How to hook chains to the tow bar

[Bob_Trevithick]

I bought some nice grade-70 chains the other day, but can't find a hook that's big enough to hook into the tow bar of my JD 4300. They had some huge ones, but they were only rated at grade 43 or something similar. How do you normally hook up a chain to the tow bar, for things like pulling stuck cars out of snow, etc..?

Thanks,
Bob

Bob Trevithick

 

[Bird]

Bob, get a clevis hook to put on the tow bar, then hook your chain to that.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>…but they were only rated at grade 43 or something similar…</font color=blue>

Bob...
/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
I don't think you'll have to worry as those hooks are rated at 9000 lbs...

Hook right at your swinging draw bar, and don't jerk the chain, pull steady... Keep all hook ups attached low...

 

[PaulinSD]

When I trailer either the 955 or the 1050 without anything on the 3 point, I use a clevis through the drawbar hole to chain the rear of the tractor. Also works for other jobs, like you indicated.

Paul

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...I don't think you'll have to worry as those hooks are rated at 9000 lbs...</font color=blue>

Ahah! That should do it for all but my neighbor's truckasaurus.. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thanks, guys!

p.s. I couldn't wait any longer for snow.. I had to use my new baby. So I put it on the heaters for an hour, then warmed it up for a while, and then cruised my property and my neighbors (good friends!) just getting the feel of the gears, etc. There's an area I intend to push into our garden next year.. where the previous owner had a bulldozer push the dirt out to make a smooth area for her horses. We want to push all this nice soil back into the garden area next spring, so I gave this a try while I was playing. Didn't even need 4WD! Just loafed along with the front blade in "float" position, and down came brush and little trees around 1.5 inches in diameter.. no sweat at all. I have a few hundred pounds out back on a dirt scoop for snow traction, and probably this is why I could push so much without the 4WD. In any event, it was a fun evening. Got into high range out on the road once or twice.. it's amazing how fast 15.6 MPH can feel. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bob

Bob Trevithick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Most important thing to remember, NEVER and I do mean NEVER yank on anything with a chain attached to a tractor, unless you want to do damage.
If you have to pull something, put the tractor in the lowest gear possible, and pull once you have eliminated all slack.
If you must yank, use 2 chains with an old tire in the middle, or a nylon snatching strap.

 

[TimSullivan]

Maybe I missed something but using a tire or a nylon strap that stretches could allow energy to be stored and released if the the tire or strap lets go. If the chain on the far side of the tractor were to break the stored force would head for the tractor. Not good. I have had chains break and they just drop to the ground. I have had steel rope or cable fail and that can be very dangerous. I have a ten ton trailer mounted winch that has 125 feet a cable on it and it has a twenty foot remote on it to keep the operator out of harms way. Anything that stores force is dangerous if it lets go so a chain alone is the safest way to apply force by pulling.

 

[RoyJackson]

Better to not use 4WD on hard pavement

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The whole purpose of putting a tire in the middle is to eliminate shock when yanking. Very often the tire will provide you the extra energy to get something unstuck. If you ever cut a tire you'd notice there are 2 steel cables in the bead, and in 40 years, I have yet to see a tire ripped apart. I have however seen steering axels pulled out of Mack Dumps by a dozer, and they fly too.
Chains break too, and believe me, they fly when they brake.
As to winch cables, or wire rope, hang a blanket over the cable midpoint to save yer [censored] if the cable breaks.
The biggest part of any towing operation is knowing what you are doing. If you don't know, leave it stuck till the pros get there.

 

[erich]

I guess what I enjoy most about this site is finding out what I don't know. Even when there are differences of opinion, I usually learn something from both sides. I hate to think how many "sins" I have committed in the past. By the grace of God I have survived. Even as an engineer with more book learning than most could stand, I still bend and break things occasionally, and then have to bear the cost to repair them. Age and advice from "them that's doing" has slowed me down and makes me think a little further ahead.