Parking My AS With A John Deere 1025R Tractor?

[kylentz]

Hi. I have a 27’ GT. I have a difficult time parking it at my home. I had a parking space built for it, but it is a sharp turn to get it into the space, and there is a 3’ retaining wall on the other side limiting my maneuverability with my TV. I purchased a “Park It 360” but it is very difficult to use. It can handle the 7,200 lb weight of the trailer, but the tongue weight is the issue.

The parking area is level and made of pavers so it is pretty smooth.

I recently acquired a John Deere 1025R Compact Tractor, with a front end loader and back hoe. Three point hitch, 24HP Yanmar, 12.8HP PTO. Here are the specs on the tractor:

https://www.deere.com/en/tractors/co...ractors/1025r/

Does anyone have experience moving a AS trailer with this kind of compact tractor? I do not need to move mine far, just “finesse” it 40-50’ into the spot where I want it.

There are several companies that make 2” receiver hitches that will attach to the rear three point hitch, or even bolt to the front of the tractor.

Any and all advice appreciated. Happy streaming this summer!

Kyle

[Kevin245]

Shuttling a 27 footer with a 1 series is tight, but probably safely doable. The 1025 3pt hitch capacity of 758 lbs is likely close to your tongue weight. On level terrain and with a paver surface I’m thinking you would be able to do this though. Be sure to consider your ballast distribution. If you don’t have suitcase weights, then fill the loader bucket. If you use a hitch on the front, make sure to use rear ballast and 4WD.

We have a 4 series that we shuttle trailers around with. Most of the time we use a hitch on the front loader which gives us better maneuverability.

[JMynes]

The ACTUAL hitch weight on my 27FB is 1100-1200 pounds according to my Sher-Line scale. From what I’ve read on here I believe that to be typical.
When I was considering a tractor I took this into account, and decided a 2-Series would be the minimum due to 3PH lifting capacity. I couldn’t justify that kind of money for the little I would use the tractor around the house.
Although I wish I had one for a job right now…

[JDG]

I have moved my 33 Classic with my 7510 Kubota (21 hp). The lift capacity is about maxed out but it will do it. However, biggest drawback is due to the with of the tractor compared to the Airstream, you can’t see anything backing up other than the front of the Airstream. In other words your backing up blind.

[richard5933]

I move my 25-ft Excella using our 24hp Yanmar, which I believe is very similar to your John Deere. (They used to make all the JD sub-compact, I believe).

The tongue weight on ours is +/- 1000 pounds.

My 3-pt hitch cannot move the tongue weight up, but it can hold it up if I use the jack to raise it up. I have the rear tires filled with fluid for ballast, and have the mower deck & the loader attached. Usually I'll throw four 40-lb weights in the loader for good measure.

I have to back our trailer out of a tight barn door, onto a gravel/grass driveway, up a slight grade, all while making a sharp turn onto our main driveway so the Suburban can be connected.

The Yanmar doesn't like all this one bit, but I take it slow and things go all right. I do have a help follow along with wheel chocks just in case, and I have the breakaway cable hooked to the tractor just in case.

The hardest piece of the puzzle to find was the 3-pt hitch bracket which would accept the 2-5/16 ball.

[nryn]

I move a variety of things around with my 4066R. I can park the airstream without issue using my truck but sometimes it’s a bit easier to put it in exactly the right spot with the tractor. If you have a back hoe on your machine it might be a pain to take that off just to put an iMatch hitch receiver or tow ball on the drawbar. But you can get a bolt-on ball to put on your bucket or forks. It’s much easier to work from the front than the back if you’re trying to position. All that weight from the backhoe will help with ballast.

I echo others’ sentiments. Fill the front bucket if you’re towing with your 1025R.

[Hans627]

Yes I use my JD tractor to move the trailer. Works well.

My tractor is bigger than your tractor (oh boy that sounds like the start of a fight ) but I would think you could easily move the trailer on relatively flat ground.

[richard5933]

Here are a couple of photos showing where I use my little Yanmar. The first shows the clearance between the wall/door and the Airstream (other side is just as close). The second shows the "driveway" leading from the barn towards the main driveway. The tree line is right up against the main driveway, so the little Yanmar makes it much easier to position the trailer without clipping the trees. Not sure I could do either with the Suburban.

