# Towing a splitter with a lawn tractor



## Kensterfly (Jul 31, 2011)

After bringing home my Huskee 35 splitter a few weeks ago, I bought a combination ball/pin trailer hitch from Lowes and installed it on my little Husqvarna lawn tractor. This one:

Hitchin' Post Three-Way Hitch Plate, Model# 170 | Hitch Adapters | Northern Tool + Equipment


Because the hitch sits so low, the splitter tongue angles down quite a bit and puts a lot of weight on the ball hitch. It actually bends the hitch plate of the tractor down. I’m wondering if there is a way to correct this problem.

I’m not a welder but perhaps have someone weld some support under the hitch plate on the tractor?

Come up with a way to raise the hitch ball so that the splitter can be pulled in a level position, thus balancing the weight better?

Maybe find a way to hang weights from the toe plate of the splitter in order to take weight off the tongue.

The Great Day Hi Hitch looks good: Might require some drilling into the attachment plate on the back of the Husqvarna. 

Great Day, Inc. Lawn-Pro Hi-Hitch on CyberSearchMarketingInc.Com - ATV Accessories, UTV Accessories, Loadlite Loading Ramps and more,


I’d like to be able to use this lawn tractor but I can always pull the splitter with my 8N tractor or my F-150. The Husqvarna
would be a lot more convenient, though, especially if I want to split out in the woods. 

Any thoughts?

Thanks!


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## A.S.Woodchucker (Jul 31, 2011)

just have someone with a welder make you a hitch, i will be a lot heavier than the one you buy, just be sure to make it removable in case you still want to tow a roller, sprayer or ect. i made mine on my old landlord, works just fine


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## dancan (Jul 31, 2011)

And Davec's setup looks like it'll do the trick !






That looks like the answer to towing with the lawn tractor .
If you get one made , don't worry about getting it built heavy because how much weight can your lawn tractor pull , haul and stop .


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## zogger (Jul 31, 2011)

*Drop down hitch?*

Guys with jacked up trucks have to use a drop down hitch to use a bumper pull..get one of those and install it *upside down* to get back to level with your yard buggy....


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## davec (Jul 31, 2011)

Here's what I made for my friend's Deere mower to tow the Supersplitter (he stores it for me and uses it too). Crude but works. Same basic primciple as the High Hitch you posted, but you can pull 2 pins and remove it. No drilling required. I didn't have anything significant enough to bend the steel to the match the bottom plate angle, and didn't want to take the time when I made it anyways. It's just 1/8" rect tube (1.5x2"???) and a piece of angle.

View attachment 192522

View attachment 192523


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## mga (Jul 31, 2011)

i just bolted a 2" x 7" x 1/2" bar on the back of an old sears lawn tractor, drilled a hole for the ball and i pull the splitter, haul wood and even use it to move my 16 foot landscape trailer when i have to move it.

all with that little sears lawn tractor some one gave me. i bent the bar to suit the back of the tractor.


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## brncreeper (Jul 31, 2011)

I fabricated a receiver hitch for my JD Z425. Now I can either tow stuff, or in this case carry my log splitter.
View attachment 192525

View attachment 192526


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## TreePointer (Jul 31, 2011)

Kensterfly said:


> Because the hitch sits so low, the splitter tongue angles down quite a bit and puts a lot of weight on the ball hitch. *It actually bends the hitch plate of the tractor down.* I’m wondering if there is a way to correct this problem.


 
The way I see it, you have two options:

1. Reinforce that hitch plate somehow or replace it with something stronger. 
2. spread the weight of what's being towed over the back of the tractor and not just on the hitch plate.

I can't find the link, but there was a hitch plate that mounted on the back of a tractor in the slots for bagging attachments and also used the flange of the hitch plate. That idea of this plate was to spread the tow weight around the back plate and not just on the bottom factory hitch plate. I'm still searching for that link....


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## beerman6 (Jul 31, 2011)

Before I bought the golf cart I used a rider to tow my splitter.I just drilled a hole in the rear fender (steel) and put the 2" ball in that.


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## brncreeper (Aug 1, 2011)

Here are some better pictures of the receiver hitch. The u-bolts are from John Deere.
View attachment 192695
View attachment 192696
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View attachment 192698


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## dmlefevre (Aug 1, 2011)

yup, drilled a hole through the metal fender behind the seat, mounted a 1 7/8 ball, and away we go...


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## Kensterfly (Aug 1, 2011)

dmlefevre said:


> yup, drilled a hole through the metal fender behind the seat, mounted a 1 7/8 ball, and away we go...



Okay, now _that_ might work! I just went out and had a look. Lots of good, strong fender back there. I don't have a drill bit big enough for the bolt on the hitch, though. I guess I could make a bunch of little holes and punch it out. It doesn't have to be too pretty and the lip beneath the ball will cover it up anyway. A couple of fender washers ought to hold it just fine, right?


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## thinktwicez71 (Apr 27, 2013)

I know this is an old thread , but I just made a hitch for my riding mower to haul my 35 ton splitter around the yard. It was flimsy till I welded in the stiffener/ support , now its like a rock and just what I needed , works perfect. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2


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## Vangellis (Apr 27, 2013)

I actually have the Hitchin Post from Lowes and used it today to pull my neighbors splitter over to my yard.
I've had mine for a few years now and it works well.











Kevin


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## thinktwicez71 (Apr 27, 2013)

I did see that at the store when shopping to get ideas , only problem is I needed to modify something to get the ball 6" higher so that the splitter was level when towing , and so there wasn't as much tongue weight on the ball.


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## Frank Boyer (Apr 28, 2013)

I have a craftsman ride mower and pull the splitter with it. I used a 6" long piece of 1/4" thick 4" angle iron and bolted it to the back of the mower at the height that matched the splitter. Very simple and no welding/fabrication required. Used a 2" ball.


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## rarefish383 (Apr 28, 2013)

zogger said:


> Guys with jacked up trucks have to use a drop down hitch to use a bumper pull..get one of those and install it *upside down* to get back to level with your yard buggy....



That's what I did. Bought a 2" receiver tube from TSC for $12 and welded it to the hitch on my JD265. Had a 9" drop draw bar and flipped it up side down, works great, Joe.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 28, 2013)

My friend wanted to be able to move his boat & snowmobile trailers around with the lawn tractor. He made a little tiny trailer with a ball that hooks to the tractor draw bar tow flange.
A out door equipment scrap yard provided a pair of front wheels off a lawn tractor for the project. So simple to use to Just on hook and tilt the tiny trailer and use it like a appliance dolly to get under the ball hitch then swing it around and hook to the tractor.

 Al


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## dave_dj1 (Apr 28, 2013)

I'll take a couple pics later but this morning I made an adapter that goes on in place of my forks with a 2" ball on it. It works great for moving the small tractor and the splitter. 
Too bad lawn tractors don't have locking differentials! LOL


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