Hitch N ditch

Nuru · Apr 15, 2007

Hitch-N-Ditch

Tried out this attachment on my tractor. Works pretty well as i was able to get 250 of direct burial line done in about two houes. A few observations:

This device was designed to work on a receiver hitch mounted on a truck. I was trying to use it on my tractor , first on my 3PT hitch mounted trailer hitch attachment - broke that right away

There went the 80 bucks on that

. Then I went to a drawbar mounted receiver hitch. That worked, but silly me, I tried to turn with it - not a good idea!

.

These device is designed to be used with a solid, very stiff receiver hitch. My drawbar mounting is not as stiff as you really need, as I was trying to do this in a hurry and just pinned the receiver hitch instead of bolting or welding it to the drawbar.

Since i want the wire a bit deeper than I got it (my property is a bit slopey). I will get the receiver hitch either welded on my Drawbar or bolted down solid, and then re-run the cable. i might even put it inside conduit.

Overall impressions good tool, use of multiple pilot holes to accommodate turns is a good idea. The tool is sturdy, and it survived my experimentations

, pretty well.

Nuru · Apr 15, 2007

OBTW, i also used it in the roughest conditions, root structures, rocks, and slopes. If used in optimum conditions and been more experienced with the tool, the job would have taken approximately 20 minutes or less

Nuru · Apr 15, 2007

Next task - sprinkler system!

kwolfe · Apr 16, 2007

A subsoiler for a truck. Interesting. I am not sure how that would effect the 500lb tongue wieght capacity. Seems like it could really tug on a truck given the wrong soil conditions or very big root/rock. Neat idea though. Glad it worked out for you.

Hangfire · Apr 16, 2007

I can see how would work on tractor, but I don't think that would never work on a truck trying to pull it through Ozark soil!

flusher · Apr 16, 2007

Nuru said:
Hitch-N-Ditch

Tried out this attachment on my tractor. Works pretty well as i was able to get 250 of direct burial line done in about two houes. A few observations:

This device was designed to work on a receiver hitch mounted on a truck. I was trying to use it on my tractor , first on my 3PT hitch mounted trailer hitch attachment - broke that right away There went the 80 bucks on that. Then I went to a drawbar mounted receiver hitch. That worked, but silly me, I tried to turn with it - not a good idea!.

These device is designed to be used with a solid, very stiff receiver hitch. My drawbar mounting is not as stiff as you really need, as I was trying to do this in a hurry and just pinned the receiver hitch instead of bolting or welding it to the drawbar.

Since i want the wire a bit deeper than I got it (my property is a bit slopey). I will get the receiver hitch either welded on my Drawbar or bolted down solid, and then re-run the cable. i might even put it inside conduit.

Overall impressions good tool, use of multiple pilot holes to accommodate turns is a good idea. The tool is sturdy, and it survived my experimentations, pretty well.

Read the disclaimer. You'll probably twist this thing into a cork screw if you try it in soil with rocks and/or roots. It's not really designed for 3pt hitch use. The mfg says it's for 4WD trucks and for work in light, prepared soil.

I dug more that 1000 feet of 4" wide trench (18" and 24" deep) using a Ditch Witch 1330 to get the electric power, water and gas lines into my new house. I killed that 11 hp Honda engine on the 1330 a lot when hitting roots and rocks.

Nuru · Apr 17, 2007

Well it worked okay ibn my soil and now i really know how to use it in my conditions, so it seems okay. But for the sprinklters, i may have to go to something heavier like my Subsoiler, which has not failed me yet!

Nuru · Apr 17, 2007

Hangfire said:
I can see how would work on tractor, but I don't think that would never work on a truck trying to pull it through Ozark soil!

It does seem a bit light, and it intened to be used on fill dirt or soil without too many roots. It does have a sharpe edge so it will cut through roots, and does move rocks. I think by taking out any slop in the connection points, will make it much stronger.

Nuru · Apr 17, 2007

kwolfe said:
A subsoiler for a truck. Interesting. I am not sure how that would effect the 500lb tongue wieght capacity. Seems like it could really tug on a truck given the wrong soil conditions or very big root/rock. Neat idea though. Glad it worked out for you.

Well it is not quite a real subsoiler, as it is not very strong and does not like turns, especially ones like the ones i pulled on it last weekend. But more gradual turns could be tolerated.