Draw bar stabilizer

[pacerron]

Pacerron, that is nhmitch's tractor. Mine is just like it but without the drawbar you are seeing! Sorry for the mix up. Mine is an orange one. Mitch has the 4 wheel drive and I have the 2 wheel drive. Same Iseki tractors except for the drives. I wonder if he has that drawbar because his is 4 wheel drive? Who know's.

Thanks for the clarification.
That crossed my mind a while ago but since you said: "Mine is just like it but without the drawbar you are seeing!" I assumed you meant the drawbar had been removed and you didn't have it. You know what they say about "Assume"
Attached is a pic from the net of a G152 2WD complete with a drawbar and trailer ball attached so it is doable.

 

[boggen]

did some googling for "3pt hitch swinging draw bar"

and come up with below links and pictures....

see picture middle of page. has some adjusting arms. that locks the 3pt lift arms in places. to keep 3pt hitch from dropping or raising.
http://www.tractorforum.com/f203/ford-9n-drawbar-question-s-help-14428/


chain someone was talking about to limit movement of a 3pt hitch.
post 17 http://www.tractorforum.com/f203/ford-9n-drawbar-question-s-help-14428/

image came from TBN unknown thread. again adjustable arms that lock 3pt hitch in one spot. to keep it raising and lowering.

i am so use to pulling pin to hooking up a wagon were the pin is. or swapping pin out for a ball for a regular trailer you my pull behind a vehicle.
image from.... Power Pro Equipment - Sales - Rental - Repair - New Holland - Allentown - West Chester - PA - NJ

for person that does not have the swinging draw bar
image from... Swinging Drawbar Assembly - SDA6

what i do normally when i need to pull a trailer. and will be using the trailer with the tractor.
image from... 3 Point Hitch, Newstyle for WD and WD45 Only [CM0056] - $360.00 : OKtractor, Oklahoma Antique tractor parts, Allis Chalmers, John Deere, Ford, Farmall, Kubota

for what ever reason, i always end up referencing this diagram when i want to look up something for a 3PT hitch part.
image from... Double HH Quality Products - Don't Compromise... Demand Double HH

Double HH Quality Products - Don't Compromise... Demand Double HH

 

[boggen]

One handy thing about a ball mounted on the three point is it allows a trailer to be lifted into position with no force or exertion, and without getting on and off the tractor.

The weight is less troublesome than one may think. Even a cheap box blade for these weigh 300 lbs, and carries its weight behind where the ball mounts. My equivalently sized Yanmars will lift a 500 lb disk, with the weight far behind the ball. Brush mowers are similarly heavy and even longer. If the tractor is drivable with an implement like these on back, the trailer will be easily managed. Most trailers specify under 500 lbs of tongue weight anyway.

So long as your chains keep the hitch from rising up too far, it will work fine. "Too high" will be a function of the tongue height for the trailer and the ball used. I like to limit the free play so that the trailer can be loaded at the rear without tipping. If your uses don't call for it, there isn't really a point.

not for me. there is a truck bed trailer (cab of truck cut off, and then front wheels cut off, and then front portion of frame bent into a triangle. then something welded on to go over a ball. single axle trailer.

i have used trailer, a few times, with DIY something like the 3pt hitches with a ball so you can lower and raise and move a trailer. and have went down and up some hills *never again* way to dangerous for my liking. from front wheels getting light, to almost picking up rear tires off ground. and free riding down the hill (2WD tractor going forward down the hill) and also experienced going up hill and rear tires wanting to slip, due to trailer, if rear wheels did not grab i would of been going backwards with no brakes trying to stay straight.

ya 3pt hitchs for moving trailers are nice. to "move" or rather "park" a trailer in a tighter space than what you might be able to with a truck. but for actually using the trailer on uneven ground behind the tractor. *shakes head no* give me a direct connection to tractor.

 

[NHmitch]

Pacerron, that is nhmitch's tractor. Mine is just like it but without the drawbar you are seeing! Sorry for the mix up. Mine is an orange one. Mitch has the 4 wheel drive and I have the 2 wheel drive. Same Iseki tractors except for the drives. I wonder if he has that drawbar because his is 4 wheel drive? Who know's.

