Worn half hitch

[Tacitus]

Hi there!

My Take TB016 has a half hitch that is as sloppy as lefty legislation.
Bought a new one for expediency, however I would like to try to rescue the old one in my own time.
The bushes are welded so replacing them will turn out to be a torrid affair.
Has anyone tried to fill with the MIG and then use a die grinder and a reamer to bring them back?

 

[Nick...]

Just buy a new decent hitch
nick...

 

[doobin]

Half hitches are always worn, they have to have a lot of tolerance from new. Add extra slop from the pins of a favourite bucket and it's unsalvageable.

Just buy a Hardford Wedgelock and enjoy tight buckets for the rest of your life.

 

[Tacitus]

Yes, I did buy a new hitch. Just speculating how to fix the old one. Don't feel like tossing it.
The proper way is line boring and new bushes. Problem is that line boring is expensive.
Was hoping for someone with shop experience to do a hack repair.
Or advice as to how to extract the old bushes that are welded on.

 

[JD450A]

Are you going out of your way to not be a tosser?

 

[doobin]

Yes, I did buy a new hitch. Just speculating how to fix the old one. Don't feel like tossing it.
The proper way is line boring and new bushes. Problem is that line boring is expensive.
Was hoping for someone with shop experience to do a hack repair.
Or advice as to how to extract the old bushes that are welded on.

For a mini hitch you could probably stick it on a decent sized milling machine for the through hole.

I've had sucess using a 30mm spiraband to grind down the 30mm half circle bit of a hitch after building it up with weld. It's a bodge though, and not suitable for a through hole as you'll never get it even enough.

 

[Danny]

You've got too much time on your hands

 

[6feetdown]

Half hitches are always worn, they have to have a lot of tolerance from new. Add extra slop from the pins of a favourite bucket and it's unsalvageable.

Just buy a Hardford Wedgelock and enjoy tight buckets for the rest of your life.

Or bmc

 

[doobin]

Or bmc

Yes, I have the BMC version on my tilt hitch and it's good. Cheaper also. Can't fault their service at all.

 

[Brendan]

Yes, I did buy a new hitch. Just speculating how to fix the old one. Don't feel like tossing it.
The proper way is line boring and new bushes. Problem is that line boring is expensive.
Was hoping for someone with shop experience to do a hack repair.
Or advice as to how to extract the old bushes that are welded on.

Just do what most do and shove it on eBay, just save your self a load of time and hassle and get a few quid back

 

[Pedrod355]

Yes, I have the BMC version on my tilt hitch and it's good. Cheaper also. Can't fault their service at all.

Could you send a photo of the bmc hitch some time? Is it same set up as the hardford wedgelock?

 

[Tacitus]

For a mini hitch you could probably stick it on a decent sized milling machine for the through hole.

I've had sucess using a 30mm spiraband to grind down the 30mm half circle bit of a hitch after building it up with weld. It's a bodge though, and not suitable for a through hole as you'll never get it even enough.


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Thank you Doobin, I was hoping for this kind of replies. Good job with the spiraband; you would need a jig to guide the grinder and keep it aligned. That is why I thought of a reamer with a guide to finish alignment.

 

[doobin]

Could you send a photo of the bmc hitch some time? Is it same set up as the hardford wedgelock?

Similar but different. Rather than the wedge running on a slightly angled track as per the wedge lock, it’s basically the same as a hydraulic hitch but with a screw thread pulling the hook plate rather than a ram.