Drawbar Controller Stabilizes Tracked Tractor Hitch
“It eliminates the undesirable side effects of the free-swinging drawbar on 9T Deere tracked tractors,” says Audrey Hadler of AJ Equipment in Goodhue, Minn., about the company’s Wide Swing Drawbar Controller. “It offers real benefits for anyone who pulls heavy draft implements, especially on hillsides where equipment drift can be a problem.”
Hadler came up with the idea after spending 10 years working for a machine test facility. “We were field-testing tractors in Arizona and I realized that the free-swinging drawbar on tracked tractors was a problem,” Hadler says. “I also learned that tracked tractor owners in California were experiencing jackknifing problems while doing hillside tillage.” The controller was built to minimize those problems, and also benefit typical Midwest farmers with easier turning and reduced stress on the implement hitches when the drawbar is allowed to swing free.
The controller is a heavy-duty, 600-lb. device that mounts on the undercarriage of any 9T tracked tractor. It bolts to existing holes on new 9RT series tractors and into holes that the installer needs to drill on older model machines. The controller has two cylinders that connect at an angle back to each side of the drawbar and stabilize it as the tractor is pulling an implement. Activating the industrial grade 4-in. cylinders moves the hitch from one side of the drawbar carriage to the other at a smooth, even pace. The operator controls the movement from the cab. Wear parts for the device are available from Deere tractor dealers.
“Without the controller, when the tractor is operating with the hitch locks removed, the hitch swings freely and often rapidly from right to left, hitting the stops and eventually wearins out several parts,” Hadley says, adding that the device controls 3 modes of drawbar operation.
In the damping mode, when the drawbar is allowed to float from side-to-side, the controller reduces excessive lateral back and forth drawbar motion called “dancing”. “Uncontrolled drawbar swing can be quite violent, resulting in poor tractor and implement control,” Hadler says. Damping is accomplished with sized orifices on the cylinder inlets and outlets.
The lateral push feature of the controller allows a forced bias on the drawbar tongue in both left and right directions. Hadler says farmers use this feature to lock the drawbar in the uphill side of the tractor as they’re working on hillsides to keep the implement inline. She’s also had farmers tell her they’ve been able to use this feature to avoid getting stuck in wet spots because the implement can quickly be moved from one side of the hitch to the other.
The lock feature stabilizes the hitch in the center position for road travel. For safety purposes the drawbar should always be pinned in position by the drawbar locks during road transport.
Recently a supplier in Iowa began linking the controller to a guidance system. That component will automatically swing the hitch at field ends so equipment follows in the tractor tracks.
The controller kit comes pre-assembled, palleted and ready to install. Mounting can be done in a few hours by 2 men. It sells for $5,400 with shipping extra.
“I’ve had many customers tell me they wouldn’t operate a tracked tractor without our controller,” says Hadler. “They say the equipment drafts so much better and the tractor handles so much easier, even on flat or gently rolling fields.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Audrey Hadler, AJ Equipment, 35089 205th Ave., Goodhue, Minn. 55027 (ph 651 380-8739; audrey@ajequipment.com; www.ajequipment.com).
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Drawbar Controller Stabilizes Tracked Tractor Hitch HITCHES “It eliminates the undesirable side effects of the free-swinging drawbar on 9T Deere tracked tractors ” says Audrey Hadler of AJ Equipment in Goodhue Minn about the company’s Wide Swing Drawbar Controller “It offers real benefits for anyone who pulls heavy draft implements especially on hillsides where equipment drift can be a problem ” Hadler came up with the idea after spending 10 years working for a machine test facility “We were field-testing tractors in Arizona and I realized that the free-swinging drawbar on tracked tractors was a problem ” Hadler says “I also learned that tracked tractor owners in California were experiencing jackknifing problems while doing hillside tillage ” The controller was built to minimize those problems and also benefit typical Midwest farmers with easier turning and reduced stress on the implement hitches when the drawbar is allowed to swing free The controller is a heavy-duty 600-lb device that mounts on the undercarriage of any 9T tracked tractor It bolts to existing holes on new 9RT series tractors and into holes that the installer needs to drill on older model machines The controller has two cylinders that connect at an angle back to each side of the drawbar and stabilize it as the tractor is pulling an implement Activating the industrial grade 4-in cylinders moves the hitch from one side of the drawbar carriage to the other at a smooth even pace The operator controls the movement from the cab Wear parts for the device are available from Deere tractor dealers “Without the controller when the tractor is operating with the hitch locks removed the hitch swings freely and often rapidly from right to left hitting the stops and eventually wearins out several parts ” Hadley says adding that the device controls 3 modes of drawbar operation In the damping mode when the drawbar is allowed to float from side-to-side the controller reduces excessive lateral back and forth drawbar motion called “dancing” “Uncontrolled drawbar swing can be quite violent resulting in poor tractor and implement control ” Hadler says Damping is accomplished with sized orifices on the cylinder inlets and outlets The lateral push feature of the controller allows a forced bias on the drawbar tongue in both left and right directions Hadler says farmers use this feature to lock the drawbar in the uphill side of the tractor as they’re working on hillsides to keep the implement inline She’s also had farmers tell her they’ve been able to use this feature to avoid getting stuck in wet spots because the implement can quickly be moved from one side of the hitch to the other The lock feature stabilizes the hitch in the center position for road travel For safety purposes the drawbar should always be pinned in position by the drawbar locks during road transport Recently a supplier in Iowa began linking the controller to a guidance system That component will automatically swing the hitch at field ends so equipment follows in the tractor tracks The controller kit comes pre-assembled palleted and ready to install Mounting can be done in a few hours by 2 men It sells for $5 400 with shipping extra “I’ve had many customers tell me they wouldn’t operate a tracked tractor without our controller ” says Hadler “They say the equipment drafts so much better and the tractor handles so much easier even on flat or gently rolling fields ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Audrey Hadler AJ Equipment 35089 205th Ave Goodhue Minn 55027 ph 651 380-8739; audrey@ajequipment com; www ajequipment com
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