EASIER
connection of trailers and the security of a heavy-duty ball coupling are
available to operators of McCormick CX tractors for the first time following
the development of a new pushback pick-up hitch by Dromone Engineering.
Available
from McCormick dealers through the parts department of distributor AgriArgo UK,
the CX11 hitch’s compact design enables it to be fitted behind the tractor’s
four-wheel drive drop box, which had previously thwarted attempts to install a
telescopic auto hitch/drawbar.
“We’ve
made a bigger version of our pushback hitch for several McCormick models for
some time, but the CX transmission drop box installation has always posed
something of a challenge,” Patrick Duffy of Dromone said. “Now we’ve cracked
the problem using an innovative design, so McCormick CX operators can enjoy the
benefits of the hitch with no restriction on service access to the drop box.”
Unlike
a conventional pick-up hitch with a fixed hook, Dromone’s telescopic design has
a built-in hydraulic cylinder that can position the hook 260mm further back than
the standard hitch. This has several attractive features for McCormick CX
operators, according to AgriArgo UK parts manager Tony Burgess.
“Extending
the hitch means the driver can clearly see the hook when coupling up to a
trailer or other trailed equipment, and it’s powerful enough to dig into the
ground to recover a sunken drawbar,” he said. “Also, because the hook is
positioned a little further back in the towing position, there is a better
turning angle to help when manoeuvring in a tight corner or into a narrow
gateway.”
The
compact design of the Dromone CX11 means it can be installed behind the drop
box so ground clearance is not compromised in any way. Also, there is a new
design of safety latch to hold the telescopic drawbar securely in place when
retracted.
Moreover,
there is a choice of couplings – an ISO-standard heavy-duty hook, a clevis
drawbar or Dromone’s innovative ball-and-spoon design, which provides a secure
captive connection between the tractor and trailer or other heavy trailed
equipment with minimal play and little wear.
“Tractors
like the McCormick CX – which comes with three outputs from 83-101hp – are
expected to handle heavier trailed equipment and recently were upgraded with
twin-disc brakes in place of a single-disc design,” Tony Burgess of AgriArgo UK
added. “The Dromone heavy-duty hitch is another worthwhile upgrade, especially
with the ball-and-spoon coupling – it adds to safety and security when pulling
a heavy load and the lack of play eliminates drawbar shunt when the brakes are
used.”
A
high percentage of parts commonality with other Dromone hitches is another
feature of the CX11 design, which is available at £1,517 from McCormick dealers
to fit all generations of the McCormick CX and many of the Doncaster-built
tractors that preceded them.
For
more information visit: www.argotractors.com.