The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Good morning all.
If you’re in the market for a pickup hitch then please have a little look at the YouTube short below.

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/_wjmbW1bVIg

Last year I approached Daragh Hand, of Hand Engineering in Ireland, to discuss and commission the building of a pickup hitch for a Fordson Super Major. The fruits of his labour are evident in the short video. They are made to fit and are available for all Majors with some minor differences. Draw bar and Hook available.
I have purchased 5 for my own projects and Hand Engineering have more available.
This project was not a commercial venture for me but a project that would make the tractors I have more useful. The original hitches are now, hard to find, well worn if found and really not suitable for interfacing with modern equipment.
Again this is not a commercial project for me.
I hope this helps keep a tractor in use about a yard and keeps a person safe while using a major.
Please tell me what you think.
I suggest you contact Hand Engineering directly for any questions.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Jim

Nice, and well overdue! Any idea of prices?

Seems to follow some principles of the Super Major type hitch. On Major's before there are no holes under the rear end of the axle casting, but there the std lifting rods were used, meaning the linkage can't be used for mounted stuff at the same time.
Hadn't thought pick up hitches caught on, over here I don't think they even appeared, but even in Britain I've seen very few. maybe things are changing now!
Sandy

The website quotes other models from €650 to €1350, plus VAT

I think that's more than original ones I've seen were. Not so long ago that would have got several complete tractors!
Sandy

I belive in parts of the eu they're known as an English hitch. I've never seen a Major with one but I'm told they were foot operated?
It's the main reason my Major sees no use on trailers. There's very little, I'd go as far as to say 'nearly nothing' in the way of trailers in our area that use jaw and jack drawbars. The last time I used a jaw drawbar for a trailer was probably in 1983 and only because the B275 didn't have a puh.
As I'm not in the market for new kit of any type I hadn't really given it a lot of thought but a quick look around manufacturers here and overseas there's no apparent option for a jaw drawbar.
Then of course, there's the european type high hitch which appears to us in the UK as bizarre from a safety and logical point of view but common throughout the continent.

Never heard that designation. The Major ones did indeed have a pedal to release the lock, both types. Over here you'd have thought the original setup on a Major (before 53) would be the best (with limitations), as it's trailers that have the clevis. That's what both Billy and Davie have:



The European hitches were fitted to Major's and Dexta's in the continent, but over here, Ebor made tractors from around 67 had this type as std, with the usual drawbar becoming optional:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/i ... talles.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/i ... mandos.jpg
Sandy