Extended, high rise hitch bar

[JDgreen227]

My JD 4210 came from the factory with a flat, short hitch bar that slides into the receiver under the rear axle housing. I use a 6X12 aluminum utiity trailer for moving brush, firewood, materials, etc. around here, and the factory hitch bar is almost useless for attaching that trailer..too low, and too short. My trailer tongue jack would hit the 3-point lift arms while turning very sharply.

Last year, I purchased a used, curved drawbar at a garage sale for $5. I drilled a pair of half inch holes through a 2-inch receiver hitch bar I had lying around that matched up with the holes in the end of the drawbar, then sanded, primed, and painted both sections and bolted them together. I don't have a welder, and to me, a cheapskate at heart, the grade 5 bolts I already had would work just as well as paying someone to weld things for me.

 

[thatguy]

Curious to see what others think about IF it could cause issues with the front end getting 'light' with it being so far back..

Brian

 

[JDgreen227]

Curious to see what others think about IF it could cause issues with the front end getting 'light' with it being so far back..

Brian

Might not work for everyone IF you carry a heavy tongue load but my utility trailer only weighs 800 pounds empty (aluminum) and I so rarely have much of a load in it so I can easily pick the tongue up when needed to hitch it up. Have had my 6200 lb travel trailer attached to the OEM drawbar and that never seemed to lighten the front much. Good point though, appreciate your input.

 

[thatguy]

I understand your need.. I thought I would be smart one time and aerate and mow at the same time.. BUT I had not entered the fact that the 3pt arms drop when mowing, and they kept hitting the aerator during turns.. LOL

Brian

 

[North Country]

I'm go with a TLAR guess that the bar will bend and/or the bolts will fail before you lift the front end off the ground.

 

[Gizmo2]

I like it. I would also compliment the grounds keeper.

 

[JDgreen227]

Thanks from the groundskeeper...

Hitched the trailer up for the first time today, with 130 pounds of empty trailer tongue weight and my 170 pounds standing atop the tongue, I measured an inch of sag at the ball.

It's a little more flexy than I would prefer but will work fine for my purposes.

 

[JB4310]

Nice draw bar for 5.00, it should be fine for that size/ weight trailer.

But I would prefer a ball on a horizontal draw bar, or better yet, if you have a QH...

.

 

[wooden]

Here is my version that I think works really well. A friend gave me a universal Hitch kit that didn't work for him on his import. I hunted through my workshop and found the thing and went to work. Cut down the cross bar from a center point so both mounting brackets fit flush to my ballast box. Drilled 6 5/8" holes and bolted it on. Works well in that I don't have to leave the seat to hitch on to any of my three trailers. I can pick up my boat without having to leave the seat, move it to where I want it , set it down and go cut the grass where I keep it and replace it without getting off. I love it. The ball being as far back of the rear wheels makes it a breeze in handling a tow

 

[JDgreen227]

Here is my version that I think works really well. A friend gave me a universal Hitch kit that didn't work for him on his import. I hunted through my workshop and found the thing and went to work. Cut down the cross bar from a center point so both mounting brackets fit flush to my ballast box. Drilled 6 5/8" holes and bolted it on. Works well in that I don't have to leave the seat to hitch on to any of my three trailers. I can pick up my boat without having to leave the seat, move it to where I want it , set it down and go cut the grass where I keep it and replace it without getting off. I love it. The ball being as far back of the rear wheels makes it a breeze in handling a tow

You can go fancy like you did, or you can go cheap like I did...do I interpret your method as saying you don't have to leave the seat to lock the coupler onto the ball? Even with a lot of weight on the trailer tongue, I would hestitate to move a trailer without locking the coupler down.

Man, I wish I had a friend who would give ME something like your friend did.

 

[JDgreen227]

Nice draw bar for 5.00, it should be fine for that size/ weight trailer.

But I would prefer a ball on a horizontal draw bar, or better yet, if you have a QH...

.

I have a horizontal draw bar but because it rotates when I attach a ball to it, it is practically useless. I might use my utility trailer once or twice a month which makes it pretty hard to justify spending on a QH...if I needed the trailer every day that would make a big difference. Usually I use the FEL to handle brush and firewood etc, but it's just as easy now to hook up the trailer as it is to bother mounting and demounting the FEL.

 

[JB4310]

I have a horizontal draw bar but because it rotates when I attach a ball to it, it is practically useless. I might use my utility trailer once or twice a month which makes it pretty hard to justify spending on a QH...if I needed the trailer every day that would make a big difference. Usually I use the FEL to handle brush and firewood etc, but it's just as easy now to hook up the trailer as it is to bother mounting and demounting the FEL.

