Hitch on bucket

[bones1]

I have seen posts here on welding a hitch tube on top of a bucket to move a trailer.Can you get the bucket low enough to get it under the coupler, seems kinda high to me. Dargo has one here that he did.http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48205&d=1133908971
Just curious if it will work being on top of the bucket.What drop insert would you use?. Thanks.

 

[AlanB]

I have a 2 5/16 ball welded to the top of my bucket that I use to move my gooseneck, and I have a 2" reciever in my box blade to move regular trailers with.

My bucket (5' on 7308 NH) will not get low enough to get the top under the tounge of the trailers.

I also have a hole in the cutting edge of my bucket and a ball with an overgrown wingnut that I install if I must do it from the front end, but it is impossible to see what you are doing and I have found that to be more trouble then it is worth.

 

[mdbarb]

I posted awhile back wanting to put a hitch on the backhoe bucket. seemed alot more flexible. didn't really come up with the perfect solution. still don't have one.

 

[Dargo]

Actually I don't have to use any type of drop hitch at all. Although I have an 8" drop hitch on my truck, I use a straight hitch on the tractor bucket. All you have to do is roll the bucket until you are under the trailer and then roll the bucket back. As long as the trailer tongue is about a foot off the ground, I don't see needing any drop.

The picture now wouldn't be so 'pretty'. I've used the heck out of that hitch insert. As a matter of fact, I have not used the 3 pt. hitch I designed and made since making the one on the loader bucket. It makes the 3 pt. hitch one seem, well, rather useless and I designed the thing.

 

[Highbeam]

I think the ball hitch systemis more flexible than we give it credit for. The ball can be tipped way off of vertical and still enter the socket to allow you to pick up that trailer tongue.

 

[George2615]

Bones1,
If I had a hitch receiver welded to the top of my bucket as pictured it would be about 23" off the ground which is too high to get under a trailer hitch. It would probably work with a 6 - 8" drop hitch to plug in. I prefer using the 3 pt. hitch to move my trailers around.
George

 

[JerryG]

Go ahead and put the receiver on. It can be used for you trailer as well as many other things. I'm glad that I put my receivers on, because they so adaptable. I leave my grab hooks in all the time.

Attachment:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/64/sort/1/cat/500/page/2

 

[bones1]

Anyone have any pictures of this in use,I still don't think it will work well to move a trailer.But if it does I'll order one today.

 

[Dargo]

Anyone have any pictures of this in use,I still don't think it will work well to move a trailer.But if it does I'll order one today.

Order one? I think I paid $9 for the receiver at TSC or Rural King. I assure you that with an 8" drop, you can dig a trailer tongue out of the ground. I must not be explaining it right. With no drop at all, seriously, you can easily hook on to a trailer tongue if it is only 12" high. Most trailer hitches won't be that low. My insert for my receiver has a 2 5/8" ball on one side and a 2" on the flip side. I use one for a gooseneck trailer and the 2" for my bumper pull trailer. You won't have any need for a drop hitch, and you won't have to tie up your 3 pt hitch. As I said, I designed and built several versions of 3 pt hitches to pick up and move trailers. Even if they were not a pain to hook up and force you to remove whatever you currently have on your 3 pt. hitch, I'd still strongly prefer the receiver on the loader. I have both. I have no reason to suggest one over the other.

If you still want a 3 pt one, I know where you can buy an extremely strong one that has additional safety features you won't find on others you commonly see. Still, you wouldn't like it once you use the receiver mounted on your FEL.

 

[bones1]

Ok Ok I'll try it your way.Thanks for the help Dargo.