3-Point Hitch Adding a tow ball

[stanleymcmahan]

Greetings fellow tractor owners,

I own a Kubota B2320 for LA304 FEL and ballast box.

I have a small trailer I need to move around from time to time and would love see how you add a tow ball when the ballast box is attached - assuming that is not ill-advised.

Stan

 

[timster2]

I added a receiver through the ballast box. Works good for moving trailers around. Also added a grab hook for good measure.

 

[dsmiley]

I added this to the bottom of my ballast box. It's Reese p/n 81378 for 23 bucks. It is the same height as the ballast box angle-iron feet so the box still sits nicely on the floor/dolly when off the machine.

 

[PeterK]

I added a front ball hitch to my BX and now I can push the trailers around. MUCH easier once you get the hang of it.

 

[tman1020]

Use caution when moving trailers around with a set up like these. It's okay with light trailers on flat ground but if you get anything with some weight or uneven ground it can cause a lot of problems that happen fast and are hard to react to. Tractors are not designed to pull trailers from there.

 

[gwdixon]

Actually, adding the tow ball to the ballast box is a good idea, safety wise. Since there is no down pressure on the 3PH, the ballast box provides the weight to keep the trailer tongue from flipping up on uneven (backweighted) loads.

Personally, I like to back up to a trailer and hook up while sitting in the seat. So I use an A-frame with a hitch receiver tube welded to it. That way the ball and trailer tongue can be seen and the 3 PH just lifted to make the alignment. Hard to do with a ballast box in the line of sight.

 

[Mowbizz]

I like to move my trailers around with a front mount ball...take a look at these...this guy makes them himself and offers super quick shipping. Nice quality unit and very easy to mount on existing bolt holes, usually. He will custom make one for your tractor. I have bought 2 from him for my BX's over the years. The latest one I bought, this Spring, had a slight bend in the metal and he shipped another overnight, free and said keep the bent one for an "anchor" or whatever..

Kubota Tractor BX Series Front Receiver Hitch Can Also Custom Build for Others | eBay

 

[rjkobbeman]

I have one of those, except mine if from fabworksoem. Works great. I use it to back my camper into its little cubby in the garage.

Don't know what the weight limit is on the BX front axle, however my tongue weight is only 400 lbs. Surely that is less than an FEL with a load.

 

[rjkobbeman]

For those with bigger tractors, the receiver on a ballast box is a pretty good idea. Never thought of that. I should have done that before pouring concrete in mine! Still, know your tractor's limitations. A bigger trailer can make the front end light. Lots of things can go wrong when that happens.

 

[newbury]

I've an 18' Hudson 12K trailer. On my M4700 FEL I mount a Titan clamp on hitch. That FEL is rated for up to a ton, I've moved the trailer partially loaded, but not fully. On my B7610 I use a 3pt hitch. It wouldn't handle a half loaded trailer on the FEL.

If the OP is moving the trailer just short distances (around the parking area etc.) with tongue weight always under 400 lbs I suggest a FEL mounted hitch. For actual TRAILERING, say down the road a piece to the neighbors or heavier tongue weight a solution off the 3 point would be better.

/edit - my M4700 is in Mississippi, where I have plenty of room to park with my F350 dually. My B7610 is in the suburbs of Northern Virginia where I can barely fit my F350 dually and trailer down the street and my B7610 is about my ONLY solution to park the trailer without driving my truck on the lawn across the street.