The Best Way to Ship a Tractor With Attachments
Inside this article:
- The most common tractor attachments we see shipped on a regular basis.
- A list of the top tractor attachment manufacturers in North America.
- How to arrange your shipment of tractors and tractor attachments and get a free quote.
- How to prepare your tractor and attachments for shipping.
- Why you should consider purchasing a used tractor through Ag Dealer or farm equipment auctions.
- Useful tips for shipping tractors across the border and why you should use a customs broker.
The Most Valuable Player of the Farm
Tractors are versatile pieces of equipment, serving as the all-purpose workhorse of your farm. The most beneficial factor of a tractor is not the machine itself but the various attachments you can purchase to complete numerous tasks around your property. When you first purchase a tractor, you don’t need to buy all the extra parts simultaneously. Instead, you can start with the essentials and add more options over time when you decide what you really need to maintain your land or farm.
Whether buying a new or used tractor, you’ll likely also purchase one or more attachments that go along with it. There are many attachments of varying shapes and weights, and you may be wondering how to ship them. If you’re sending them alongside your tractor, certain trailers are better suited to ship tractors along with their attachments, allowing drivers to haul them in one shipment. We’ll describe which trailers our drivers use later on in this article. First, let’s briefly look at the most popular attachments available and which ones you need.
The Most Common Tractor Attachments
There are many different types of tractor attachments, with some of them being more useful than others, depending on your operations. Here are some of the more common ones and their uses.
Tractor Loader Bucket: This bucket scoop attaches to the front of your tractor and is exceptionally useful for moving materials such as dirt, gravel, grain, and even snow. With its ability to move many materials and a great deal of weight, the tractor bucket is a very versatile tool. Tractor buckets come in different sizes and strengths. The key is to know what you’ll be using it for so you can research which model to purchase.
Tractor Pallet Fork: These attachments do a fantastic job lifting heavy loads and can usually lift a couple of thousand pounds at a time. The two prongs of the fork slide underneath most pallets with ease and make heavy lifting effortless. A tractor pallet fork is also essential for moving hay bales and other large items around your farm.
Tractor Mower Deck: Anyone with large pieces of property needs a tractor mower deck. And if your land is prone to tall grasses and thick weeds, a brush hog mower deck is the way to go. When attached to your tractor, you’ll be mowing several acres of grass per hour. Along with the pallet fork, the mower deck is an essential tractor attachment every farmer needs.
Tractor Grapple: Tractor grapples are very versatile tractor attachments, and they connect to your tractor in a similar fashion to a bucket. This attachment functions like a large claw which can grab various materials or objects that would be difficult to scoop with a bucket.
Tractor Dozer: This wide metal plate attaches to the front of your tractor and is great for scraping, digging, and spreading materials around, such as soil and gravel.
Tractor Post Hole Auger: Post Hole Augers help you dig consistent holes for your fences and signposts in an efficient manner. The attachment appears as a large spiral and drills easily into the ground for you. Not only will you have sturdy holes for your fence, but you’ll save many hours compared to manually digging.
Popular Brands of Tractors in Canada and the United States
Not sure where to start when looking for a new tractor and attachments? Here is our list of top agricultural equipment brands in Canada and the United States. Popular with both sellers and buyers, these brands produce reliable pieces of equipment that get the job done.
John Deere: John Deere is a manufacturing company based in the United States that produces agriculture equipment, forestry machinery, and much more. You can purchase new and used models and select from a wide range of machines directly from the company, or you can scout various farming equipment auctions for a deal on a quality John Deere machine and attachments.
New Holland Agriculture: New Holland Agriculture manufactures many pieces of farm machinery, including tractors, balers, combine harvesters, seeders, and more. The company was founded in the United States and now serves the global market by providing high-quality agricultural equipment. New Holland farm equipment is commonly found at agricultural auctions throughout Canada.
TMG Industrial: Based in Richmond, British Columbia, TMG Industrial is a family-run business that provides quality machines and industrial tractor attachments to customers across North America. Their products are affordable and reliable.
Degelman Industries: Degelman Industries is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, and focuses on honesty, affordability, and catering to the needs of farmers. They keep the goals and interests of farmers in mind and are always looking for ways to move the industry ahead. The company has been around for sixty years and always produces excellent machinery that farmers everywhere love.
Mahindra Tractors: Mahindra tractors are based in India, and many of their customers are in India and China, but many farmers in North America also purchase their machines. Their tractors and implements are some of the most popular in the world.
Shipping Tractors and Attachments
When requesting your free, instant quote for shipping with Trusted Dispatch, there is an extra step involved to include tractor attachments.
First, you’ll follow our usual straightforward, three-step process:
- Enter the pick-up location for your tractor.
- Enter the drop-off location for your tractor.
- Enter the dimensions (width, height, length, and weight) of your tractor.
