Drawbar stabilizer

Farmer_Giles · Jan 21, 2002

I came up with this mod to my drawbar to stop it from rotating. Two small pieces of angle iron and minimal welding. Now all I need is some red paint.

Thomas · Jan 21, 2002

Nice job.
I would think a little movement mght help when connected to a trailer etc...for wouldn't that make less strain...just wondering.

beenthere · Jan 21, 2002

What do you hook to the 3pt bar that rotation is a problem? Seems keeping it from rotating, and then having a trailer or wagon tongue hooked to it (clevis with pin or ball hitch) would break something when the 3pt arms were raised.
Do you use it mostly to drop the 3pt arms down to get under a trailer tongue, and then lift it up? I can see that it would be frustrating if the bar rotated while doing this, making it necessary to get off the tractor (how we hate doing this) to straighten it out.
Good design.

AndyR · Jan 21, 2002

I picked up a pair of very heavy brackets that slip over the arms and have a slot for the drawbar - works great and easy to take off when I don't need them.

jinman · Jan 22, 2002

Pete, that looks like it will work just fine. Good job!

Farmer_Giles · Jan 22, 2002

The vertical movement is not sufficient to place any stress on the ball or the hitch. Previously I had to lock the trailer to the ball and then there was stress applied when pulling and stopping due to the bar rotating.

Bob_Trevithick · Jan 29, 2002

<font color=blue>I came up with this mod to my drawbar to stop it from rotating.</font color=blue>

This looks like a nice job. Please explain for a beginner what the advantages would be of this sort of lash-up as opposed to the kind which prevent rotation by hooking to the top link? Plusses and minuses?

Thanks,
Bob

Farmer_Giles · Jan 29, 2002

Hi Bob:
As you know, the drawbar doesn't come with an attachment to hook to the top link. However, I tried to manufacture one and along with being complex it allowed the drawbar to rotate more than the one in the photographs. I'm sure there are many ways to accomplish the same thing, my way took some scrap angle iron and 30 minutes of cutting and welding. If there is a "standard" way to hook up a drawbar to the top link I am not aware of it.

beenthere · Jan 30, 2002

I think they are sold at most stores that sell the 3pt drawbars. A very standard item since the old days of 8N fords and other 3pt tractors.

njrqs · Jan 30, 2002

Yes I seem to need something to stop the rotation of the drawbar.

I just poked some threaded rod up through the outer holes of the drawbar, through a spare top link, and back down the other hole. Tightended it up with nuts and works fine.

Doesn't look pretty but allows me to raise and lower the ball with no rotation.

Cheers