Pulling with the draw bar?

[kensfarm]

After reading your post.. I was wondering if people were getting confused between the drawbar that extends out from underneath the tractor's rear differential.. vs a drawbar that attaches to the 3pt hydrolic arms.

Raising the log up w/ the 3pt hitch drawbar to avoid the log from digging in the ground can save your lawn.. but also increases the danger of flipping the tractor over backwards.

For dragging logs.. I use the drawbar extending out from below the differential w/ a "D" clevis using logging chains. Doesn't mean you can't flip the tractor w/ this configuration.. but you are pulling from the lowest point.

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In a recent article in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, NIOSH warned that improperly attaching a tow chain to a point above the tractor's drawbar can cause tractors to suddenly flip backward.

In 16 (59%) of the 27 reported incidents, improper hitching of equipment or material for towing was believed to be the primary cause of the rollover; 10 (63%) of these 16 rollovers resulted in fatalities. The remaining 11 rollovers were associated with various factors, including ensnaring the towed item on a stump, imbalance resulting from pulling an excessively heavy load, or ascending a steep incline in forward gear rather than backing up the hill; five of these incidents resulted in fatalities.

 

[SPIKER]

hey: I agree with others, draw bar is #1 choice for pulling HEAVY objects, 2nd is 3pt "T" type draw bar, which you can raise the end as described above with the maple tree, i have my own that I made for a few bucks worth of scrap steel tubing.

NEVER USE A CABLE

the cable will STORE enegry and if/when it breaks it will SNAP LIKE A RUBBER BAND and come back at you, I've seen them snap more than once. CABLES are OK for TOW TRUCKS where LOTS OF LENGHT is needed, but at the same time they are installed on whinches which can't produce enough energy to break them unless the cable is in bad shape.

LOG CHAINS are best bet, and if you think you are pulling at or near it's limits, then wrapping an old blanket around it near the end that is being pulled is a good idea. D rings on the LOWER FRAME mounted draw bar for pulling stumps ect. and use shortest lenght possable.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[dos_perros]

Thank you for all the information, links, and photos. I am planning on using the drawbar that comes out from the rear of my tractor, not the 3-pt. Will be ordering both the hook and the D-ring. As always, useful, timely information. Thank you.

 

[BillyP]

Here's a way to stop a broken chain from doing you bodily harm.

Get a good strong rope, say 5 or 6 feet longer than the chain. Weave the rope through the chain links (every foot or two). Securely attached the ends of the rope wherever you attached the ends chain (be sure to attach rope and chain separate from each other).

If the chain breaks, the rope will keep the chain under control. The 5 or 6 foot of slack should give you time to stop the tractor.