forestcreature
Silver Member
my main reason for using the 3pt drawbar is so i can offset a roller or a rake so that it will cover up my tire tracks. [this, of course, makes me dizzy since i always have to turn in the same direction] 
Towing a trailer
- Thread starter Bob_Trevithick
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MossRoad
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- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
Isn't HST nice? You let off the pedal and it stops itself. Heck, my PT425 doesn't even have brakes. Just a forward and reverse pedal. That's it.
John_Mc
Elite Member
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- NH TC33D Modified with belly pan, limb risers & FOPS. Honda Pioneer 520 & antique Coot UTV
Bob -
I got my 3 pt hitch draw bar thrown in for free when I bought the tractor. I think I remember seeing a $60 price tag on it. You Probably could do better if you shop around a bit. On thing to consider along with it: There is nothing to prevent this bar from flipping around in the ball ends of your 3 pt hitch arms (other than the socket on the trailer). Most places that sell the draw bar also sell a lock to hold it in place. It's usually a sleeve that fits over one of the lower hitch arms, with a rectangular slot the the draw bar goes through before going in to ball socket on the lower 3 pt hitch arm.
It's very convenient for moving a variety of trailers for quick short hauls. You can even mount a couple of diferent sized balls in it, since there are multiple holes. As others have noted, the swinging draw bar is better for long hauls or heavy loads.
John
I got my 3 pt hitch draw bar thrown in for free when I bought the tractor. I think I remember seeing a $60 price tag on it. You Probably could do better if you shop around a bit. On thing to consider along with it: There is nothing to prevent this bar from flipping around in the ball ends of your 3 pt hitch arms (other than the socket on the trailer). Most places that sell the draw bar also sell a lock to hold it in place. It's usually a sleeve that fits over one of the lower hitch arms, with a rectangular slot the the draw bar goes through before going in to ball socket on the lower 3 pt hitch arm.
It's very convenient for moving a variety of trailers for quick short hauls. You can even mount a couple of diferent sized balls in it, since there are multiple holes. As others have noted, the swinging draw bar is better for long hauls or heavy loads.
John
billboe
Gold Member
<font color=blue>Actually, I probably won't load this very heavy at first. I'd rather make a number of safe trips than one risky one (what my dad used to call a Lazy Man's Load!</font color=blue>
I worked for a german gentleman when I was growing up... One of his favorite says was: "A lazy donkey carries himself to death; a busy donkey runs himself to death"... I guess you just can't win! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I worked for a german gentleman when I was growing up... One of his favorite says was: "A lazy donkey carries himself to death; a busy donkey runs himself to death"... I guess you just can't win! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
jdrotert
Silver Member
Check out this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=implement&Number=78267&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1/>thread</A> for what I (and some others) use for towing dities. As you can see, I have a swinging drawbar too, but rarely use it for towing because the hole in the end is too small for a ball (if I remember right, it's only 3/4"). I use it for a tie down on a trailer mostly.
OP
Bob_Trevithick
Platinum Member
<font color=blue>...Check out this thread for what I (and some others) use for towing dities.</font color=blue>
Thanks.. I was trying to picture these things. This did the trick!
Oh, a quick somewhat-related question. I understand one shouldn't use the swinging drawbar in the "parked" position for towing, because of tractor clearance problems. But is there any reason not to leave it in the parked (innermost) position if all I want to do is put a clevis on it and use it to connect a chain to pull out stuck cars? It would let me keep my rear dirt scoop full of sand bags on.. just lift it up to clear the chain and away we go.
Thanks,
Bob
Thanks.. I was trying to picture these things. This did the trick!
Oh, a quick somewhat-related question. I understand one shouldn't use the swinging drawbar in the "parked" position for towing, because of tractor clearance problems. But is there any reason not to leave it in the parked (innermost) position if all I want to do is put a clevis on it and use it to connect a chain to pull out stuck cars? It would let me keep my rear dirt scoop full of sand bags on.. just lift it up to clear the chain and away we go.
Thanks,
Bob
Bird
Rest in Peace
No problem at all, Bob.
jdrotert
Silver Member
Bob,
I just leave mine in place all the time. I'd loose it other wise. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
I just leave mine in place all the time. I'd loose it other wise. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
OP
Bob_Trevithick
Platinum Member
<font color=blue>...Bob, I understand wanting to use the blade for front counterweight in this situation but blades also block air flow to the radiator too. Couple this with towing a heavy load at slow speeds for several miles and depending on the ambient air temps overheating could result.</font color=blue>
I just read in another thread that some of the Kubotas have fans which "push" the air through the radiator, rather than "pull" it through. My first thought on reading that was that the tractor's forward motion must be considered completely irrelevant to cooling. Or am I misunderstanding something here? Certainly a tractor in "creeper" gear doing heavy work can't count on a lot of air from forward motion.. unless there is a heavy wind blowing in the right direction. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Is it true that some tractors do in fact push the air with their fan rather than pull it? If so, this would seem a compelling argument that a front blade isn't going to cause any cooling problems?
I just read in another thread that some of the Kubotas have fans which "push" the air through the radiator, rather than "pull" it through. My first thought on reading that was that the tractor's forward motion must be considered completely irrelevant to cooling. Or am I misunderstanding something here? Certainly a tractor in "creeper" gear doing heavy work can't count on a lot of air from forward motion.. unless there is a heavy wind blowing in the right direction. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Is it true that some tractors do in fact push the air with their fan rather than pull it? If so, this would seem a compelling argument that a front blade isn't going to cause any cooling problems?
beenthere
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Bob
I agree with you, as you suggest, a tractor can't count on its velocity to get air through the radiator. And some use push and some pull to move the air with the fan blades.
Also, as far as the compelling argument you bring up about the front blade, Bird addressed support of that in his 12/30/01 8:58 pm message in this thread. And I would weigh in on the side that a front blade makes no difference. Debris in the radiator, and load on the engine would tend to contribute to a problem with overheating way before anything else. Probably the same thing with trucks with front blades overheating. Its likely not the blade restricting air, but maybe snow in the radiator blocking flow, or keeping the fan blade from turning after punching through a big drift. Have had both of those things happen. (And when the front end is fully packed with snow, don't whip out the electric heater to melt it quickly. It will make a twisted mess of the plastic covering on the bumper and the valance /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif).
I agree with you, as you suggest, a tractor can't count on its velocity to get air through the radiator. And some use push and some pull to move the air with the fan blades.
Also, as far as the compelling argument you bring up about the front blade, Bird addressed support of that in his 12/30/01 8:58 pm message in this thread. And I would weigh in on the side that a front blade makes no difference. Debris in the radiator, and load on the engine would tend to contribute to a problem with overheating way before anything else. Probably the same thing with trucks with front blades overheating. Its likely not the blade restricting air, but maybe snow in the radiator blocking flow, or keeping the fan blade from turning after punching through a big drift. Have had both of those things happen. (And when the front end is fully packed with snow, don't whip out the electric heater to melt it quickly. It will make a twisted mess of the plastic covering on the bumper and the valance /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif).
