Moving a Boat with a Lawn Tractor

Holding out on us ReelFaster ? Huh?

Nice buy, those are solid, and that one looks clean.

 

JD put a 1" trailer hitch receiver on the front, on my X575. I use it whenever I'm moving trailers or the splitter. Once you've moved trailers around... pushing them with a front hitch... you won't want to use a rear hitch again...

 

A Quad or sub-compact tractor would be the way to go, but $$$. Although you could pick up a quad reasonable on craigslist. A much less expensive alternative would be trying a front hitch on the lawn tractor.

 

Makes a ton of sense brenndatomu thank you! I do have some old weights I can experiment with.

LOL.....Me and Dad always wanted to put a 40HP on it, never got around to it!

I went with that hitch setup because the ball hitch just mounted on that flimsy piece of metal off the LT bent on me. I didn't realize at the time raising it up and extending it out would have this impact. If I go this route I am thinking something like this might work best. It would be securely fastened to the back plate of the LT and lower to the ground.

 

I've seen this exact item and actually I think I have in my cart on Amazon. I was going to pull the trigger but held up as it's another big and bulky thing to store, but that would surely work, thank you!

 

Hahah I was holding out!! Thanks Horkn !! It is pretty clean and I jumped on it (maybe too soon we'll see). Had my eyes set on the Rancher because of it smaller frame and one with optional 4x4. It had all the original paperwork, manuals, bill of sale, all the receipts for any work done to it, etc... Two owners prior to me, 1st being a farmer used to haul hay around the farm and 2nd was a fella who used it occasionally for hunting up North. I needs to give it more time, there is a hitch receiver kit for the Rancher I need to pick up so it will make what I need to do easier.

I figure it's a good clean reputable machine, if it don't work out down the road I can always resell it. These things seem to really hold their value and I will care for it well for the time I have it.

 

I've seen many folks doing it this way all around the internet and often wondered if it was a better way to go. Thank for the Info Stinny something to consider and look into if my LT in the front can have something mounted up.

 

I wouldn't bother with it...they aren't very good. Just screw a ball onto the factory mount and tow your boat. That machine will have zero trouble moving it around.

 

It's got a ball on it now, but my problem is that its tucked way back and its hard to get the boat hitch or trailer hitch down into it as the wheel jack hits the ATV. I have to lower the trailer way down then lift pull it forward to hitch it up, a real PITA.

They sell ones that just screw down into the ball hitch hole, but tons of bad reviews stating that no matter how hard you tighten that bold it still swings. So I am looking into something like this, much more robust it seems.

 

Yeah, I have the same issue with the trailer jack hitting my tires when I tow the 4x8 trailer with the kawasaki ATV. It's not so bad, but I have to watch my left rear tire when backing or marking tight turns

 

It's all new to me and taking some getting used too

 

Well shoot Pallet Pete that looks great, thank you for sharing!!!

 

If you buy a hitch for the Rancher, get something that doesn't just bolt to the factory hitch...especially if it hangs out there a ways. The ones that rely on the strength of the factory hitch, and stick way out, have a history of bending/breaking the factory hitch off if used heavily. The ones that also attach to the swingarm are a much better design...just don't put a long receiver in it...don't want to find out if you have any good welders in your neighborhood. Plus, if you crack/tear the factory hitch welds open there is a chance of getting mud/water into the swingarm/axle tube...which allows it direct access to your axle/drive bearings...not good!

 

Thanks brenndatomu ! I think if I get a hitch for the Rancher I am def going swingarm