Anyone Towing Backhoe/heavyequipment Trailers With Thier 2500hd Duramax/ali?

Some have but 12,000 lbs + trailer is a bit much for this size truck.

I've towed a bobcat for a neighbor a few times with no problems, but it isn't as large as a backhoe.

2500,

Wtih most full size backhoes I would ill advise to tow with just a 2500/3500...

Full size opperating weight starts at about 15,000... and that is just the backhoe...

Are you asking about the mini-backhoes??


Or in particular what size backhoe are you thinking of????
Pete

Need to know more about your setup and the hoe you intend to pull. Properly equipted trailer and experienced driver can do a lot but you have to get it right. With the 2500 the tongue weight is a limiting factor.

A friend of mine pulled a 6410 John Deere with an 18' batwing mower on a 32' gooseneck. His truck was an F-350DRW, GCW was 31,000lbs. Power was fine but it was a bit too much for the truck. I'll bet your backhoe, trailer, and truck will be in the 27000-30000lbs range, depends on the size of the hoe.

I'd pull it on a gooseneck, but not on a bumper pull trailer.

The Hoe Is A Cat 416 4x4 The Smallest Full Size Hoe Cat Makes.

It can be done, but not legally.
I once hauled a 410 Deere hoe on a triaxle bumper hitch trailer w/ dads k-30 srw 4x4 w/ 6.2 diesel (man was it slow).
Just get a big hoe (Deere 710) then u won't have any choice but put it on semi or a 20 ton bumper trailer.

I've towed about 20k with my 2500. It's not recessarily unsafe, but you need to be alert and have good brakes on the truck and trailer...


http://www.kennedydiesel.com/photogal/images/dmaxwbulldozer.gif

Your limiting factor will be tongue weight. 5th wheel or Gooseneck works best. The longer the trailer the better. Dragged my fully dressed Case 580L around a little, but the short trailer I was using made it difficult to get the tongue weight right. Truck and trailer handled it fine, but both are set up to handle it.

a Cat 416 dresses out around 22,000 lbs

My Case was < 17,000 for comparison.

a Cat 416 dresses out around 22,000 lbs
I see 15,200-21,600# max weight.

Wonder if that is with all tires filled w/ calcium?

Mfg quotes never include calcium.

i have pulled around 18000 behind my 2500hd many times doing as high as 80 and felt completely safe.

if i remember right my case 580 c weighs 12000lb

You can buy and insure an old single axle town tractor that is built to haul that load easily, for about the same price it would cost to upgrade your tranny. You'll probably get better mileage (not a bash) and way lower maintenance costs. Tires and brakes alone will save you enough to be worth it in 4 or 5 yrs. Another big plus, you don't have to unhook, lower tire pressures, unload your gear, and grub your truck every day or weekend, when you convert back to daily driver.

Maybe in Canada, but not the states. Stepping up costs a fair bit and unless you are pulling more than 4-5 time a month, it does not make economic sense. Tags and insurance alone are $2000 min regardless of how much you use the rig. Maintinance is yet another headache on old rigs. Running the hoe on the road with special plates is the most economical and simplest.

I downgraded from a big truck and heavy trailer to a custom built dumping gooseneck and 2500HD when I stopped digging for a living. Now it is a hobby.

I went the other way and parked an '89 L9000 13spd, L10 Cummins and a single axle low bed (smaller excavators) that I serviced up. I'll never have to spend a penny on it again (won't get many kms). It pulled the 25,000lbs. on the bed over and down (tripple jake) the mountains of B.C. at 1200 to 1700rpm and got 10 to12 mpg (Cdn.). The Dodges before didn't get the mileage and needed tires once a year (which are a rip off compared to real truck tires. Here, the plates cost per KG, the same for either truck depending on load, but the trucks collision and theft are 4x higher on a pickup due to repair costs and theft ratio. I figure when I retire it will be there to make some upgrading or toy money (or maybe the kid will get into it). Also, the total cost of the rig, used tractor, used lowbed, and rebuild, was less than halve off the 2500 or 3500 pickup let alone the gooseneck tilt trailer. Things must be different in the states though. I used to average 65,000km per yr., 60 to 70% towing, and needed a new pickup every 1.5 to 2yrs. The real truck set up is on the original rubber I put on and didn't need anything accept maintence (oil and filters) for 118,000kms. (507,000kms. total). For my little business it was a good economical move but I too moved on to bigger and better things. Some day I will get back into it as it was lots of interesting days.