Front mounted 3 point

[sqdqo]

On a front mounted 3 point. Can you push hard as well as pull hard on a front mounted 3 point? Reason I ask is the thought of mounting a heavy snow plow up front with the 3 point. Any opinion appreciated.

 

[Thomas]

May main concern would be stress on loader arms.

 

[oldnslo]

What model of tractor will this be going on? My concern would be the tensile stress on the tractor trying to stretch it Vs compress it.

 

[DirtyHandsCleanSoul]

Plows and other heavy draft loads have been pulled from 3pt hitches forever. Steel has much higher tensile strength than it does compressive strength. Pushing with a 3pt hitch is another story, the hitch has to be built heavy enough for side and shock loads. In ag tractors you can usually order a heavier duty front 3pt hitch which will be rated for light plowing loads. In order to add a large blade you usually get a blade with a subframe that bolts onto the tractor frame or drawbar.

If your hitch is built heavy enough to push forward you wont damage it by pulling back.

 

[WilliamBos]

Front tnree point hitches have been used forever in Europe, and under heavy loads too.

Look up Zuidberg, a Dutch company. They are just as strong as a rear three point.

Plowing with a loade mounted blade is ok too. In the hands of an idiot, anything can be broken!!

http://www.zuidberg.nl/eng/index.php

 

[mikehaugen]

In the hsnds of an idiot, anything can be broken!!

I don't know, there are SOME things I haven't managed to break yet

 

[sixdogs]

There are a number of tractor mounted 3-pt hitch setups around here on farm utility tractors and I have not heard of anyone breaking anything yet.

 

[94BULLITT]

My main concern with plowing snow on a front 3 point would be hitting something because you would not have a spring trip on the blade. What else would you use it for? Do you have a loader? You could get one of these. You could also build a subframe mounted plow.

 

[MFRED]

Having used both I would go with a front mounted 3pt for snow plowing/pushing. Using the loader is nice for stacking snow and switching implements but I personally don't like the side deflection and the extra stress it seems to put on the loader frame and mountings. Under normal use the loader will work just fine. A larger tractor properly ballasted will have enough power to tear things up. It's tough to be gentle all the time when things are covered under 2ft of snow.

The front 3pt seems to be sturdier since it is mounted close to the tractor frame. Lift height would be a concern depending on use. As said Zuidberg makes a nice hitch for most makes and models. Also if it's just snow removal, HLA makes some nice front mounted pushers and blades that have a parallel lift system for extra height.