Last weekend one of my boys helped split some wood. I had two small piles and two medium piles. A week later I couldn’t wait for it to dry anymore. The ground was still wet but I was hoping I could get the trailer loaded up and get the firewood out of the woods. The truck lost traction and I had to disconnect and hook up the tractor. The tractor had to work for it but it pulled the trailer out of the woods. I’ll wait till the field dries some more before I dump the wood. The John Deere 1010 came through. I really would like power steering but I’m grateful for getting the trailer out of the woods.
Been there, done that LOL. The old M doesn't have power steering either, but it'll pull the load. Mud season stinks.
NICE trailer!! Yeah the past few weekends I’ve had some teenagers splitting wood for me too, and on most trips couldn’t make it out of the back yard without an assist from the quad. It’ll probably be June before I’m out of the mud here.
This is the only photo I have of the tractor. Maybe more photo opportunities when I get stuck in the future.
There is the problem. I’m trying to get away from unloading by hand and increase volume so I can throw the wood instead of stacking wood in the truck bed. The last time I used the dump trailer I ran out of room and traction. It is all a compromise, less trailer to haul and maneuver in the woods, less space available to haul stuff. It’s just an excuse to buy a winch or meaty tires down the road.
I hate to even suggest this (shudder) but...........up until the ground firms up once again, don't load so much into the trailer/truck? Hopefully you are close enough to make two trips instead of one and save some aggravation. Just a thought.
I had to sacrifice my truck when we moved to the people's republic of Massachusetts, we just couldn't justify the insurance on a third vehicle. My minivan became my truck, with a trailer for the bed. After 6 years, I actually prefer to use a trailer for firewood. Firewood, even with a plastic bed liner, headache rack, and rail protection, beats up a truck. Trucks cost thousands, but trailers only cost hundreds . I paid $360 for this trailer, if it broke in half today , I could get it welded back together, or scrap it for some money at the scrap yard, and upgrade.
I plan on getting a new ranger or similar, after enough kids move out of the house, but the bed will be for saws and gear, wood will ride in the trailer Unless it's a lucky snag by the side of the road, I've missed plenty of those because I had to go home and grab the trailer
Your situation reminded me why army jeeps had a granny transmission gear. Shift the whole thing in granny, it’ll pull slow but hard. If I had a choice to have an extremely tough vehicle it would be either a tractor or those. Pulling anything out that requires heavy hefty would be worth it but then again the weight would need to be somewhat too.
I don't think it's a truck or trailer problem. It is a right tool for the job problem. The tractor has ag tires on it and the truck has street tires or maybe AT tires. Put some mudders on the truck and it might make it. But the tractor is still going to have way bigger tires and a transmission better suited to the job.
The truck being a dually doesn't help either...they are notoriously poor mudders. Heck I've seen 2x4 duallys stuck on wet grass...literally.
