Riding Lawnmower to Park/Tow

[270S]

Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?

[KingFisher]

I would expect your rear tires to go flat and your front end to jump off the ground.

[MtnGuy]

I used a riding lawnmower to move my pop-up around, but only on a level, paved surface, and I had most of the tongue weight supported by a wheel on the tongue jack.

[Old car]

I have used my 31 HP John Deere tractor to manuver my brothers pop up camper but we are talking very little weight. I wouldn't attempt to move anything bigger with it.

[limblips]

Originally Posted by 25FKS

Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?

What can you expect? Probably not much movement of the TT, and an expensive repair bill. You might tear up your transaxle since they are not designed to pull much drag.

[wrvond]

Originally Posted by 25FKS

Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?

Good for you! At least you are thinking!
The tongue weight alone would likely be too much for a riding mower, but even worse are the brakes. With any kind of slope at all, that mower won't have a prayer to stop a camper of any mass.
There are hand operated devices for moving campers around, but they are pretty pricey. The most common solution is to install a hitch receiver on the front of your truck. This makes maneuvering in tight quarters much easier.

[muddyrode]

Hope you have a very large riding lawn mower
more on the line of a small farm tractor

[Flybob]

The issue is not can it move it, but is the frame designed to handle the hitch weight. Most mowers have cast trans and axle cases which might be destroyed. I use a Powermover. Not inexpensive, but much less than doctor bill to repair a bad back. I can move my 7000lb TT with one hand to within 2" of the garage. The biggest issue in moving RV's around is stopping them if they start to roll. If you are going to try anything, be sure to have someone holding the breakaway cable and a good battery in case it gets away.

[MNtraveler]

Keeping the trailer tongue jack down would carry most if not all of the weight, but this would only work on a very smooth surface. If you happen to hit any type of interference, it could snap the jack right off the trailer and that sudden impact would not be healthy for the lawn tractor.


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R

[270S]

As I said in my original post - Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?


I had all of my own suspicions and I am in the process of getting a Powermover. I wanted to hear from someone that ACTUALLY did it and what they discovered ....


Forums are full of opinions which to me if not based on first hand experience and fact are totally as bad as politics.


I've only been a member for a short time, but I will not say how I am feeling so far (Mom said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, ........"). I even tried once to assist others and wow - that won't happen again. I guess I will resign to just sit in the background and only read from time to time - possibly only as a guest.

[sfsgm]

"Forums are full of opinions which to me if not based on first hand experience and fact are totally as bad as politics."

Probably sitting "in the background" is a good idea.

[TURBS]

Here you go .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Snlvo51sM0&sns=em

2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "0"
2015 nights camped "34"

[DocRob]

A lot of tractors have the power to do the job and with a twelve volt connection you could use the brakes to stop the rig. The problem is that most run of the mill garden tractors only have about a one inch or less axle and so while the power is there the rear differential is not likely to take the load. I have thought about using one of the heavy duty dollies to take the load and use the tractor for pulling power but not sure how well it would maneuver which is why I would consider it in the first place. Having said all this IF the tongue wt. was under 250 and you had a brake controller hooked up it would likely work, but I suspect your current tongue wt. is in the 600-800 lb. range. Even this is within the range of the high end estate tractors but they are high dollar items.

[TURBS]

This is what you need


Plan on 20k or more.


2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "0"
2015 nights camped "34"

[Ray and Ann]

Originally Posted by 25FKS

As I said in my original post - Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?

I had all of my own suspicions and I am in the process of getting a Powermover. I wanted to hear from someone that ACTUALLY did it and what they discovered ....

Forums are full of opinions which to me if not based on first hand experience and fact are totally as bad as politics.

I've only been a member for a short time, but I will not say how I am feeling so far (Mom said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, ........"). I even tried once to assist others and wow - that won't happen again. I guess I will resign to just sit in the background and only read from time to time - possibly only as a guest.

People are trying to tell you here that this is a potentially dangerous, bad idea unless you have really ideal conditions. With one exception, they haven't actually done it because they value their--and their equipment's--safety. We have a riding mower, and for the reasons folks have given, I would not consider trying to use it for this purpose.

[TURBS]

2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "0"
2015 nights camped "34"

[tankroady]

Originally Posted by 25FKS

As I said in my original post - Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?


I had all of my own suspicions and I am in the process of getting a Powermover. I wanted to hear from someone that ACTUALLY did it and what they discovered ....


Forums are full of opinions which to me if not based on first hand experience and fact are totally as bad as politics.


I've only been a member for a short time, but I will not say how I am feeling so far (Mom said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, ........"). I even tried once to assist others and wow - that won't happen again. I guess I will resign to just sit in the background and only read from time to time - possibly only as a guest.

First let me say, If your going to screw up your tractor and or your trailer this is where you want to do it. I have read many of the posts here with lots of good hearted comments on all topics.
The question may have been answered because the group thinks more of their equipment than maybe you do.

[KMP44]

Saw this the other day - and I guess it fits here:


Untitled Document

[howie70]

Originally Posted by 25FKS

As I said in my original post - Has anyone used a riding lawnmower to position/park their TT? What can I expect? How big (hp) is required for a 6200 max gross TT?


I had all of my own suspicions and I am in the process of getting a Powermover. I wanted to hear from someone that ACTUALLY did it and what they discovered ....


Forums are full of opinions which to me if not based on first hand experience and fact are totally as bad as politics.


I've only been a member for a short time, but I will not say how I am feeling so far (Mom said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, ........"). I even tried once to assist others and wow - that won't happen again. I guess I will resign to just sit in the background and only read from time to time - possibly only as a guest.

You will probably not get any replies of someone who has tried to move a 3 ton trailer with a riding mower (tractor is a different story). I would hope that most on here a little smarter than that. Give me a few beers though and I may prove myself wrong.
As far as the rest of what you said....

[dustman_stx]

The green paint is about $4K of that price. That stuff is expensive!

Originally Posted by TURBS

2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "0"
2015 nights camped "34"