That's why I showed a picture of a horizontal draw-bar lock, prevents the draw bar from turning. About $20. from tractor supply.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/79549-drawbar-lock.html


Then you will not have to lift trailer or fool around with jack, still have to get off to latch it, but I have done short moves on level ground without locking the coupler.

I've got one and it works, other people have gotten creative and made their own.

JB.

 

[JDgreen227]

That's why I showed a picture of a horizontal draw-bar lock, prevents the draw bar from turning. About $20. from tractor supply.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/79549-drawbar-lock.html


Then you will not have to lift trailer or fool around with jack, still have to get off to latch it, but I have done short moves on level ground without locking the coupler.

I've got one and it works, other people have gotten creative and made their own.

JB.

Thanks for clarification, I was trying to figure out WHAT that gadget was, and you know, yesterday I was going thru my latest TSC catalog, looking at 3-point hitch parts, and I do not recall seeing such a drawbar lock in the catalog. TWENTY BUCKS???!!! I better go out and hit some more garage sales, wonder if the one I got my curved drawbar at had a lock for sale and I didn't know what it was then :laughing:

 

[wooden]

Usually just moving around my yard there really is no need to lock it down. Its all very slow movements and so the tongue weight is more than enough to keep the trailers in place. I keep my trailers balanced forward slightly to insure weight on the ball, and being able to lift the load as high as I want for travel makes it easy. The Rock Arm does all the work

 

[JB4310]

Usually just moving around my yard there really is no need to lock it down. Its all very slow movements and so the tongue weight is more than enough to keep the trailers in place. I keep my trailers balanced forward slightly to insure weight on the ball, and being able to lift the load as high as I want for travel makes it easy. The Rock Arm does all the work

Helps to unload the trailer as well. Partially dumped, easier to remove dirt, leaves, rubble etc.

JB

 

[MaxxB]

Hope i'm not hijacking this thread.

I recently purchased a category 1 cross/drawbar with the goal of putting a chain hook and a ball or 2 on it...of course I quickly learned that the ball will rotate...did some searching here and came across several threads including this one.

So i went back to TSC and got the a fore mentioned drawbar lock. Something just isn't right...i forgot to snap a pic, but will try to describe.

The 2 lift arms can still sway open enough till they hit the hitch pins...this allows the spindle at the end of the draw bar to be exposed enough off the rectangular portion for the drawbar lock to fall over to the spindle and then the drawbar still rotates?

I'm thinking about maybe washers or a bushing solving the problems.

Am I doing something wrong? I've seen post after post of people buying these generic drawbars etc. with no issue. I'm wondering if I have something on my 3 point adjusted wrong?

Thanks!

 

[North Country]

Hope i'm not hijacking this thread.

I recently purchased a category 1 cross/drawbar with the goal of putting a chain hook and a ball or 2 on it...of course I quickly learned that the ball will rotate...did some searching here and came across several threads including this one.

So i went back to TSC and got the a fore mentioned drawbar lock. Something just isn't right...i forgot to snap a pic, but will try to describe.

The 2 lift arms can still sway open enough till they hit the hitch pins...this allows the spindle at the end of the draw bar to be exposed enough off the rectangular portion for the drawbar lock to fall over to the spindle and then the drawbar still rotates?

I'm thinking about maybe washers or a bushing solving the problems.

Am I doing something wrong? I've seen post after post of people buying these generic drawbars etc. with no issue. I'm wondering if I have something on my 3 point adjusted wrong?

Thanks!

Is it as simple as tightening your anti-sway links until this can't happen? Is there a reason that doesn't work?

 

[Gizmo2]

Are the sway chains on the outside or inside?
Maybe bend the bracket a bit.

 

[JB4310]

Yeah those locks are not perfect, a little sloppy. I have one and used it for a while before I got my 3 pt trailer adaptor.
Some of the home brew ones look better.

JB.

 

[MaxxB]

Is it as simple as tightening your anti-sway links until this can't happen? Is there a reason that doesn't work?

i see what you mean and i should clarify/correct my terminology...the parts spreading apart are the draft links although you may have inferred that from my description.

I could try tightening these sway links, but i'm not sure i see how that will keep the draftlinks tighter together? That said, the draft links do sway a bit side to side. There doesn't look like there's much room left to tighten the links though...if someone messed with the length if the lift links would that throw things off. I gotta get my head around the proper order of operation when adjusted the entire 3 point assembly.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...99542d1207273787-help-adjust-jd-790-3-pto.jpg

thats another guys rig, but you get the idea of where the sway links are gizmo2