[weasel1]

Well I have come to the recent conclusion that the factory hitch on my 165 is just too weak. I need something better. First and foremost, I need to be able to tow around my utility trailer ( empty ) and my 10cuft dump trailer ( loaded ).

Here is what I am proposing to do. Get a hitch for a car ( I can get class 1 hitches with the flat bar for next to nothing ). Modify the hitch to have both the flat drawbar and a 2" receiver tube. That's the easy part. I am thinking into the future a bit and am wondering what would be more versatile the sleeve hitch or the 3pt. The other problem I have is dimensions. How big is that bar that sleeve hitch accessories mount to ( width height and hitch pin size )? If I go 3pt., what is the required width of the drawbar ? I do have the ability to cut and weld and no, I haven't yet even thought of how I am going to accomplish the lifting yet.

 

[leaguedude]

catagory 0 drawbar length is 20"

 

[davidg]

well, your machien is a LAWN tractor and you will tear up the tranny if you use it for groudn engaging stuff or pulling heavy stuff on any inclines alot. i don't see how a 3pt or a SH will do you any good since the machine has neither the weight, frame thickness, nor tranny for ground engaging stuff.


with that being said, i bought an electric SH off ebay several years ago for my L130 which is about the same as your LA165. i used it to pull a disc and a cultivator around on tilled ground. the key is to take frequent breaks but leave the engine going WOT so the fan can cool the tranny. i did NOT put ags on it, and the turfs would spin if something hung up. when they did i simply stopped and raised teh implement so i did not dig as deep and made a couple passes. i also changed the oil in teh k46 after a little over 200 hours and it should have been done sooner than that!

i won't say your machine can't handle light chores like that, just tha tif you try them you assume all responsibility! if you blow the tranny and it is still under warranty, your dealer won't cover it if they know and can prove you used it for ground engaging. the machine can do a lot more work than it is rated for, it just can't do it on a daily basis.

 

[verybadace]

I agree with davidg. Use the sleeve hitch or 3 point hitch to the capacity of the tractor. I have a 5-speed John Deere 102 with a modified a MTD manual sleeve hitch converted to electric lift and love it. I have had it on that tractor for 3 years and use it. I push it to the limit and more sometimes. Try not to but when you are trying to get the job done you do what you have to. I pull a heavy homemade aerator (in the inset picture to the left), modified dethatcher and even mounted a winch which uses the sleeve hitch. But do have a John Deere 420 with an aftermarket 3 point hitch with a sleeve hitch / drawbar adapter. Works well. I have a Brinly plow, disc and box blade to pull with either tractor. Just more careful with the 102.

 

[D-Dogg]

Go ahead, you know you want a second tractor. Get the GT!

Nice 400, verybadace.

 

[verybadace]

Thanks, but it is a 420 with a 400 hood. In the middle of rebuilding the 420. Trying to keep it operational as refurbishing continues.

 

[weasel1]

I do understand the warnings about me having a LAWN mower. I was thinking about a rear blade of some sort ( box or not, to be determined ... ). I think I like the idea of a sleeve hitch. Nice stuff verybadace. Could you measure the hitch pin diameter and length for me ? I think that I could easily mount something like this to the trailer hitch I am making for the tractor.

 

[squatch]

 

[weasel1]

A pintle !! Holy crap, that's heavy duty. I guess some people think that overkill is just a good place to start

After some surfing, I figured out what I am going to build. It will fit with the 2" receiver and flat bar receiver combo I was going to build too !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcbT8w8K_Y

 

[verybadace]

Hi,

I got a Agri-Fab box blade that converts to a regular rear blade. The only thing I don't like about this blade there is no adjustment to level it on the sleeve hitch. On all the attachments I built for sleeve hitch hook-up have adjustment to level out the implement. When I hook up sleeve hitch implements to the 3-point adapter I have double adjustment to level, top link of the three point and the sleeve hitch adjustment on the implement. The pin is 5/8" thick, The inside dimension of the sleeve hitch is 3.5 inches.

 

[verybadace]

Sending a couple of cleaned up pictures of the manual sleeve hitch dimensions. The sleeve bore is 3 1/4 inches tall and 5/8 inch bore. The inside dimension of sleeve hitch equipment's hitch is 3 1/2 inches. Center of the hole from front to back is 1 inch. This is the type of hitch I used and modified it to electric lift.

 

[weasel1]

Excellent. Thanks a bunch for the pictures. That will help a lot.

I have the pieces cut for the hitch. Just have to weld it all together. Will post pics !

 

[squatch]

A pintle !! Holy crap, that's heavy duty. I guess some people think that overkill is just a good place to start

After some surfing, I figured out what I am going to build. It will fit with the 2" receiver and flat bar receiver combo I was going to build too !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcbT8w8K_Y

Actually not really overkill. I had it laying around and the back plate on my super is pretty stout. So is the tractor. Now I can move ALL of my trailers with the Cub not just the lawn stuff. I use the military trailer to bring firewood up from the woodpile. Best addition I have made to the tractor so far. You had metioned pulling your trailers as primary funtion so I thought I'd throw that out there. I really like that 2" receiver sleeve hitch deal in the video.