7 Best Drawbar Extenders For Pulling Firewood Trailers That Solve Turning Issues
A drawbar extender can solve tight turning issues with firewood trailers. We review the 7 best options for improved clearance and safer, easier hauling.
Ever been in the middle of a tight turn in the woods, only to hear the crunch of your tractor tire grinding against your firewood trailer’s tongue? It’s a frustrating, and potentially damaging, situation that stops you dead in your tracks. A simple drawbar extender is often the most straightforward solution, giving you the clearance you need to navigate tricky terrain without a second thought.
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Solving Tight Turns With a Drawbar Extender
The fundamental problem is simple geometry. Your tractor’s rear tires have a turning arc, and if your trailer’s tongue is too short, the tire will hit it before you complete a sharp turn. This is especially common on compact tractors with wide stances or when pulling trailers not specifically designed for them.
A drawbar extender solves this by pushing the trailer’s pivot point further behind the tractor. By adding just 12 to 18 inches of distance, you create a buffer zone. This allows the tractor to turn much more sharply before the tire and trailer frame can possibly make contact.
But there are tradeoffs. Extending the drawbar changes the leverage and handling characteristics of your setup. The trailer will have a wider "tail swing," meaning the back end will cut a wider path on turns. You gain maneuverability at the tractor but need to be more mindful of the trailer’s path to avoid clipping trees, fence posts, or shed corners.
Titan 14" Drawbar Extender for Heavy-Duty Hauls
When you’re hauling heavy, wet logs, you don’t want to worry about equipment failure. The Titan 14" Drawbar Extender is built for exactly that kind of confidence. It’s typically made from solid, heavy-gauge steel with robust welds, designed to handle the stresses of a fully loaded trailer without flexing or failing.
This extender is a no-frills piece of hardware. Its fixed 14-inch length means there are no moving parts or adjustment points to become a potential weak spot. You pin it to your tractor’s drawbar, hook up the trailer, and get to work. It’s the kind of simple, overbuilt tool that you can trust season after season.
The primary user for this is someone with a compact or utility tractor who prioritizes strength above all else. If you’re pulling a heavy-duty trailer loaded with a cord of green oak over rough ground, the simplicity and brute strength of the Titan design are exactly what you need. It’s not fancy, but it is incredibly effective and reliable.
Agri-Fab Multi-Fit Extender for Versatile Towing
Not every firewood hauling job requires a 40-horsepower tractor. For those using a heavy-duty garden tractor or a sub-compact, the Agri-Fab Multi-Fit Extender is a more appropriately scaled solution. It’s designed for the sleeve hitches and drawbar plates common on smaller machines.
The "multi-fit" aspect is its key advantage. These extenders often come with hardware and hole patterns that allow them to connect to a variety of tractor brands and models. This versatility makes it a great choice if you have multiple pieces of equipment or are pulling lighter-duty carts and trailers that don’t use a standard ball hitch.
Think of this as the perfect tool for hauling a few hundred pounds of split wood from the woodpile to the back porch. It provides the necessary turning clearance for navigating tight garden paths and maneuvering around landscaping. It’s not built for skidding massive logs, but for general property maintenance and lighter firewood tasks, it’s an ideal fit.
CountyLine Drawbar for Compact Tractor Maneuvers
The CountyLine drawbar extender is the workhorse of the bunch. It’s the kind of tool you pick up at the local farm supply store because you know it will work without any fuss. Designed for the common Category 1 three-point hitch drawbar, it strikes a great balance between strength, simplicity, and cost.
This is the go-to option for most hobby farmers with compact utility tractors in the 25-45 horsepower range. It’s more than strong enough to handle a trailer loaded with a winter’s worth of firewood but isn’t over-engineered or overpriced. It’s a practical, straightforward solution for a common problem.
There’s no complex setup here. You simply pin it through your existing drawbar, and you’re ready to go. Its reliability comes from its simplicity, making it a dependable choice for anyone who needs to solve their turning radius problem and get back to work quickly.
Field Tuff Adjustable Extender for Custom Lengths
Sometimes, a fixed length just won’t cut it. The Field Tuff Adjustable Extender addresses this by offering multiple pin positions, allowing you to customize the extension length. This is incredibly useful when you’re using different trailers or facing varied terrain.
Imagine you need maximum extension for weaving through a dense woodlot but a shorter extension for better control and less tail swing when backing into a tight woodshed. An adjustable model gives you that flexibility. You can dial in the perfect length for the specific task at hand, rather than being stuck with a one-size-fits-all solution.
The tradeoff for this versatility is a potential reduction in absolute strength compared to a solid, non-adjustable extender. The multiple holes can, in theory, create stress points. However, for typical firewood hauling, a well-built adjustable extender is more than strong enough and provides a level of customization that many find invaluable.
SpeeCo Quick-Hitch Extender for Simple Setups
If you value efficiency, a quick-hitch system is one of the best upgrades you can make for your tractor. The SpeeCo Quick-Hitch Extender is designed to integrate seamlessly into that system. This isn’t just an extender; it’s an extender that you can attach or detach in seconds without leaving the tractor seat.
This tool is for the farmer who is constantly swapping between implements—a box blade one minute, a trailer the next. Instead of fumbling with pins and lining up holes, you just back up, lift the three-point, and go. The convenience cannot be overstated, especially on cold or wet days.
It’s important to remember that a quick-hitch itself already adds a few inches of distance between the tractor and the implement. This extender is therefore best for situations requiring significant extra clearance or for trailers with exceptionally short tongues. It turns trailer-hauling into just another quick-hitch task, streamlining your workflow.
Kolpin Dirtworks 3-Point Receiver Hitch Extender
This option changes the game entirely. The Kolpin Dirtworks system isn’t just a simple extender; it’s a full three-point implement that gives your tractor a standard 2-inch receiver hitch, just like the one on a pickup truck. This opens up a world of possibilities.
With this setup, you can use any standard truck-style hitch extender, ball mount, or other receiver accessory. This is incredibly versatile. You can easily swap between a ball for your firewood trailer, a pintle hook for a heavier-duty wagon, or a clevis for pulling logs, all using one common attachment point.
This is the ideal solution for someone who wants their tractor to be a multi-purpose towing machine. You solve the turning clearance issue while simultaneously upgrading your tractor’s overall capability. It’s more of an investment than a simple extender, but the flexibility it provides is unmatched for the hobby farmer with diverse needs.
Black Boar Implement Lift with Receiver Extender
The Black Boar system takes the concept of versatility to the next level, especially for sub-compact tractors and UTVs. It’s a modular implement lift that includes a 2-inch receiver, and you can add an extender to it. The key feature here is the ability to hydraulically or electrically lift and lower the entire hitch assembly.
This is a massive advantage when hooking up a heavy trailer on uneven ground. Instead of fighting with a trailer jack or trying to lift a heavy tongue, you can simply lower the hitch, back under the trailer coupler, and lift it into place. It removes the most frustrating part of hooking up a trailer.
The extender component simply plugs into the receiver, giving you the turning clearance you need. This system is the premium choice for someone who demands maximum convenience, control, and functionality. It’s more than just a way to pull a firewood trailer; it’s a comprehensive implement system that makes a wide range of tasks easier and more efficient.
Ultimately, choosing the right drawbar extender comes down to your specific tractor, trailer, and the layout of your property. Before you buy, measure the clearance you have and the clearance you need, and don’t add more length than necessary. A small, simple piece of steel can make a world of difference, turning a frustrating job into a smooth and efficient one.
