We are renting a hopper from the co-op this weekend. It will be loaded with about 5,000 lbs of seed and fertilizer. What is the minimum size tractor or truck we would need for the job? I’ll add that our fields are all rougher than a corn cob so there wont be any easy driving.

You can pull it with a half ton truck. Just don’t try and stop real fast. Do not pull the spreader through the food plots with the truck or you run the risk of damaging your transmission. A 40 hp tractor will pull the spreader fine unless you are going to be on fairly steep hills and then you need a bigger tractor.

I pulled one with a 98 two door Tahoe and it did OK. Stopping was.....fun.

If your fields are that rough then the biggest tractor you can get if you are older, so it won't beat you to death, and you can get out of bed the next day..

If a youngun is going to be running the tractor, then 50 hp tractor will work, preferably 4x4.
Run in 2wd on most places and use 4x4 on hills and uneven terrain.

Be careful on steep and uneven ground though, as that buggy will push/pull you down a hill with the brakes locked, on loose terrain.

God Bless,
David B.

FYI, been a many a 1/2 truck transmission burned up pulling fertilizer buggys. 3/4 ton HD minimum on the truck. Once you get it to the field a standard size utility tractor of 40 HP or bigger will do.

This x2

my massey 235 pulled it just fine on our place

A 2wd 30 hp tractor pulls 2 tons with no problems. A 3/4 ton hd truck is the smallest truck I would use.