Is there a 3PH drawbar hitch?

[JD3520]

My 3520 is like his 3320 (stabilizers won't allow the 3ph arms to come together) so how about this and it won't cost any money.

Run a loose chain attaching it to each end of the arms on the 3ph. It needs to be long enough to go under the tongue. Back the tractor up to the spreader hitch allowing the chain to go under the tongue. Using the 3ph raise the spreader tongue to the height of the drawbar. Back the tractor up and set the pin. The chain should slide down the length of the tongue.

Is that clear as mud?

 

[KennK]

His spreaders tounge jack is probably a light duty jack is the reason for not using it with loaded spreader.

Original poster here ...

That is reason #1 for not using the OEM tongue jack.

Reason #2 is that the tractor's drawbar is so low to the ground that if I use the tongue jack to hold the hitch at the right height, hitch up the spreader, and crank the tongue jack to the max distance off the ground, there still isn't sufficient room to swivel the jack to a horizontal position (the jack foot won't clear the ground). I don't want to leave the jack in the vertical position because it will certainly bottom out as I drive the tractor over uneven ground.

Right now I either have to hand lift the empty spreader to attach it to the drawbar, or place the tongue on blocks and hope I get the right height to match the drawbar.

BTW, the manure spreader is a Frontier MS1105G Manure Spreader, if that helps.

After reading the replies, I am kind of eyeing the Flexpoint Tractor Hitch from Tractor Hitch-FLEXPOINT TRACTOR HITCH SYSTEM - Summit Fabrications,Inc. . It is a bit expensive, but then I could use the tractor to move my "real" trailers (horse, camper, etc...). I suppose I could use a "blank" receiver hitch bar (without a ball) to connect to the spreader.

Here is a link to JD's description of the manure spreader:
John Deere Ag - Frontier Equipment Features for Manure Spreaders - 175 Bushels or Less

 

[BTDT]

Ok, here's a thinking out of the box solution for you (maybe). Take off the cheap jack and install a hydr. cyl. in it's place with the rod facing down. Pin a flat shoe (you have to make this part) to the rod. Hook up to your hydr. to cylinder with quick attatch coupling, then raise (with pressure) lower with gravity. When it gets to right height for connection, back up and pin in place. Probably a lot cheaper that that 3ph contraption.

 

[Soundguy]

Cheaper than a 3pt soloution? Please.... A aframe kit can be had for a 3pt drawbar for about 20$ from a CNH dealer. Then a ball or other hitch methods could be used.

Soundguy

 

[BTDT]

Cheaper than a 3pt soloution? Please.... A aframe kit can be had for a 3pt drawbar for about 20$ from a CNH dealer. Then a ball or other hitch methods could be used.

Soundguy

Did you see his post and the link provided? He said it was kind of expensive, that's what I based my comment on. It ranged from 200 to 310 dollars plus shipping.

 

[Soundguy]

I saw the link. However a generic 3pt soloution like I offered is a pittance compaired to plumbing in a hyd cyl.. lines.. fittings.. fabrixcating a pin on foot... etc.. Not to mention 10x easier... faster.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[roxynoodle]

Here is the solution I was using until I bought the H: I used my truck to pull my spreader. I have one ball mount without a ball that can be used for this and for bringing home hay wagons. Why did I stop? I have a pretty nice truck. Until last fall, I had an old truck with over 200k miles and I didn't mind getting that one covered in mud and manure. I discovered after I sold that one that I wasn't too happy subjecting my new truck to the same nasty conditions. But, if you have an older truck around, you could just buy a ball mount for $15-20 and pin your spreader to that.

 

[deerhunterf350]

KennK

If the 3ph hitch will lower than the Towing Drawbar Level that the manure spreader is being hooked to. Then put a 11 hole Drawar in the 3PH, Back up to the Loaded Spreader with the 3PH drawbar lowered, once the Drawbar is under the Spreader's Tongue Lift the 3PH so the Tongue is the correct height for Hookup, slowly back up. With a Spreader full of manure the 3PH Drawbar should slide along the bottom of the Spreader Tongue . Then drop a pin in through the tongue and into the Tractors Towing Drawbar, Lower the 3PH and off you go.

