2 5/16" ball with 3/4 shank?

[asylum575]

I am picking up a 20' enclosed trailer to store my BX and implements.

No problem pulling it with my 3/4 ton chevy.

I need to move it around the yard and figured I can use the BX with 4x4.

The trailer takes a 2 5/16" ball. The hole on the back of the BX is 3/4. I wouldn't used that anyway. My drawbar that goes on my 3PH is also 3/4. I haven't seen one with a 1" hole.

Do I:

1. drill out the hole to accept 1" shank?
2. Mount a hitch receiver some where to accept the drawbar?

I would be moving the trailer pretty much empty, except for maybe the boxblade and rake if I choose to store them in there. The empty trailer is 2500-3000lbs

What do you guys think?

Before anyone asks, I absolutely promise not to move a loaded trailer with a 3/4 shank ball.

 

[MikePA]

Why not get a 3ph attachment that accepts the same 2" ball hitch you use on your truck?

 

[jenkinsph]

Regardless of what you do about the ball be careful about moving a trailer that outweighs the tractor by 2:1. I have moved my 24' enclosed Haulmark with my 820 with R1 tires and have slid down a minor grade in a packed gravel driveway. My trailer weighs 4000lbs and the tractor weighs 4200lbs. Also check the tongue weight and capacity of your drawbar, very easy to loose steering ability.

I would think it is doable on level ground but would think twice before dealing with grades as you have no way to actuate the trailer brakes.

 

[SPYDERLK]

A 3/4 shank is plenty for the low speed work you have in mind. However, to avoid modifying 2-5/16 ball with a 3/4 shank that could find its way into other uses, I think you should drill a 1" hole and have the drawbar reinforced in that vicinity so it is not weakened. I dont think youll have any problem moving the trailer. I have lots of experience pulling a trailer heavier than Mighty Mouse up and down 10 degree grades. We use a 2horse trailer to pick up hay in our hilly fields. No problem if youre careful.
larry

 

[Diamondpilot]

I can not say I have ever seen a 3/4" shank 2 5/16" ball. All around here are 1" for the light duty ones up to 10,000# or so and 1 1/4" for the heavy duty ones that I use for up to 25,0000#.

I would get a or make a hitch for your 3 point. I just made another last week for a guy as a favor. Cost $35.

Here is one I made for myself a few years back out of Ford Explorer hitch I had laying around. I use this one to pull around boats up to 25,000# around the boat yard behind my Jinma 254. This boat is just over 10,000#.

Chris

 

[ultrarunner]

I turned down the shank to get 3/4. Set-up and turning and threading took about 35 minutes... also had to get a 3/4 nut and lock washer.

 

[HarleyScooter]

Asylum575, I think you may be asking to much of the BX. If you try to mount a ball to the hole in the plate under the rear diff. you will only have the top of the ball at maybe 10" off the ground, way to low. I would think hooking it up that low would unload the rear axle of the trailer somewhat and give you way more tongue weight than the BX can handle. You will need a 3 pt receiver hitch as some have said to get the proper ball height, but that will also give more leverage to the tongue weight. I have moved my single axle 6X12 full of wood and could not steer the tractor because the front tires were bouncing off the ground. A loader bucket full of something would help you somewhat. but be carefull if you are not on flat ground. I have been moving the 16' car hauler (empty) around the yard and I need to use 4 wheel drive to get traction on the grass. Just somethings to think about.

 

[asylum575]

Thanks Harley,

In my original post I stated I wouldn't use the tractor mount and was trying to come up with an idea for my 3PH drawbar. All the Cat 1 drawbars I've seen is for a 3/4" shank.
I know it's a safety thing, but I'm probably looking to move it from my garage parking apron to behind the house. Roughly 30-40ft. Once it's on the driveway, I'll hook it up to the truck.
I want to store the trailer tongue first with the drop down rear door towards the driveway. I can't fit my truck back there, but the BX should fit.

 

[HarleyScooter]

Asylum575, I missed that in the opening post??? How about one of those bolt on the bumper receiver hitches, you could bolt to your draw bar. - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices then you would have to add something to attach to the top link to keep it from turning.

 

[firefighter jim]

I had a local machine shop turn and rethread my hitch ball shank to 3/4" so I could use the 2 5/16" ball with my drawbar on my 8N. I didn't want to drill out the hole or holes in my drawbar. I use it all the time to move my trailers around. Works great. For obvious reasons, this modified ball is ONLY used around our property and NOT on the open road.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Why not just put a hitch on the top of your loader bucket? I use mine all the time. I can move up to 10,000# with it but I can not lift anything heavier like my 15,600# boat.

Here is a picture of it with my boom pole in it. I welded it up adding a lifting hook to the top then drilled and bolted it to the loader bucket.