Once you’ve done that, all you need to do to accommodate the attachments is leave a note describing the dimensions and weight of each attachment you want to ship. Then, when you post the load to our load board, you’ll want to add photos of everything you need to be hauled so that our drivers have a good understanding of the job and know how to prepare for it. Having the description is useful, but seeing the photos helps get a sense of which trailer is needed.
If you’re uncertain of the dimensions of your machine, Trusted Dispatch has a powerful Specs Tool with over 60,000 makes and models of equipment pre-loaded. All you need to do is enter the make and model, and the specs tool will bring up the closet match. And just like that, you’ll be back on track to getting your free, instant quote!
If you still have questions, Trusted Dispatch is here to help. During business hours, we are available to assist you via email, phone, and online chat.
How to Prepare Your Tractor for Shipping
Before your driver picks up your load, you’ll need to prepare it for transportation to make the process smooth and easy and avoid any missteps.
First, make sure you have adequate pictures of your equipment. Not only does this help your driver prepare ahead of time, but it also allows you to document any previous marks or damage on the equipment. If anything happens to your machine during transportation, you’ll be able to separate new damages from any old damages.
Remove any personal belongings from the machine before loading day. It is also a good idea to clean your equipment in order to make the tie-down process easier. By cleaning it, you can ensure that all important tie-down points are visible, undamaged, and accessible.
Finally, you’ll want to move your machinery into a flat, open space. With an even ground and lots of space for large trucks, trailers, and farm equipment, the loading process will remain efficient and safe, and your driver will definitely thank you.
Using Ag Dealer to Find Farm Equipment
Trusted Dispatch is proud to partner with Ag Dealer to bring you the best farm equipment at the best price. Ag Dealer eliminates the need to have a million connections in order to get the agricultural equipment that you’re looking for. Ag Dealer allows you to search for equipment across North America, so rather than being limited to a specific region, you can expand your searches and access more equipment.
Buying through Ag Dealer is an excellent time saver, as fewer steps are involved in the process. You don’t need to flip through catalogues, take risks at auctions, or call around to find drivers. Everything you need to locate the best agricultural equipment is right in front of you on the Ag Dealer website.
Once you’ve found the perfect machine to meet your needs, Trusted Dispatch is here to help get it to you with our fair rates, experienced drivers, and simple process. Ag Dealer connects you with quality equipment, while Trusted Dispatch connects you with excellent drivers.
Purchasing Farming Equipment at Auction
While auctions require a bit more research and planning, they are a fantastic opportunity to find farming equipment at the right price. Whether you attend a live auction near you or travel to specific locations to gain greater access to the big auctions. You can also participate in online farming equipment auctions located anywhere in North America, knowing you have Trusted Dispatch as a resource in your corner.
The auction atmosphere can be exhilarating, especially when bidding begins, so it is a good idea to set a spending limit for yourself ahead of time. Getting caught up in the bidding and dropping more money than you had initially budgeted can be problematic. Going into the auction with a strategic plan of action will help you ensure that you either get the machine you want at the right price or that you walk away with your money with the chance to try again without breaking the bank.
Once you’ve secured your machinery, you can then start the shipping process using Trusted Dispatch. You can easily get your equipment transported to you from anywhere in Canada or the United States.
For ample auction variety, we recommend taking a look at the Ritchie Brothers website. They offer many auctions throughout the year, with many focusing solely on agricultural equipment. There’s a good chance you can find what you’re looking for (and more!) after browsing through their website.
Shipping a Tractor To or From the United States
Sometimes, your agricultural equipment needs to cross the border to get to you. Though cross-border shipping does add a few steps to the process, it shouldn’t be a barrier between you and your tractor or other pieces of machinery.
Before you ship, you should research the import regulations, duties, and tariffs. This will help you understand what needs to happen to get your load across the border and is part of organizing your paperwork. Though it can seem overwhelming, learning about these rules will ease confusion in the long run and will increase your confidence in shipping future loads across the border.
It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of cross-border shipping. Trusted Dispatch has a list of reliable and reputed customs brokers that can be hired to make your process smoother. Customs brokers are very knowledgeable in helping customers cross the border and can tell you exactly what information and documents you will need to provide. With the help of a customs broker, your shipment will move through the border with fewer delays or hassle.
A customs broker is an expert at cross-border shipping processes, paperwork, and tariff payments.
Farming and Agriculture Heavy Hauling Company
Trusted Dispatch is here to help you with all your heavy-haul needs, whether you’re shipping a tractor and tractor loader from Alberta to Saskatchewan or if you’re shipping a tractor, tractor grapple, and tractor bucket from the Western United States to Manitoba, Canada.
Our goal at Trusted Dispatch is to make your experience with heavy-haul shipping as straightforward as possible. You can get started with our simple, straightforward shipping process by getting a free, instant quote today. Not ready to ship? Tell a friend about us. We offer a referral bonus for all successful shipments sent to us when you sign-up for our referral program. If you know someone who needs to transport heavy machinery for agriculture or construction, send them our way and you could earn a little extra bonus.
