[Willie Nunez]

These are the first photos of my adaptation of the Bear Linear actuator to the manual sleeve hitch.

<img src=http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=646a1d63-7725-4ad8-200e-1bbd76d13c59&size=lg>

<img src=http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=765a3721-a3b2-94e8-2254-21273b3e64e3&size=lg>

<img src=http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=1ef12544-6fe4-479a-415d-717271992a12&size=lg>

 

[jodyand]

Looks good Willie when are you going to try it out.
Jody

 

[guest2]

Willie
Very nice work! Are those the brackets you made? I really like the way you made it adjustable.

 

[Chipmaker]

Gives me an idea on what to do with that box full of salvaged screw actuators I got from treadmills and other exercise equipment. They are all rated pretty high up in capacity, more than sufficient for lifing any implements, and lots of them work off 12VDC.........pity I don't have a need for some implements, but there is always Ebay where I could probably peddle electric hitches.

Nice job on your hitch. Whats stroke is your actuator? Does it utilize limit switches?

 

[Willie Nunez]

I did the fabrication and welding in El Paso, and my tractor is in San Antonio. Hopefully, I'll test this electric hitch next Thursday.
Yeah, I made the main plate out of 1/4" cold rolled and the rest out of 3/16". Two aluminum spacers 1" OD x 1/2" ID x 1-1/16" long plus two 1/2" quick pins(1-3/4" and 3-3/4") completes the parts list.
The adjustability is mostly for setting the desired depth of the implement at full extension. This actuator has limit clutches which release at full extension and retraction....very handy for consistency in depth of cut for plow, disc harrow and cultivator. The fact that it has 1,200 lbs of lift force as well as downforce, and that it'll hold its position at any interim position makes it ideal for blade or bucket work also.
This actuator has a 4" stroke, with a speed of 4 seconds for full travel. IMO it would be almost impossible to find a salvage unit that will have all the ideal specifications for this application. In fact, my thorough research convinced me that Bear Linear makes the only ideal model for this use.
BTW on this hitch, the 4" stroke gives me 13" of total vertical travel at the point of the plow.

 

[Chipmaker]

I dunno. I have some actuators here that have 6" of travel, and static load hold of 3000#, and bronze or brass actuator nuts, made for outside use. I have a heap of actuators that have 1500 working limit and 3000 hold capacity with 4 to 10 inches of travel and all have torque limit clutches and or limit switches as well.Any of the above should be more than adequate for a sleeve hitch application. All are 12 VDC as well.

I used one that hd a 24" travel to raise and lower an 8 foot arm on my latest version of my sidearm cutter, and another with 16 inches of travel top pivot and tilt the actual cutting head. Been using another 24" travel actuator for an automatic adjustable toplink in place of the manual screw type top link on my 1720 ford for close to two years now and it easily lifts, holds and positions a 6 foot bush hog, or 8 foot gin pole with a load on it. You would be surprised at some of the components used to build some exercise equipment items. The internal componenets usually outclass the actual capacity of the equipment by a large margin, and is actually way overkill. I am sure that no garden tractor sleeve hitch would be capable of applying more pressure than lifting a 6 foot rotary cutter, when you look at the leverage and forces imparted on that actuator.

 

[Willie Nunez]

Chipmaker,
You've got a virtual treasure trove(for me). I have a need for 4 more actuators, a 16" stroke for my dump trailer, two 8" for my motorgrader blade(mid location), and a 10" for my Johnny bucket Jr.
I've lots of projects on the drawing board.

 

[jodyand]

Willie and Chipmaker ya ll two need to get together and come up with something. You two are great for taking something and making it better.
Jody

 

[memmurphy]

:ditto:

They also give the rest of us ideas for our own projects that we may not have thought about otherwise.:thumbsup:

Mark

 

[SleazyRider]

Why are there no pics showing?

Bob

 

[Hoodoo Valley]

No pictures!

 

[lsmurphy]

Why are there no pics showing?

Bob

Ahhhhh....cause the thread is more than 6 years old. Link broke.


Scott

 

[SleazyRider]

LOL!! Yea, I guess that could be a contributing factor, huh? LOL