Homemade Adapter Adds Versatility To Winch

Homemade Adapter Adds Versatility To Winch Winching non-operational equipment from yard sites and road ditches is at the core of Cole Hardman’s business. To handle these sometimes difficult tasks, he used to mount a winch near the front of his flatbed trailer, but it took up valuable space, was pulled from a low angle, and was semi-permanent, leaving it exposed to wind, rain and snow. To address these challenges, Hardman built a small hitch adapter for the winch to mount onto the fifth wheel of his ProStar road tractor. “The adapter goes from the 5th wheel kingpin to a 2-in. receiver hitch,” he says. “Having it sit up there in a higher position provides a much better angle for winching heavy vehicles onto the trailer, plus I can use the entire deck. The adapter also swivels 360 degrees so I can get at the equipment no matter where they’re sitting.” If the winch isn’t needed, it can be easily removed for storage by simply pulling a clip and sliding out the pin that secures it. Hardman can also use the adapter at the back of his truck or on the regular hitch carrier. “I originally thought about welding the kingpin to the bottom of the winch carrier, but opted to go the route of the receiver tube,” Hardman says. “That way, I can still use my winch on the front of the trailer or in the hitch of my pickup. The adapter works great, and I can quickly take it off and store it in the garage if I don’t need it.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Cole Hardman, 236 Freeman Rd., Irwin, Penn. 15642 (ph 724-309-0994; colehardman@comcast.net).

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