Better than an internal/external "star" washer

[theoldwizard1]

I have a friend with a garden tractor that I helped get running last year. One thing I did was add an "extension" to the trailer hitch bracket (just a piece of 2" x1/2"x4" flat bar) so the ball was further out). There is only one hole and one bolt holding them together. It works fine when pulling something, but in reverse, when you want to push something, the extension pivots on the bolt, even though I have an external star washer between the two flat pieces.

Any suggestion on how to prevent this ? There really is no room for a second hole except for about a 1/8" roll pin which I don't think would be adequate.

 

[lilredex]

Drill the circumference of the existing hole for a pin, maybe in a couple of places. Or, make the holes square and pull the bolt through a piece of square bar stock. Thirdly...tack weld the tongue in place.

 

[rubicon01]

Can you get a u Chanel or square tubing around it, to prevent it from pivoting? As long as it goes over both pieces it should not pivot.

 

[sberry]

Yes, weld a stop bracket to it. Or drive it tight with an impact to the point it wont loosen.

 

[APEowner]

What you have there is a design issue and not a fastener issue. You need some means of preventing rotation besides the clamping force of the single fastener. Can you bend the end of the bar up past where it attaches to the tractor so that it can't rotate? How about adding a bolt or two through the bar right up against the tractor on the outside so that it can't rotate?

 

[madoc1]

you could try welding two side pieces to the extension. this will stop rotation and still be easily removable. a piece 1/4 x 1x 4 should do it.

jim

 

[Badhabit]

What about welding a bar across the front so it becomes a "T" . That way it could not rotate

 

[theoldwizard1]

Okay I should have added CHEAP and NO WELDER.

Making a round hole square with a hand file should only take me 20 or 30 hours.

 

[madoc1]

how much overlap do you have? if you have at least an inch, you maybe could find a 2' u-bolt, or maybe two and fit those over the top and tighten it down.

jim

 

[theoldwizard1]

The square hole is sounding better all of the time. Now how do you make one in a 1/2" thick steel bar with only a drill and a file !

 

[lilredex]

A square file will make a round hole fast....even in 1/2" bar. What is the hole size?? Pictures would limit the guess work here.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Drill a hole horizontally in the joint between the two flat bars, and drive in a roll pin. This will act as a key to prevent rotation.

 

[kerrynzl]

I have a friend with a garden tractor that I helped get running last year. One thing I did was add an "extension" to the trailer hitch bracket (just a piece of 2" x1/2"x4" flat bar) so the ball was further out). There is only one hole and one bolt holding them together. It works fine when pulling something, but in reverse, when you want to push something, the extension pivots on the bolt, even though I have an external star washer between the two flat pieces.

Any suggestion on how to prevent this ? There really is no room for a second hole except for about a 1/8" roll pin which I don't think would be adequate.

Take the star washer out from in between the 2 flat pieces.

Then use some glue on the 2 pieces and then bolt together. [don't torque the bolt until the glue has cured]
The glue will be under shear, and the bolt under tension

 

[Guster]

If you need to keep the towbar original and don't have other material on hand I suggest fixing a short piece of steel to the flatbar you are adding on with a mating edge profile to the orignal towbar. It can be welded or bolted to the flatbar addition in such a way that the edge of the short peice buts up to the towbar and prevents it from rotating sidways.

 

[404]

Okay I should have added CHEAP and NO WELDER.

Making a round hole square with a hand file should only take me 20 or 30 hours.

More like 20 minutes.

 

[rsanter]

Add teco square U bolts around the pieces and that will prevent it from rotating

Bob

 

[kbs2244]

A PIC would be nice.
Is the some way to put a flat bar, fastened over to the side, so you can triangulate it?

 

[Twisted Sid]

 

[mbatarga]

Not knowing the distance of overlap between the bolt hole and the ends of the two pieces of metal, could you use 2 U-bolts that are sideways across the two strips that will keep it from pivoting? (1 u-bolt in front of the existing bolt hole - the other behind)

 

[gnpenning]

Lots of options. Get a couple pieces of angle put on top then drill, tap and bolt to 1/2 plate should be enough to handle any load you would try to back. You could even do it with one across the back.