Making my own 3pt. hitch

[randy1687]

I am thinking I can weld up my own 2 inch reciever hitch that do alot of different things cheaper than the 200.00+ dollars I have seen them costing. I was thinking of using 2 inch sqaure at 3/16 wall thicness and 1/4 thick flat. Will that be strong enough for plowing, fence stretching, ect?. It will be used on my kubota B7510. Let me know what you guys think, I only want to build it one time!.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

your square tube should be fine, since that's pretty much standard sizing for any receiver hitch, but i'd consider using heavier flat stock for the frame -- go take a look at the flat metal support bits on a box or grader blade, I bet they're at least 5/16 and maybe 3/8" to handle the lateral stresses.

 

[kennyd]

I used 3/8" on mine...here are two pictures.

 

[JB4310]

I used 3/8" on mine...here are two pictures.

Kenny,
Nice setup, home made cable layer, did you make that ripper or are they for sale? does that stiff uf cable feed thru that conduit smoothly? I can hardly push it thru!


Randy,
I'm sure you can do it a little cheaper but for sure you can also add your own custom features, I would add some rings for trailer safety chains and a place to hook a limiter chain between the adapter and the tractors draw bar to prevent the 3 pt from rising above the safe operating limit.
Then think of some other things to customize it.
Here's a pic of my flexpoint, which I can't remember what I paid for it, but might have been close to $200.

And BTW welcome!

 

[kennyd]

Kenny,
Nice setup, home made cable layer, did you make that ripper or are they for sale? does that stiff uf cable feed thru that conduit smoothly? I can hardly push it thru!

I made it, It's only been used to lay about 200' of cable, but it worked perfectly. Depth was about 14" or so...I did run the ripper through the path I was burying the cable twice first to loosen the ground before laying the cable. The UF cable had no problem feeding thru the 1" conduit.

 

[excelagator]

Here's is one I built.



I used 2x2x1/4" wall tubing and the 1/4" flat-stock. I that sitting around. I had to buy the pins, hitch tube, HF flipable ball mount, and shackle mount. I probably have $30 in it. Much more useful that a drawbar with a ball IMHO.

BTW, very clever Kenny!!!!

 

[bx24]

With the 3 point quick hitch, do you guys have to "hook" the top pin first (with the bottom of the hitch swung back) and then bring the bottom in to clip it in?

In some of the images, there does not seem to be enough room to drop the whole rig straight down (not that it matters, I was just curious)

One other note, I was thinking about hitting the junk yards to get a class III hitch off a junk car and adding the top link, but I am not sure if it is worth the trouble (rather than simply fabbing up the whole thing)

 

[excelagator]

With the 3 point quick hitch, do you guys have to "hook" the top pin first (with the bottom of the hitch swung back) and then bring the bottom in to clip it in?

In some of the images, there does not seem to be enough room to drop the whole rig straight down (not that it matters, I was just curious)

One other note, I was thinking about hitting the junk yards to get a class III hitch off a junk car and adding the top link, but I am not sure if it is worth the trouble (rather than simply fabbing up the whole thing)

I moved my uptube out further for a bit of enforcement in my mind. Personally I should had ran the tubes square and did a tube gusset on the receiver forward and back. Also the problem with uptube is the spacing. You could do this better with two uptubes and spaced further abit. The spacing would be better doing that.

Smart man!!!! Someone on here did exactly what you are describing with a hitch from a S-10. I would look for a square tube receiver at the junkyard.

 

[bx24]

Personally I should had ran the tubes square and did a tube gusset on the receiver forward and back.

I like the way yours turned out. Given the current "beefyness" of your set-up, even without the extra gussets, I would be surprised if you ever put enough torque on that connection to cause problems. I always think that I need to beef things up, but after looking at critical joints on various machines (and assuming a lot of engineering and testing went into their design), I am always surprised at out much is achieved by so little material and support. If you are concerned, I would expect you could throw a couple of quick gussets in there in a matter of minutes.

Nice job

 

[JB4310]

With the 3 point quick hitch, do you guys have to "hook" the top pin first (with the bottom of the hitch swung back) and then bring the bottom in to clip it in?

In some of the images, there does not seem to be enough room to drop the whole rig straight down (not that it matters, I was just curious)

On mine there is not enough room to drop on the J-hooks, I've been just loosening my top bolt (I have a threaded bolt) you could use a quick pin with the bushing, but after looking at the picture I was thinking the same as you, that it may be able to be swung in place after getting the top in, but I doubt there is enough clearance to do it, Like you said though, it doesn't really matter since the thing is light enough to maneuver by hand.

I would think if you can find a "junkyard" factory hitch, that would be the ideal starting platform to build your own, just not one of those glossy china units that have more engineering than good steel in them.

 

[excelagator]

My first hitch I did take a drawbar and built a upper section to attach to the top hook. I built the upper frame section out of 1x1x1/8" tubing and used 1/8" plate.



I did move a 1600# car trailer around with this set-up with no problems. I retired the drawbar simply because I could not turn the tractor enough where I needed. My current set-up cured that problem alot.

This is just my point of view. I am no expert by all means and I have only been welding for a while. I believe your lower horizonal section between your arms should be heavy to stout, because this really what bears the load. The vertical section can be lighter duty since it just really holding the lower section from flipping forward and back. Then again nothing wrong with over-engineering or over building it.

Dan

 

[JB4310]

My first hitch I did take a drawbar and built a upper section to attach to the top hook. I built the upper frame section out of 1x1x1/8" tubing and used 1/8" plate.



I did move a 1600# car trailer around with this set-up with no problems. I retired the drawbar simply because I could not turn the tractor enough where I needed. My current set-up cured that problem alot.

This is just my point of view. I am no expert by all means and I have only been welding for a while. I believe your lower horizonal section between your arms should be heavy to stout, because this really what bears the load. The vertical section can be lighter duty since it just really holding the lower section from flipping forward and back. Then again nothing wrong with over-engineering or over building it.

Dan

Well now this picture gives an even easier starting point, the horizontal draw bar is super HD and has the pins already on each end, so basically all you have to do is fab something like the EZ-mover, or weld the receiver tube right to the bar and another support to accept the top link.
heck might as well just get the ez thing looks like a simple/great product.
Either way you go it would be nice to have the few extra holes in the draw bar for other applications like a couple of clevises for the trailer safety chains and an easy attachment point for the 3 pt limiter chain.

Starting with a salvaged receiver hitch VS a horizontal draw bar, those threaded lower link pins are not cheap, the draw bar with the pins already on is not expensive and might be the better/easier/ more versatile way to go.

 

[excelagator]

Yes you are correct JB. I saw the ez mover and went DOH!!!!

The threaded pins are fairly cheap. I get them at Farm & Fleet for under $4 for Cat. 1

 

[lambs]

I'm no welder, but I'd make sure any receiver I bought from a junkyard came off a car that was not rear-ended. I think any impact to one could be risky.