Hitching help...

[MajorClementine]

Got the team pole for my Jerald... But I've never seen these button type "tree" ends. Do the slot end traces go over them like buttoning a shirt??

 

[BSharpRanch]

Those look like roller bolt type connectors. They take a special type of trace end.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Here's a simple drawing. I have a book with photos, but won't have access till I get home from work.

It looks like that's a solid "splinter bar". You will need to use neck collars/hames with that type of setup if it is.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Like this.

 

[MajorClementine]

Thank you guys for your answers! I'll put those on my list of parts to get as I re-finish this cart. I love this group, so many knowledgable people.

One more quick question, you mentioned collars and hames... This pole is for a Jerald Viceroy show cart. Very light weight and made for showing in light harness. So would the team pole have been for a different type of showing or added for fun rather than showing? I'm assuming collars are needed because of the lack of movement in the tree?

 

[BSharpRanch]

If you're just going a few laps in the show ring with a light carriage, breast collars are fine. But if you are planning on going off road, hilly or long work, breast collars can create sore shoulders with the splinter bar. The line of draft is probably good for breast collars (guessing from what I've seen in show photos), but probably not for neck collars.

 

[MajorClementine]

Great, thanks! That is what I was wondering. The cart is not built for off road for sure. We'll stick to showing and very short drives with it. It does not have a low line of draft for collars so either way it isn't set up great for distance or weight.