Some great & sound advice in here guys thanks. I may just drill the holes and add slots eventually. I've thought about many scenarios, I think I'll leave the top alone for now.
I ordered my hitch since I couldn't find one I liked locally. Solid receiver, 4 pin holes in the receiver to flip it, and claims 40k lbs + break strength. I should never see close to that.
Nice work. Plenty strong for a hitch on a tractor that size.
When using for retrieval abnormal forces can be exerted. Your reinforced back wall will greatly strengthen where the hitch bolts to the tractor. At a glance it appears the weakest spot now would be vertical stress. A square tube laying horizontal has very little resistance to such a force. Triangles are needed for that. The hitch will never tear loose from the square tube. Hopefully that bracing will add some strength to stopping the "square" tube from becoming a "diamond".
Definitely build a shackle receiver and keep a threaded clevis installed for retrieval useage. Try to avoid using a ball hitch for retrieval.
Great job!!!
Yeah I'm hoping I never have to see the abuse it will withstand, but I got stuck not long ago with 5 tons of lime behind me so it saw some stress that day and I knew what I wanted to try and build it to withstand. I tried bracing the front of the hitch up enough it would take some side force without pulling off.
I did think about coming behind the front plates I braced it up with and adding in a triangle from the backside of the plate to the bumper to add more strength against straight forward pulling force, but after finishing welding everything up it looks to be more than plenty.?
I did notice I made one mistake (to me) in the strength department. When I welded in my hitch I have the hitch pin hole forward instead of it being flipped and the pin hole farther in the back. This is going to make the receiver only go about half way into the hitch instead of full length. No huge deal, but going for max strength in this I feel like I missed this one. When I ordered my shackle hitch I did make sure to order one with the most hitch after the pin hole to hopefully help fix my mistake.
Nice job on the receiver hitch BMan...
With your fab skills beefing up the stock grill guard will be easy...
I started to do one for my 50 but instead purchased the heavy duty grill guard...
Had to wait on the darn thing for several months but I like it...
You may want to check one out just for the heck of it...
I forget what the cost was...
My dealer let me have it at cost...
Well...that's what he said anyway...
Thanks man, I think I actually looked at a picture of yours maybe on here trying to get ideas how I wanted mine, it looks stout. I think I'm going to kinda go the simple route and add some of the 3/8" flat bar horizontally to the guard I have, then tack on some expanded metal for small limbs.
I have been thinking of tie down points for trailering and was going to add hooks to the top of the bumper for that but I think I have decided to add a D Ring to the side of my brush guard one each side.
