Towing a combine backwards?

[TimWafer]

Im trying to come up with an easy way to tow my Gleaner K2 to some nearby fields. Probably all within ten miles or so. I could drive the combine there but would like to have my truck along as well and have to beg someone to drive it each time which never works out. My thoughts are maybe a tow dolly under the rear wheels or a towbar possibly linked to the steer axle.
Ready made dollys all seem to be too narrow for the combine wheels. Fabrication of a custom one would take considerable time, especially this time of year.
Ive seen discussions of a towbar attached to the rear frame on a pivot and linked to the steering with a drag link of sorts. that way it would tow like a wagon. Anyone actually done that and have any tips or pictures of it?
Thanks!

 

[Indiana Ken]

What size trunk are we talking about? If you can drive the combine why would you not tow the truck?

Just curious - not intended as a smart asre reply.

 

[TimWafer]

A 3/4 ton diesel pickup. Not sure how that would be any easier. I would have to rig up some way to tow the pickup then. Guess I would rather drive the truck than the combine plus if the combine broke down I could probably still tow it back to the shop.

 

[Case Nutty 1660]

I have pulled many of them home this way,, I used this swather trailer as i have it,, I chain each wheel at the spindle so they stay still but can still turn,, 35-45 mph works very good for me,,,, I have a Case SP-12 that a guy we traded it in from bought it new and custom cut with it, he welded a receiver pipe on the rear axle, then would jack the wheels up off the ground, slide in the two pipe and hook it to his pickup, the bigger the machine the bigger puller I would use, the 960 in the pic weighs a little over 9000 the way she sits if I am thinking right,, my 1/2 ton dodge pulled and stopped it with ease

 

[JMS/.MN]

I towed an F backwards with an A-frame attached to the axle. One-time use, under ten miles. Bit hard to turn on 90 degree corners, but it followed. Made a steering hitch on an M2...towed that one about 90 miles.Pix might be here on archives. I"d prefer just making a dolly that would handle multiple machines. When towing, slide the couplers on the finals to disengage them.

 

[VicS]

I would lean towards towing the truck.
10ft. Or so A frame hitch easy to build
and hook up. We towed a 95 JD combine 150
miles once. Took a bridge beam about 25 ft
long or so and chained it under the rear.
Really good. Put the 16ft header in truck
and had the 3 row corn head on combine.
Took a couple hrs to get it all put
together. Funny thing the truck was a
International 160 with a 6 cyl. Engine.
Wouldn't pull the combine in 4th gear. So
just went 25 to 30 max and 15 to 20 on
hills. Might as well drove it. Oh also
unhooked final drive couplers.

 

[newhollandnut]

I?d look at some kind of rack or something were i could haul a
moped or small trail bike and make one for the receiver of the
truck and use the bike to get back and forth

 

[fixerupper]

A neighbor of mine used to pull his 58 chevy pickup behind his Deere 45 combine. He said he had to be careful turning on a gravel road corner because the pickup tried to push the rear of the combine sideways when he was trying to straighten out after the turn. He pulled that pickup up and down two steep gravel road hills without landing in the ditch on the way down so it must have been a fairly stable setup.

 

[ztrmowers]

no atv or utv to throw in back truck then go get combine,everywhere in my territory

 

[jwmfarms]

A family farming operation near me, in eastern central Va., farms land just north of the
Potomac river in southern Maryland. The used to tow several Oliver and White combines,
from the rear, up there. They had fabricated a tongue for each combine, and had a link
for the steering. Drive couplers/shafts were removed. Combines were towed behind ten
wheelers, and headers on implement carriers/trailers, for approximately 100 miles.

If you are only going 10 miles, go the moped route. When you get to the field, ride the
moped back to the pickup. Throw it in the bed, and after the pickup is at the field, you
can ride it back for the grain truck, if necessary.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I'd set up a tow hitch on the pickup and pull it. Easier and more practical. If the combine breaks down more than likely it will be in the threshing part not the drive line side. So could still drive it home.