Ken’s has this.

You simply bolt this to your bucket and then attach any ball mount you need. :thumbup1gif:

 

This is better then one big hole to hold the ball with out reinforcement to the bucket. The 4 bolts would be easy to remove if it had to be removed. Light use it could be bolted to the side of the bucket out of the way or the top and use a drop hitch if needed. Big hole for a Ball is hard to drill. A hole saw is probley the best way using oil and slow speed if you did.

 

Thanks for the post Dieselshadow. I had something in mind that would attach to the bucket without drilling holes. i think that before I went that route i would just drill one hole in the bucket and screw a ball in there when I needed it. One bolt vs 4?

 

Thanks for the post Dieselshadow. I had something in mind that would attach to the bucket without drilling holes. i think that before I went that route i would just drill one hole in the bucket and screw a ball in there when I needed it. One bolt vs 4?

That is a common phobia with most new tractor owners. It's only the first hole that hurts. I highly recommend Ken's bolt-on receiver hitch. Add a couple more holes for some hooks, a couple more for a tooth bar, a clevis here and there and before you know it your loader/bucket has swiss army knife versatility.

Believe me, drilling some holes in your bucket for high quality rigging gear will only ADD to the value of your tractor.

 

If you search some, you can find "clamp on receiver hitches". Quality varies wildly, so read reviews and don't be enticed by the cheapest offerings.

Like Jason wrote though, we do offer a Bolt-On 2x2 Receiver that will sit on top of your bucket.

 

In my humble (and unpaid, unsolicited) opinion, the 4 bolt option would be a lot stronger than drilling a single hole for a ball. That ball would want to bend the bucket lip over during a move.

I can’t comment on any clamp-on versions since I haven’t seen or used any. But I can say that Ken’s products are well worth the time, money, and effort. Top quality stuff and easy to use and install.

 

In my humble (and unpaid, unsolicited) opinion, the 4 bolt option would be a lot stronger than drilling a single hole for a ball. That ball would want to bend the bucket lip over during a move.

It also will not make for enough room for the trailer hitch when turning. IMO.

 

:banghead: Jees thanks for the guidance Kenny. I will be getting the one made by Titan off Amazon.

I will be getting the step from you this spring. However i got this little one month camping trip just south of Myrtle Beach at my daughters house commencing this Monday to suffer through first. :good2:

Oh and I learned something else and will be getting my posts (hopefully no more air headed ones) on the correct forum.

 

I will be getting the one made by Titan off Amazon.

That may be one I warned about, Titan imports everything from you-no-where, they don't really make anything.

 

In actuality I would think the 4 bolt type actually makes the top stronger in that area. But really my point is I have used clamp on ones. Usually they twist and loosen and end up bending what they are hooked to as they unhook. The only way they work reliably is if you were to weld on them on.

 

Here is the best way to move a trailer!

 

I was going go say the same thing get artillian forks and the frame has a receiver built onto it

Sent from my ASUS_A009 using Tapatalk

 

Drilling four smaller holes in the bucket is far easier than one big one that will require a holesaw to do.

Since fabricating one yourself is out of the question; get one of Ken's and go for it.

 

Placing the ball on top of your bucket would make the trailer coupler way to high. Notice the picture that jgayman posted where he uses a drop down ball hitch. :thumbup1gif: I'm sure this is so he can raise his bucket adequately for bucket edge ground clearance. :dunno:

 

Even with this and a 6" drop doesn't cut it...

I think the standard ball height is 18" above ground level.

 

I know this thread is about the Trailer Ball Attachment for Bucket... but I use my heavy hitch more often than not to move trailers around on our property....which is a frequent activity having four trailers.......
I also purchased two other trailer adapters for my front end loader....
First I purchased the Titan 3 point hitch adapter plate with built-in receiver mount which I do not really like because it has a solid plate and you can't see the receiver ball easily.
3 Point Attachment Adapter fits John Deere trailer hitch series tractor loader

Second I purchased the Artillian pallet fork adapter plate with built-in receiver mount which you can see through very easily. I have not yet tried this on my loader, but I expect it will work very well.
Artillian John Deere QA Pallet Fork Sets

Moving trailers using the front of the tractor is easier for all the obvious reasons (visibility, maneuverability, etc.). When I was a teenager, I worked as a mechanic for my neighbor who owned a small boat shop. He had a 1966 Olds Delmont 88 convertible with a BB Rocket 425 that we used to transport/launch/haul boats as well as move them around the yard. He had a custom hitch on the front of the car that we used for the yard. It was a very fun job....
Buy used 67 Olds Delmont 88 Convertible “Super Rocket 425” Fully-Loaded POP Low Miles in Olive Branch, Mississippi, United States, for US $21,000.00

Sincerely

 

I've used this one for a few years now and I really have no complaints. It quickly mounts to the bucket when I need it and is just as easy to remove and store when I don't.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0OOCBS

 

When I had my trailer sales lot, we fabricated a rectangular piece of box steel tubing that was close to the same width as the non tapered part of the pallet forks and about as thick as the pallet forks. We drilled a hole into the center top of the mount where the hitch ball would be mounted to the top of it. We welded the hitch ball nut on top of the mount.

