3-Pt. Hitch Chassis Lets Lawn Mower Pull Disk And Ripper

3-Pt. Hitch Chassis Lets Lawn Mower Pull Disk And Ripper HITCHES Hitches 32-3-29 Customized accessories crafted for a garden tractor save labor and time in gardens and orchards. Maurice Leighton put this principle into practice by building a "3-pt. hitch chassis" which, when pulled behind his Wheelhorse tractor, allows him to hook up to either a home-built ripper, or a 3 1/2-ft. commercial disk, adapted to a 3-pt. hitch. Essentially, the 2-wheeled chassis that follows the little tractor, provides an optional 3-pt. hitch when needed. It's made with scrap iron, salvaged tires, and discarded plywood. To raise and lower the ripper or disc, Leighton installed a 2,000-lb. winch with a 3/16-in. flexible cable, on the chassis. A 12 1/2-volt deep cell battery powers it. The winch's electrical switch control is portable so it can be placed on the tractor. The Placerville, Calif. man made his ripper with metal parts from an old 5th wheel hitch, and purchased harrow teeth to bolt onto hand-crafted extended shanks. For deeper penetration with either the disk or the ripper, he adds cement and iron weights. "To do heavy pulling like this, it's best to have a garden tractor with a gearshift," he explains. "Mine is a 15-hp, 8-speed gear shift Wheelhorse. I put tractor treads on the back wheels for traction. The mower deck should also be removable for projects that will be over lumpy ground." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Maurice R. Leighton, 6560 Lindberg Ave., Placerville, Calif. 95667 (ph 530 626-0965).

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