BCS "curved coupler" for DIY sulky or trailer?

nomad289 · Oct 3, 2012

I have a BCS 732 (+tiller and shredder) and would like a "sulky" or trailer to tow behind; with the intention to pull a sprayer or other "tractor" pull implement behind it (core aerator, fertilizer spreader, etc.)
Looks like the BCS design requires the tiller to remain installed to counterbalance the engine weight; the sulky "curved coupler" part no: 922.59500 attaches to a vertically mounted "U" shaped clevis pin hitch above the PTO hitch. However, the tiller sits to high to allow a straight connection to the "U" shaped clevis pin hitch, necessitating a "curved coupler".

BCS sulky is $399, trailer is ~$1000+, seems excessive just to attach a towed implement to the tractor.

Can I buy the curved coupler PN#922.59500 and fabricate an attachment method; or has anyone done a DIY substitute for the curved coupler?

Tx

milkman · Oct 3, 2012

I use a regular trailer with a straight tongue in the hitch on the BCS and carry the tiller in the trailer, works fine for me.

farmerboybill · Oct 4, 2012

Hi Tx,

The curved coupler is only if you want to leave the tiller attached. Historically, Italians live in town and go out to their fields. If you're driving your tiller to and from town every day, it'd get old taking off the tiller every time, so the curved coupler was designed to hook a transport sulky or trailer and leave the tiller installed. The more basic (I hesitate to call them "smaller" because they were just as durable as the 725 and 735) older tractors, like the 715, didn't have a trailer hitch and had to have a hitch attached to the PTO.

That said, if you want to leave the tiller on, yes you can buy a curved coupler or make your own.

nomad289 · Oct 4, 2012

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the prompt responses, suggestions and explanations regarding the BCS curved coupler and clevis hitch design.

The ~70lb engine is mounted ~16" in front of the axle, while the U shaped clevis hitch is only ~8" behind the axle; so the counterbalance force on the clevis hitch will need to be about 140lbs. Somehow I thought it would be more.

Good to know from first hand experience that the U clevis hitch is designed to accommodate that much weight, and is in fact intended to do so.

I think I can fabricate a straight shaft hitch to attach various implements. Thanks for your help.

PGC · Oct 5, 2012

I have that curved coupler and it doesn't allow me to leave the tiller on when I pull a trailer...I have to remove the tiller box even with the curve and even on completely flat ground (30" tiller box on an 853).

I wish the curve was more drastic and allowed one to pull a trailer and keep the tiller attached, but it is not. And removing the tiller every time you want to pull the trailer gets very very very annoying as the BCS quick coupling system is less than quick, in my opinion, and my tiller box weighs like 100lbs or something.

My $00.02 for ya.

PGC · Oct 5, 2012

On the other hand the trailer coupler is cheap and useful. If you can fabricate something very easily I'd do that, but if it will take you more than a couple hours I'd buy the coupler. Maybe you could modify the curve so that it will accommodate your tiller box...that would be sweet.

PGC · Oct 5, 2012

One other thing.....I picked up a 1500 lb dump trailer for way less than the $1000+ they want for the BCS trailer and it is very nice...Clevland Steel I believe, from Depot.

farmerboybill · Oct 5, 2012

Hey PGC,

Beings I don't have a BCS trailer to pull behind my machine, this is kind of outta my knowledge level. How old is your curved coupler? The curved couplers would not have needed as much clearance to get over the old flat top tillers of the early 80's. BCS stuck the depth control lever out the top on the flat top tillers in the mid 80's. The newer round top tillers of today have a higher shroud and a depth control lever out the top. I wonder if they re-engineered them to have a higher curve when they went to the current style tiller in 1995. If you have an old coupler, this might be the problem.

This would be a question to ask Joel. I just don't know if they re-engineered the coupler for the taller shroud.

EDIT - I googled "BCS trailer" and found a few pics of one attached -

PGC · Oct 6, 2012

Hi,

Both machine, tiller box and coupler are new in 2012. It almost works, but as you said, the depth control lever comes out the top of the tiller box and just touches the tow coupler. Maybe the smaller tiller boxes have shorter tines and therefore a "skinnier" profile.....I don't know. It also seems that if it weren't to just work the slightest dip in the terain would result in the tines scratching the ground and hanging up.

BTW, my trailer looks a tad meaner than that little guy.....though I just realized that it's actually 1,250lb and not 1,500. Still very cool and it dumps and swivels and can accept side rails to heap a load higher.

Now that I look at the difference between the BCS cart and mine, the problem might be that my trailer tongue is lower....below pic is similar, but mine has a curved axle for a ton more ground clearance.

Ford850 · Jan 2, 2013

PGC said:
Hi,

Both machine, tiller box and coupler are new in 2012. It almost works, but as you said, the depth control lever comes out the top of the tiller box and just touches the tow coupler. Maybe the smaller tiller boxes have shorter tines and therefore a "skinnier" profile.....I don't know. It also seems that if it weren't to just work the slightest dip in the terain would result in the tines scratching the ground and hanging up.

BTW, my trailer looks a tad meaner than that little guy.....though I just realized that it's actually 1,250lb and not 1,500. Still very cool and it dumps and swivels and can accept side rails to heap a load higher.

Now that I look at the difference between the BCS cart and mine, the problem might be that my trailer tongue is lower....below pic is similar, but mine has a curved axle for a ton more ground clearance.

View attachment 283263

How is that cart working for you? I was wondering if you got the one with the extra wide tires or not (see attached images from the HD site). Also, how does your 853 handle this cart with an average load and you riding on it? I have an 850 with the 5x10 wheels, but I'm concerned about it losing traction easily. Thanks for your input.