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Logic: Swinging Drawbar?

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City-Boy McCoy

07-20-2006 03:36:47




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What was the logic behind a swinging drawbar? Was it to take some of the jerking and snatching out of pulling something across rough ground? Or, was it something else this brain of mine has not yet grasped? Thanks. mike




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markloff

07-20-2006 15:44:29




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
Hello,

All I know is IH is the only mfg. that made a decent drawbar that seemed to hold up. Think of all the other mfg.'s hitches you've seen all welded up, reinforced, broken and wore out.

Mark



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NDS

07-20-2006 15:58:21




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to markloff, 07-20-2006 15:44:29  
I have seen and even owned a lot of IH drawbars that have been broken patched and welded up. We used to wear pin holes out and weld plate under original drawbar and redrill holes. Have drawbar on M now that roller had been kept pinned in center most of the time and wore through U shaped drawbar.



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Janicholson

07-20-2006 12:19:18




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
The group that uses the swinging drawbar loose as needed, and pinned when needed is on track. The point of pull will actually favor the turn by pulling toward the side of the drawbar displacement because it is in front of the rear wheels.

Pulling a 4 section spike tooth drag with an Farmall H, using a ring and link chain style hitch to a 2" pipe main tube was a 20 hrs/yr task. The only time I ran the drag up on a tire was when my cousin pinned the drawbar, and the point of pull was forced to be centered behind the tractor. With it pinned the turning radius was 135'. With it free, the radius was about 45' (I could make a circke about 20 ' in diameter with the inside edge of the drag. (wheels were set mid axle dish out)
JimN

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Hugh MacKay

07-20-2006 15:27:30




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Janicholson, 07-20-2006 12:19:18  
Jim: You've got the whole story, most of the rest of us used the abreviated version. I can remember starting a turn with narrow front 300, soon as the drawbar moved from center you could actually feel it pull the tractor into the turn. In fact that was one of the times an operator had to firmly grip that steering wheel with narrow front. It could wack you on the fingers.

Your also right about hanging hitching linkage up on rear tire of tractor, it will never happen with swinging drawbar unpined.

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NDS

07-20-2006 09:16:53




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
Have pulled drag type disc over a lot of acres with and without swinging drawbar and the only time I saw much advantage to letting drawbar swing was in sandy land on most of our land no big deal either way. On our first H one crew would plant all day come in just before dark pull rear part of planter install drawbar and someone would disc all night did not ever bother with installing swinging drawbar.

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Don L C

07-20-2006 08:40:29




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
Hi City Boy ---
Back in the days of drag type equipment the swinging drawbar made it easer to turn at the end of the field..... the tractor could make most of the turn without the restance of the equipment it was pulling.....helped while disking mostley.....some time tou had to add a little break on the wheel side you were turning.....

hope this helps Don



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Steven@ND

07-20-2006 07:43:41




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
I know for sure that our 2wd tractors turn better with the drawbar swinging.

Those that say it is made to be pinned at all times are wrong - there is a reason that some have a roller with bearings on them.



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Allan In NE

07-20-2006 07:50:54




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Steven@ND, 07-20-2006 07:43:41  
Come on, You guys,

You're talking like a bunch of city boys. If you leave the thing swing, how do you handle the resulting draft?

Makes no sense to me at all, but then, I'm a flatlander too. :>)

Allan



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Hugh MacKay

07-20-2006 08:50:12




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 07:50:54  
Allan: You've got to broaden your horizons, you remind me of a neighbor years ago, "If all else fails consult the manual". In the days when that drawbar was developed most farmers were pulling drag type disks and cultivators. It was suggested right in the manual let the drawbar swing unpined for easier turning. You just sit back and think about that geometry.

If you like, step ahead to 1960s and 70. with large trailer type disks and cultivators, most 06, 56, 66 and 86 series tractors had telescoping drawbars or a large flat bar with two holes. The extended bar was designed for standard pto operation of trailer pto equipment. You shortened that drawbar, brought your hitch pivot closer to tractor rear end for easier turning with disks and cultivators. That also was in the manual.

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Steven@ND

07-20-2006 08:47:40




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 07:50:54  
What draft? When you go straight down the field it centers just fine...



