Female/Female tow adapter???

[frankendat]

Gentlemen,

I am getting thrashed by Google and have spent more than a couple evenings searching. I would like to move the non running Nissan to a different location in the yard. There is a ball hitch on my lawn tractor. There is a ball hitch the Nissan. I would like a setup with a female hitch on both ends. I could make one with a section of square tube and two female ends, but I thought it would be common. Where am I going wrong?

 

The tractor wheels are weighted and chained, it will move the truck. I would prefer a solid connection.

[datzenmike]

https://www.amazon.ca/Quick-Products-QP-HS3025Z-Trigger-Style-Trailer/dp/B06Y1CVN73/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=trailer+female+ball+hitch&qid=1629415671&sr=8-5

 

This must be wrong, it took me less than half a min. to find and post

 

[frankendat]

That's half of it and I had the thought to mount two of them facing opposite on a piece of steel tube. But, thought this must be a common question, since it is not, I might be missing something. I am hesitant to use chains, because the soft uneven dirt might make the truck jerk. 

[jagman]

You can make a tow bar by using 2" u bolts on the end of a 2" x 1" u channel.  Need to weld the end piece to accept the ubolts.  I hope your lawn tractor has a gear tranny and not the hydro static.

[frankendat]

6 minutes ago, jagman said:

You can make a tow bar by using 2" u bolts on the end of a 2" x 1" u channel.  Need to weld the end piece to accept the ubolts.  I hope your lawn tractor has a gear tranny and not the hydro static.

It's not hydro, it has a gear tranny and a variable belt drive. I have only had it a couple of months. My neighbor had it for plowing his driveway. He gave me a deal on it after he sold his house for seven figures and split. It is a John Deere 214 1978. You wouldn't happen to have a picture of that tow bar?

[jagman]

I don't have a picture but all you need is your bar ( round or square )  make plates to weld to the ends with the holes for your 2" or 2 1/2" ubolts. As I recall I used 1/4" plate  4" X 1" strips on my ends.  My bar will fit both standard balls and also the construction hitch on my big truck with a change of ubolts.

(_[==========]_)  (_ is the ubolt  [ is the plate  (;>)

[frankendat]

3 minutes ago, jagman said:

I don't have a picture but all you need is your bar ( round or square )  make plates to weld to the ends with the holes for your 2" or 2 1/2" ubolts. As I recall I used 1/4" plate  4" X 1" strips on my ends.  My bar will fit both standard balls and also the construction hitch on my big truck with a change of ubolts.

(_[==========]_)  (_ is the ubolt  [ is the plate  (;>)

Hmm food for thought. If I use the U bolts off an old set of leaf springs, I could build yours with parts on hand, which is a plus. And the stick welder is already set up--another plus...

[frankendat]

15 minutes ago, jagman said:

I don't have a picture but all you need is your bar ( round or square )  make plates to weld to the ends with the holes for your 2" or 2 1/2" ubolts. As I recall I used 1/4" plate  4" X 1" strips on my ends.  My bar will fit both standard balls and also the construction hitch on my big truck with a change of ubolts.

(_[==========]_)  (_ is the ubolt  [ is the plate  (;>)

Why didn't you use square tube?

[jagman]

I did use square tube.  Mine is 1" square.

[thisismatt]

This is like asking the hardware store for a male-male extension cord because you wired your christmas tree backwards.  It's not sold because it's dangerous (ie when you brake, the two balls and female-female tongues are going to act like a wet noodle and the "trailer" is going to smash into the tow vehicle).  I know you're not taking it out on the highway, but that's why they aren't commercially available.

[bananahamuck]

It will work but I’m sure no one makes them for resale 

 

When I was younger and braver,, we used to use a pipe with a chain ran through it to flat tow vehicles that had no brakes sometimes down the hiway
  We lived on the end of the earth though 

[frankendat]

17 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

This is like asking the hardware store for a male-male extension cord because you wired your christmas tree backwards.  It's not sold because it's dangerous (ie when you brake, the two balls and female-female tongues are going to act like a wet noodle and the "trailer" is going to smash into the tow vehicle).  I know you're not taking it out on the highway, but that's why they aren't commercially available.

I had that same thought, and figured this kind of set up would be pull only. The only way to make it pushable, I can think of is put it on a triangle, like tow bar.

[MikeRL411]

2 hours ago, frankendat said:

Gentlemen,

I am getting thrashed by Google and have spent more than a couple evenings searching. I would like to move the non running Nissan to a different location in the yard. There is a ball hitch on my lawn tractor. There is a ball hitch the Nissan. I would like a setup with a female hitch on both ends. I could make one with a section of square tube and two female ends, but I thought it would be common. Where am I going wrong?

 

The tractor wheels are weighted and chained, it will move the truck. I would prefer a solid connection.

So, let's see here.  You want a dildo adapter ?

