Transporting a Tractor on a Boat Trailer

Fascinating Ideas, Tried and True

Sometimes you have to make due with what you have. In my case it was modifying a boat trailer to transport a garden tractor to my camp. I had already modified it to transport a Harbor Freight Trencher Backhoe, which I discussed elsewhere on this site. The width of the tractor required having to install a third (center) track on the boat trailer. Unfortunately a permanent center track would prevent me from using the trailer to haul my boat, so the track had to be removable. This picture shows the center 2X10 track in place. The tractor is shown here strapped down. Two 2X10 ramp boards and some old metal I use as tractor weights are strapped down on the right track.

Here is the trailer without the center track. The outside 2X10 tracks are all set up for loading my backhoe and they don't interfere with loading or unloading my boat.

Boat trailer without center track

An angled wood piece is cut to so the 2X10 track will be level. A galvanized steel strap is used to mount the angled piece to the trailer. Note that there is a 4 foot span between the supports of the trailer and one flat 2X10 is not enough to support the weight of a tractor or backhow. So the 2X10 is reinforced with a 2X4 as shown here. The top of the 2X4 makes the 2X10 track 1.5 inches wider.

How the outside tracks are clamped to the frame

How the outside tracks are clamped to the frame

Here is the center track removed. You can see the three angled wood pieces that were cut to rest on the metal boat supports. The 2X10 is supported with 2 four foot 2X6's mounted with joist hangers. An extra wood piece is added to the center to make sure the center track does not slide forward when it is mounted on the trailer.

Center track removed

Here is the center track mounted in position. An orange tie down strap is used to hold the track in position and prevent it from moving backwards. Two steel electrical strut pieces are bolted to the back of the tracks. These are used to mount the 2X10 ramps shown upside down on the outer tracks. Bolts in these ramps slide into the struts and prevent the ramps from moving while the trailer is being loaded.

Trailer with center track mounted.

This trailer has worked very well for me and has saved me the cost of buying or renting trailers for moving my tractor and backhoe while still allowing me the ability to transport my boat. The only drawback is I can only use it while my boat is in the water, so I have to plan on moving my tractor and backhoe during the summer months.

PhysicsGuy