Sorry, that was probably my fault for putting the photo up. I had to use that style draw bar because the original draw bar mount is not the original. It is one that was adapted from a Kubota before I bought the tractor, and it is not strong enough now to tow, and I don't have the draw bar. That is a nice Iseki, and it looks like you are making headway with it. What part are you welding? I actually have really not had an issue with using the lift arm draw bar when towing the trailer. I usually have a load of wood, or hay in it, and I have not had an issue. Once it raised up in the air, however that was when I had about 400 lbs of grain, and multiple bags of shavings as well, and I hit a bump, and it went up, but it went right back down. I had to attach that draw bar A frame that connects to the toplink to keep the draw bar from rotating in the lift arms. It has worked great. You may want to consider this option, and then if you have issues, attach a chain. I know that lens12 said that he can get the original draw bar mount, however I am not sure how much it will be. The lift arm draw bar has worked great for me, and I have even used it to tow trees out of the woods. The only part I had to remove was the black piece where the ball is attached in the photo, because it bent when I was towing a trailer of logs the other day. It must have been pretty heavy, because that part was rated for much more than I was towing. I just put the ball in one of the holes. See the attached photo. I think that this may be your best bet. You can pick up a draw bar at tractor supply, or online for about $20-$25. At that price you really can't go wrong. The only part that was more expensive was the A frame portion, however the only reason I went with this style is because I have the fast hitch attachments on the end of my lift arms, and the normal draw bar stabilizer, see link: Drawbar Lock, Cat. 1 - 1000786 | Tractor Supply Company would not fit, however it should on yours. Cross Drawbar, Category 1, 3/4 in. dia. - 0288975 | Tractor Supply Company

The bungee cord came with the fast hitch, and they keep my lift arms in tight when I have a larger implement on the back like the dirt scoop.

 

[chupacabra]

Thanks for the info. I have attached pics of what I have now. I will not ever move any trailers very far so I think I am good to go. I have a 700 pound motorcycle in the trailer and I stood on the trailer tongue and the front wheels didn't come up. Sooo. I did notice how jerky everything was when I was turning. I do have a front receiver hitch to put the trailers into tight places. But, Backing a trailer with this set up just wont work.

As you can see, I have no draw bar and probably won't get one. I like the fact that I can back up and hook up a trailer without getting off the tractor and messing with the trailer jack, etc.

 

[NHmitch]

That looks like a great set up! I also really like the springs that you put under the seat. I have the same seat, and I just put two bolts where the rubber stoppers were , and I have been trying to think of a way to get seat springs to work. Where did you get the springs from?

 

[pacerron]

Sorry, that was probably my fault for putting the photo up. I had to use that style draw bar because the original draw bar mount is not the original. It is one that was adapted from a Kubota before I bought the tractor, and it is not strong enough now to tow, and I don't have the draw bar. That is a nice Iseki, and it looks like you are making headway with it. What part are you welding? I actually have really not had an issue with using the lift arm draw bar when towing the trailer. I usually have a load of wood, or hay in it, and I have not had an issue. Once it raised up in the air, however that was when I had about 400 lbs of grain, and multiple bags of shavings as well, and I hit a bump, and it went up, but it went right back down. I had to attach that draw bar A frame that connects to the toplink to keep the draw bar from rotating in the lift arms. It has worked great. You may want to consider this option, and then if you have issues, attach a chain. I know that lens12 said that he can get the original draw bar mount, however I am not sure how much it will be. The lift arm draw bar has worked great for me, and I have even used it to tow trees out of the woods. The only part I had to remove was the black piece where the ball is attached in the photo, because it bent when I was towing a trailer of logs the other day. It must have been pretty heavy, because that part was rated for much more than I was towing. I just put the ball in one of the holes. See the attached photo. I think that this may be your best bet. You can pick up a draw bar at tractor supply, or online for about $20-$25. At that price you really can't go wrong. The only part that was more expensive was the A frame portion, however the only reason I went with this style is because I have the fast hitch attachments on the end of my lift arms, and the normal draw bar stabilizer, see link: Drawbar Lock, Cat. 1 - 1000786 | Tractor Supply Company would not fit, however it should on yours. Cross Drawbar, Category 1, 3/4 in. dia. - 0288975 | Tractor Supply Company

The bungee cord came with the fast hitch, and they keep my lift arms in tight when I have a larger implement on the back like the dirt scoop.