 

[greenedeere]

I made a hitch with a piece of square tubing with holes drilled in top on both sides for top link pin to go through,hanging down to a 1 inch round solid rod that goes across from eye to eye of the arms, and pin it to each of the arms on the outside, welded a flat plate to bottom of square tubing notched around the rod so it would be flat on bottom of square tubing with rod inside of bottom of tubing for a solid weld, drilled hole in flat piece to match the pin size. 3 ph is raised and lowered to hook up any height the tongue might be.

 

[PineRidge]

My 3520 is like his 3320 (stabilizers won't allow the 3ph arms to come together) so how about this and it won't cost any money.

Run a loose chain attaching it to each end of the arms on the 3ph. It needs to be long enough to go under the tongue. Back the tractor up to the spreader hitch allowing the chain to go under the tongue. Using the 3ph raise the spreader tongue to the height of the drawbar. Back the tractor up and set the pin. The chain should slide down the length of the tongue.

Is that clear as mud?

This sounds like a good, cheap solution to me.

 

[Slamfire]

Go to an antique tractor show an ask one of the N series Ford owners to show you the stays that Soundguy's been postin' about. It's an elegant solution to the origional poster's question.

 

[Soundguy]

Go to an antique tractor show an ask one of the N series Ford owners to show you the stays that Soundguy's been postin' about. It's an elegant solution to the origional poster's question.

Ahh.. it's no use. Seems some people don't want to hear about a 20$ soloution that has been working since the late 30's for that exact issue, vs buying something expensive that does mostly the same job but at 8x to 10x the price. For some people,.. a solution either has to be new, or has to be complicated or expensive.

let em' buy the $pendy 3pt doo-day reciever hitch.. the dealer probably needs the money anyway.

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

This sounds like a good, cheap solution to me.

Not only cheap, but very workable.

There's problems with just about every method mentioned except for one idea. .... The chain hanging from the draft arms that can be backed under the tongue and used to lift the tongue to the height of a fixed ball/pin hitch/ect.

3-point "stay bars" would require loosening bolts to adjust as the hitch was raised and lowered. The bolts would need to be tightened each time you hitched the spreader. Not exactly difficult, but time wasted none the less. Stay bars have been around since the 3-point hitch was invented. But... They just never did really catch on. Adjustable, just not EASILY and QUICKLY adjustable sometimes. Another downfall to the stay bars? They will bend when force is applied UPWARDS. They will support weight just fine. Just hope the tongue weight doesn't go "negative" on a down hill or with the back end of the spreader loaded heavier than the front. (Don't ask me how I know.... Or why the set of stay bars that came new with dads Ferguson F-40 look like pretzles)

3-point A-frame or mounted reciever has a flaw too. Depending on how the load is balanced, or the grade on which you're operating (driving down-hill with a load ), the hitch may raise up on its own. (No down pressure)

The BEST solution is 2 tractors. One loader, one pulling the spreader, which should be hooked to the fixed drawbar.

I've hauled manure before with one tractor to do the entire job. My spreader had a 3" pipe welded to the tongue that took the place of a tongue jack. When hitched to my fixed drawbar, it was over 6" off the ground. When I pulled up to the barn with an empty spreader, I'd just pull the pin and drive away. After using the tractor to load the spreader, I'd back up to it, with draft arms lowered. That would let the chain I had from arm to arm drag the ground. After I was nearly to the hitch, I'd raise the draft arms. Then I'd move the hitch around to line things up, and drop the pin. (A ball would work much the same way.

For those who want cheap, all this would cost is a short piece of pipe (or a couple wood blocks?) and a 3' long piece of chain.

There's no hydraulic hoses to hook up. There's nothing much to buy. And most importantly, not much to do at each hook/unhook cycle. When you're hauling manure is NOT the time when you want to be climbing all over the tractor tightening bolts and playing with difficult hitch's.

 

[Soundguy]

I'd like to point out, that on the adjustable stay arms, you can add a nut/bolt/washer to a set point on the top bar, and then use double nuts on the other bolting hardware, and leave a little play, so that the adjustable stay will telescope a bit. You could adjust it so that you can get enough lift to lift and drop the implement.. but that the 3pt won't come all the way up.

Once you find out a measurement/sizing that works for you, you could just tack weld that extra bolt in place.

