When harvest season arrives, there’s no room for transport delays. A combine sitting at a dealer or repair shop while crop dries in the field means real financial loss. Freedom Heavy Haul specializes in agricultural equipment transport with a deep understanding of the seasonal urgency that farm equipment moves demand. We serve farm operators, equipment dealers, and custom harvest crews across all 48 contiguous states — with particular strength in the corn belt (Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas), the cotton and sorghum belt (Texas), and specialty crop regions in California. Our in-house permit team handles all oversize filings, and our drivers are experienced loading and securing combines, large tractors, and wide planting equipment.
Modern combines — John Deere X9, Case IH AF 10, Gleaner S98 — are the crown jewels of the farm fleet and require careful, experienced transport. The combine body alone weighs 30,000–60,000 lbs and is loaded separately from the header. Headers, especially draper headers and corn heads with full row configurations, can be 14–35 feet wide and require their own trailer and permits. We load combines on lowboys or step decks depending on machine height, always with proper chains, binders, and header stands.
Freedom Heavy Haul transports combines for:
4WD articulated tractors and large row crop tractors are among the most commonly transported pieces of farm equipment. A John Deere 9620RX with tracks can weigh 40,000+ lbs and stretch 15+ feet wide with duals. We transport large tractors on flatbeds for lighter units and multi-axle lowboys for the heaviest tracked models. State permits are obtained in-house for every state on the route.
Large grain carts (1,000+ bushel capacity) are often transported between farm locations or to and from dealers for service. Their width and loaded weight can trigger both oversize and overweight permit requirements. We transport grain handling equipment year-round, with peak volume during fall harvest preparation.
48-row planters, toolbar systems, and precision seeding units are extremely wide when folded for transport — some exceed 18 feet in transport width and still require permits. Spring planting season (March–May) is peak demand for planter transport, as equipment moves from dealers, winter storage facilities, and from farm to farm in advance of planting windows.
Center pivot irrigation towers, pump units, and mobile drip irrigation systems require special loading and transport experience. Pivot towers are long, wide, and awkward — we have the tie-down systems and trailer configurations to transport them safely.
Sugarcane harvesters, cotton pickers, and grape/tree fruit harvesting equipment operate in specific geographic regions but move constantly between farms, dealers, and rebuild facilities. California specialty crop equipment — lettuce harvesters, tomato harvesters, wine grape equipment — is a significant segment that Freedom Heavy Haul serves regularly.
Preferred for tall combines and large tractors where keeping the load low is critical to staying under the 13’6″ height limit. Multi-axle lowboys handle the heaviest configurations. The low deck also makes loading easier for wheeled farm equipment.
Step decks work well for most combine bodies, large grain carts, and tractors with moderate height profiles. The two-level deck provides more usable length and the lower rear deck keeps the load’s center of gravity manageable.
Small tractors, grain wagons, sprayers, and other lower-profile equipment ship on 48-foot or 53-foot flatbeds. Flatbeds are cost-effective for equipment that fits within standard height and width limits.
Moving a full combine configuration (machine + multiple headers + head cart + support equipment) often requires 2–3 trucks. We coordinate these as a package, with all loads departing together and arriving together — critical during tight harvest windows.
Agricultural equipment is almost universally oversized. Combines, large planters, and wide harvesters routinely exceed the 8’6″ width limit, and some states have special provisions for agricultural equipment transport during planting and harvest seasons.
Key states — Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska — have agricultural equipment exemptions that allow certain moves without permits during specified planting and harvest windows. However, these exemptions have strict conditions (typically must be within 75 miles of the farm, must be moving between farm locations) that don’t apply to dealer-to-farm or long-distance moves. Our permit team knows every state’s agricultural exemptions and applies them correctly to reduce your permit costs when eligible.
Spring road bans (February–April) in northern states temporarily reduce legal axle weights on secondary roads. During this period, we route on primary highways that remain at full legal weight, even if it adds mileage, to comply with state restrictions and protect your equipment from road damage claims.
Don’t let transport logistics cost you harvest days. Freedom Heavy Haul provides fast, reliable agricultural equipment transport with the seasonal urgency understanding that farm equipment moves require. Whether you need a combine moved 200 miles for repairs before harvest or a full fleet of planters relocated for spring planting, we have the capacity and experience to make it happen on your timeline.
Call (888) 510-4490 anytime or submit our online quote form. Our dispatch team operates 24/7. Provide equipment type, weight, dimensions (folded transport width is especially important), pickup location, and delivery destination, and we’ll respond with a complete quote — typically within 1–2 hours.
A combine harvester is typically transported with the header removed and loaded separately. The combine body is loaded on a lowboy or step deck trailer. Most modern combines with wide draper heads measure 12–18 feet wide, well above the 8’6″ permit threshold, so oversize permits are almost always required. We handle all permits in-house.
Yes, and we specialize in it. Fall harvest (September–November) and spring planting (March–May) are our busiest seasons for agricultural equipment transport. We maintain capacity during peak demand — don’t wait until the last minute to book, as slots fill quickly during harvest season.
Combine transport costs depend on the model, header configuration, distance, and current permit fees in the states on your route. Typical rates range from $1.50–$3.50 per loaded mile for the combine body, with header transport quoted separately. Call Freedom Heavy Haul for a free all-in quote.
Yes. Large 4WD tractors (John Deere 9RX, Case IH Magnum, New Holland T9) and tracked tractors often exceed legal width limits and always trigger weight permits. We load them on lowboys or flatbeds and handle all required state permits along the route.
Yes. Some states implement spring road bans (often February–April) when thawing roads are weight-restricted to prevent pavement damage. These bans reduce legal axle weights and may require rerouting to primary highways. Freedom Heavy Haul monitors seasonal restrictions and plans routes to comply.