Looks like you have things under control.
Thank you for serving your country in the USAF:thumbsup:

 

[284 International]

not for me....give me a direct connection to tractor.

Fair enough, everyone's experiences and needs are different. That's why I said:

If your uses don't call for it, there isn't really a point.

I would suspect, though, that your trailer is well over the 500lbs maximum for a normal class III hitch. If your tractor is ballasted to carry a 500 lb disk something like 2 feet behind the lower arm pins safely, and the trailer makes it unsafe, then it must be over that weight by significant amounts.

It's good to hear other experiences with similar equipment. Everyone needs to do what is safe, effective, and economical for them, I think.

I'm not saying it's a universally superior way to move a trailer, simply that there is probably more going on in your circumstances than a secured three point trailer mover being a deathtrap in and of itself. I think you are pulling far too much of a load with too small of a machine. An unsafely heavy trailer is an unsafe load, irrespective of its towing vehicle:

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Nice pics! Yes, I think people need to keep in mind and have some common sense about where the limits are on these smaller machines especially in trailer pulling. I have a single axle trailer that weighs about 1,000 lbs. empty and it can get pretty scary in the snow or on ice with the tractor pulling it.

Certainly, if traction is available, the tractor is capable of pulling a few multiples of it's own weight via a trailer with ease, but the question really boils down to what weight can it handle safely? Having only rear brakes for a tractor in 2wd should make people think twice, let alone some of the issues brought up in this thread and others on the site on towing with tractors. Personally, I don't feel totally comfortable with any load that weighs more than the tractor, but I have done 2x with caution. Small grades and a lot of tight turns should be evaluated accordingly.

Also, I can understand arguements for both using the 3-pt and the axle draw-bar for towing. In general, the axle draw-bar would seem to be the safer choice during towing operations, but the 3-pt does add a lot of convenience.

 

[pacerron]

Nice pics! Yes, I think people need to keep in mind and have some common sense about where the limits are on these smaller machines especially in trailer pulling. I have a single axle trailer that weighs about 1,000 lbs. empty and it can get pretty scary in the snow or on ice with the tractor pulling it.

Certainly, if traction is available, the tractor is capable of pulling a few multiples of it's own weight via a trailer with ease, but the question really boils down to what weight can it handle safely? Having only rear brakes for a tractor in 2wd should make people think twice, let alone some of the issues brought up in this thread and others on the site on towing with tractors. Personally, I don't feel totally comfortable with any load that weighs more than the tractor, but I have done 2x with caution. Small grades and a lot of tight turns should be evaluated accordingly.

Also, I can understand arguements for both using the 3-pt and the axle draw-bar for towing. In general, the axle draw-bar would seem to be the safer choice during towing operations, but the 3-pt does add a lot of convenience.

I agree with all your comments and cautions.:thumbsup:
My actual preferred method for maneuvering wheeled equipment around in the barns is log chain from the front end loader. The visibility is so much better to the back of the piece being moved than twisting your neck and seeing with one eye (no depth perception with one eye) or using a mirror.
You can really squeeze a horse trailer or other tandem axle trailer into a tight spot by lifting the front wheels of the trailer off the ground a little to make a single axle on the ground unit out of it.

Something that has not been mentioned on this thread concerning NHMitch's rig, is whether he should add safety chains from his trailer tongue to a part of the tractor in case his hitch latch fails and the ball and socket separate while he is pulling the trailer with a load.
There are lines of argument for and against using safety chains. What are yours?
Ron