Bombardier Traxter Hitch mount ?

[GuglioLS]

I have a 2002 Bombardier Traxter. The rear axle mounted trailer hitch is cheap sheet metal and is falling apart (metal torn). I have welded it back together one too may times. My trailer is 300#'s and I use it to collect firewood, about 1000#'s total load.

SO my question - does anyone know of an aftermarket, beefy / heavy duty replacement for the rear axle mounted trailer hitch mount? If so please let me know who / where to purchase.

Thanks,


Larry

 

[kennyd]

Surly you and Rob can design a new/better/stronger one

Just make sure you post the pics in real time so as not to offend one certain member

Sorry, but I can't help specifically...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have not seen one for the traxters but if I don't recall it shouldn't be too hard to adapt a 2" receiver tube to the back of the Traxter.

I have not had any issues with my hitch yet. My XT spends almost all of its time hooked to a 17 cubic foot lawn trailer with a 55 gallon water barrel for filling the water buckets inside the far pens. So even fully loaded I don't come close to putting as much weight as you do on my hitch. What are our Traxters even rated for? If you are having that much trouble you might want to look at upgrading to a UTV or maybe build up a dolly to take the weight off the Traxters hitch. Most ATV hitches are just slightly better then lawn mower hitches.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Does your hitch look like this? If so, with your skills you should not have much trouble fabbing another hitch up.

After I loaded these pictures I answered my question about the capacity of these machines. 30 pounds for the max tounge weight, 1100 pound max towing capacity. I think you are overloading the hitch by a substantial margin. Is the axle on your trailer set back a ways? If so you might want to look into moving it forward some to take more of the weight off the hitch.

 

[GuglioLS]

This in the home made trailer I use with the ATV for firewood hauling. Maybe I should have made it with two axles? More like a wagon to reduce tongue load. Oh well too late now. It's 4' wide x 6' long with 16" sides, ~ 32 cubic feet. I over fill it, once I weighed all the logs (a few at a time on a bathroom scale) The wood weighed 1100 pounds. So I guess I am WAY over the limits. I guess I should keep the loads a little smaller and make more trips. I suppose I'm lucky to have not crashed yet.



Earlier I mentioned that I haul it up & down a pretty steep slope - it's that hill in the background. However, now there is a road diagonal to the hill that's not so steep. I think once I replace or make a new rear axle trailer hitch mount, and with the new road it wont be subject to as much force - what do you think? Or am I still living too close to the edge of disaster?

One more thought -
Has anyone ever filled the tires on their ATV to add ballast like on a Tractor? Or is that a dumb idea?


Larry

 

[Reb2]

I have the Traxter also but haven't had any problems with the hitch even though I pull a lot with it. As you and others have stated, it must be the tongue weight that is creating the problem. I doubt you will find a premade hitch unless it is from Bombardier where there weren稚 a lot of the Traxters made.

Here is a picture of my ag. system I designed, built and patented. I have hundreds of hours on this system with various implements with no hitch problems.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=27639

 

[GuglioLS]

Guess what?

Nearly 3 years after posting this I finally fabricated a REAL trailer receiver hitch, better late than never right?

OK here it is....


IMHO The OEM trailer hitch on a Bobardier Traxter ATV is a piece of crap. I'm sure the engineers did the best they could. But they fell short of my expectations of how I use my ATV to tow a firewood hauling trailer. I've welded it for repairs one too may times and finally decided to make a "real" hitch. See anything wrong with this design? Other than stamped sheet metal, 30# tongue weight rating (what a joke) But get this it has an 1100# tow rating. How in the world it could have a 30# tongue weight rating and 1100 # towing rating is beyond me. Another feature I don't particularity like is it's only bolted on by two bolts on each side and ZERO support for tongue weight. I suppose it was meant for a 4 wheeled wagon and not a two wheeled trailer?





Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Took some measurements, drew up some fancy curved and angled parts in AutoCAD, then burned the parts out of 3/16" plate on a CNC plasma cutter. Made a couple of bends in the press and viola.....







Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

This is more like it and what I should have done in the first place. The capacity of the tongue weight has got to be equal to or greater than the towing capacity. This thing is bullet proof now.



I'm happy the way it came out, it fits like a glove, all 10 mounting holes (5 on each side) line up perfectly with the OEM axle / differential bolts. If it didn't take me so long to make this darn thing I'd sell them for a living :laughing:

Larry

 

[yanmars]

Nice looking well thought out system.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That hitch looks pretty solid. I have never had any issues with my hitch though but all I ever tow with it is a 55 gallon drum full of water in a 17 cubic foot trailer. I have pulled my empty hay wagons (9x18 steel kicker wagons) with it as well and a few other farm implements but everything is on flat ground for the most part and driveways so there isn't any major stress from twisting and such like you would encounter driving through a woods while pulling a trailer. Either way, you will be fine now.

I really do like my Traxter XT. I wish they still made them as the seat cutout is great. Its easy for me to get on and off of and my daughter has a great spot to sit when she goes out with me to the pens. She puts her feet up in the cut out and just sits there cradled between my legs and arms so she is well protected and can see where were going

 

[polarisdave]

This is more like it and what I should have done in the first place. The capacity of the tongue weight has got to be equal to or greater than the towing capacity. This thing is bullet proof now.



I'm happy the way it came out, it fits like a glove, all 10 mounting holes (5 on each side) line up perfectly with the OEM axle / differential bolts. If it didn't take me so long to make this darn thing I'd sell them for a living :laughing:

Larry

Nice hitch. Looks similar to my design. This is my father-in-law's bike and he also found out that the factory hitch was too light for pulling a trailer around the farm. Your design provides a nice skid plate for the rear diff. I opted to go without a skid plate.

 

[tlm00]

I just made a replacement hitch for this. If there is interest I will make more.

 

[Woodguy]

Hello, nice job, I would be interested in one of those rear hitches. regards

 

[vt tim]

I would be interested in buying a hitch-mount as well.

 

[GuglioLS]

Hi Guys,

Yes I can make a few more of these. Just PM me to work out the details.
I never thought there would be this much interest or that other Traxter 500 owners were out there needing a decent receiver hitch.
I'm looking forward to making a few more sets.

Larry

 

[blackbearsk]

Good afternoon, I am looking to see if you still are making these hitches. Its exactly what I am looking for. If so how much how soon etc. etc.
Thanks in advance

 

[GuglioLS]

Blackbearsk,

Thanks for your interest and PM. You are in luck, I just so happen to have one more set of plasma cut pieces that can be welded into a hitch. In order to do that I have to disassemble the rear end of my ATV to use as a welding jig. With all the hitches Ive made I'm starting to wear out my ATV's bolt threads. With that said, this will be the absolute last hitch I make and wish to close out this thread forevermore. It will be a few weekends before I can get to it due to prior commitments.

I will PM you details - Larry

 

[mtbrbike]

Hello,

Do you have anymore of these Traxter hitches? Let me know

thanks
J