Log loader trailer swivel clevis hitch.

[rasorbackq]

Morning guys
Just bought a used Patu 400 trailer . Previous owner used horses to pull trailer around. I don't have horses as per say but have 47 of them all wrapped up into a Branson tractor frame. So my plan from the purchase was to remove the set of wheels , axle and horse draw bar to convert back to clevis hitch . All I'm missing is the clevis. The hole that the round clevis fits through is 1 1/2 " by 5" long. So I know I need to weld flat stock top and bottom on the 1 1/2" round stock to form the clevis.


Couple questions .

What size flat stock??? I have 1/2" material . Will that be heavy enough? trailer is 7-8 ton rating

How do I fab it to attach it to original swivel and not pull out?. Drill a hole and insert a bolt to allow the hitch to rotate. One that I seen they drilled a hole straight into the length of the hitch and threaded a bolt and larger rounded plate . There must have been more to it as I can't see just threads holding the pulling action of the trailer. I will be fabbing it but not welding it so the option of inserting the hitch and welding a stopper is not an option. I have built swivel hitches in the past and just used a bolt as a stop . Maybe I just need a larger bolt / pin this time.

What are your ideas?

 

[chim]

You'll probably get better responses if you ppost a picture or two.

 

[Egon]

There are pictures of a Patu 400 trailer set up for tractor pull on Google.

 

[rasorbackq]

You'll probably get better responses if you ppost a picture or two.

 

[rasorbackq]

There are pictures of a Patu 400 trailer set up for tractor pull on Google.

Been looking but can see no details.

 

[chim]

Wow. Never ran into one of those in my travels. Would something like this work?

Trailer Coupler for a Trailer with a Round Tube Straight Tongue | etrailer.com

I order from them and they are good people.

 

[1stDeuce]

Looking at the online pics, which aren't very good, it appears it's intended to use a pintle hitch, with the ring mounted in that round hole that's empty... If that hole is is at a proper height to match your tractor's hitch, you could make a clevis style hitch for it.

I'd suggest using some 1.5" Cold Rolled Round for the through-tongue part. And use 5/8" x 2" Cold Rolled Flat for the upper and lower parts of the clevis. (1/2" A36 plate will probably not break, but the holes will elongate quite rapidly.) If you can't find cold rolled flat in 5/8", then go with hot rolled in 3/4" thickness. (Hot rolled is softer, but the added thickness will slow any wear.

Assuming this is a permanent mod, Just buy a nut (1-5/8"?) and two washers that will slide over the round stock. Put one washer at the front, as a bearing surface between the trailer frame and back of the clevis, and one at the back, then slide the nut on and weld behind it... Done. (I assume there's a grease fitting there somewhere, so if not, I'd drill a hole and tap one in, just to be able to grease it occasionally...)

Here's a nice picture I scribbled for you:

 

[Xfaxman]

My guess is that you need to extend the tongue. It looks like the front of the trailer will hit the tractor tires.

A side view picture would help.

How wide is this?

 

[bcp]

Some pictures of similar Patu trailer tongues.



Bruce

 

[Egon]

Get a piece schd 80 pipe the outside diameter of the hole and long enough so the tractor clears. A large steel washer on each side of the swivel point with a couple of bolts/pins to hold them in place and weld a receiver on the other end. Might try and get a couple of zerks on the washers and swivel to grease. If the pipe doesn't seem strong enough weld a verticle plate on the bottom of the pipe.