Tractor "Horse Hitch" Big Hit At Parades

Tractor Horse Hitch Big Hit At Parades AG WORLD Hometown parades are a big draw in many rural communities and Palmer Feldmann and son Gordon have come up with a proven crowd pleaser Their tractor “horse” hitch features 4 WheelHorse garden tractors that pull a covered wagon with all operations controlled from the wagon The pulling is done by one hydrostatic drive tractor on back while the other tractors just tag along for the effect Steering is done using reins attached to the tie rods on all the tractors “We take it to parades every summer where it’s always a big hit People can’t figure out how we can control the tractors without anyone riding them ” says Feldmann “My son Gordon did most of the work ” All the tractors are equipped with Kohler engines Three of them have 16 hp engines and standard transmissions The fourth tractor has a 10 hp engine and a hydrostatic transmission and is the only tractor used to drive the team The other tractor transmissions are in neutral A boat cable runs from the tractor’s hydrostatic gearshift lever back to a lever mounted on the wagon Pushing the lever forward causes the tractor to go forward and pulling it causes the tractor to back up “Covered wagons in the old days had a lever on one side to operate the wagon’s brakes We’re using that lever to operate the tractor’s hydrostatic transmission ” says Feldmann The operator steers by holding onto a pair of reins which are attached to the tie rods on all the tractors A pole runs forward from the wagon between the 2 sets of tractors while a pair of crossbars connect the tractors from drawbar to drawbar A tie rod extends from the pole to the outside of both front tractors The reins run from a pair of pulleys mounted on the pole 3 ft ahead of the wagon forward to the steering rod on each tractor Feldmann paid $300 for the flatbed wagon and his wife then made a canvas cover that lays over hoops that are attached to the sides of the wagon “We already had the tractors because for years we operated a WheelHorse dealership ” says Feldmann “Our total expense was about $300 and most of that was for the wagon and converting it to a covered wagon ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Palmer Feldmann 16543 Co Rd T Townsend Wis 54175 ph 727 861-5471

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