Trailer ball mount

fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
6,311
4,001
113
Eastham, Ma
I looked for this at Princess Auto y'day to slip over a pallet fork, but couldn't find it.
Thought it was a good idea. Maybe better than drilling a hole in a fork?
fork ball mount

View attachment 82206
I have one similar to this (but better design).
Bought on Amazon.
"HECASA clamp on forklift"
$43.00 USD
Capacity 3,000 lbs.
 

Vigo

Well-known member

Equipment
B6100, B8200
Jan 9, 2022
595
339
63
San Antonio Texas
I like putting the trailer ball on the mower for light tongue loads. I did put one on top of my box blade and use it that way for a while, but then i added weight to the box blade itself and any more from a trailer just becomes too much for my tiny b6100's 3pt (8200 has a backhoe on it full time), so i removed it.

As far as not being able to see the trailer ball if its 'down in the bucket' keep in mind you can curl the bucket back a long ways before you exceed the angle the ball can slide into the coupler at. So you may be able to curl the bucket back enough to see the ball, and still get it up into the coupler at that angle. It does depend on whether your bucket edge starts hitting the trailer before you can see the ball, so it's a 'maybe'.

I HIGHLY recommend the ATV hitch from Harbor Freight for these 'add a hitch to a tractor projects'. You can't get anything close to this for $11 unless you build it yourself, and right now it's on sale for $9!

ATV Hitch


Also, I have found that by mounting it 'backwards' and leaving the attachment hole empty (weld it on), most of my drawbars will still fit in it (some hit the thick bottom rail before the pinhole lines up) and you also have a 'clevis hole' if you pull anything with a clevis. Honestly if i buzzed off about the first 1/4" of metal on that thick bottom piece, i think ALL my drawbars would fit in it backwards.
 
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JeremyBX2200

Well-known member

Equipment
BX2200
Aug 3, 2020
440
424
63
Indiana
I have actually done that. The issue I had was i was using a 5x8 utility trailer with expanded metal decking, so it took a LOT more angle than i thought to get the material moving, and since my small loader doesn't have the lift height to stand the thing up on end, i still had to get out and shovel probably the last 20% off the trailer. I think if you are using a trailer with pretty much ANY other kind of decking, it will work just fine. Even if you can't get all the rock OUT of the trailer, you can still get everything from the front to the back so you can reach it with the loader. If you're just trying to slide the rock out of the trailer and not actually carry it somewhere, pulling the rock out with a landscape rake (handheld variety) is less effort than moving it with a shovel.
I ended up doing this. It worked fairly well as long as the load wasn't too heavy. We had to push the rocks out with a shovel, but was a whole lot easier and faster than having to empty the trailer a shovel full at a time.

The next load was heavier and I could still do the same thing, but I did notice that the bottom lip of m bucket was flexing some. I will have to be careful so I don't turn my bucket in to a smiley face.
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rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
1,898
2,043
113
Ohio
I ended up doing this. It worked fairly well as long as the load wasn't too heavy. We had to push the rocks out with a shovel, but was a whole lot easier and faster than having to empty the trailer a shovel full at a time.

The next load was heavier and I could still do the same thing, but I did notice that the bottom lip of m bucket was flexing some. I will have to be careful so I don't turn my bucket in to a smiley face.
View attachment 83434
View attachment 83433
I like that the post says ‘we’ but I suspect that is not the Poster (you) in the pic doing the work. 😉.
 

rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
1,898
2,043
113
Ohio
You are correct!! That is my better half. I am behind the camera.

I assisted with the work after the pic was taken.
Sure you did😂. I am just busting your chops…when it comes to stuff I don’t want to do my role is ‘run equipment’. As in ,’please tell me where I should move to soil to for you’…. as it is being crummed/shoveled the operator has to get another bucket full.😉
 

JeremyBX2200

Well-known member

Equipment
BX2200
Aug 3, 2020
440
424
63
Indiana
Sure you did😂. I am just busting your chops…when it comes to stuff I don’t want to do my role is ‘run equipment’. As in ,’please tell me where I should move to soil to for you’…. as it is being crummed/shoveled the operator has to get another bucket full.😉
Whenever I do a project with the kids, I run the equipment and they are on shovel duty. Young backs and all……

When working with the wife I make sure I participate.I’m really thankful she isn’t afraid of hard work and will be the first to grab a shovel or even turn a wrench when we are doing a project.

We did decide we were gonna make sure the young backs were around for the next majority of the rock loads. Shoveling rock is not my idea of a good time, but we are getting it for free and we need it. It is one of those “If you come and get it, you can have it” situations.