Front mounted ball hitch

[KTinBisND]

Looking for some advice on front mounted ball hitch for Kubota LX3310. I am parking quite a few items in a large cold storage building and need to be going forward so I can see and placing things pretty precisely.

I see they make some simple ones that clamp to a bucket and also some that slide on one or both pallet forks. I could see the pallet fork version giving lots of reach, but also giving up lift capacity. I will be moving a couple fairly large flat beds and a 26' camper. Depending on how it's loaded, the camper has a tongue weight of at least 400-500 pounds.

I also see a more expensive style that goes right on the SSQA so sits close to the front of the loader. Quite a bit more money, but would retain loader lift capacity and likely more tractor stability than a heavy load at the far end of pallet forks.

Interested in experiences and advice you would have.

Thank You!

 

[Edke6bnl]

I think you answered your question, the ideal situation is ssqa with a 2 in. Receiver. The other option are ok for moving lighter boat trailer, log splitter and small Mt 5x10 trailer.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I think you answered your question, the ideal situation is ssqa with a 2 in. Receiver. The other option are ok for moving lighter boat trailer, log splitter and small Mt 5x10 trailer.

agree.... 500# tongue means maybe 5,000 pounds of trailer?
From my experience with a L3301 I wouldn't do a trailer in this weight range with my fork mounted set-up with ball on end of fork. Now a 2" receiver mounted welded to the ssqa frame of say a fork set-up would be whole other story. I have seen this many times before. Seems OP may already have pallet forks so you could weld a simple 2" mount to? Just lift tines off when moving trailers if tongues get in the way.

Receiver tubes are cheap like $30, a rattle can of paint and 1/2hr work and a welder could have you setup ready to go.


I don't have a a bucket mounted set up but going to guess not a good idea at these weight either.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

SSQA with receiver, with ballast on the three point.

3/8" Thick Skid Steer Mount Plate Quick Attach W/ 2" Removable Hitch Orange US | eBay

3/8" thick Quick Attach Skid Steer Mount Plate attaches effortlessly to your Quick Attach Mounting System; Newly designed with a standard 2’’ trailer receiver that is removable to fit your needs. Quick Attach & Easy Mount.

www.ebay.com

 

[rc51stierhoff]

There are several options that I have used with mixed results over the years.

1. Forks with 2” receiver in the frame. If forks don’t get in the way it’s fine. However if they do, depending on your patience and number of available helping hands, it’s sort of a pain to take the forks on / off. I use my forks a lot so swapping them in out and is an inconvenience. But if storing stuff seasonally maybe not so much concern.

2. I really like a 2” receiver that slides on to ends the forks…that actually works pretty well and allows you to cut a trailer pretty hard/tight in a Confined space. Tongue weight and proper ballast become more of a concern as the overall length of tractor with forks and trailer increases…if that makes sense. Basically need more ballast if the receiver is at the end of the forks…the tongue has more leverage over the tractor. I am not sure I explain it right, but you will understand if the rear of tractor lifts off the ground.

3. 2” receiver welded onto the bucket. It works great but the corners of the bucket can get in the way. The other issue depending on the tongue height you may not be able to get under the tongue and have to put on manually.

4. I’ve never used the SSQA frame mention above, but I suspect it works. I don’t imagine it would turn as tight as the receiver on forks from number two above, but maybe a bit safer for a ballast point and keeping the rubber side down.

IMO Option 2 above would allow you to turn the trailer a bit tighter I think though, however the length of the forks could be an issue in terms over all length. Most of my frsutrations have been related to where door is in the barn and how tight I need to turn to get something on the front wall. Depending on how tight you want to pack, and room to jockey OA length around could be several viable options for you.

regarding lift capacity I am not familiar with your machine but I’ve not had an issue with a BX or a B from front loader lift standpoint. How high are you lifting the tongue that you suspect could run out of lift? (Ballast is likely the bigger concern)

I am not sure this helps, but I hope it does.

 

[lynnmor]

I have a 26' "ultra-light" camper, the tongue weight is over 800 pounds which is about right for a trailer with a pair of 3500 pound axles and an actual weight of 7100 pounds. The overall length of the trailer is 29' - 1" with the spare tire removed. I think that the OP needs to get the tongue weighed before jumping to conclusions, and yes, RV manufacturers play games when they list weights of their products.

 

[Lil Foot]

2" Tow Ball Attatchment...

Looking to move my snowmobile trailers around the house with my tractor. Only option I have seen is to drill a hole in my front end loader and place the ball there. Really don't like that. Anyone here have something different?

