Joe and Jojo,
Thank you both for the package which arrived here on the doorstep this morning, Happy New Year to you both and all your family.
Joe,
This "hydraulic low loader" trailer as we call them here is ideal for moving large tractors and pieces of farm machinery, lowered flat to the ground they are very easy to load, the tractors are pushed up the front over the (tongue) or drawbar with a solid push pole from the front drawbar of the towing tractor of which you get good visibility of what you are doing from the drivers seat.
For loading the Wallis Cub I made a frame which attaches to the front hydraulic linkage of the towing tractor and lifts the Cub front end under the front fork, then the tractor is pushed onto the bed of the trailer, again easy to see from the drivers seat what you are doing.
The low loader is rated to carry 18,000 lbs and when loaded pulls very well and straight at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour, which is the max speed of our new M-F 7616 gearbox, the M-F front axle suspension greatly helps the smoothness of the ride. Yes there is a fair bit of drawbar weight which is carried on the tractor pick up hitch drawbar, but when you consider we carry tanden axle 36,000 lb fully loaded rated farm trailers on the same hitches this low loader is easy work for the tractor. With the wheels being at the back you have to remember the turning circle is huge and it really cuts the corners on our narrow roads and entrance gateways, that is the only fault otherwise a very useful form of transport.
The new M-F 7616 tractor we had new in September won the "Tractor of The Year" award for 2012 in UK and Massey proudly put a transfer on the side of the hood to let everyone know, you know Massey never missed an advertising trick.
The new suspension as mentioned before is just marvellous and I tell our sales rep from M-F it is nothing new, just an electrical and hydraulic improvement of the Wallis Cub suspension of 1912, 100 years later.
Malcolm.