trailer hitch ball on drawbear or not??

JB4310 · Oct 1, 2011

Just scrolled thru quickly, but regarding the 3 pt draw bar, it's referred to as horizontal draw bar, so yeah it is a draw bar. I have one but since I got the dedicated receiver type like roy's, I rarely use it anymore.

Actually I went a step further and just welded a receiver on my QH for everyday lighter tasks.

JB.

mwmst · Oct 1, 2011

OK since you are talking draw bars (under the axel), I have a stupid question. How do you push up the locking pin so you can re insert the draw bar on a Ford 4000. I can not get the pin to push up high enough to reinsert the bar

Michael

kubota4me · Oct 1, 2011

Well, I took the advice of the forum and hooked the chain on a clevis on the tractor drawbar and the L4400 was way up to its task. I did craw like a snail though as I wanted to live another day to conquer more trees. I've only got 20 hours on my L4400 since it was new now, but it works like a charm. Thanks for your advice. I ALMOST did hook a trailer hitch ball on the the horizontal drawbar, but after reading through this thread, I gave in to wisdom from the forum and happily so.

5640SUD · Oct 2, 2011

I'm not sure I understand everyone's apprehension to use the 3 pt hitch drawbar for moving logs. I've been doing this for years with a grab hook in the middle of the draw bar and a chain with a slip hook that wraps around the log. Put the chain in the grab hook and lift the log off the ground with the 3 pt hitch. Never had a problem.
5640SUD

Chilly807 · Oct 2, 2011

5640SUD said:
I'm not sure I understand everyone's apprehension to use the 3 pt hitch drawbar for moving logs. I've been doing this for years with a grab hook in the middle of the draw bar and a chain with a slip hook that wraps around the log. Put the chain in the grab hook and lift the log off the ground with the 3 pt hitch. Never had a problem.
5640SUD

99.9% of people will never have a problem doing this, I've done it myself on occasion. What can happen is that the log butt (or limbs if you're trying to pull a whole tree ) can hook on a rock ledge or stump and stick fast. When that happens, the attachment point at the 3 point drawbar is usually above the rear axle. Since it can't go ahead any more, the tractor pivots around the rear axle, flips on top of you, and it's usually game over.

If you're careful, lucky, or both this will never happen. I've heard of a couple cases in Nova Scotia in the last couple of years where this is exactly what happened, both were fatal.

Since we can't assume people have the common sense to avoid this kind of situation, we're really reluctant to advise pulling from the 3 point hitch.

As I mentioned earlier, the skidding winch keeps the log butt tucked up behind the butt-plate out of harm's way. It's safer than most alternatives, but nothing is truly fool-proof.

Pulling a whole tree, limbs and all, isn't safe in my opinion.

Sean

LD1 · Oct 2, 2011

Chilly807 said:
Since we can't assume people have the common sense to avoid this kind of situation, we're really reluctant to advise pulling from the 3 point hitch.

Sean

BINGO:thumbsup:

I pull from the 3PH all the time. The convienence of raising the log out of teh dirt as well as adding traction to the rear tires.

But I am familiar with my machine, and have a big loader for front weight:thumbsup:

I would NEVER reccomend to anyone to do this becasue of the dangers. Especially on these smaller CUT tractors and no loader on. You will flip in a heartbeat.

So I guess to sum it up, if someone is even questioning about pulling, that indicates to me that they are a newbie and probabally not aware of the dangers and how fast bad things can happen.

Most of us who have been around the block a time or two, arent on here asking these questions. So we have to assume that we are talking to an inesperienced operator.

chopped · Oct 2, 2011

iplumb said:
Thats awesome:thumbsup: Might just have to get one of those..Thanks:thumbsup: My wife thanks ya too..:laughing:

If you do You might consider also a short piece of chain that can be attached to it and then run down to the ''drawbar'' under the tractor, then when you get it raise to teh height you want attach the chain so that it cant ride up freely,as thre point hitches do..
A shift in weight on the trailer can pop the lift arms upward...
I use the chain method and then ever so slightly raise the hitch to take the slack out...

PapaPerk · Oct 2, 2011

Use a clevis that fits the draw bar hole exactly. That's what they are made for. :thumbsup:

buck12 · Oct 2, 2011

LD1 said:
You guys must all be pretty lucky.

Kubota did NOT provide me with a drawbar for my L3400. Allthough the bracket to recieve one is there. So I made one:thumbsup:

About the only thing I do with it now is use a clevis through it to tie my tractor to the trailer. I am guilty of using my 3PH reciever-type hitch for pulling logs. But I like to live dangerously. I am not reccomending that to a newbie.

I bought my tractor used and when I got it home I realized it didn't have a drawbar. I called the guy who I bought the tractor from and he told me yes the tractor came with a drawbar but he had no idea where it was. A couple of days later he called and said he found it. I have a feeling many people don't use a drawbar and quite a few are removed and left leaning in the corner of sheds and barns.