You can easily transform your lawnmower into a multi-capable towing tool.
And one of the best ways of achieving this is by mounting a ball hitch to your lawn tractor.
This guide will show you how to put a ball hitch on a lawn mower to help you take advantage of your mower’s fantastic towing capabilities.
How to put a ball hitch on a lawn mower: steps and guidelines
Whether you want to haul off the trash on your utility trailer, bring up logs and brush, or just tow your water filled roller across the ground, your mowing machine should get the job done.
Here is how to put a ball hitch on a lawn mower (the best ways):
Method 1: Using a Lawnpro Hi-Hitch
There are other ways and you’ll soon discover them but the immensely popular Hi-Hitch from GreatDay is perhaps the easiest because it mounts to countless lawnmowers with minimal drilling or modifications.
Then, it’s positioned nicely to keep your trailers level and perfectly well-balanced.
Lastly, it’s really heavy-duty meaning you’ll receive abundant “horsepower” while adding very little weight to your machine.
It accepts trailer-hitch balls with ¾-inch shank or smaller in most cases.
Where to buy the Hitch
You can order the accessory on Amazon here or from stores selling mower accessories near you.
What will be contained in the package
The box will have the following items:
- Hi-hitch body
- Brace arms (4)(Note that you will use only 1 set)
- 5/8-inch locknut (1)
- 5/8-inch flat washers (2)
- 5/8-inch x 2 1/2-inch bolt (1)
- 1/4-inch x 2 1/2-inch bolt (1)
- 1/4-inch x 1-inch bolts (2)
- Flat washers (6)
- 1/4-inch lock nuts (3)
Steps
Here is a summary of the steps:
- Pre-assemble the hitch.
- Connect the Lawn pro hi hitch.
- Drilling.
- Hitch installation.
That’s the long and the short of the entire process.
Onwards now to the specific procedures.
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Step 1: Pre-assembling the Lawn Pro Hi Hitch
Start by attaching one set of the brace arms to the hi-hitch body.
You’ll bolt them using the 1/4-inch x 2 ½-inch bolt. Don’t forget to add the matching flat washers as well as the lock nut.
Your final task here is tightening (but not extremely snug).
To test if you have done it right, check if the brace arms can pivot well.
Step 2: Connecting the hitch body to the mower
In this step, you will fix the Lawn pro hi hitch to the lawnmower.
Simply connect the hi-hitch body to the lawn tractor’s trailer mounting hole.
You will use the 5/8-inch x 2 ½-inch bolt here together with 5/8-inch flat washers and a similarly-sized lock nut.
You’ll again tighten until snug.
Like in step 1, the Hi-hitch must pivot side-to-side if you have completed the steps correctly.
Step 3: Drilling the mower
For the most part, it’s difficult to find a hitch that will fit minus any modifications which often involves drilling with a standard drill bit (or a cordless drill).
In this case, line up the brace arms against the rear of your lawnmower and mark where you will drill. Try to be as accurate as possible since you want to take the shortest time.
Proceed to drill the marked holes – a 5/16-inch drill bit should work well for this task.
Be creative where necessary – the most important thing is to get the holes sizing correct.
Pro-Tip: Make sure you’re not obstructed by the brace arms -or anything else for that matter- when drilling.
Steps 4: Lawn pro hi hitch installation
Locate the openings you have just drilled on the rear of your mower and align with the holes in the brace arms precisely then insert the 1/4-inch X 1-inch bolts.
Add the fitting flat washers plus the nuts as we have done in the other steps.
Ensure that you tighten everything securely.
That’s all.
Now attach the ball size you want and test it.
It may seem like a staggering amount of work but, as you have seen, it surely isn’t.
Okay, you might not haul a massive boat but there’s a lot of pulling your mower will be capable of with this solid ball hitch.
Method 2: Using a homemade hitch adapter
A DIY receiver hitch also works and will most certainly cost you less than the different hitches sold on Amazon and other marketplaces.
In fact, a fabricated trailer hitch gives you more flexibility as you can build one to accommodate tow balls with different sizes.
There are plenty of options but the simplest design involves crafting a sturdy receiver style hitch using steel tubing then welding the ball on the assembly.
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How to put a ball hitch on a lawn mower: Helpful guidelines
- Always inspect all parts prior to each use for rust or deformation. Be sure to replace all hardware rusted or deformed hardware.
- Be extra careful when pulling at an odd angle- you don’t want to be over-anxious as you may find yourself making the wrong moves (and get stuck or tip over) depending on the trailer you’re towing and the terrain.
- Stick to the pulling capacity of your mower –overstraining the mower is not only unsafe but also risks bringing down its service life.
You now know what to do if you’ve ever want to put a trailer hitch ball on your lawn mower.
Remember that working on machines can be dangerous and you need to observe all the precautions including wearing protective gear.
Also, keep in mind the highlighted guiding tips when towing a trailer or any attachment.