will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar

   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #1  

geish

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
49
We have some logs around our property that I need to drag around.

I was planning on attaching a hitch ball to the drawbar then using that to hook a clevis hook attached to a metal chain to drag the log around.

The chain, ball, and hook are strong enough. I was wondering if doing so would damage the drawbar/tractor in any way.

I don't know if what I'm pulling has to be on the same level as the drawbar, or if it could be lower such as the log on the ground that attached to the chain and hook setup.

Thanks in advance. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #2  
The drawbar is exactly what you want to use to pull something like a log. And there's usually no problem with the log being below the drawbar, but naturally you have the consider the possibility of the log hanging on something and stopping, which can cause the tractor to rear up in some cases instead of just spinning its wheels. If you take it slow and easy, you should have no problem.
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #3  
I thought the point of using the drawbar rather than 3PT to tow a log is just so it should not cause the tractor to "rear up" when the log hits an obstruction. Seems to me if the rearward force is below the rear axle then the physics would not cause the tractor to rotate on the rear axle, which would be necessary for the front to raise up. Is it just a matter of degree?
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #4  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Seems to me if the rearward force is below the rear axle then the physics would not cause the tractor to rotate on the rear axle, which would be necessary for the front to raise up. )</font>

But if you have perfect traction and the load won't move then the whole tractor will rotate around the rear axle, up and over backwards. As I posted a long time ago, a friend told me that was how his father became disabled.
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #5  
Ed, the drawbar is the safest place to pull from, and while it's not a common occurrence (at least I don't think so), like California said, it's always possible for the tractor to rear up and go over backwards.
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #6  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But if you have perfect traction and the load won't move then the whole tractor will rotate around the rear axle, up and over backwards. )</font>

Of course, as stated, this is not possible as the load would HAVE to move or the tractor would have to slide backwards to allow the the drawbar to rotate underneath the tractor. The force from the load is pulling the front end DOWN. This is the simple physics of it.

To understand, take the situation to the extreme. Put the load fifty feet below the axle and ten feet behind the axle. Now lock the chain to a completely imovable object. draw the forces at work on a sheet pf paper and it's pretty obvious. For the tractor to roll over backwards, the attachment point on the drawbar has to move FORWARD more than fifty feet! But since the drawbar attachment point is attached to an imovable object, that means the tractor has to move backwards more than fifty feet instead. But the wheels are rotating forwards! Not going to happen.

Now think again about the tractor situation. The rules are the same, just the forces and distances are less.

Best I can guess is that in situations where this Seems to happen, the load hangs, then suddenly gives with a pop so there is momentairly no load on the drawbar at all. This still doesn't completely satisfy the equasions (since when the tractor hits the end of the chain again, the front end will come down hard), but it introduces some plausibility if changing slopes are involved or something.

Cliff
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #7  
<font color="blue"> Of course, as stated, this is not possible as the load would HAVE to move or the tractor would have to slide backwards to allow the the drawbar to rotate underneath the tractor. The force from the load is pulling the front end DOWN. This is the simple physics of it </font>

I have come to the conclusion after reading different posts here at TBN that if the right conditions occur, it is indeed possible to have a tractor lift its front wheels off the ground when pulling something attached to the draw bar.

We all know that if the tires are locked to the ground, like if frozen in, or tied to something like a fence post at the rear of the tire, and the tractor is put into a forward gear, the tractor may rotate around the rear axle in a back flip.

But let's say chain is connected between the draw bar and a VERY large tree that is not going to move. Would a back flip be possible? Maybe. IF like Cliff said, the tractor could slide backwards a bit.

With great traction, two forces would come into play. One would be the tractor trying to pull forward, but since it can't move, and since it has great traction, it seems like it would want to rotate around the rear axle, lifting the front wheels.

But the draw bar being below the rear axle, would be offering a counter force to hold the front wheels down.

UNLESS the tractor could slide backwards. If the tractor can slide backwards, due to the mechanics of the system and the torque being applied to the rear axle, then the chain tied to the tree has a limited amount of holdback ability, so the draw bar has a limited amount of "counter torque" capability, and the tractor could/might/maybe tend to lift the front wheels and flip over backwards.

Some posts I have read here in the past made a believer out of me. I can see the possiblity, but don't know if I can prove it. Maybe someone else can.

One post that I remember described how when pulling a properly attached plow, the tractor being operated ran with the front tires up in the air. The farmer who owned the tractor came over to the guy operating it and asked him what he was doing. (sorry, can't remember the post, but it is here at TBN somewhere) He told the farmer it was the only way the tractor would pull the plow. Farmer tried to show him otherwise, but apparently the conditions were such that it worked the same way for the farmer...

Unlikely...perhaps so. Doesn't hurt to keep the possibility in the back of one's mind though... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #8  
You won't hurt your drawbar. It's probably the strongest hitching point on the entire tractor.

Since your drawbar is only a foot or so off the ground, it actually is on the same level as a log... if you use a fairly long chain.

I would rather use a hook or clevis, but if your ball has a large threaded end, it will be strong enough.

Here's my solution. Took an hour to make.

Changed wide inline pic to link

Merry Christmas to all!
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #9  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( We have some logs around our property that I need to drag around.

I was planning on attaching a hitch ball to the drawbar then using that to hook a clevis hook attached to a metal chain to drag the log around.

The chain, ball, and hook are strong enough. I was wondering if doing so would damage the drawbar/tractor in any way.

I don't know if what I'm pulling has to be on the same level as the drawbar, or if it could be lower such as the log on the ground that attached to the chain and hook setup.

Thanks in advance. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

I'm not quite sure what part the hitch ball plays in all of this, but yes.. pulling from the draw bar is the correct way to pull. I generally just use something like an "Anchor Shackle" and leave it on the drawbar. Even with a rear implement attached, one can usually lift the implement high enough to get a straight pull with a chain hooked to the drawbar.

Bob
 
   / will this damage? hitch ball to drawbar #10  
Bob, please tell me how you got the picture posted. It shows as 157000+ in size and I thought 100000 was limit. I also would like to know how to have the picture appear in the post without having to open attachment.
Thanks for the info.
<font color="red"> Merry Christmas </font>
 

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