Hitch mounts on a riding mower

Pumper54

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Been working on my Murray riding mower that I use at my farm to try to keep the 2 acre field mowed and the road leading down to the pond clear along with mowing the dam. The Murray works great except I was having issues with it pulling the small trailer that I tow behind it with the chain saw, pruning shears, hand saw, extra gas and oil for every thing along with water and snacks for me up a pretty steep hill on the road. Just so you know I put my truck in 4 wheel high to drive up it. The Murray has chains on the rear tires and can make it up the hill with out the trailer but I figured with the ATV winch I could pull it all up the hill. I have even figured out how to anchor a rope to a large tree at the top of the hill, attach the winch cable to a loop in the rope, winch up to the rope, attach a hook on the rope to the mower then extend the winch cable out for the final pull. I used 2 1/3 inch square tubing to make the receiver hitches that I mounted on the front and rear of the mower. The winch is mounted onto a piece of square tubing that also fits in the receiver hitch on truck for doing small pulls around the farm. I don't plan on trying any heavy lifting with the winch only trying to get up the hill safer and easier. Both receiver hitches are bolted on to the mower so if it turns out to be a total failure I can unbolt everything. The front mount is bolted on to the front of the frame with grade 8 bolts and nuts through the "L" bracket that the hitch tube is bolted to. Pretty sure it will all work out fine.
Some pictures that show what I did. Don't mind the messy trailer the mower is sitting on. It was only about 100 degrees here the past week or so and I was to hot and tired to clean up. Will get that later when it cools off a bit.

front mount no winch.jpg Murray front view winch mounted.jpg rear mount.jpg winched mounted no hood.jpg

Tom
 
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gainestruk

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Very interesting, I could see several uses for that winch.
Great job on installing it, keep us updated on how it works out.
 

Pumper54

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Next thing I am kind of thinking about is building a out rigger boom that holds a 12/24 volt weed eater or maybe a small gas powered one off the side of the mower. The dam at the pond needs the weeds and small trees brought under control and I just don't like the idea of swimming my mower. Some posted a picture of a boom mounted trimmer but the picture lacks a lot of the details I am looking for. Currently I use my "home made brush cutter" to handle the dam but it is not the easiest to use there.

Side view snorkle.jpgMOD Large 2.jpg
Tom
 
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