We also have a Trailer Valet for backing the trailer out of the barn door when needed, but once it hits the gravel all bets are off - tractor is safer in my eyes.

[Mollysdad]

If I had a tractor the ball would be on the front.
I just think that makes maneuvering easier.

[Trowbridge]

Our family has a similar situation but a bit worse. Our Kubota 2200 tractor's bucket can barely lift the tongue of our 1964 30' Sovereign (much lighter than yours at 4,500 lbs) but can't pull the trailer up a 10 degree upslope in 2" deep gravel. We have a tricky s-turn so I just have to reverse direction several times using our truck. Would be much easier with a larger tractor.

Your situation:

1. John Deere blog says, "Depending on configuration, the 1025R/H120 combo is rated for either 836lbs or 955lbs plus the bucket weight." So your trailer might be too much for towing using the front bucket. Plus, tractor buckets are usually for lifting not pushing/pulling.

2. Other ways are to mount a ball on the rear bracket (problem is that may be too low) OR roll the trailer on its tongue lift wheel and just use the tractor for pushing/pulling [problem is that you really need a smooth surface without ridges or seams].

3. Yes, your visibility is limited in a tractor because you are dead center with a 9' wide trailer in front of you. That can be easily solved by putting the trailer into its storage space, and then having someone mark (paint) where the inside rear wheel goes as you drive the trailer out. From then on, always guide the trailer back into its storage space by keeping that rear wheel on the guide line.

[davidz71]

Get rid of the Park It 360 and have a hitch installed on the front of your vehicle. It makes for much easier maneuvering. Mount one of those curved mirrors above or near your 3' retaining wall to help with your maneuvering so you don't hit the retaining wall.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

If I had a tractor the ball would be on the front.
I just think that makes maneuvering easier.

On a subcompact tractor, the front tires are much smaller. The rears are much better suited for carrying the tongue weight, and I'd be worried about maintaining control without damaging a front tire. On a compact or medium tractor it would probably not be an issue.

[John Ware]

You're on the right track with JD. I've owned 3 and the first one was made by Yanmar and was a very good tractor. I think you need to look at one with better hydraulics, like the 2032R(or bigger). The loader is rated at 1,120 lbs. and the rear lift at 1,356 lbs. which would be on the bottom edge of what you need. (add ballast to the rear tires too)

[featherbedder]

If the Jd hydraulics using bucket will lift and maintain height w/out sinking [dropping w/load] IMO I would get a ball bolt on ball for bucket also you can drill hole in bucket for ball. When hitched to rear of tractor you are blind, front see better. I have International 3414 construction w/back hoe. I use bar w/ball on 3 point arms hard to see, I also have case skid steer using attachment w/hitch welded on, easy to see plus can make 90% turns pushing.

[RWitherspoon]

For $20 I put a hitch on the front of my truck. I'm a farm boy, this works better than the back of a tractor. Here on Vancouver Island a lot of nice sites have trees that make a front hitch a necessity.

[Torpedo Family]

Everyone using a tractor remember the drive wheels only ONE works at a time unless you lock them in with your deferential. I jack knifed mine into the front of my trailer and caved it in not thinking about this. Be CAREFUL and mindful of this situation.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by RWitherspoon

For $20 I put a hitch on the front of my truck. I'm a farm boy, this works better than the back of a tractor. Here on Vancouver Island a lot of nice sites have trees that make a front hitch a necessity.

That works well if you have room for the truck. Some of us are working in very tight quarters where a small tractor is much more maneuverable.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Torpedo Family

Everyone using a tractor remember the drive wheels only ONE works at a time unless you lock them in with your deferential. I jack knifed mine into the front of my trailer and caved it in not thinking about this. Be CAREFUL and mindful of this situation.

4WD is your friend here, and locking differential even better if it's at all slippery.

[Bcc75]

I move my 25’ with a 5045E with the ball attached to the drawbar extended out as far as it will go. As others have said, backing up is hard because you can’t see around the trailer. I’ve often wondered if there was a way to attach some mirrors to the tractor that could help with this.

[guskmg]

With front end hitch ball use comes the question of tongue weight capacity. I have one on my 3/4 ton HD GMC, but I have been reluctant to use it because it may exceed the weight capacity of the truck front suspension. I wonder in this case if the snow plow option (without the plow) would bring the weight capacity up enough. My 35' tongue weight is about 1,400#.
guskmg