Articulating Hitch

[nwngunner]

Here a few weeks ago, i was out mowing with my atv and my rough cut mower. Now the issue i have, the mower came with a really lite weight 3/8 straight pin hitch. My atv has a 2inch style receiver so i was just pulling the mower with a draw bar.

Now if i am mowing on the flats and turning only left and right its fine, how ever when i am in the hills and the brush i am turning on all three axis. So now i have to rebuild the toung on my mower, so i need to come up with some sort of articulating hitch. Need something that will move on all three axis. Perfer something that has like a poly bushing to help eat up the bumps going down hill. Any one ever build one or know where to look for one?

I have a rough cut and a finish mower that i would like for the hitch to work on. Also might want to convert one to hook a ball trailer to for when i am out fencing i can take my small mower trailer with me

 

[bcp]

Use a regular trailer ball and coupler, or you could use a lift arm repair end.

SpeeCo lift arm repair end

For lighter duty, use a ball joint in whatever size you want.

For a cheap light duty hitch, use an old automotive tie rod end.

Bruce

 

[Agent Blue]

I have seen them for five dollars at a local farm supply store. A great idea and alot of machine work for the money.

 

[BHD]

how much twist are you dealing with?

I have seen a pipe and a shaft that could rotate and then a clevis type hitch on that, could be made on either end, ATV or mower end,

the Pintle hitch on my truck will rotate completely around, http://shufti.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_5168.jpg or Pintle hitch shooftie
rotating receiver hitch extension,
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/HitchMate-5990-RotoHitch-Rotating-Extension/dp/B006VML35M]Amazon.com: HitchMate 5990 Black RotoHitch Rotating Hitch Extension: Automotive[/ame]

If you need a compleat articulation some thing like a U joint on a rotaing attachment, gives you up and down right and left and 360 rotoation,

I would think some thing like the pintel hitch would do the same,

 

[jjmarotz]

Can you build one similar to what I did on my snowmobile gear trailer? Long bolt with springs on both sides to absorb bumps and shock. It will swivel 360* with no restrictions.

 

[nwngunner]

Can you build one similar to what I did on my snowmobile gear trailer? Long bolt with springs on both sides to absorb bumps and shock. It will swivel 360* with no restrictions.

I like that, only thing is i would still be limited on the up and down "folding" type motion. I am going to look into a ball joint in town here in a bit and see what i can figure out.

 

[BHD]

a lot of ideas at this post on this camper site,

a number of Ujoint type with rotating sleeves,

What hitch is on your CT? Poll

one could do a search for motorcycle hitches,

 

[schmism]

a standard ball hitch gives about 30deg rotation in vertical axis which may be enough for your little wagon, er mower.

 

[davedj1]

^^^^ what he said!

 

[edlegault]

A "pintel" hitch (aka a military style hitch).