When we would slide the tubing over the taper in the end of the fork, when it was snug on the fork, about 12" in from the fork tip, we would take the hitch ball size we needed and thread it into the nut on top. Then we would use either a open ended wrench which fit the flange on the hitch ball or a large pipe wrench and tightened the ball down onto the fork.

There was a smaller nut on each side of the bracket with 5/8" or 3/4" bolt which could be tightened on the sides of the mount to hold it as well. The thought was since we would be changing between 2" and 2 5/16" ball sizes, the side bolts would secure the mount in place when swapping the hitch balls.

Then we just made a second bracket and left the 2" ball on one bracket on one fork and the 2 5/16" ball on the other bracket on the other fork. Very easy to put on and take off and it never moved once on the fork. Worked quite well...............

I insisted we try this as one guy at the shop wanted to drill a hole through the end of the fork to allow the hitch ball to be mounted. We didn't drill the pallet fork after this worked out just fine.

Pallet forks are handy to move and position trailers as the visibility is great and the forks stick out and allow you to position the trailer in the space without having to drive the tractor in the work bay, etc. Also, with the forks being skinny, you can 90 degree turn the trailer tongue and not jackknife the tongue into the tractor bucket, etc.and damage anything.

Plus you can lift it off the tongue jack and set it back down without ever having to get off the tractor. I would position blocks of wood to set under the tongue jack posts so they didn't score the asphalt when setting them down.

Someone with software skills could likely draw the item I am describing for all to see. It's very simple. However, I am not that person with the drawing skills.....:laugh::lol:

 

Here is an interesting pallet fork trailer receiver gadget.....

Fork Rhino Forklift Ball Hitch Attachment - Automation Devices

Ball Hitch Adapter lets fork lifts haul hitch equipment.

Sincerely

 

I think those would work quit nicely on 24" to 36" forks as long as your tractor can handle the tongue weight. My 14' Sure-Trac's tongue is well over 100lbs as it is, so I'm not sure what the leveraged tongue weight be using my 36" forks. :dunno:

 

This is the attachment that I made. I found that the bucket needed to be braced from underneath

 

Nice.
Do you find that you have to raise and lower the trailer tongue because of the height differences of your tow vehicle, and the height of your trailer adapter on the bucket? Or are you able to sneak under the trailer with the bucket, while the trailer is at normal disconnect height?

 

I bought one of these and love it. All I do is drop the bucket and put this on and it makes life easier. It's a little pricey but built like a tank.

HD Receiver Trailer Hitch Fits John Deere 200 300 400 500 tractor loaders towing

The 2 products I have bought from Titan seem to be of high quality.

 

Universal model

I bought one of the universal models but haven't yet used. Don't need to move our trailers frequently but for the money thought it might be worth having, plus with the hook on the bottom could be useful as well without having to drill holes in the bucket. Other options are shown as well. Was suggested to mount more to one side or the other of the bucket to reduce the chance of bending the edge.
Tractor Bucket Hitch Receiver

 

I bought one of the universal models but haven't yet used. Don't need to move our trailers frequently but for the money thought it might be worth having, plus with the hook on the bottom could be useful as well without having to drill holes in the bucket. Other options are shown as well. Was suggested to mount more to one side or the other of the bucket to reduce the chance of bending the edge.
Tractor Bucket Hitch Receiver

I wonder where they got the idea for this product?

Tractor Bucket Hitch Receiver

Here maybe?

John Deere 4200 Bucket Lifting Device Attachment. - Google Photos

 

I have what you are talking about. I can install it quickly and easily remove it as well. I really like the fact if needed I can mount it off center so I can watch the trailer tires when close to a wall or doorway.
Mine is made by Titan attachments. Built very heavy duty and a strong attachment screw.
Made first class.

 

I move implements and trailers around regularly...and i use...multiple pieces of equipment when i do it.....tractors..skidloaders..backhoe...etc

I have 3pt reciever, fork end, holes in bucket, welded on balls, clamp on reciever, and maybe more methods that i am not recalling right now

i move equipment that have balls and also clevis pin type hitches

95% of the time i end up using either a 3point reciever hitch ...or the bucket clamp on reciever hitch...

if i use the bucket clamp it seems to work best next to the sidewall of the bucket for several reasons..#1 no chance of bending the cutting edge of the bucket...also helps keep it from swiveling...also it will get under wagon tongues that are on the ground ....care must be taken on any bucket style hitch to keep it level during towing this is especially true of a clevis pin setup

the clamp unit i use is the Titan...works good on smaller cutting edge buckets but not as good on buckets with thick edges like my backhoe bucket ..

hope the info is useful to someone

 

So, How bad of an Idea is just poking a hole in the end of my (48") pallet forks for the ball?
What kind weight can that support (my FEL is rated for 2500 pounds)?
I have a 4 place steel horse trailer (maybe a few hundred pounds tongue weight empty) and also a 28' covered auto transporter (10,000 gvw - maybe 500 ish tongue weight when emptyish)
I don't want to take the backhoe off, and the jack on the old horse trailer is kaput. Cranking those jacks to get hooked up to the dualie is a pain in the arms even if the dr. would let me lift more than 10 lb right now.

I suppose it might be better to put a reciever socket on the fork frame (better than the bucket ?)

 

Don't watch this if you're sensitive...
He (AvE) makes a lot of sense.