Electric Ball Hitch
 

This is a movable ball hitch that I put together. This gizmo raises the top of the ball from 17-24" with the flip of a switch and lowers it back down just as easily.

It was intended to be a prototype from which I would learn what needed to be improved, but so far, it's working well as-is, so I just painted it, neatened up the wires a bit, and put it into service.

If you take the ball off of it, you are left with a 2" receiver that lets you attach all sorts of different things.

Under the ball is a knurreled aluminum hand nut that I made.
I put 5/8" holes around the outside diameter so that I can use the pin as a wrench to tighten or loosen it.
I can put that ball on or take it off pretty quickly and the pin wrench is always right there when I need it.

It's kind of nice being able to back up to a trailer, flip a switch, then drive off with it, and never even need to get off the tractor.

The hitch has the capacity to lift about 200#. Stronger actuators are available, but they move more slowly. Longer actuators are also available.

Currently the actuator is running off of a 10 amp fuse. I haven't tried smaller ones yet.

The biggest thing I have towed so far is a 20' boat trailer with a 17' boat on it.
The tractor tires spun a little in wet grass, but that was before I mounted the R1 V-tread back tires.
Even with the old tires, I was still able to get the job done.

Looks great. That looks like it would be handy.

Now that is pretty darn cool. Nicely done. As it seems to get harder and
harder to get off and on these machines every year, that rocks.

Ken