[Image: Hydraulic lift boom]Many companies offer 3-point hitch lift booms to fit on small tractors. These devices are very handy but are limited in both lifting weight capacity and lift height range. Adding a hydraulic cylinder to pivot the boom greatly increases the lift range. Building the unit out of heavy steel tubing allows using a larger tractor to lift heavier loads. This boom is designed to mount on a category II or category III-N 3-point hitch on tractors up to about 100 hp. A lift boom based on these plans was built by the LSU AgCenter in 1990 and has since seen heavy service on a 75-hp tractor with no problems at all.
The following list contains the components that will have to be purchased. Also on this list is the pivot pin that will have to be made from 1.5” steel bar.
Purchased Parts List
- 1 3” x 8” double-acting ASAE hydraulic cylinder with 1” pins & ½” NPT port threads
- 2 hydraulic hoses, ½” x 60” with ½” NPT male threads
- 2 right angle swivel adapters, 1/2” NPT, 1 side male, 1 side female
- 2 ISO male hydraulic plugs with ½” NPT female threads
- 6’ 3/8” chain with grab hook on one end only
- 1 pivot pin, 1.5” diameter, drilled at both ends for retaining cross pins
- 2 category II lower hitch pins (1.11”)
- 1 category II upper hitch pins (1.00”)
- 2 bushings for lower pins (2.90” long x 1.43” OD x 1.125”ID) – if used with
- quick hitch
- 1 bushing for upper pin (2.90” long x 1.25” OD x 1.020” ID) – if used with
- quick hitch