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[GeoHorn]

agree.... 500# tongue means maybe 5,000 pounds of trailer?
From my experience with a L3301 I wouldn't do a trailer in this weight range with my fork mounted set-up with ball on end of fork. Now a 2" receiver mounted welded to the ssqa frame of say a fork set-up would be whole other story. I have seen this many times before. Seems OP may already have pallet forks so you could weld a simple 2" mount to? Just lift tines off when moving trailers if tongues get in the way.

Receiver tubes are cheap like $30, a rattle can of paint and 1/2hr work and a welder could have you setup ready to go.


I don't have a a bucket mounted set up but going to guess not a good idea at these weight either.

View attachment 127140 View attachment 127141

The only problem with this sort of set-up is the usual need to remove the forks …in order to get close enough to the trailer’s hitch. I added this to my Forks-frame…. but also drilled a hole near the end of one of the forks to accept an adaptor…. (the hole is for the threaded-locking-bolt of this device, as otherwise it can slip): https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/order-history?ref_=nav_orders_first

 

[hedgerow]

I have been using some form of a loader moving trailers around on the farm for well over forty years and had hitches mounted to buckets, to forks but the best I have used and still use is one that I built thirty years ago when I got my first skid loader. Its built with a 3/8 inch SSQA plate and is set up with a two inch receiver for different ball mounts or straight hitch for wagons. It also has a ball and kingpin hole on top to move gooseneck trailers with a ball or king pin. I move empty and loaded trailers alike with my hundred horse skid steer. I have also used it on my MX6000 to move empty trailers. I wouldn't be without it or the several three point ones I have built over the years. Seems like I am always moving equipment or trailers in and out of sheds. Sorry no pictures the SSQA plate one is over in a building in another county. Just spend the money once and build or buy one for a SSQA plate and be done with it.

 

[Vince1230]

I have one like comment 3 from redline for a bx. I like it alot and like it closer than end of forks. I only move log splitters and 6x10 trailers.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

The only problem with this sort of set-up is the usual need to remove the forks …in order to get close enough to the trailer’s hitch. I added this to my Forks-frame…. but also drilled a hole near the end of one of the forks to accept an adaptor…. (the hole is for the threaded-locking-bolt of this device, as otherwise it can slip): https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/order-history?ref_=nav_orders_first

View attachment 127213

I made something similar to this and it works OK.

It struggles to lift my boats nose up due to the length of the forks, but it does work, so I ain't complaining.

 

[KTinBisND]

All great info guys; thanks much. I will note that I have a hitch scale, so know the tongue weight of my camper with different loads. For towing, I keep it in the recommended range of 10-15% of overall load. It weighs 5,000 lb. or a bit more loaded, so a hitch weight of 600 or so is about right. I also trailer a 60 HP Kioti tractor on a 22' trailer occasionally. I don't often unhook that from the pickup when loaded, but have to check tongue weight. That needs to be 800-900 lbs. to prevent sway.

Getting near the home stretch for a decision, so a couple last questions. I checked out the link that North Idaho Wolfman provided; found several like that in the $170-$190 price range; they are all 3/8" steel. Found another $40-$50 cheaper of 1/4" steel, and the unit weighs 30 lb. less than the 3/8". My confusion is the specs are all the same, saying a lift capacity of 3,000 lb. It doesn't make sense to me that the lift specs for units that different would be the same. Or is that just manufacturer hype?

Finally, I also found some longer drawbar lengths, one that was 20". So an in between reach would be to get the SSQA unit that sits tight to the loader, but then when needed for extra reach use a longer drawbar. At 20" it would be less than half the length of pallet forks, so split the difference. Anyone have experience or recommendations on that combination?

 

[hedgerow]

All great info guys; thanks much. I will note that I have a hitch scale, so know the tongue weight of my camper with different loads. For towing, I keep it in the recommended range of 10-15% of overall load. It weighs 5,000 lb. or a bit more loaded, so a hitch weight of 600 or so is about right. I also trailer a 60 HP Kioti tractor on a 22' trailer occasionally. I don't often unhook that from the pickup when loaded, but have to check tongue weight. That needs to be 800-900 lbs. to prevent sway.

Getting near the home stretch for a decision, so a couple last questions. I checked out the link that North Idaho Wolfman provided; found several like that in the $170-$190 price range; they are all 3/8" steel. Found another $40-$50 cheaper of 1/4" steel, and the unit weighs 30 lb. less than the 3/8". My confusion is the specs are all the same, saying a lift capacity of 3,000 lb. It doesn't make sense to me that the lift specs for units that different would be the same. Or is that just manufacturer hype?

