The "Boom Pole Hitch"

[A_Pmech]

Recently, I tore down an old storage building using the forklift to make way for the new cargo container. Unfortunately, it was too wet and muddy to burn the remains of the building then.

With the weather warming up I thought it was time to get going on that project. But first, I needed to make a hitch for the 14' flatbed wagon I recently got.

Initially, I intended to make a standard swinging drawbar for my Ferguson TEA-20 by copying the original design. However, I realized that would limit my ability to load and unload the wagon as I would have to dismount my boom pole to pull the wagon. (The forklift weighs around 7 tons empty and doesn't take kindly to off-road excursions.)

Here's one such example:

Then, it occurred to me, why not make a hitch for the boom pole? After all, towing a wagon is fairly light duty. I took a few measurements with the tractor next to the wagon, then parked it in the shop:

I made up a quick template in Illustrator and glued it to a sheet of 5/8" steel:

Sawed out the shape:

Drilled the 3/4" hitch pin hole:

And finally welded it to the boom pole:

Here it is in action:

It works well and negates the need to remove and install the boom pole every time I need to pull the wagon, which saves my back and a bunch of time! I figured I would post it up for anybody else who has an old tractor and uses a boom pole instead of a front end loader.

 

[Zrexxer]

Boy you can certainly see the machinist in some people Around here that would have been freehanded with a soapstone, cut out with a cutting torch, would probably have torched the pin hole too.

Now, that's nice work you did... just saying maybe it's a *little* overkill on the precision

 

[OccupantRJ]

I have a Long 350 tractor that I keep a box blade on almost all the time, so I added a ball hitch to the rear of it to use to pull my utility trailer to the work site with me, much as you have done. It has turned out to be one of the handiest things I ever made. To use a tow chain, I just drop it over the ball and pull away.

 

[kbs2244]

I bet your next thing will be keeping a clevis around so you can hook a chain to the hitch.

I Like your pit.
Have you ever felt the need for a sump pump in it?

 

[cnc-me]

Nice job.
I guess I'm not the only one, that uses the paper and contact cement trick.
What year is that Fergy? I have heard that some of the later ones
were overhead valve.

 

[Garys Garage]

Nice , Now I have to fix the 3 point on my TO 20 or my 9N

 

[A_Pmech]

Now, that's nice work you did... just saying maybe it's a *little* overkill on the precision

Ahh, but my style is well known around here. I don't need to sign my name on any of the farm equipment I've repaird because everybody who sees it just knows who did the work. Free advertising!



RJ: That's a pretty neat looking tractor! Still simple though, unlike the things they make today.

I bet your next thing will be keeping a clevis around so you can hook a chain to the hitch.

I Like your pit.
Have you ever felt the need for a sump pump in it?

No need for the clevis, I just wrap a chain around the pole.

Never had a need for a sump pump, I get a little dab of water in the spring but that's it.

What year is that Fergy? I have heard that some of the later ones
were overhead valve.

It's a '53 TEA-20. Wouldn't trade it for any of the modern "utility tractor" things they make today. It's been kept running 60-odd years with not much more than a crescent wrench, hammer, 1-1/16" socket and breaker bar. I put new sleeves and bearings in the engine so it should be good for another 60-odd years.

The engine is a Standard Motorcar 120 cubic inch 4 cylinder with overhead valves. Dirt simple and starts every time (so long as I get the distributor on the right way 'round.)

Nice , Now I have to fix the 3 point on my TO 20 or my 9N

Lemme guess... The draft mechanism is shot? Take off the side cover and wire it up with some baling wire. Works like a charm, so long as you don't mind a little 3-point hiccup under load. One day I'll take it apart and make new parts.

 

[SticketsFTW]

Mine would be a little uglier lol.

 

[nate379]

I'm surprised to see such a clean cut with a bandsaw. How does the blade not bind with those tight turns?

I'd love to have a decent setup for metal fab other than grinders and torches, but I move around alot with the military and just even the "small" collection of stuff I have is WAY out of the norm for them to move. They raised a fit over even my toolboxes last time, said it was "excessive" 2 small 24" roll around carts, and my main box which is just a KRA series 40" top/bottom and side cab.

 

[Steve from Socal]

Wait a second; what happened to the pristine tractor in the first picture. I was thinking damm; that &%$#*@+ John has another perfectly restored goody, only to see a regular old tractor in the subsequent photos?

