Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best?

/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #1  

Sassi

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Perry, Georgia
Tractor
Kubota L3240
I have read all the information that I can find on both the the Northern Tool (Nor Trac) and the Tractor Supply Company (County Line) three point hitch carry alls. I am leaning toward the TSC County Line product. I plan to build a platform using two inch lumber. The platform will probably be five feet wide. I plan to make it so that I can roll my electric generator onto it, and haul the generator, and my electric limb saw, and my electric chain saw around behind my Kubota L3240 to cut low hanging limbs, and small trees that have come up off of fences.

My questions to yall are: Does anyone else make this product? Which in your view will work the best for my purpose?
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #2  
I don't have a Northern Tool close to home so haven't compared them. They look almost the same and TSC. Comparing them on line, differences I see are the KK @ Nothern lists 75 lbs. shipping weight and Countyline @ TSC is 97 lbs. $149 @ Norhtern vs $129 @ TSC. I have the TSC carry-all and put 5' treated 2X10 on it. This year I used it to haul water for garden. Strapped 2 55gl. barrels to it and hauled water on weekends, sometimes 3 trips a day over some rough ground and no problem.
When you put the plank on bolt 2"X2" angle across the ends of the plank, this will keep the ends tied together and avoid worping.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #3  
I have the TSC carryall. It seems to be good quality, and I have had no problems with it so far.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #4  
I found one at Agri Supply that will work for what I want to do.

http://mower-blades.agrisupply.com/thumb.php?f=http://www.agrisupply.com/images/l/72511.jpg&s=120

72511.jpg

Really, depending on what you want to do will determine what is best.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #5  
I found one at Agri Supply that will work for what I want to do.

http://mower-blades.agrisupply.com/thumb.php?f=http://www.agrisupply.com/images/l/72511.jpg&s=120

View attachment 289449

Really, depending on what you want to do will determine what is best.


Those look like pallet forks.
.

I have tractor supply carry all rated at 1000 pounds. I carry a 1200 pound block of concrete (I know the poundage becuase i formed it) as a counterweight. It can probably carry more. best bang for the buck and well worth it. I even caried a 275 gallon water tote with it
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #6  
If you have the means then the carry-all that you build yourself will be the very best. You can control the materials, the size, the quality of the welds, and the nuances that you need to result in exactly what you want.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #7  
Those look like pallet forks.

Essentially they are but, the dimensions are the same as the carry all. You can still bolt planks/boards to it or have multiple configured "skids". Also, with a FEL mounted hitch they can be used to load and unload stuff.

For me, the ability to have multiple uses/configurations works better than a single unit/platform
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #8  
These type implements are a good way to exercise "buy the cheapest". They are only welded steel, nothing to go wrong unless they do not fit, then take back. It would take some awful poor welds to not handle any load you can pickup with your 3 PT. Watch for sales, thay are often a loss learder for outfits like TSC. I bought a couple to use just the basic frame for other innovations as it was cheaper than buying the raw stock and welding rods much less the time to fab..

Ron
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #9  
Essentially they are but, the dimensions are the same as the carry all. You can still bolt planks/boards to it or have multiple configured "skids". Also, with a FEL mounted hitch they can be used to load and unload stuff.

For me, the ability to have multiple uses/configurations works better than a single unit/platform
Although probaly a little bit more pricey than the carry, they are the best thing as far as durability. however, for thos that want to takethe cheaper way out, the tsc carry all is a pretty sturdy unit for the price. those pallet forks will most likey handle more than the 3pt hitch can lift
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #10  
Although probaly a little bit more pricey than the carry, they are the best thing as far as durability. however, for thos that want to takethe cheaper way out, the tsc carry all is a pretty sturdy unit for the price. those pallet forks will most likey handle more than the 3pt hitch can lift

Actually, it is only $149.00- which makes me wonder why NT is so high. Your right on with the TSC durability and value- one of the few times that the cheaper way out only has to do with the cost, not the quality.

I had looked at fabricating costs for both of them. For an individual, the steel cost kills it alone. If I could buy the steel by the ton- as the big boys do, then it would be worth it.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #11  
Here is a TSC carry all frame with 2 by PT bolted on. Picked up and carried 12 80 lb blocks with no problem. Can't imagine the Northern unit is much different but don't know that.
 

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/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #12  
have you considered 3pt hitch pallet forks. over a carreyall? pallet forks can be pretty nice, and abilty to have different pallets of stuff. maybe a pallet with water tanks on it, or another pallet for generator, another pallet, with some sides, for tossing limbs, leaves, grass, etc... into.

granted 3pt hitch forks, going to most likely cost more. and you could still do same thing with 3pt hitch carryall. but with carryall, you have to load / unload the box or platform or what ever you put on it.

