Flex Point Hitch System

Mark_in_NH · Apr 20, 2004

This item may well have been advertised for awhile now and I just haven't seen it. It's design doesn't appear a whole lot differant then any of the others available on the market, but of course it is the first one made available (to my knowledge) as a special to TBN members with a special price for TBN members.
Although I would like something for moving trailers around, I feel that $199 is to much money for ME to invest in that type of an attachment. I would prefer something on the front quick hitch for my use.
But the thing that made me chuckle is the fact that the special TBN member price is identicle to the advertised MSRP.
So, somebody please tell me. How is this a special deal to TBN members ? Or maybe the adevertised MSRP and or TBN member price is a misprint.

mahlers · Apr 20, 2004

Am I missing something, or is it not usually possible to put a hitch ball on your drawbar and use that to tow a trailer?

zuiko · Apr 20, 2004

That's one thing I never got about it either. They make hitch balls that fit on the cat 1 3pt drawbars ($20) and of course the proper drawbar attached to the rear axel ($0, comes with tractor). Only thing I can think of is it would be handy to have the receiver tube if you had multiple ball sizes. Everything I got is 2" so it's not an issue for me.

5030 · Apr 20, 2004

Zuiko:

I usually just roll my bucket back and use the center tooth on my tooth bar for jockeying trailers around. I even use that method for moving my gooseneck horse trailer and my dropdeck.

I would not recommend the toothbar method for a small CUT, but the 5030 has enough grunt and weight to handle the job.

tough451 · Apr 20, 2004

the draw bar that comes with the tractor is a better choice unless your moving gooseneck trailers.

Bob_Skurka · Apr 20, 2004

I don't move trailers around because I don't own one, BUT when I bought by combo-middle buster/sub-soiler from Northern Tool it came with a trailer hitch too, no ball was attached, but I suppose it was set up so the individual user could attach the ball size needed.

All 3 pieced cost $169 plus shipping. So I got a trailer hitch, a sub soiler and a middle buster for less than the cost of the Flex Point Hitch System. That makes me wonder why the Flex Point cost $199.

BillG_in_TX · Apr 20, 2004

( But the thing that made me chuckle is the fact that the special TBN member price is identicle to the advertised MSRP. )

How about the fact that it's only available in black, but the picture shows it in Yellow . /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

755inNY · Apr 20, 2004

Am I missing something, or is it not usually possible to put a hitch ball on your drawbar and use that to tow a trailer? 

Sure you can use a ball mounted to the draw bar. Back up under trailer tongue. Get off tractor. Lower trailer tongue onto draw bar. Hopefully every thing is still all lined up. If not, jockey trailer a bit if it is light enough or reposition tractor. Is the draw bar high enough to keep trailer jack, etc from dragging on the ground? Get back on tractor. Move trailer. Get off tractor. Raise trailer tongue off of ball. Get back on tractor. Now if you were repositioning the trailer temporarily to mow you can repeat the steps above to put the trailer back.

With 3PH mounted ball, back up to trailer with 3PH lowered. Raise 3PH to capture trailer tongue and keep raising to lift tongue jack from ground. Reposition trailer and lower 3PH to release.

BUT, you do not need a $199 hitch system to accomplish this. Northern Tool sells a similar looking device also for $199. I guess it must be the cost of the patent that makes the price so outrageous because there certainly isn't $199 worth of steel and fabrication in the thing.

Jeff

Inspector507 · Apr 20, 2004

You'd be hard pressed to move a goose neck with that hitch anyway. Thats one item that's offered at TBN that I don't feel is worth the price when you can get one from Lowery's in Al for what....maybe under $50??

tough451 · Apr 20, 2004

Before I kept getting booted I was going to say that one of our local tractor dealers sells on that will move goosenecks or regular trailers.

Rip · Apr 20, 2004

I'll agree with the general concensus that the Flex Point hitch is way too expensive for what it is. I'd even say it was too high at half the price. Northern has been selling the Flex Point for a couple of years at same high price.

Rip

8561 · Apr 20, 2004

I'm glad my everyone else's reaction was the same as mine. I've been wanting something like this and when I saw the banner ad, I thought finally, maybe I can get a good deal on one of these things. Wrong again.

RonR · Apr 20, 2004

Well, this won't move a gooseneck, but for moving my boat and my implement trailer, this works well, took about 30 minutes to build, and cost me probably $10 as I already had the hitch.

