3pt hitch lift

[simplicityguy92]

i want to add a 3pt hitch to a garden tractor. does anyone now what i can use for a lift instead of using hydrolic motor and worm gear.

 

[3RRL]

Use hydraulic cylinders and lift arms, sort of like an fel works.

 

[Blagadan]

No hydraulic lift OR worm gear? You're ruling out the two most popular methods!!!

If you dont have hydraulics on board then 12v is probably your only way? That leans towards motorized worm gear...? Or maybe belt or chain drive (but wouldnt be much power unless you had it geared). I've seen guys to use 12v wormdrive actuators as a lift mechanism (like you'd see on snow plough trucks) but I dont have first hand experience so I cant really say if they're good or bad.

I'm sure I've seen someone like Northern tool offer a garden tractor 3pt kit as a bolt on accessory?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I think I've seen some on these garden tractors that are manually actuated with a lever, but this really reduces the weight you can lift.

Another option would be a planetary gear drive. I'm afraid, though, that the size gear needed to get the necessary mechanical advantage would quickly get in the way of other things.

Another thought: There's probably some way to do it with a winch. Agri-fab has a little ATV trailer that is similar to a 3 pt. hitch.

Just out of curiosity, what's the reasoning for no hydro and no worm gear? Knowing your thinking may help us make more relevant suggestions.

 

[simplicityguy92]

i dont rilly want to add a hydrolic system to a tractor just for a hitch and i wanted to know if theres an other way to lift the hitch
how much weight it can lift is not much of a big deal cuz its only for my home made middle buster and back blade

 

[Soundguy]

If it were me... then I'd use one of those self contained 12v hyd power units.. and a couple little cyls.. or a single little cyl tied to one end of the 3pt rock shaft.. proabbly get it all done for 300$ plus some scrap metal and welding..

soundguy

 

[KML]

Johnny Products offers power sleeve hitch kits for a bunch of garden tractors including some simplicites. Probably the best one stop source if you want to stay away from hydraulics.

Conquest Prestiege Sleeve Hitch


They also sell the linear actuators that their kits use and cat 0 3 point parts if you're looking for a project.

Linear Actuator Plus Hardware

Cat "0" 3 Point Hardware

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Northern tool even sells some linear actuators.
Northern Industrial Linear Actuator — 12 Volt, 11 13/16in. stroke | Body Accessories | Northern Tool + Equipment
Surplus center too (search for "linear"):
Burden Sales Surplus Center - Hydraulics, Engines, Electrical and More

Note in the surplus center specs there is a big difference between static and lift ratings.

 

[Blagadan]

how much weight it can lift is not much of a big deal cuz its only for my home made middle buster and back blade

Seems like you are OK with cutting and welding.... there could be another very simple alternative. If it's only for a middle buster and a blade, you could make a very simple system using a $30 trailer jack. The one below has 15in of travel which is pretty good.

Bulldog Round Tube A-Frame Jack 5000-Lb. Capacity | Trailer Jacks | Northern Tool + Equipment

Instead of the actuator or hydraulic ram, you could raise and lower the 3pt with the crank handle. You would want to consider how its mounted allowing for some flexibility as the implement engages the ground, but it could be done if you're determined to avoid conventional methods.....

Sounds like a fun project.

 

[Blagadan]

Or you could modify a standard scissor jack to give you the raising and lowering you are looking for?

 

[Soundguy]

An air over hyd jack.. or simply a huf bottle jack.. they are 10$ at the chinese store.. lots of lift power too.. 2000# on a cheapey with just hand pump pressure.. most only have about 8" travel.. so use that extra lift capacity to advantage and make the actuator linkage multiply lift range at the expense of lift capacity.. IE.. make a scissor hookup so that the jacks 8" of lift range is multiplied to 24 or 32".. this will reduce t's lift rating.. but heck.. if it can still lift 400# at 36"... that's fine.. cheap and easy too.. some pipe and round and flat stock, pins and sleaves and the 10# bottle jack.. and you have
a 3pt lift capable of lifting a 400# implement near 3' off the ground with some hand pump pressure in a few seconds..

soundguy

 

[3RRL]

An air over hyd jack.. or simply a huf bottle jack.. they are 10$ at the chinese store.. lots of lift power too.. 2000# on a cheapey with just hand pump pressure.. most only have about 8" travel.. so use that extra lift capacity to advantage and make the actuator linkage multiply lift range at the expense of lift capacity.. IE.. make a scissor hookup so that the jacks 8" of lift range is multiplied to 24 or 32".. this will reduce t's lift rating.. but heck.. if it can still lift 400# at 36"... that's fine.. cheap and easy too.. some pipe and round and flat stock, pins and sleaves and the 10# bottle jack.. and you have
a 3pt lift capable of lifting a 400# implement near 3' off the ground with some hand pump pressure in a few seconds..

soundguy

That's a really good idea.
He could add one of those "on board" electric air compressors to pump the bottle jack with the touch of a finger.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. a small air holding 'tank' made from a foot of 3" or 4" pipe with a couple fittings on it would be plenty of air for an air over hyd bottle jack.. then it just uses one of those butterfly hand valves to lift, and thent he usual t-valve to drop.. could rig up EZ linkage and a bracket so the lift butterfly was mounted to the fender along with a thumbscrew lever to drop the lift.. still cheap, and easy. The 3pt can just be a couple pieces of pipe and some round stock slid thru.. with lift arms welded on the end, and a notch welded in the middle to attach to the jack cyl.. etc.. In that situation.. the notch arm from the jack tot he 'rockshaft' can be made shorter or longer.. and that will be the mechanical multiplication for lift range.. no scissor linkage needed. Could mount the jack to one side and have the rockshaft be longer and just be powered on one side and let the rockshaft itself transfer the load to the other side.. especially if we are only talking a couple hundred pounds... this whole deal could set behind the right heel on the floorboard or something.. etc..

( I've seen a setup similar to this on an old tractor that had no 3pt... )

soundguy

 

[5053]

Check out DirtWorks www.dirt-works.net they make a 3pt hitch for ATVs