When my grandfather gave up using his team of mules and went motorized, the first thing he did to the new tractor was to build a stump puller frame. He used two pieces of channel iron, running the length of the tractor, U-shaped at the axle and bolted on it, running from the axle all the way past the radiator and front cowl. I dont remember how it was bolted to the front and sides, likely to somthing solid. Running between those two side , under the transmission, one side was a reciever type(slightly larger) - the other side was your male end that slid in to the channel. Much like your trailer hitches these days. He ran two of these between the side rails , spaced about two inches or so apart. (wide enough for the heavy log chain) - dead center of these two cross members, he drilled a hole for a large case hardened ships bolt, which you lifted up the chain, pushed in the bolt from the front side, and the chain was just kind of looped over it. Hope that makes sense..
That chain was then run thru a tire at the rear, (sometimes two stacked on top of each other) then the other chain went around the stump. The tires acted as a stretch and slack device and kept the jerking to a minimum.
He always said that the frame was for pullin stuff, and I remember watchin as the tractor kinda hunched down or dug in a bit and then what ever he was hooked to, came loose as the tractor started moving. He always pulled in low gears. I helped him and his neighbor pull out a combine that was stuck in the mud and I remember how small the tractor looked in comparison to the big machine. Despite the size and weight difference it still pulled it out. That frame was always used, the rear hitch was for hooking implements to and nothing else.
