Proper Hitch for Using Chain Harrow?

kchampagne · Mar 25, 2013

Good day all! In preparation for property maintenance activities this Spring, I plan to purchase a 6' x 8' standard chain harrow for dragging my pastures and horse arena. I have never used one before, but I understand that I have to be careful not to get the harrow into the rear tires when making sharp turns in corners. The OEM drawbar with hitch ball on my Kubota B2630 doesn't seem to be long enough to give the proper clearance when making turns. I thought about using something like this 3 point drawbar receiver hitch to slightly extend the harrow out from the back of the tractor. Tractor Drawbar Receiver Hitch 3 point $88.00 | Acessories and other attachments | Drawbar Trailer Hitches | palletforks.com

Does anyone have any experience with a 3 point hitch like this or similar setup to ensure proper clearance while operating a chain harrow? Thanks in advance!!!

SPYDERLK · Mar 25, 2013

That item would give some extension with the receiver hitch ... and have other uses as well. For a lot less at TSC you can get an equally useful 2pt drawbar for the lower links and extend with a piece of chain or even a loop of nylon rope to the exact amount you need to make your turns. These also would allow convenient option of pulling from positions off center.
larry

MBTRAC · Mar 25, 2013

Either a 2pt or 3pt drawbar hitch is fine, connect to the harrow with a chain something along the lines of a offroad recovery drag chain & a few bow shackles & you have multi-use gear you can use around the farm for other tasks.

kchampagne · Mar 25, 2013

Thanks. I looked at the 2pt cross drawbar at TSC, but wasn't sure how it would stay level/stabilized without being connected to the upper link arm? Would the drawbar want to spin in the bushings of the 2 lower link arms of the 3pt?

greg_g · Mar 26, 2013

The manufacturers are not very generous with the length of the OE tow bar chain. Replace it with a longer section of your own. With the harrow detached, back up to it an an angle that would represent what you consider a reasonable turn. Measure from one tow bar eye - to the hitch - and back to the opposite tow bar eye. Get a new section of chain that's at least a foot longer than that. Then attach it to each tow bar eye with at least 6" dangling. That leaves you some wiggle room if you still come up short in the turns.

//greg//

MBTRAC · Mar 26, 2013

kchampagne said:
Thanks. I looked at the 2pt cross drawbar at TSC, but wasn't sure how it would stay level/stabilized without being connected to the upper link arm? Would the drawbar want to spin in the bushings of the 2 lower link arms of the 3pt?

Sure the 2pt drawbars will move around a bit & can be a pain if used with a ball hitch on trailers due to their oscollitation when hitching, but for dragging a chain harrow they're fine - always lower the 3PL to the lowest practical setting.

hosspuller · Mar 26, 2013

I pull a 12 foot chain harrow for my pastures. I've had the same problem in sharp turns. (getting the harrow into the tires) The simple solution was 5 feet of chain from my factory draw bar to the harrow. Added benefit was the harrow is pulled at a lower angle... the front does more work. Easy, quick, cheap and if you have a grab hook on one end, a slip hook on the other a very useful tool for a lot of different chores. ie pulling fence posts with FEL.

SPYDERLK · Mar 26, 2013

hosspuller said:
I pull a 12 foot chain harrow for my pastures. I've had the same problem in sharp turns. (getting the harrow into the tires) The simple solution was 5 feet of chain from my factory draw bar to the harrow. Added benefit was the harrow is pulled at a lower angle... the front does more work. Easy, quick, cheap and if you have a grab hook on one end, a slip hook on the other a very useful tool for a lot of different chores. ie pulling fence posts with FEL.

Low pull angle is good when you need it, but sometimes you may want to lift a little - like in a turn area etc. I prefer the shortest extension to do the job and raise and lower the lift arms to tailor penetration.