Draw bar gone

[johnrex62]

Just a thought, I watched an episode of Meteor Men where they used a magnetic array to find meteorites. Maybe you could drag a piece of plate with some strong magnets attached as you drive over the field. You might at least hear the clank as the drawbar is attracted even if the magnets might not be able to hold it.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

The magnetic array sounds good. Anyone know how those are built?

 

[acme97]

Magnetic Sweepers : Forklift Magnet : Shieldscompany.com

Check these guys out.

Also at Northern Tools
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_25122_25122

 

[johnrex62]

HF sells some retrieval magnets that are pretty cheap. A few of them stuck on a piece of iron or steel plate will create a distributed magnetic field along the plate. Drag that and it will attract any ferrous metal it comes near. The more magnets or the stronger the magnets, the stronger the field.

The Meteor Men used rare earth magnets in their drags, but they would be much more costly than the HF pieces.

 

[Lloyd_E]

If the grass isn't too tall...

Tooth bar:

I'd buy a 12' 2x4 or 2x6 and a bunch of 6" or 8" spikes and nail through every 6 to 8 inches and mount on lip of loader bucket and drive around with the lip about 4-6' off the ground...

 

[rd_macgregor]

Hmmmm. Those are great ideas and nifty suggestions, but I think a new draw bar might be cheaper than the magnet strip! I wonder if my 12' chain harrow would turn it up?
BOB

 

[Lloyd_E]

Didn't know you had a harrow. I would definitely try that.

Lloyd

 

[Highbeam]

It's not the cost of the part you lost, it's the cost of the parts you may need if you hit the lost part with a mower.

I have found that the mower deck and gearbox is extremely duarble and will likely knock that drawbar around plenty without any kind of complaints other than some racket.

Still, in a perfect storm there is some risk of damage and also a safety concern if that thing were to be launched out the back. No different than a rock really.