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there are some pretty cool! 3pt hitch carry all builds here on TBN. and some cross the line with 3pt hitch forks, to 3pt hitch counter weight. but many have spots for chains, to either set chains down into something. or drop chain down a pipe and then place hooks on lip of a 3" to 4" pvc pipe. others might fasten some 1.5" to 2" pipe to there setup. and put a end cap on bottom of pipe, and drill some descent size holes. to act like "holders" for hand rakes, and shovels, that just have a generic pole handle on them. ((the end cap with holes, helps get dirt and water out of the pipe)). others tend to place hooks or long bolts to act like hooks. to hang 5 gallon buckets from. vs trying to build invidiual areas to place stuff in, they just toss items needed for a project in a couple 5 gallon buckets, toss them on a hook, and away they go.

if you have a FEL (front end loader) some folks might strap something to the arms of it, to hold a pole saw for tree branch cutting.

some will toss a few boards together. and just enough distance between them. to slide cutting bar on chain saw down into. to keep chain saw from bouncing around.

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things to keep in mind what ever you do. try to keep the heavy weight, on carryall or 3pt hitch, nearest to rear end of tractor. to help deal with "tetter totter" effect and keeping front wheels on the ground. and if dealing with hills, and heavy weight, you might consider either FEL on front of tractor, or weights on the front end of tractor. to keep the front tires on the ground.

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ya most of above of what i said, most likely pretty useless compared to question you asked. but once ya get something, most folks normally find other uses, that can get themselves into trouble, as in thinking wish they did this or that originally. example. some folks like stacking there fire wood on pallets as they split the wood. and just move pallets around, vs having to handle the fire would multi times.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #13  
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #14  
Those are awesome! If only they had stores closer to me!

there is one not "too" far from the Richmond, VA area- I guess distance is a perspective altogether. Living in northern Vermont, I am trying to figure out a way to stop in when on vacation and headed home. Shipping is just over $100.00 for freight- one way or another I'll have it before next summer!
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #15  
I have the TSC carry all and use it for the same purposes you mentioned. I move my generator around, use it to move big loads of wood and to otherwise carry stuff that doesn't fit in the FEL. I built a frame with 2x4's and made it so that it's removable by using some pins (there are conveniently placed holes). I have heard from others that you may want to re-enforce the joint between the vertical and horizontal arms, though I haven't had any issues. I use a 5' platform and regularly load it full of wood.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #16  
I have the 1,000 pound rated King-Kutter carry-all I picked up for less than $100 with tax a few years ago. I've only used it a few times, and I know in a couple of cases I had it overloaded with concrete sidewalk slabs. The paint job is typical KK crappy, the fitment is only so-so; but it works. I didn't have a welder at the time, otherwise I would have built my own for the experience, not cost savings because there is no way I could build it for less than a $100 when I figure in materials, powder coating, and the biggest intangible...my time.
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best? #19  
I would agree the tractor supply model works great for my buddy has one he uses on his tractor that he modified to be just under 7 feet wide and will hold almost 1 face cord of wood when full and used on my M8540 but only about 1/2 face cord on his John deere for lack of ballast. I have ridden on the hood as ballast. Bottom line is that it will hold well over 1000 lbs sorry I don't have a better picture
2011-12-16_17-09-48_978.jpg
 
/ Which Three Point Hitch Carry All is The Best?
  • Thread Starter
#20  
I researched all the information that I could find on Tractor Carry Alls on the internet. I discovered as many have mentioned , that the Tractor Carry Alls sold by Tractor Supply and Northern Tool seem to be the most popular. A lot of people have written reviews praising their products. I came across Reddick Equipment Company, located in Williamston, North Carolina. I decided to purchase their product. The price, including shipping was very reasonable. The assembly was a straight forward process of bolting the parts together. I attached it to my Kubota L3240 to see if it worked within the size limits of the tractors three point hitch. I can lift it up off the floor to a height of about 18 inches before the support arms of the carry all that stick out toward the tractor come into contact with the three point hitch arms. There is not much space between the tires of the L3240 to allow the three point hitch arms much extra room. In other words I can lift it up off the ground as far as I want to lift it, but cannot lift it all the way up. This arrangement is fine with me. If you lift it higher, the carry all would begin to tip forward toward the tractor.

While doing this test I thought about an old trailer tail gate that I had at our old barn. I went looking for it and found not only the old tailgate, but also a tractor carry all box that I made many years ago that fits onto my hay fork. I used it about ten years ago when I was redoing some fences. I had forgotten about it. All this time it has been stored under shelter out of the weather.

I first installed a treated two by four nearest to the carry all frame. I will use this as a point to connect the front of the wooden box. I then mounted the trailer tail gate onto the tractor carry all frame. It required that I install bolts, using wide washers to hold the wire mesh floor of the tailgate in place. The end result gives me a flat metal surface that is sixty inches wide and thirty four inches long. When lowered to the ground the top of the metal tailgate is about an inch and a half off the ground. This is well within reason to allow me to push my generator, mounted on rubber tires, up onto the metal floor. I can use this setup to carry my generator, pole saw, and electric chain saw around to clear fence lines. It will be easy to use bungee cords to hold the generator, pole saw, and electric chain saw in place on the wire mesh floor.

When I have a need for a box, I can then place the wooden box frame over the flat metal trailer gate setup, attach a couple of bolts and have a heavy duty wood carry all box. This arrangement gives me two versatile setups that I can use, depending upon the requirements at hand. I have now used this setup several times. It works for me.
 
 
 
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