moving in a trailer 8' long.

Based on the post above by GreenvilleJay I think I need to consider the W4 combined load which would be about 3,000lbs for my L series, however as Cathy's post above comments 3,000 gross load is a lot of weight. I'll be pulling slow and steady off the drawbar and in 4WD and will find my comfort level and what I think is safe for my tractor.

If I plan to move really heavy loads of sand or gravel, I am lucky to be able to use my MX series or even just the large front bucket of my track loader. The L series are really useful to get off road between the trees and will go many places where my MX is just too big, I'll post some photos of my new trailer when I manage to get my hands on one and the snow eventually melts a little so I can get out to do some work!