RJ58 Hitch options

[HorsePower58 12]

Just throwing this out to the masses. My rear hitch is fused onto the roll pin: I've put the high heat to it, had it in a vice and tried to beat it out with a big punch and a little sledge...it's not coming out. If I ever do get it out, I'm not sure I'd want to use it. This is one part of the tractor I'm not too persnickety about keeping original - I'm just using it to pull a little wagon for shows/parades/taking kids for rides; don't plan on putting this horse to work. Question: Are there any other hitch alternatives that guys are putting on their RJ58's? If I could still use the lift lever to make it go up and down, that's just icing on the cake, but I'm not too worried about it. If there was something at tractor supply, rural king, walmart, lowes, autozone, etc. readily available that fits the bill, I'm all ears! I'd love to see some pictures of what guys are rockin'.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by HorsePower58

[Achto 27,516]

Read through this post. It has pictures of how I removed the hitch pin on my 867. Worked very well.

 

[Lane Ranger 10,947]

This photo is of two Wheel Horse hitch types combined.  Not made for rj's but something to consider for a hitch that is not standard rj. 
 

The standard pull switch on most post 1970 Wheel Horses will fit right on the rj or suburban three piece transmission.  See the third photo.  This would allow you to pull a dump cart/ wagon etc.

 

The factory rj hitch is actually not as wide as the later cast hitch seen in photo one.  So if you decide to have a welder or machine shop make one - make it width of the cast Wheel Horse hitch to accommodate more of the attachments that were made later for pulling by wheel horse and it's allied manufacturers.

 

photo four shows the regular rj hitch.  I also recommend buying your next rj three piece transmission pin from Lowell S. At wheelhorsepartsandmore.com   Ther are well made.

 

also you may have to take off one of the side plates on the three piece transmission to carefully remove the rj hitch and pin.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Lane Ranger

[HorsePower58 12]

@Lane Ranger Good to know. Having pictures to confirm is greatly appreciated. I had a suspicion that the pull hitch and the cast iron hitch that you see in later horses would work. And the kicker is that if you look on ebay, on redsquare classified, etc., seems like those hitches are more readily available anyway. Hard to find measurements though, unless you have a suburban tractor to reference. This gives me some options for sure. Thank you!

[benjiboo 174]

On 8/24/2022 at 8:24 AM, Lane Ranger said:

This photo is of two Wheel Horse hitch types combined.  Not made for rj's but something to consider for a hitch that is not standard rj. 
 

The standard pull switch on most post 1970 Wheel Horses will fit right on the rj or suburban three piece transmission.  See the third photo.  This would allow you to pull a dump cart/ wagon etc.

 

The factory rj hitch is actually not as wide as the later cast hitch seen in photo one.  So if you decide to have a welder or machine shop make one - make it width of the cast Wheel Horse hitch to accommodate more of the attachments that were made later for pulling by wheel horse and it's allied manufacturers.

 

photo four shows the regular rj hitch.  I also recommend buying your next rj three piece transmission pin from Lowell S. At wheelhorsepartsandmore.com   Ther are well made.

 

also you may have to take off one of the side plates on the three piece transmission to carefully remove the rj hitch and pin.

I tried to install the standard hitch as shown in picture #3 on my Suburban with the 3 piece transmission and it doesn't even come close to fitting. The holes in the side plates for the original lift hitch are recessed way to far for this to work. I'd like to see some pictures of a standard pull hitch as mentioned mounted on a Suburban.

[oliver2-44 9,714]

This picture of Lane's is showing a "standard hitch" sitting "behind" a  3 piece RJ/Suburban transmission.

Looks like you would need to weld some "ears" to the hitch to reach those "recessed" holes in the 3 piece Transmission side plates.

I like this idea for my Suburban projects

[benjiboo 174]

47 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

This picture of Lane's is showing a "standard hitch" sitting "behind" a  3 piece RJ/Suburban transmission.

Looks like you would need to weld some "ears" to the hitch to reach those "recessed" holes in the 3 piece Transmission side plates.

I like this idea for my Suburban projects

Right...so it doesn't fit right on as claimed in the original post. I was under the assumption because of that claim it would so I found one to use and it turns out it was a waste of money without modification to the original equipment on the tractor. Bummer...

[oliver2-44 9,714]

2 hours ago, benjiboo said:

turns out it was a waste of money without modification to the original equipment on the tractor. Bummer...

There’s really no off the hardware store shelf trailer type hitch for the RJ & Suburban tractors. 
(Actually Ive seen a rare contraption that uses a bar in the slot hitch and has side arms back to the transmission to hold it level)

So, the easiest I know of is to Weld the ears to the vertical arms of the newer hitch.  No modification of original RJ horse parts required

 

Another option is to use the existing slot hitch. With the lift arm locked in the upper position and a good cross pin in the slot hitch and good cable. Put a piece of flat bar into the slot hitch Drill a hole in the flat bar and bolt it to the slot hitch. Bend the bar sticking out of the slot hitch to where it’s level. Then Drill another hole in the that end of the flat bar. Bolt or pin your trailer tongue to it.  

Edited November 17, 2022 by oliver2-44

[Lane Ranger 10,947]

On 8/24/2022 at 9:24 AM, Lane Ranger said:

This photo is of two Wheel Horse hitch types combined.  Not made for rj's but something to consider for a hitch that is not standard rj. 
 

The standard pull switch on most post 1970 Wheel Horses will fit right on the rj or suburban three piece transmission.  See the third photo.  This would allow you to pull a dump cart/ wagon etc.

 

The factory rj hitch is actually not as wide as the later cast hitch seen in photo one.  So if you decide to have a welder or machine shop make one - make it width of the cast Wheel Horse hitch to accommodate more of the attachments that were made later for pulling by wheel horse and it's allied manufacturers.

 

photo four shows the regular rj hitch.  I also recommend buying your next rj three piece transmission pin from Lowell S. At wheelhorsepartsandmore.com   Ther are well made.

 

also you may have to take off one of the side plates on the three piece transmission to carefully remove the rj hitch and pin.

 

ok guys , apologies to Wheel Horse58 and Benjuboo.  !  The wheel Horse draw hitch will not work in conjunction with an original or modified RJ slot hitch.   The draw hitch would need  modified to be able to ride rear of the three pice transmission -particularly because it can’t clear the side plates .

 

I took some more pics this am and the draw hitch arms (above the pin holes are two long (above) and hit the case  of the transmission.  
 

Apologies for the post as it is incorrect information.  I knew the original RJ hitch had to have the tube (where pin goes) cut on each side to hold the draw hitch.  But I did not realize the U shaped draw hitch arms were too long to fit properly.