Hey Hillhound,

My F-250 has the 5.4 L V-8. I test drove a diesel before I bought mine, but couldn't stand the noise inside the cab.

My XT10 Triton trailer weighs 375 lbs. (www.tritontrailers.com)

 

Here's another question for you guys: What kind of hitch setup are some of you using on your atvs? I saw a few types for sale in Cabela's catlaog. I just have a 2" ball bolted in the factory hitch on mine but thought that the 2x2" receiver hitch at Cabela's website would be nice. Looks just like a truck's ball hitch.

 

I made a set of extended tabs out of 3/16" flatbar steel, drilled a pair of holes in each one, then rounded the corners off. I use a standard 2" ball, which drops through one set of holes with a tab on top and bottom of the stock hitch. The ball is in the standard mount, and holds the two tabs in place. I then use the second set of holes which sticks out a little further, for a 3"x3/4" Clevis setup. I drag all my logs with the clevis, pull trailers with the ball (with clevis off, tabs still in place) and use either ball or clevis to tow other rigs with. It works great, was very cheap (already had the steel flatbar, just had to use a little sweat to get them to shape and size) and allows for two different towing designs at the same time. I would like a 2" receiver hitch though to tow other trailers with, with a riser to put the trailer more level, so the jack doesn't drag as often over hilly ground.

Anyway, just since you asked! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Mike

 

Hey there Cowboy I dont supose youve got a digital camera you could use to take a few shots of that towing setup youve got!!
I am intriged at what it is actually like and cant quite picture it with your explination cool from Dave

 

Dave-
Sorry, no digital camera. And, I doubt you'll be as impressed once you see what it actually looks like-really quite simple. I don't have any pic's up yet with a good view of the clevis attached, though hopefully after the weekend of the 30th, I'll be able to add some more good mud pictures. Anyway, if you go to the link below, click on "snow pics", then scan all the way down to the bottom of the thumbnails to the picture that reads "rear kimpex bumper" or something like that-you can see the tabs pretty well (again, without the clevis attached). If you go to the one called "my photo's", then go down about midway through the thumbnails, click on the one that says "ok, we're out" -it is of me strapped to a stump while winching out the suburban and trailer out of a mud pit. You can BARELY see the clevis attached and in use there. BTW-that mud was pretty deep-the suburban was high centered on the running boards and the trailer was resting on the main frame before I took that picture! Forgot I had the camera when it was at it's worst (would have made the best picture too [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img])

Anyway, hope that helps till I can get some new pictures up in a couple weeks. Best of luck, and Happy Trails!

Mike

 

Greetings,

I have a similar hitch set-up as Cowboy, but of a commercial variety. I bought Cabelas combination towing plate. It is a small flat plate with a hole that lines up with the hitch hole on the back axle. Just set it on and run the hitch ball shaft through it and tighten it up. On the back of the bolting plate it has a tough metal loop that extends about two inches. I use this to attach a chain or tow rope with a clevis for towing logs or brush piles. Would seem to be handy for anyone who may have to tow another ATV on occaision.

My flail mower has a "universal" hitch -- which isn't all that universal. Its a swiveling/rotating one-inch block with a 3/4" hole in it. Presumably, a lynch pin should go through the hole and then through the hole in the ATV hitch. But the mounting hole on the ATV is a 1-inch hole and, despite all sorts of tinkering, the thing never fit right. I finally bought an assortment of bushings and by nesting a couple in the ATV's hitch hole, the pin will fit snug enough to stay put. I also use a bunch of washers between the botton of the hitch plate and the cotter pin to hold it all straight and upright. I originally tried a bolt and nut through the holes but the vibration of the thing always made nut come loose. It also seems inefficient to have to take the ball hitch off the ATV mounting plate every time I want to mow (which admittedly isn't that often). I thought of putting a a regular ball-type hitch on the mower but someone thought it wouldn't have enough range of motion going over a field. If the whole hitch pin thing doesn't work well this year, I'll try the ball-type regardless of local advice. Seems like it should work OK, but then, why didn't the manufacturer put that on in the first place? I know it may be tough to picture all this, but any suggestions are appreciated.

 

I pull a 3 section drag with my Sportsman 500.

Jaybee

 

The only thing, other than other bikes, that I've hauled was a 900lb bull moose. I bought my bike('01 Grizzly w/27" Blackwater X/T's) last September 25th and shot the moose on the 27th. The bike didn't have 10 miles on it. I tied the head to the rear rack and had to pull it about 500 yards through an old clearcut full of stumps, rocks and skidder ruts. I would hook the winch up to a stump or tree and winch the bike and moose while giving the bike some throttle in low gear. It took almost two hrs. to get to the end of the cut and when I finally got the moose out the bike wouldn't start and there wasn't even enough juice left in the battery to rewind the winch cable! I've never hauled any big loads on a trailer with my Grizzly but let me tell you it was all that bike could do to get that 900 lb moose out. So much for breaking it in easy!!!

 

Wood that's a great story! You have to post a picture if you drag another moose this fall-I'd love to see that! Sounds like a heck of a workout for any quad-dragging 900 lbs through rough ground. How's the Grizz running now?

 

The Grizzly purrs like a kitten now. I love my bike and was hoping to pull another moose out this fall but I never got drawn for a tag. A buddy of mine did get his tag so maybe I might get to go with him. I did get some pics. dragging the moose but they didn't turn out all that great. Oh well, next time.