Chris

 

[medicshawn]

If all you're doing is repositioning the trailer, why not just use a smaller ball with a smaller shank. Why not just use a 2 or 1 7/8 ball?

 

[SPYDERLK]

If all you're doing is repositioning the trailer, why not just use a smaller ball with a smaller shank. Why not just use a 2 or 1 7/8 ball?

Cuz youre relying on tongue weight to keep it on. Guess the safety chain would stop it if it lifted off for some reason.
larry

 

[lucky llama]

I had a simialr problem to yours. My drive way curves and goes down hill to my garage. If I pulled straight in with my F250 backing up the drive was a nightmare. I have a B7800 and a 26' cargo trailer. What I did was drill out the draw bar hole to 1". I have pulled the trailer all over the yard with no problems. Also have pulled my dump trailer on reasonable level ground with no problems. This set up has been working for the past 6 years.

 

[radioman]

Let me share what I have learned with my BX. I have a 22ft camper and 16 ft trailer i moved with my BX. At first, I used a 2 inch ball on a drawbar from TSC to put in 3pt and closed the latch on trailer. IT works, but with the camper if the BX front end is up higher then the back wheel due to the grade on hill, the trailer falls out of the 2 inch ball because the drawbar turned and swivels.
I swapped it out with a correct 2 5/16 sized ball. I had to drill into the drawbar using the silver and deming bit from HF to make it fit. It works, no longer falls off. There is a but! in here. When turning, I hated the way the drawbar is at a angle when it swivels esp. when backing up. I ended up welding a bar in a upright position to hook on top link. Now the hitch is perfectly aligned with ground grade in up or down position . It works perfect like it supposed to.
Just keep in mind with your empty enclosed trailer, its a great idea to have the FEL on for front weight, otherwise you can do a small wheelie if stop suddenly, or on a hill.
Some say the BX is too small, I say its fine as long you have right equipment and counterweight. You can use the 2 inch ball for 2 5/16 trailer as long you can stop the bar from turning. They have drawbar stablizer, but TSC ones dont fit on the BX due to turnbuckles in the way. I also personally dislike the drawbar stablizers due to fact that when you raise the 3 pt, the drawbar is facing towards the operator, and when lowered to the ground it faces towards ground.

Last week, I took a old 1 1/4 hitch I saved from long gone caravan and cut the ends off so its 27"wide. I bought a cat1 drawpin, and toplink pin from TSC for under 8 bucks. The nuts on the cat 1 pins fits perfect inside the square tube so I just welded it in place and filled in the gaps with welding. welded a tube for toplink and it works perfect for moving trailers.

To sum it up- whatever you get or build, you need to stop the drawbar from turning and that is with the toplink for safe moving of the trailer.

Sorry about long post- but wanted to sum it up from my experience.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Regardless of what you do about the ball be careful about moving a trailer that outweighs the tractor by 2:1.

I agree to be careful, but I certainly wouldn't say it isn't possible...I move my travel trailer which can weigh 4,500# loaded with my BX tractor all the time. Granted it feels better with a load of soil in the FEL bucket, but it has worked splendidly on both that trailer and my huge (to me) dovetail utility trailer which weighs 2,000# (about the same as the tractor) before I put anything in it...

 

[asylum575]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
\I just got home with the trailer and I left it in the driveway.

I have to run out and get some chocks for it, before I run out to work.

My 1500HD Chevy pulled it fine and it looks to be in very, very good shape. It will may make a nice home for the BX and stuff.

I will post pictures later, I have a couple on my phone.

I will have to think this one out a bit. The trailer probably weighs about 3200 lbs as that is what's on the title. Felt like it on the truck.

The BX without the BH is about 1800-2000lbs, so that's not a good ratio. I'm puckering up just thinking about it. The area is relatively flat and about a 50-75 diameter circle of where it will be moved. Not a big area, but I'm afraid if I start rolling down the driveway, I could have a problem. Safety first.

Maybe, I'll go out and buy a new 4x4 truck. Problem solved.

 

[aczlan]

Put a 7 pin (or whatever type you have) trailer plug on the back of your tractor, hook up the ground pin to the tractor ground and the brake pin to a switch (or a relay). Then you can have an extra 4 wheels worth of braking power whenever you need it for under $30 in parts.

Aaron Z

 

[asylum575]

Put a 7 pin (or whatever type you have) trailer plug on the back of your tractor, hook up the ground pin to the tractor ground and the brake pin to a switch (or a relay). Then you can have an extra 4 wheels worth of braking power whenever you need it for under $30 in parts.

Aaron Z

Wow,
What a geat idea, I would not have thought of that.

You just cut the pucker factor in half.

 

[asylum575]

Here are some Pix. Trailer is a 1991 8 x 20. Actually 21` outside.
Pulled very well with the 6.0 chevy. I was thinking of getting a new truck with the 5.3 to save on gas, but I'm not sure how it would pull this.