Hayride Wagon Hitch

Just acquired a four wheel farm wagon. Bed was wasted and has been destroyed. Currently cleaning up the running gear. Repacked the hubs, replaced one rim, will buy four new tires, sand blast , prime, and paint. Unit is model 5003 made by Electric Wheel Co. I plan to make a custom Hayride Wagon (13') with bench seats facing inward and a lean back rail around the sides (Front Only Access) Will put a full set of tail and marker lights as well as SMV on it. Hay rides with human cargo only on farm road pulled by tractor with escort in the rear. However, I might want to make a daytime move 10-15 miles on highway behind my truck? Front end is very tight. What are your thoughts on putting a 2" ball coupling on the tongue instead of the normal hitch pin?
 
I think its a waste of your time. WE made hay on other farms about that distance away and pulled with standard hitch with safety chains and wagons had 125-135 bales per load and we pulled 2 wagons at a time.
 
I don't think you'd need a ball hitch. Biggest thing is just being careful when towing at faster speeds as some wagons tend to start swerving side to side - don't ask me how I know....

Good luck,
Bill
 

You don't mention front end work, which is the most important thing in making a four wheel wagon follow you. Be sure that all steering joints/connections are tight. Some may need bushings added where there were none originally.
 
Farm wagons are comonly puller further tham that on just a pin. Make sure it has a keeper in the pin so it doesn't jump out is all that's needed. I buy farm machinery all over and usually just pull it home behind the pickup, the last was a grinder/mixer swap where I pulled one down and mine back 500 miles round trip.
 
20 years ago when I sold small squares to horse folks and boarding stables, I often times pulled my hay wagons right from the field to the customers. 100-125 small squares per load, with pin hitch. 30mph loaded and about 45mph empty was never a problem. Traveled up to 30 miles on several occasions. I think your pin hitch will be fine.
 
no real reason to, i mean it also works on a 2 inch ball, but if the running gear is tight and in good shape and the tongue is too and the tractor drawbar hole isnt wallowed out a pin hitch will run behind you all day without a problem, like already mentioned make sure it has a keeper on the pin and that it stays in the pin, if you have to have a 2 inch ball, might just use a long car hauler trailer for the hay rides, i do, as when i give a hay ride usually there is elderly people who also want to go, and a dovetail lowbed car hauler is much easier for them to get on than a hay trailer
 
I would also suggest mounting one of the little 9v bat powered bicycle type red strobe lights high on the rear ....just to wake up that occasional texter / drunk / sleepy person that static lights don't seem to phase. I just wish the Amish would save a few of their women and kids by doing the same around here.
 

The ball takes away the fore-aft jerk from a pin in a sloppy hole. The passengers will feel the jerk but it probably will not bother them if they are sitting sideways. I used to pull a bundle rack through parades with a brass band riding in it. The slop in the hitch would jerk them just enough to be annoying while they were playing. I also was involved with a couple of trolley cars designed to be pulled behind a pickup or tractor using a 2" ball hitch. The front tip of the ball receiver on the hitches got flattened just a bit from being rammed into by the pickup backing up to the trolley to hitch up. The flattened front tip of the receiver decreased its size and made it darned near impossible to get it down over the ball. These were two inch receivers and the people who pulled these trolleys started using 1 7/8 inch balls because the receiver wouldn't fit on a 2" ball. They were hauling up to 36 passengers using a 2" receiver on a 1 7/8 ball!!!!
 
I have been told, but never proven, the difference between farm implement and road type implement is the hitch. Ball hitch is required to have plates, lights, turn signals and insurance. Hitch pin type are not required, but recommended.
 
That sounds like they were putting a lot of people at risk just to save replacing a $20 receiver.
 

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