Nifty Hitch-Mounted Water Pump

Nifty Hitch-Mounted Water Pump Dale Freeman has water on command with his receiver-hitch-mounted water pump. He can fill an IBC tote in his truck from the local river or use the pump to spray water where it’s needed.  “I don’t have to set the pump on the ground when using it and worry about it turning over,” says Freeman. “I also don’t have to worry about forgetting it when I drive off.” Freeman set up his pump for his pickup, but notes it would work just as well on an ATV or a side-by-side, provided it’s equipped with a receiver hitch. “I bought a 30-gpm, 4-cyl. Honda water pump and bolted the base plate to a piece of 2-in. square tubing,” says Freeman. “The pipe extends 2 in. beyond the pump end of the plate. I welded a second length of 2-in. tubing at a right angle to the extension so it can slip into a 2-in. receiver hitch.” To make the pump even more versatile, Freeman slid a short length of 2 1/2-in. galvanized tubing over the 2 by 2-in. tube. If he wants to use his pump with a vehicle equipped with the larger receiver hitch, he simply moves the sleeve to the end of the 2-in. tube, pins it in place, and adds a length of 2 1/2-in. tubing. The pump slides straight into the 2-in. receiver hitch on his pickup without interfering with the tailgate. However, when used on his Honda Pioneer side-by-side, the receiver hitch position prevents the tailgate from dropping. Freeman came up with a novel solution, something he calls his gooseneck hitch. He started with a standard 2-in. sq. ball hitch insert and modified it with a piece of 2 1/2-in. receiver hitch tubing. He cut a piece from one side, then slid the other sides over the ball hitch insert and welded it in place at a 45-degree angle. His next step was to cut a 45-degree bevel on a length of 2-in. sq. tubing and weld a short length of 2 1/2-in. sq. tubing across the bevel to serve as a receiver for the water pump. “The gooseneck extension moved the water pump back enough to clear the tailgate when it’s lowered,” says Freeman. He refers to the pump and tote as his personal rescue equipment. “I can put the tote in my truck, slide in the pump, and run down to the river for water,” says Freeman. “If we have heavy rains, I can take it to a source for potable water and bring water to those who need it. If there’s a small grass fire, I can get water to it quickly.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dale Freeman, Monroe, Va.

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.