Many owners mix up Axla, ARM, Dromone and Sauter hitches.
That confusion leads to wrong photos, wrong orders, and wasted time.
This pick up hitch guide helps you match photos, features, and names to your hitch.
Why your pick up hitch type matters
Different hitch makers use different hooks, bars, pins, and internals.
Pins, hooks, latch kits, damper blocks, and repair kits differ by brand and variant.
Ordering by tractor model alone rarely works for hitch parts.
Correct hitch identification keeps orders accurate and stops repeat carriage.
How to use this pick up hitch guide
Park the tractor on firm ground with space at the rear.
Drop the hitch down so you can see the frame, hook, and straw bar.
Take a clear side view and rear view of the hitch.
Compare what you see with each hitch description in this guide.
If you remain unsure, send those photos to a parts specialist for confirmation.
Early Axla hitch
Scandinavian, dealer fitted
The early Axla hitch is one of the oldest styles covered here.
You recognise the early Axla by its hanging clevis straw bar under the main frame.
The straw bar often goes missing over the years, so do not rely on that alone.
These hitches were manufactured in Scandinavia and fitted by dealers.
They carry a simple frame and older style hook arrangement.
Parts supply can be awkward because production ended long ago.
If you struggle to match parts, specialist suppliers such as Nick Young can often help.
Key visual clues for early Axla.
Hanging clevis straw bar design.
Dealer fitted look rather than factory integrated.
Older, simpler frame and hook layout.
ARM hitch
Agricultural Requisites and Mechanisations
The ARM hitch comes from Agricultural Requisites and Mechanisations.
The full name hints at why most people shorten it to ARM.
You spot an ARM hitch by its reversible hook design.
You also see a clever straw bar arrangement across the rear.
ARM produced over 200 variants of this hitch across tractors and eras.
ARM hitches saw heavy use with fitters in the Midlands.
Fitters liked them because trips to the factory added a day out to Rugeley.
If your hitch has a reversible hook and smart straw bar, ARM is a strong candidate.
Key visual clues for ARM.
Reversible hook assembly.
Distinct straw bar design.
Often found on tractors that had dealer or specialist fitment.
Later Axla hitch
Modern style Axla with interchangeable hook
A later, more modern Axla hitch looks closer to what you expect on newer tractors.
This Axla remains Scandinavian and still dealer fitted.
It uses an interchangeable hook setup rather than a fixed form.
It also keeps a clever straw bar arrangement similar to ARM at a glance.
Overall the frame looks more refined than the early Axla version.
When comparing photos, line early Axla, ARM, and later Axla side by side.
Look at the hook, frame shape, and straw bar mounting points.
Key visual clues for later Axla.
Interchangeable hook.
Dealer fitted look but more modern casting lines.
Straw bar and hook layout closer to modern pickup hitches.
Early Dromone hitch
Irish built, factory fitted by John Deere
Moving into Dromone hitches brings a shift towards factory fit.
The earlier Dromone hitch was made in Ireland and fitted by John Deere.
You spot the early Dromone by two locking pins at the rear.
You also see latching hooks on both sides of the hitch frame.
These features give a distinctive visual pattern on the back plate.
Early Dromone hitches pair a robust hook with clear, mechanical latching.
If you see twin rear locking pins and side latches, think early Dromone.
Key visual clues for early Dromone.
Two locking pins at the rear.
Latching hooks on both sides.
Factory style installation rather than dealer add on.
Later Dromone hitch
Simplified locking, often labelled
The later Dromone hitch simplified the layout.
Instead of two locking pins, you get a single locking pin.
You usually find that single pin on the right hand side of the hitch.
Many later Dromone units carry a Dromone or John Deere label on the frame.
The overall look stays compact with cleaner lines and updated hook detail.
If you see one right side locking pin and a Dromone or John Deere badge, this fits.
Key visual clues for later Dromone.
Single locking pin on the right.
Often branded with Dromone or John Deere labels.
Neater, simplified layout compared with the twin pin style.
Sauter hitch
Later style with Sauter branding
The Sauter hitch (heard as “Sourman” in the video) looks close to a later Dromone.
It uses a locking pin on the right hand side, similar at first glance.
The key cue is the Sauter label or plate on the hitch or frame.
Shape and layout echo Dromone, but branding sets it apart.
When you compare photos of Dromone and Sauter, focus on labels and minor cast shapes.
If the structure mirrors a late Dromone but the badge reads Sauter, you have your match.
Key visual clues for Sauter.
Locking pin on the right.
Sauter label or stamp on the hitch.
Later style build close to modern factory hitches.
Fast checks to narrow down your pick up hitch
Use this quick checklist to guide your eye.
Check 1
Is the hitch clearly dealer fitted and boxy, or factory integrated and neater?
Check 2
Count locking pins at the rear.
Two pins suggests early Dromone.
One right side pin suggests later Dromone or Sauter.
Check 3
Look for a hanging clevis or clever straw bar.
Obvious hanging clevis hints early Axla.
Reversible hook plus straw bar hints ARM.
Check 4
Scan for labels or plates.
Dromone label points to Dromone.
Sauter label points to Sauter.
Check 5
Compare your photos against Axla, ARM, Dromone and Sauter layouts in this guide.
How to photograph your pick up hitch for ID
Stand back for a full rear shot showing the whole hitch frame.
Take a close rear shot that captures pins, straw bar, and hooks.
Take a side shot that shows the hook shape and arm layout.
Photograph any labels or stamped plates clearly.
Clean heavy dirt off the hitch before shooting so details stand out.
Good photos let a parts team identify hitch type in minutes.
Using hitch identity to order parts from Nick Young
Once you know the hitch type, keep that written with your tractor details.
Include tractor model, serial number, and hitch type in every enquiry.
For example, “John Deere 6800 with early Axla hitch”.
Or “John Deere 6910 with later Dromone hitch”.
At Nick Young Tractor Parts, the team uses hitch type to filter repair kits.
They match hooks, pins, latch kits, bush kits, dampers, and springs to your hitch.
Correct ID at the start keeps orders accurate and first time.
When you still are not sure which pick up hitch you have
Some tractors have seen multiple hitches over the years.
Fitters swap units, upgrade hooks, and patch repairs.
If this guide still leaves doubt, move to direct support.
Take a clean set of photos from the views listed above.
Send those photos to Nick Young Tractor Parts with tractor details.
The team will compare shape, bars, pins, and labels against their records.
They will then confirm Axla, ARM, Dromone, Sauter, or another hitch if fitted.
Quick recap of hitch types in this guide
Early Axla
Scandinavian, dealer fitted, hanging clevis straw bar.
ARM hitch
Reversible hook and clever straw bar, over 200 variants.
Later Axla
More modern Axla with interchangeable hook and dealer fit.
Early Dromone
Made in Ireland, factory fitted, two rear locking pins and side latching hooks.
Later Dromone
Single right hand locking pin, often Dromone or John Deere labelled.
Sauter
Later style hitch, right hand locking pin, Sauter label.
With this “How To Identify Your Pick Up Hitch” guide from Nick Young, you can match photos and features to the right hitch.
You then order the correct pick up hitch parts with confidence.