Curling my bucket lets me see the ball for easy alignment.

This is an option............
Ron

Mark_in_NH · Apr 20, 2004

( How about the fact that it's only available in black, but the picture shows it in Yellow . )

And they still want another $35 to ship it.
I can and "am planning to", go to my local BobCat dealer, buy a brand new quick-tach plate for less then $100, take it to my local welder, who also happens to be a trailer dealer (the same man who bought my JD 950) have him weld on an old used / discarded receiver hitch and I still won't have $200 into it.

PineRidge · Apr 20, 2004

I stick welded a receiver tube to the bottom side of my draw-bar. I have several different lengths of tubes made from 2 X 2 X 3/16" steel with various balls and clevis attachments for the chores at hand.

Logan · Apr 20, 2004

Since I keep a box blade on the back of my tractor most of the time, I bolted a hitch ball to the back of it. Have had no problems with it.

OkeeDon · Apr 21, 2004

I usually just roll my bucket back and use the center tooth on my tooth bar for jockeying trailers around 

I don't have a toothbar, but I just pick up up the tongue with the bucket, then hook the trailer's safety chains to my bucket hooks. I have to get off to do this, but my cost was zero. I don't have any really big trailers, but I have moved a loaded 16' closed trailer (Wells Cargo type), a 6 x 12 dump trailer loaded with trash, and a 16' open deck car hauler with a light car (~2400#) on it, all with my TC18 with 12LA loader. Keep in mind that the loads were well balanced and tongue weight was probably no more than 300# in any case. If all I have to do is push the trailers backwards, I don't bother with the chains. I've thought of welding a nub of scrap to the underside of the tongues so I can pull the trailers with the bucket, also, but I haven't got a round tuit.

California · Apr 21, 2004

Here's what works for me for a front hitch.

This 1 7/8 ball on top of my loader bucket was there when I got it. Looks like it's been there 20 years and was used mostly to hang a chain from. The only reinforcement is a giant washer under it.

I plan to replace the ball with a 2" ball to match my equipment, then I'm wondering how it would work to hoist the front of my 8' trailer to dump it. Surely someone's tried that before - how well did it work? The trailer's tail lights are well protected so I don't see any potential for damage there. Anything else to watch for?

I added those four large Cold Shuts to make tie points for light loads, like these old pallets. Obviously any heavy lifting has to be centered, so would be lifted from the trailer ball.

dmftoy1 · Apr 21, 2004

( Am I missing something, or is it not usually possible to put a hitch ball on your drawbar and use that to tow a trailer? 

Sure you can use a ball mounted to the draw bar. Back up under trailer tongue. Get off tractor. Lower trailer tongue onto draw bar. Hopefully every thing is still all lined up. If not, jockey trailer a bit if it is light enough or reposition tractor. Is the draw bar high enough to keep trailer jack, etc from dragging on the ground? Get back on tractor. Move trailer. Get off tractor. Raise trailer tongue off of ball. Get back on tractor. Now if you were repositioning the trailer temporarily to mow you can repeat the steps above to put the trailer back.

With 3PH mounted ball, back up to trailer with 3PH lowered. Raise 3PH to capture trailer tongue and keep raising to lift tongue jack from ground. Reposition trailer and lower 3PH to release.

BUT, you do not need a $199 hitch system to accomplish this. Northern Tool sells a similar looking device also for $199. I guess it must be the cost of the patent that makes the price so outrageous because there certainly isn't $199 worth of steel and fabrication in the thing.

Jeff )

This sounds good in theory and works great if you're only moving it a few feet, but don't do it this way if you're actually going to use the trailer. (stupidity story to follow)

I made my own version of one of these and it works fine . .the first time I used it I backed up, picked up my firewood trailer and headed down to the woodlot to start work . .there's a small hill that I have to go down and it is somewhat bumpy . .hit a big bump and turned around to see my trailer had jumped off the ball and was chasing me down the hill . .luckily the little Kubota was faster than the trailer! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Make sure that after picking up the trailer that you get off and latch the ball coupler . .just my .02!

Regards,
Dave

755inNY · Apr 21, 2004

Make sure that after picking up the trailer that you get off and latch the ball coupler 

Dave,

Good point and I totally agree. I always latch the coupler if I am doing anything other than just repositioning the trailer.

Jeff