kebo
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 16, 2006
- Messages
- 2,910
- Location
- Lexington, SC
- Tractor
- 2001 John Deere 790 4x4, bar tires
Finally got my handy hitch welded together, painted up, and ready to hook up to the tractor! The first picture is my parts list. I basically started with a medium duty 1" reese towhitch for a small pick that I got off of craigslist cheap. It was an adjustable width design which is what the three holes on either side were for. I got a 2" receiver at TSC and welded it on top of the plate that the safety chains hook to. The upright member is 2" square tubing, the braces on either side of it are made from 1 1/2" angle stock. The two end plates for the draft link pins are made from 1 1/2" thick bar stock, while the two pieces at the top for the top link pin are made from 3/8 thick bar stock. I ordered some 3/8 weld on grab hooks from AgriSupply. The little triangle brace is also 3/8" stock.
The next picture is after all the welding was done. I confess this is not my welding, but I wish it were. I was fortunate to find a retired welder (also through craigslist) who works pretty cheap, he only charged me $25 for about 1 hr and 45min of welding. He does good work, and he works fast too so I will probably use him again.
This is a closeup of the reese hitch. I included this so you can see the offset I had to put in it because of the 1/4" thick plate made for the tow chains. I could have cut off some of the reese hitch to slide it back further, or maybe filled in the gap with some more material but I decided to leave it as is. The reason this 2" receiver is on top is because if you look at the first pic real close, you will notice there is 1" receiver hiding underneath the plate for the tow hooks.
Here's the finished product, I think it looks great!! You may notice I left the top open, that's for future expansion? I don't have a GN trailer so I didn't need another ball on top. I may try and add a receiver on top made from either standard 2" sq tube or maybe some round tubing so I can add a short (prolly about 4ft long) light duty boom pole.. Looking back, I now wish I had made the vertical member about 4" taller though, that would give me more area to weld (and brace) a receiver on top of it for the boom. I can make it work as it is, but will probably have to add some more tubing on top of it. I may weld a large D-ring midways of the vertical member later on too. Now, to come up with some attachments to use with it. I have an idea for a "pan" of sorts to use to skid logs with. I also want to make an adapter that will let me pop in a subsoiler, or change it out to a middlebuster for a one row plow. I have some other ideas for improvements/changes I want to do/make for my tractor and/or the attachments I use with it. I'm already working on a bracket to carry my chainsaw and a fire extinguisher next. I think you will like it once you see it. I'm gonna copy the way Foggy did his tool box for his 790 (hope you don't mind Foggy!). Also, I have plans to fabricate a light bar to go on top of the ROPS too. Just have to find time to do all this neat stuff, but it's deer season from now until Jan 1st and I need to fill my freezer!
The next picture is after all the welding was done. I confess this is not my welding, but I wish it were. I was fortunate to find a retired welder (also through craigslist) who works pretty cheap, he only charged me $25 for about 1 hr and 45min of welding. He does good work, and he works fast too so I will probably use him again.
This is a closeup of the reese hitch. I included this so you can see the offset I had to put in it because of the 1/4" thick plate made for the tow chains. I could have cut off some of the reese hitch to slide it back further, or maybe filled in the gap with some more material but I decided to leave it as is. The reason this 2" receiver is on top is because if you look at the first pic real close, you will notice there is 1" receiver hiding underneath the plate for the tow hooks.
Here's the finished product, I think it looks great!! You may notice I left the top open, that's for future expansion? I don't have a GN trailer so I didn't need another ball on top. I may try and add a receiver on top made from either standard 2" sq tube or maybe some round tubing so I can add a short (prolly about 4ft long) light duty boom pole.. Looking back, I now wish I had made the vertical member about 4" taller though, that would give me more area to weld (and brace) a receiver on top of it for the boom. I can make it work as it is, but will probably have to add some more tubing on top of it. I may weld a large D-ring midways of the vertical member later on too. Now, to come up with some attachments to use with it. I have an idea for a "pan" of sorts to use to skid logs with. I also want to make an adapter that will let me pop in a subsoiler, or change it out to a middlebuster for a one row plow. I have some other ideas for improvements/changes I want to do/make for my tractor and/or the attachments I use with it. I'm already working on a bracket to carry my chainsaw and a fire extinguisher next. I think you will like it once you see it. I'm gonna copy the way Foggy did his tool box for his 790 (hope you don't mind Foggy!). Also, I have plans to fabricate a light bar to go on top of the ROPS too. Just have to find time to do all this neat stuff, but it's deer season from now until Jan 1st and I need to fill my freezer!