Steve

 

[A_Pmech]

I'm surprised to see such a clean cut with a bandsaw. How does the blade not bind with those tight turns?

Hi Nate,

The saw cuts a wider kerf than the width of the blade back due to the set of the teeth. As a consequence, the blade back never touches the side of the kerf until the minimum cutting radius. For a 3/8" band that's about 1-1/2".

The narrowest bands I keep here are 3/16" wide, which can cut a 5/16" radius, but contour sawing band stock is available down to 1/16" width. I could have just as easily cut out the hitch pin hole with the band saw as drilled it.

Wait a second; what happened to the pristine tractor in the first picture. I was thinking damm; that &%$#*@+ John has another perfectly restored goody, only to see a regular old tractor in the subsequent photos?

Bwaaahahahahahah!

I started a half-assed restoration attempt a number of years ago, but that kinda fizzled out when we started building the house. I have a 1/3rd yard concrete mixer that goes on the back of the tractor and it was needed to pour the floor of the shop. At the time I was more concerned with getting it back together and running reliably than anything else. Still don't know why I chose that nasty brown color... It was probably on sale at the farm store....

The previous owner hit a tree at moderate speed and bent the crankshaft. I ran it with a bent crank and a knocking rod for two years before rebuilding the engine, giving it a valve and guide job and rebuilding the distributor. I also built new rims for the front and rear using rim blanks. The originals were rusted though.

Which reminds me... The distributor on the forklift needs a rebuild!



I used the hitch a little more today. The upside / downside to owning a pre Civil War farm are the old growth trees. They "shed" sticks like a cat sheds fur! This is just from the "front" yard:

 

[5lima30]

I have a Long 350 tractor that I keep a box blade on almost all the time, so I added a ball hitch to the rear of it to use to pull my utility trailer to the work site with me, much as you have done. It has turned out to be one of the handiest things I ever made. To use a tow chain, I just drop it over the ball and pull away.

I've been thinking about doing the same thing with my boxblade because it is a huge PIA swapping out the boxblade off the 3 point hitch just to put on my drawbar hitch. Have you got a pic? Not sure how exactly to mount it yet.

 

[mjozefow]

John "Overkill" Paulding at work!

 

[csp]

Not sure how exactly to mount it yet.

I did the same thing with my box blade. I found an old hitch that mounted on a car of some sort and just cut it down and welded it to the top/back of the blade. Any piece of metal would work with a hole drilled for the ball. I just happened to have this hitch on hand.

I found this setup to be too high usually for a couple of my trailers, so I removed the hitch and built a dedicated three point receiver hitch, which gets use for things other than trailer moving. Usually I have a regular, non-box blade on anyhow.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I've been thinking about doing the same thing with my boxblade because it is a huge PIA swapping out the boxblade off the 3 point hitch just to put on my drawbar hitch. Have you got a pic? Not sure how exactly to mount it yet.

The tractor is still in another county, so no pic right now. I just welded a thick piece of flatbar to the back of the unit, with a hole in it for a hitch ball. That way, you can use it as a ball or a pin type hitch.

 

[Dirk Hollis]

John,
I really hate to see you tax your mill and drill chuck with that 3/4 step shanked drill. I'm surprised you didn't set up on your radial arm drill press with a MT drill. Just poking fun at you. The hitch looks good.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Any reason to use the mill is a good reason to me.

Now why didn't you radius the edges? LOL

 

[A_Pmech]

John "Overkill" Paulding at work!

That's me!

John,
I really hate to see you tax your mill and drill chuck with that 3/4 step shanked drill. I'm surprised you didn't set up on your radial arm drill press with a MT drill. Just poking fun at you. The hitch looks good.

It was considered! Alas, the cord is about 4' too short to reach any of my receptacles and I already had the mill ready to go from a previous job. I've been eyeing it for a few weeks now. Might have to hardwire it into the phase converter for a "test run" shortly.

Now why didn't you radius the edges? LOL

I was in a hurry.

I broke the corners over with a flap wheel though.

 

[TA^Guy]

Pretty nice!

That tractor brings back memories. Used to live on my ex's family's farm with her for a couple years. My tractor was a Ferguson that they dub'd "The Mouse". Smallest tractor they owned but it did most of the work around the farm.

 

[mike13u]

Always impressed with your work. Thanks for sharing.