Traction weights for light trucks and utility vehicles

Claim 2

A utility vehicle tractor weight assembly comprising: a vehicle frame; a hitch assembly including a tubular receptacle attached to the vehicle frame and having rearwardly facing surface and a transverse retainer pin passage through the tubular receptacle spaced from the rearwardly facing surface; a weight bar telescopically received in the tubular receptacle and having a plurality of transverse bores; a retainer pin passing through the transverse retainer pin passage and through one of the plurality of transverse bores to hold the weight bar in the tubular receptacle with a portion of the weight bar extending out of the tubular receptacle a predetermined distance from the rearwardly facing surface; at least one traction weight with an aperture that telescopically receives the weight bar; and a mechanical retainer assemble including a retainer plate and a bolt that passes through a bore in the retainer plate, screws into a threaded fore and aft bore in the weight bar and clamps the at least one traction weight between the retainer plate and the rearwardly facing surface on the tubular receptacle.

Claim 3

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a spacer telescopically mounted on the weight bar between the rearwardly facing surface and the at least one traction weight.

Claim 4

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the spacer is a resilient member.

Claim 5

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a plurality of said traction weights mounted on the weight bar.

Claim 6

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of said traction weights telescopically received the weight bar.

Claim 7

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a traction weight cover that at least partially encases the plurality of traction weights.

Claim 8

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the weight bar has a non-circular outer surface that cooperates with the tubular receptacle and the aperture through the at least one traction weight to limit rotation of the at least one traction weight relative to the tubular receptacle.

Claim 9

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the weight bar is an elongated bar with a square cross section and the aperture through the at least one traction weight is square.

Claim 10

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mechanical retainer assembly attached to the weight bar includes a trailer hitch.

Claim 11

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mechanical retainer assembly includes a tubular retainer that is telescopically received on the rear portion of the weight bar, a second retainer pin that passes through the tubular retainer and the weight bar, and a trailer hitch ball secured to the tubular receiver.

Claim 12

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly comprising: a vehicle frame; a hitch assembly including a square tubular receptacle attached to the vehicle frame and having a rearwardly facing surface and a retainer pin passage spaced from the rearwardly facing surface; a square weight bar telescopically received in the square tubular receptacle and having a plurality of adjustment bores; a retainer pin passing through the retainer pin passage and through one of the plurality of adjustment bores to hold the square weight bar in the square tubular receptacle with a portion of the square weight bar extending out of the square tubular receptacle a predetermined distance from the rearwardly facing surface; a spacer telescopically received on the square weight bar and in contact with the rearwardly facing surface; a plurality of traction weight each of which has a square aperture that telescopically receives the square weight bar; and a mechanical retainer assembly including a retainer plate and at least one mechanical fastener that secures the retainer plate to the square weight bar and clamps the plurality of traction weights and the spacer between the retainer plate and the square tubular receptacle.

Claim 13

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly comprising: a vehicle frame; a hitch assembly including a square tubular receptacle attached to the vehicle frame and having a rearwardly facing surface and a retainer pin passage spaced from the rearwardly facing surface; a square weight bar telescopically received in the square tubular receptacle and having a plurality of adjustment bores; a retainer pin passing through the retainer pin passage and through one of the plurality of adjustment bores to hold the square weight bar in the square tubular receptacle with a portion of the square weight bar extending out of the square tubular receptacle a predetermined distance from the rearwardly facing surface; a spacer telescopically received on the square weight bar and in contact with the rearwardly facing surface; a plurality of traction weight each of which has a square aperture that telescopically receives the square weight bar; and a mechanical retainer assembly including a retainer plate and at least one mechanical fastener that secures the retainer plate to the square weight bar and clamps the plurality of traction weights and the spacer between the retainer plate and the square tubular receptacle.

Claim 14

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the retainer plate of the mechanical retainer assembly is secured to said square weight bar by at least two threaded fasteners.

Claim 15

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 11 including a traction weight cover that at least partially encases the plurality of traction weights.

Claim 16

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said spacer has an axial length that hold the plurality of traction weights from contact with the utility vehicle.

Claim 17

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said spacer is resilient.

Claim 18

A utility vehicle traction weight assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said square weight bar is tubular and has a holder pin passing through a transverse bore through said square weight bar and said holder pin has at least one threaded bore that receives said at least one mechanical fastener for securing the retainer plate to the square weight bar.

Claim 21

A method of adding ballast to a utility vehicle as set forth in claim 17 including: placing a spacer on the weight bar between the square tubular receptacle and the plurality of traction weights.

Claim 22

A method of adding ballast to a utility vehicle as set forth in claim 17 including: mounting a traction weight cover on the weight bar that at least partially encases the plurality of traction weights.

Claim 23

A method of adding ballast to a utility vehicle as set forth in claim 17 including: clamping the plurality of traction weights between the square tubular receptacle and the retainer plate.