Soundguy

 

[wushaw]

KennK, I purchased a 3pt reciever hitch that is real simular to the one advertised here on TBN a few years ago (I think a different company sold it then) It works just fine, I move all my trailers around with it with my little 15hp Mitsubishi tractor, the biggest one is 1900lb empty weight utility trailer.

When I fear a negative pin weight problem I use the chain to the draw bar and it works all for @120.00 for everything if you don't have a reciever hitch & ball already.

 

[kwolfe]

Ahh.. it's no use. Seems some people don't want to hear about a 20$ soloution that has been working since the late 30's for that exact issue, vs buying something expensive that does mostly the same job but at 8x to 10x the price. For some people,.. a solution either has to be new, or has to be complicated or expensive.

let em' buy the $pendy 3pt doo-day reciever hitch.. the dealer probably needs the money anyway.

Soundguy

Soundguy,
You mentioned this solution a while back in another thread. I called around to the local CNH dealers in my area, and they never heard of the A-Frame. I was pretty dissapointed especially since I don't weld. $20 is a deal. However, I would up spending $35 at an online store called StevensTractors for the same thing. You are right. Why spend hundreds when $20 would do the trick. Bolt it on the drawbar and I and I am ready to go.

 

[Soundguy]

I am gonna have to get down to my CNH dealer and ask him for that part number on that hitch kit. The sticker on my kit is a year old and worn so bad i can't read the aprt number.. but yeah.. it was 20$ and some change with tax.. etc. Even came with the bolts and nuts to mount it to the drawbar. All you needed was your toplink and pin, and a 3pt drawbar.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[RalphVa]

KennK,

That chain idea sounds pretty good to me. I'd be inclined to attach the chain to the bottom of the tongue, maybe with a U bolt(s)/welded or whatever. Then attach it to the 3ph arms when you're ready to hitch up.

You may want to try the chain unattached and spreader empty first, to figure out where to attach the chain to the tongue so it'll be at the right fore/aft position to just drop the hitch onto your drawbar ball.

Ralph

 

[gemini5362]

I was looking at the chain across arms idea. It works and is cheap. I used to do that on a trailer but was a little disconcerted the first time I did it on a slope and the trailer started rolling forward when the weight came off of the jack and started getting balanced out. I did notice the original posters reasons for why a heavier jack would not work. I have a jack on my equipment trailer that is rated at 10,000 pounds. the jack mounts to the trailer via a steel tube that is welded to the trailer. The jack has a larger tube welded to it. You slide the jack tube over the trailer tube and line the hole through both tubes then insert a 5/8 inch pin. When you have the trailer sitting on the ball of the truck you can take the pin out and completely remove the jack. This would solve the problem of not being able to rotate it for clearance once the trailer is hooked up. I originally had a bulldog jack but found a Sentry at a discount place and it was around 35.00 any welding shop can weld the tube on pretty easily.You might look into that solution it seems like it would solve your problems and might be cheaper than the solution you linked to. If you want to go with a 3ph solution I made something like what your link was to and it did not require any welding. I will be glad to tell you how I made it if you like just email me

 

[Farmwithjunk]

KennK,

That chain idea sounds pretty good to me. I'd be inclined to attach the chain to the bottom of the tongue, maybe with a U bolt(s)/welded or whatever. Then attach it to the 3ph arms when you're ready to hitch up.

You may want to try the chain unattached and spreader empty first, to figure out where to attach the chain to the tongue so it'll be at the right fore/aft position to just drop the hitch onto your drawbar ball.

Ralph

I quit doing the "chain over the draft arms" thing once I had an extra tractor to leave hooked up to the spreader, so I didn't "refine" my technique any further. What I would have done if I continued using this method was to weld the 7" long, 3" pipe that served as tongue jack, just a tad further to the rear than what I'd originally done. With that, just back under 'till the chain hit the piece of pipe, then lift. That would have brought the trailer tongue to with-in an inch or so of "home". Just lift and back the tractor another inch or so, and drop the pin.

We have flat ground here, just that it's mostly VERTICAL. I ALWAYS chocked the wheels on the spreader before unhitching. It would have been embarrasing enough to let the tractor roll through the barn. Imagine the abuse you'd have to take if you let the manure spreader roll through the side of the barn. :0