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RustyFarmall

07-20-2006 08:32:30




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 07:50:54  
It has nothing to do with flatland, or hills. The swinging drawbar concept was from an era almost before our time.



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Allan In NE

07-20-2006 08:48:31




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to RustyFarmall, 07-20-2006 08:32:30  
It just occurs to me that maybe that swinging drawbar was designed to replicate the tugs on a team?

Dunno,

Allan



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Jim Becker

07-20-2006 10:03:51




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 08:48:31  
It was designed to move the point of draft farther forward on the tractor. When turning with a fixed drawbar, the point of draft is well behind the rear axle. The force tends to pull the tractor straight and make turning more difficult. Moving the draft point forward reduces the leverage the implement has on the tractor making it easier to turn.



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Jim Becker

07-20-2006 06:33:25




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
Redfan and Hugh hit the right answer. The device Magman described is a sidehill plow hitch. It has some similarity to a swinging drawbar and can be made using a swinging drawbar, but they were built as a separate attachment.



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Hugh MacKay

07-20-2006 05:37:33




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
City Boy McCoy: While most respondants found good uses for the swinging drawbar, Redfan did come up with the real reason for it's development. Unpined it allowed tractors pulling heavy tillage equipment to make turns much easier.



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RustyFarmall

07-20-2006 07:07:49




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Hugh MacKay, 07-20-2006 05:37:33  
You nailed it Hugh.



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Allan In NE

07-20-2006 07:00:52




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Hugh MacKay, 07-20-2006 05:37:33  
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But I sure can't imagine operating a tractor with the drawbar swinging around loose back there.

It was designed to adjust the pull point left or right of the tractor's centerline.

Allan



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CNKS

07-20-2006 07:58:51




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 07:00:52  
Allan, it allows easier turns with the implement in the ground. For example, tandem or offset disks with no wheels, hydraulics, or any means to raise them. Or any other implement, even the old spring tooth harrows. Yes you can move the pull point, but in the "old" days turning the tractor was the main problem. Been there done that literally thousands of times.



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Andy Martin

07-20-2006 07:44:48




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Allan In NE, 07-20-2006 07:00:52  
The only time we ever unhooked it was using a disc. If the disc is really sunk in it's a little easier to turn but if you don't watch what you are doing it is all the way to one side and the disc is trying to climb the tire.

After you get your first furrows with a one way you can unhook the drawbar and it will track right well. If you try to pull a one way somewhere it does not wnat to go it just slides the tractor tires sideways and you lose a lot of traction.

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little john

07-20-2006 04:56:05




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
Some time ago I asked a similar question and one answer was that the swinging drawbar was attached up under the tranny, and that was a better point to pull from, than from the rear axle housing.



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Redfan

07-20-2006 04:44:39




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
The main reason we left the drawbar unpinned in paddock work was to make it easier for the tractor to turn.
Pulling heavy drawbar loads in days before articulated tractors and front wheel assist tended to make a tractor 'plough on' at corners, unless the drawbar was left unpinned. Regards, Redfan.



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Bus Driver

07-20-2006 04:40:55




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
The drawbar had the ability to be moved around to make the towed item track as desired. For example, a baler needs to project out the side while in actual use, but needs to be as narrow as possible while being transported on the road. Some balers have adjustable tongue built-in. The swinging drawbar is always supposed to held in one position (bolt or latch) while the tractor is moving.



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Magman

07-20-2006 04:28:12




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to City-Boy McCoy, 07-20-2006 03:36:47  
I am sure that was one consideration, And also being able to hook inplements that were wider or narower in different positions tyo line up with the rear wheels, To be able to swing the drawbar out of the way to hook something up that was stationary like the sickle, I bet there were alot of considerations, ecspecially when plowing on hilly ground to be able to move it back and forth to line up the furrow wheel. . I remember my gramp had a set up on his M that had a adjuster like you see on a lot of different equipment to raise and lower on his draw bar to move it from on the seat. I have been meaning to get up there and see my uncle and try to get it or see if I can build one. He also had a 630 case I think and that had a hyd draw bar what a convenience back when. JON

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City-Boy McCoy

07-20-2006 12:08:52




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 Re: Logic: Swinging Drawbar? in reply to Magman, 07-20-2006 04:28:12  
I understand it now, and it makes sense. Thanks, boys.
Mike



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