Using the drawbar to pull a trailer

North Idaho Wolfman

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If the tongue weight is more that your three point can pick up, then you shouldn't be hooking it up to the tractor and trying to move it. ;)

I was also assuming the trailer is just being "moved" not used in operation.
But I do that all the time behind the L, as the B does become really light in the nose on hills.
And stopping is always a big concern and observable point on my part!
 
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Henro

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All I can add, is that I pulled probably 100 loads of dirt in my 5 x 8 dump trailer, using my BX 2200, with probably a ton of dirt in the trailer.

But mostly up a bit of a grade, and never downgrade. Worked really well. It was using a three point hitch adapter or whatever you call it.

Never had an issue but maybe I made sure that the tongue weight was enough that the trailer didn’t lift the three-point hitch.

This was low speed and not on the road. For what is that worth…
 
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Grandad4

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Interesting thread with sound, thoughtful comments, IMHO. Tractors had drawbars long before the 3 point hitch came along and what they pulled had long tongues (like a hay wagon). Modern highway-use trailers mostly lack a long tongue and tractor drawbars are usually fairly short, posing a potential safety concern in a sharp turn where the trailer may come in contact with one of the tractor's rear wheels.

To lessen that risk a tow bar between the lower links became a popular addition on early 3 point tractors, but it presented its own hazard because the 3 point links are not secured from lifting upward if a trailer has too much weight in back. Adding a check chain does solve that problem but it seems many/most operators don't know what one is or how to use it.

So neither the drawbar nor the 3 point is a perfect mounting place for towing a trailer. Have to be careful either way!
 
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