"8-Horse" Deere Hitch Big Hit At Parades

"8-Horse" Deere Hitch Big Hit At Parades HITCHES Hitches 24-1-24 "I got the idea after watching the Budweiser team of horses perform on TV," says Bill Sexton, Woodbine, Kan., who "hitches" eight Deere garden tractors together like horses to pull a two-wheeled cart in local parades. All of the tractors were made in the mid 1960's. The two lead ones are model 100's, with two model 70's and four model 60's following them. The two lead tractors do the pulling. The others just tag along for effect. Sexton can start and control the tractors from his tow-behind cart. Electric car window motors control the clutches and steering on each tractor, and he ran the ignition switches back to the cart. The wires for the controls run through a length of flexible pvc conduit from the front tractors back to the cart. A 3 by 1/2-in. steel bar connects the front tractors to keep them running side by side. Both ends of each bar are hinged to allow the tractors to flex on uneven ground. The tie rods on the front tractors are connected by a 2-ft. long steel rod. The following tractors are connected by 2-ft. long trailer-type hitches. "I put it together last summer and have already driven it in two parades," says Sexton. "It took 10 years to collect all the tractors which I bought from all over Kansas. Very few of them were in running condition when I bought them so I didn't have to pay very much for them. A couple of them were given to me. At one time or another I've had all of them running. I've even used some of them to mow grass. "I can control everything right from the cart. The only time I have to walk up front is if I want to switch gears. "When I make a turn the outside lead tractor tries to get ahead so I can't turn as sharp as I'd like. However, I can turn sharp enough to turn around any street corner. "I replaced the original 8 hp engines on the two lead tractors with 12 1/2 hp engines because of the weight they have to pull. However, the engines probably wouldn't have to be that big. Operating the tractors would have been easier if I had used later style tractors equipped with hydrostatic drive transmissions. "I used riding lawn mower wheels and plywood to make the cart. The Deere umbrella above it was a birthday present. My wife had the yellow and green seat on the cart special made for my birthday." Sexton uses a home-built 31-ft. long, 7-ft. wide trailer to haul the eight tractors. It has 1-ft. high sides and is made from 3 and 6-in. angle iron. It rides on a pair of trailer house axles that he shortened up. A ramp folds down on back. He uses his van to pull it. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Sexton, Box 95, Woodbine, Kan. 67492 (ph 785 257-3320 or 3444).

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