Finally, I also found some longer drawbar lengths, one that was 20". So an in between reach would be to get the SSQA unit that sits tight to the loader, but then when needed for extra reach use a longer drawbar. At 20" it would be less than half the length of pallet forks, so split the difference. Anyone have experience or recommendations on that combination?

I myself would go with the heavier metal. I don't think you would bend the lighter metal lifting its the pushing moving the trailer. Years ago I bent my 3/8 steel SSQA plate pushing a fully loaded trailer up a hill to a building. Didn't have a tractor handy with a three point mover so I used the skid steer and the trailer mover. The lifting didn't bend it but the pushing the trailer up hill sure did. It was tough to get it off the skid loader. Used a 100 ton press to straighten it and reinforced the plate and never have had another issue. What's another fifty or even hundred dollars over the life of the tool?

 

[KTinBisND]

All great advice. Finally went with 3/8" SSQA. Might experiment with longer 2" drawbar at some point (I mentioned I'd seen one at 20") to experiment with reach and better ability to place things. Always more stuff to play around with! You were all very helpful - Thank You!

 

[fried1765]

SSQA with receiver, with ballast on the three point.

3/8" Thick Skid Steer Mount Plate Quick Attach W/ 2" Removable Hitch Orange US | eBay

3/8" thick Quick Attach Skid Steer Mount Plate attaches effortlessly to your Quick Attach Mounting System; Newly designed with a standard 2’’ trailer receiver that is removable to fit your needs. Quick Attach & Easy Mount.

www.ebay.com

This will certainly work fine for lifting capacity, but you will most likely not be able to actually see the hitch ball, as it will be hidden from view by the SSQA assembly.
A ball out on the end of a pallet fork, is MUCH easer to see from the tractor seat.
Removable ball mounts that just slip over the end of a fork are readily available.

 

[StephenR]

I had a friend that owned a boat dealership, and they used a tow motor to move the boats around. They used a simple method for attaching a hitch to the pallet fork. They simply drilled a hole through it and put a ball on it. If they needed to tow motor for anything else, it was simple to remove the ball and move what was needed to move.

Steve

 

[KTinBisND]

Totally understand that having a ball on the end of a pallet fork (or 2) is much easier to see. But I noted earlier that one of the things I will be moving is a camper with a likely 600 lb. tongue weight. Even with good ballast, seem like having that much weight on the end of 42" pallet forks could be a stability challenge, and maybe even a lift challenge on an LX3310. Are you thinking that would not be the case?

I had also mentioned seeing longer hitch tubes from 15" - 20" where one could kind of split the difference and get some additional reach but only about half as far as pallet forks as a good compromise for visibility, lift and reach, but didn't get any feedback. Would still like some.

Thanks!

 

[DustyRusty]

I had a friend that owned a boat dealership, and they used a tow motor to move the boats around. They used a simple method for attaching a hitch to the pallet fork. They simply drilled a hole through it and put a ball on it. If they needed to tow motor for anything else, it was simple to remove the ball and move what was needed to move.

Steve

The Towmotor is a forklift that is capable of lifting tons of products on a pallet and can't be compared to forks on a tractor.

 

[fried1765]

Totally understand that having a ball on the end of a pallet fork (or 2) is much easier to see. But I noted earlier that one of the things I will be moving is a camper with a likely 600 lb. tongue weight. Even with good ballast, seem like having that much weight on the end of 42" pallet forks could be a stability challenge, and maybe even a lift challenge on an LX3310. Are you thinking that would not be the case?

I had also mentioned seeing longer hitch tubes from 15" - 20" where one could kind of split the difference and get some additional reach but only about half as far as pallet forks as a good compromise for visibility, lift and reach, but didn't get any feedback. Would still like some.

Thanks!

My thoughts on fork towing did not pay enough attention to your tractor size.
I tow with a 7,700 lb. total weight machine, that has a 2,500 lb. BH hanging on the back.
Quite a different scenario.

 

[StephenR]

For me, if I want to move something heavy, I make sure I have enough weight on the rear to keep the machine balanced, then I work on hooking up the front. I lift slowly and try to move the load in the lowest speed possible. It's going to be a learning process moving different things with the tractor. A bucket full of dirt would weigh several hundred pounds and most tractors can handle that.