DIY Sled Tow Bar Ideas

[RStock521]

I've got a buddy looking to make a hitch on the cheap for his Otter sled.  I searched, but there weren't as many threads as I would have thought.  Anybody have any suggestions or pics of their homemade hitches that they've made?  I was thinking about using 3/4" conduit and smashing the ends to drill a hole through the middle, then attaching it to the sled with a caribiner or locking quick link. Thanks for any input!

[ran7ger]

every man needs a good friend with a welder just copy the manufactured ones as best ya can.

[happyheber]

I've got a buddy looking to make a hitch on the cheap for his Otter sled.  I searched, but there weren't as many threads as I would have thought.  Anybody have any suggestions or pics of their homemade hitches that they've made?  I was thinking about using 3/4" conduit and smashing the ends to drill a hole through the middle, then attaching it to the sled with a caribiner or locking quick link. Thanks for any input!

That is exactly how I built mine. I also added eye bolts thru my Jett Sled where the rope came thru. Then hook the caribiners to it.  What I found that works better with the same system you are building is a couple extra caribiners at the end hooking to the equipment ( 4 wheeler ) What I have also found that works good is to loop that end together and put it around the 2 inch ball. Easy on Easy off. It was stiff enough that the sled wouldn't come forward into the tires. Unless you turn your 4 wheeler sharp it can get ugly. Tight Lines HH

[eriksat1]

That is how I made mine also 3/4 conduit smash ends drill a bolt hole. It has been holding up for 18 years. Had to replace the bolts once. It is bolted solid to the sled I can hitch it to my snowmobile with a rubber strap. No slop wont crash into back of sled when you stop.

[jakefetch]

Any of you guys have a pic of how you attach it to the atv or sled hitch?

[jlbrownie_1]

 At the sled I used quick clips with strained wire thru metal conduit. Made them as long as the sled.       The other end has a loop that stretches over the ball on the quad or connects to a T handle I made.    I put a 8 to 10 inch backer wood behind the sled connector so it doesn't crack while being pulled and used short rope loops on the smitty sled. Hope this helps   

[jlbrownie_1]

Dragged pics into the post but didn't work..

[Terribleusername]

[Terribleusername]

3/4 galvanized pipe. Don’t remember what it cost but hasn’t failed me yet. Have to drill out the holes bigger on the otter shack. 3’ pipe to the hitch and I drilled a hole for a pin for bumps and piece of mind.

[FISHFORPIKE]

Lots of ways to do this, on the cheap.  My first one was just a 1/2" rope about 12 ft.  1 10ft. 3/4 thinwall conduit, cut in half.  Thread the rope through the conduits, each end to the sled, Tie a loop in the middle of the rope to slip over your hitchball and adjust the rope length at the sled so you get a somewhat ridgid towbar.

[jethro]

I used galvanized electrical conduit and crimped the end towards the sled tight, then drilled a hole for a carabiner. Then on the other side I used a single Simpson Hold Down Strap from Home Depot that I cut directly in half. Used self drilling tek screws and a small section of the electrical conduit as a spacer. Works great. JetSled has two big eye bolts I installed with big washers.

[RStock521]

Awesome, thanks for the tips and suggestions so far everyone!  I'm going to help him rig it up and I'll post pics once it's done. 

[esox_xtm]

I got a pair of these @ Farm Fleet to attach a harness or hitch to my Otter. The 3/8" ones are $2.50 each and fit the existing hitch pocket holes tightly. One disadvantage to enlarging those holes by very much is the loss of support for whatever you attach there. I did have to take a 3/8 drill and "re-drill" the holes so it was a little easier to get the pins in and out. Still they fit very tightly minimizing wear on that part of the sled.

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Clip, tie or otherwise fasten to the center part between the hitch pocket supports if towing. For harness use I've clipped to the handles or the center part

[Royalwapiti]

Mine is similar to this.  I used 1/2" Black Iron pipe run between eyebolts.  I screwed caps on the ends of the pipe with a T in the middle for the tongue.  The PVC is used as a spacer to keep the pipe from sliding around. 

I used the exact same tongue and pin as TerribleUserName.  It's 5 feet long, screws into the T in the pipe. Works good.   

[EmptyPockets410]

[EmptyPockets410]

This is what I welded up for my older Otter. This was before they had molded hitch points on the sled so it just has a couple eye bolts through the front.