"Reverse clevis hitch"? Anyone ever tried?

[Dadnatron]

I have 2 drag implements which exert quite a bit of force on my drawbar. So much so, that I snapped the previous bar in half. It is 1 1/4" x 2" so that is some feat.

Anyway, neither implement lends itself to adding a clevis hitch without some significant remodeling and I'd like to put money into my farm rather than into equipment. But... I've already wasted $300 on a new drawbar so I don't want to be foolish.

Does anyone know whether there is any way to connect a standard straight drawbar to a standard hitch in a way that will allow it to move around, thereby allaying the stress on the bar, but maintain strength and control of the blade?

I have a 6.5cuyd dirtpan (yellow) and a 12' dragblade (orange). Both have the same type of hitch. I've tried to think of a configuration of a clevis hitch, but they won't attach to both the blade and the tractor without using 2, which I would fear, would significantly decrease my ability to control them. Also, it just doesn't seem strong enough given these are both dirt working implements.

I've thought that rather than have standard welded clevis attachments put each implement, has anyone ever tried to make a 'Universal' Clevis attachment that would attach to the drawbar, have the mobility in all axis, which would then simply attach to the standard implement hitch?

I have a conception of it in my head, but don't want to reinvent the wheel. I'd rather buy it than have it fabricated, if it already exists.

 

[bcp]

Maybe the one in the center row here. This is meant for the implement, but could be mounted on a drawbar.
Pull Scraper Parts.com

Another one:
Rothwell Ag-Products Inc



Try Google image searching for:

tractor drawbar adapter

ag drawbar adapter

and try substituting "converter" for "adapter"


Bruce

 

[CobyRupert]

By "allow it to move around", I assume the problem is that the hitch needs to pivot vertically (horizontal axis) so that the pin through the drawbar doesn't apply a vertical "rotating torque" (for lack of a better word) that snaps the drawbar.

Google: "twisted clevis".
Is it possible to do this with one (twisted) clevis if the twisted loop portion of the clevis fits between the upper and lower portion of the implement tongue and is held there by a draw pin through the tongue, while the other open end of the clevis is connected to the tractor's drawbar by the clevis' draw pin ?

 

[RNeumann]

The easiest way (I can think of) would be to use what is out there and common- a 2" or bigger trailer ball. Bolt the ball to the draw bar and weld the hitch to the implement.

 

[orangeandgreen]

I kept having problems with bent hitch pins in my rotary cutter from crossing ditches. I elongated the top hole in the tongue of the cutter and haven't bent one since.

 

[bcp]

That's the old standard method--sloppy holes.

Bruce

 

[Dadnatron]

Those are similar to what I need, but would require fabrication and welding.

However, I think that might be the direction I need to go. Perhaps measure and draw it out and send it to a fabricator to have it made. I don't have a welder, torch, or steel to do it myself.

I think that something approximating the Rothwell connector which will allow for up/down movement. One side slips over my drawbar and is pinned. The second slips into the hitch and is pinned to the implement. The verticle movement 'joint' would be in between the implements.

Then I could move it between anything that needed something similar.

 

[Dadnatron]

That's the old standard method--sloppy holes.

Bruce

I've never had a 'sloppy hole'. Just tight ones...

 

[oosik]

View attachment 498196

I was able to find a heavy twisted clevis that I have attached, with normal pin, to my drawbar and the tongue of my farm wagon - looks just like your red or yellow ones - then fits nicely into this clevis. Its called a 7/8 x 3 twisted clevis - it is rotated 90 degrees and allows the tongue to slide right on. Found it at the local Farm/garden store.

 

[oldnslo]

Can you adapt a pintle hitch eye to implements? This would potentially reduce a little of the fore and aft slop you get with a clevis hitch but will require some welding or adapting.
Lunette Eyes | Heavy-Duty Towing | Curtmfg.com

 

[Dadnatron]

View attachment 498196

I was able to find a heavy twisted clevis that I have attached, with normal pin, to my drawbar and the tongue of my farm wagon - looks just like your red or yellow ones - then fits nicely into this clevis. Its called a 7/8 x 3 twisted clevis - it is rotated 90 degrees and allows the tongue to slide right on. Found it at the local Farm/garden store.

oosik,

Do you just pin your implement through the clevis and call it good?

 

[CADplans]

Buy a foot of !/2" Grade 70 chain,, a couple BIG Grade 8 bolts and washers,,,
and connect the two. You can shorten the chain until it works right.

 

[ovrszd]

You might need a Hammer Strap hitch on your tractor, then a pintle loop on your attachment. That's what I use on my 5yd Clamshell Scraper. I dug thru all my pics and can't find one of the hammer strap hitch that I added to my Kubota drawbar. Also don't have any of the pintle loop on my scraper, but you know what that looks like. Here's the best I can do.

 

[oosik]

View attachment 498266Dadnatron - yes, for the farm wagon I pull, that is the primary connection. As a safety measure, I always have a safety chain between the tongue of the wagon and the back of the tractor. I also use this "twisted clevis" to attach my log chains when I'm pulling something with a chain - usually big log or loosening a big rock. The 7/8 - in the description of the clevis - refers to the diameter of the bar stock used to build the body of the unit. My tractor with its 12,000 pound limit on the drawbar should never damage the clevis.

I pull the wagon around, empty, with my ATV. The wagon is rated at 20,000 pounds so I sort of watch that its not overloaded when attached to the tractor. Experience has shown its not the "pull" that's the concern - its the "push" if its loaded heavily.

 

[George2615]

oosik,

Do you just pin your implement through the clevis and call it good?

Plus, you can drop chains through the twisted clevis and use as a tie down point if you need to haul tractor on a trailer.

 

[Dadnatron]

Ovrszd... I had forgotten about hammer straps. I agree, it would take modification of all implements, so I'm going to try other options first. If I am going to modify, I might as well just weld a regular clevis hitch to them and call it good.


I've ordered a 1" twisted clevis from Amazon. Should be delivered Saturday. I need it this weekend, unless the weather turns bad, in which, I will be installing my LEDs.

Thanks for the information and I'll let you know how it works for me.

 

[Egon]

A couple of pictures:

A swivel pintle hook. The second one would make for an easy bolt on, weld on drawbar swivel fabrication.

 

[kthompson]

A couple of pictures:
View attachment 498273View attachment 498274
A swivel pintle hook. The second one would make for an easy bolt on, weld on drawbar swivel fabrication.

To me a rotating pintle hook suits all your needs and you may can have a mount for the pintle hook modified to bolt to the draw bar and you pin to it with no modification to your implements.

 

[oosik]

The clevis you are getting must be - 1" x 4". That should be just about big enough to pull the entire left side of the earth.

 

[Plantation Paul]

You might need a Hammer Strap hitch on your tractor, then a pintle loop on your attachment. That's what I use on my 5yd Clamshell Scraper. I dug thru all my pics and can't find one of the hammer strap hitch that I added to my Kubota drawbar. Also don't have any of the pintle loop on my scraper, but you know what that looks like. Here's the best I can do.

View attachment 498238

That will allow it to have more movement without putting things in a bind. Plus most of my heavy equipment (tandem scrapers, large 30' disks, etc) are already set up this way. It may be a bit painful (in the pocket book) but I think it is the best way.