[Ooph!]

You may be overthinking this. if you are just moving it in the yard use a tow strap, hell I've even used those ratchet straps used to tie stuff down in the bed.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Recovery-Polyester-Towing-Protective-Sleeves/dp/B08GP8F8WY/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=tow+strap&qid=1629427097&sr=8-5

[ratpatrol66]

Like above but they make them in 4 foot length. Hit a Tractor supply store. I have subjected mine to harsh loads and they hold up well.

[jagman]

Actually the solid bar will push as well as pull on flat ground.

[datzenmike]

Make sure the thing pulled has the tires pumped up hard for minimum rolling resistance. The tractor can run softer tires for traction. Recently used my dolly to move a pair of L series engines around. Pumped it max and it went well. One tire went flat on the last one... you could not move it on the lawn. Big difference

[frankendat]

16 hours ago, MikeRL411 said:

So, let's see here.  You want a dildo adapter ?

I am ready to take my Datsun love to the next level.

[ratpatrol66]

8 minutes ago, frankendat said:

I am ready to take my Datsun love to the next level.

Whoa getting freaking with the Datsun!

[frankendat]

Thank you Ratsun elite, you provide good counsel. I can make it happen. Often I post here in hope that if I am way off base, someone will provide a "heads up", I have tow straps, ratchet straps, chains and whatnot. I really hate fighting with something only to later learn there is a simple and often better, method. Thanks again.

[frankendat]

3 minutes ago, ratpatrol66 said:

Whoa getting freaking with the Datsun!

To quote the philosopher Ministry, it's a love affair, mainly Jesus and my car. Ding a ling dang, my dang along ling long

[datzenmike]

1 hour ago, frankendat said:

I am ready to take my Datsun love to the next level.

 

You had my attention when I first saw the title to this thread... Female/Female tow adapter

[frankendat]

WARNING attempting to maneuver a Nissan 720, solo, with chain and a lawn tractor is a NO GO. Learn from my ignorance and DO NOT ATTEMPT.  I came within inches of severely damaging my truck and my JD 214.

The plan was simple. I built a "car canopy" in the backyard, over a decade ago and over the years it has been used for everything from a party tent to a workshop. It has collapsed a few times as well. But, each time it failed, I put it back together with additional support and for the last few years, it has taken everything from extreme wind to snow load. However, as parties are not on the agenda anymore, the car canopy became a catch all for misc. bullshit. With the arrival of the 720 and the garage full of other bullshit projects. I, painfully, hired a guy, with a running truck, to haul the misc. bullshit to the dump. After a day or two icing my back, from loading the dump runs, and bitching about the "dump fees", I chained the tractor to the 720 to move it under the canopy.

 

First, my lawn is lumpy and I had to give it some gas to get the truck to move. When the truck moved, it lurched forward and slammed into the back of the tractor. Luckily, avoiding injury (I am thankful God looks out for children and fools) I increased the distance of chain between the truck and the tractor. My backyard is not huge and it is on a corner. There is a, crumbling retaining wall that is level with the lawn and holds the lawn about 4 feet higher than the sidewalk.

 

Second, some turning was required in the towing journey, the longer chain, instead of turning the truck, stretched the chain at a severe angle and it bound up. (Which any thinking person would have determined before the attempt) So, I backed up the tractor to release the tension and popped off the hitch, while I sat on the tractor. Apparently, there is a slight slope to the yard, because the truck started rolling toward the 4ft cliff. I don't know if any of you have experience with lawn tractors, but they are built for skinny people. Us, more than skinny people, get wedged between the steering wheel and the seat, which isn't a real problem - unless you need to get in or get out in a hurry. I freed my self and stopped the truck from falling to the sidewalk, over half of the rear wheels were air borne. There is a safety cut off than engages when you leave the tractor seat. For some reason the tractor popped and sputtered before stopping. The lawn tractor stoppled parallel to the retaining wall, with one of the small front tires off the retaining wall in mid air and half of one of the much bigger rear tires the same.  I yelled for the wife to get in and hold the brake, while I moved to the front and pulled it off the ledge. Focusing on straight tractor pulls the truck is mostly under the canopy. I will finish getting it under today.

 

Lessons learned:

A solid connection, like a 3 point, seems a much better method for short tows that require control.

Having a second person to steer and/or mind the brakes is required.

 

Positive lessons learned:

The little JD 214 has plenty of power to pull the truck

[Lozer]

I know it's a serious question. But I laughed way harder at this then I should have. In California a male hitch can be either......

 

I'll see my way out.

[frankendat]

On 9/3/2021 at 10:40 PM, Lozer said:

I know it's a serious question. But I laughed way harder at this then I should have. In California a male hitch can be either......

 

I'll see my way out.

Perfect! I should look for a trans towing adapter, I need to brush up on proper hitch pro nouns. Too bad it is already sorted.