A different quick hitch

[bherron1]

After purchasing my BX2680 w/FEL and RC48 rotary cutter six months ago then picking up five old 3 point implements to restore I find hooking them up a bit of a challenge and about 15 to 20 mins to get each one ready for use. Been looking at the land pride and Agri Supply quick hitch but have noticed a lot of implements don't hook up well on the top link of most quick hitches. Seems if I had the bottom part of the quick hitch built like a draw bar to hold the bottom lift arms apart that would solve 90 percent of my problem having to use a crow bar to get them lined up. The adjustable top link is no trouble for me to hook up and requires a little adjustment anyway on my box blade verses my cultivator and scrape blade. I founds Pats quick hitch bottom link ends but no bar to hold them dang bottom links open for hooking up. Has anyone got picks of a home made one or know of any company selling something like this ? I'm thinking of just building one myself. Seems this would solve the problem with the top link and hooking up the lift arms at the same time.

 

[mickeyd]

I replaced my turn buckles with sliding stabilizers from Mark Hodge and didn't need Pat's Q.H. after that.

 

[mendonsy]

The "stabilizer bar" for a Pat's is fairly easy to make.
I made one from a piece of 3/4" box tubing and a piece of 1" box tubing that I got from Home Depot. The 3/4" tubing will slide inside the 1" tubing.
I had to weld some 1/4" pins on the ends that drop into the holes in the Pat's QH. I drilled a 3/8" hole near the other end and welded a 5/16-18 nut on the outside. I use a short 5/6-18 bolt to lock the tubes once the correct length is set.
I would post a pic, but right at the moment everything is covered with snow!

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Get it right the first time and do your self a favor and get Mark Hodge’s stabilizers. He’s on this forum, replace those pesky turn buckles. They adjust in seconds and hold your arms apart for those older implements. I had bought the spreader bar for pat’s but it also bent with 1 of my implements, left on when raising it. With the stabilizers, the bar has sat on a shelf since, probably should sell it. I seen somebody had them painted Kubota to also

 

[alleyyooper]

If your having problems with the quick hitch top link hook up on equipment you need to buy the adapter made for equipment with a problem top link. It is about $10.00 to $18.00.
Sorry I don't remember the part number off the top of my head. Two scroces, agri supply and Harbor Freight.

I used a bit of pipe to take up the slop.

http://www.agrisupply.com/images/xxl/80717.jpg


Al

 

[Digger Dager]

I found out a couple weeks ago that Mark Hodge has retired from making the telescopic stabilizers. It's a shame, cause I need need a set. Oh well, winter's here, time to get out the tape measure and make a trip to the salvage yard.

 

[bherron1]

Thanks guys looks like that top link adapter will work on my scrape blade as well as the root cutter. I was in harbor freight yesterday and noticed their quick hitch sitting on display. Looks like the same one from agri supply but can be purchased $40 bucks cheaper. I'm a little skeered of buying from china freight and learned the hard way about buying anything with a electric motor or battery not sure about a chunk of steel. I'm sure the agri supply QH is china made as well. Waiting on a price on the land pride but I'm sure I will get sticker shock. Thanks for all your replies helps to have a different point of view from experienced folks.

 

[alleyyooper]

I paid $365 out the door for my QH 15 series on Wednesday 12-27-17. I know it was $265 more than the Harbor Freight one. But you can see the metal down by the latches is thicker on the Land Pride than on the HF model. Also if you go to You Tubes and look at videos of Quick Hitches every one I saw of the HF model they had to modify the top link hitch or had problems with hooking to equipment. All were modified some way adding metal to the back and extending it, grinding the hook wider and other ways. One videos showed the metal by the latches of a HF hiotch had bent when they got the tractor stuck on the mud and the tractors weight was on those ends.

Now If I had a 25HP tractor or smaller I probably would have gotten the HF model but having over 25HP and not wanting to fool around modifing mine I paid the bucks.

I have a 5' tiller, 5' woods finish mower, a TSC box blade, Itco one row cultivator, a 6' Bur Vac snow blower, Dearborn 2 bottom plow, 5' ford brush hog and a big back blade to hitch to, want to add a york rake or a home made rake of sorts in the future.


Al

 

[alleyyooper]

A P.S. On you tube guys made a bushing with pipe then welded a washer on to make the gap in the lower latch tighter.
The land Pride came with a bushing to slip over ther lift pins to take up that slop.

In the future I most like ly will make up my own bushings with a washer buy a bag full of linch pins at TSC then leave them on the equipment rather than removeing rhe bushing and moveing to a different piece.
In a sence just back in hook up flip the latch levers and go, set the equpment down open the latches and drive away.


Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Have to move the brace down ward or make and adapter for the center hook to be able to slide under the top link pin on my back blade.

I removed the two pins and then once I got it in place put the two pins back in.

Al

 

[D2Cat]

If that picture was just a tad bigger we could count snowflakes!

 

[alleyyooper]

I keep forgetting that this site doesn't except but tiny thumb nails for some odd reason.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

I didn't have the lock nut tight and it came loose from the back blade vibrating while bladeing the drive way.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Well have had the Land Pride quick hitch on for a few days now and bladed the drive way a couple times.

Learned things
(1. Made a stop so I didn't lift the 3 point to high as the levers for the latches go up in the fenders and not sure what traveling with them up there would do.

(2. The bushings close up the opening of the equipment lift pins but are a tiny bit to short so slide back and forth and some times not even touching rthe latch area.
I am going to put the cat 3 pins back on the back blade once it gets back up to a temp around here where i feel like working with steel tools. The Ford 5000 is a cat 3 hitch.

I may make all my equipment lift pins cat 3 rather than make bushings. My Dearborn plow Is a fixed cat 2 pin so I will make longer bushings for it.


Al

 

[Benhameen]

I’ve been using a cheap quick hitch from rural king for at least four years and it’s holding up well. After buying the top link that alleyoopper suggested it made life a whole lot easier. I do have to get off the tractor to attach the top and to adjust the top link if nessessary but it’s so much easier than before. Also I bought the quick attach bushings for each implement. No more slop or worry, I just hook
Up and go. Looks like agrisupply has them for around $14 a set.

Here are the implements I have set up.
6’ Blade
5’ brush cutter, this is the only one I have to adjust the top link.
6’ Finish mower
6’ tiller

Good luck.

 

[alleyyooper]

For $14.00 a set I can buy a bunch of black pipe and cut it for bushings.

I have
Ford brush hog
Woods finish mower
Country line tiller
EB back blade
Dearborn 2 bottom plow
Home built york rake
And more I think I have forgotten.



Sloan express.
CAT. 2 TO 3 LIFT ARM BUSHING
Order # 006186
Be the first to review this product
$2.49

You can also order with a 800 phone number.

 

[coachgeo]

A P.S. On you tube guys made a bushing with pipe then welded a washer on to make the gap in the lower latch tighter.
The land Pride came with a bushing to slip over ther lift pins to take up that slop.

In the future I most like ly will make up my own bushings with a washer buy a bag full of linch pins at TSC then leave them on the equipment rather than removeing rhe bushing and moveing to a different piece.
In a sence just back in hook up flip the latch levers and go, set the equpment down open the latches and drive away.


Al

"On you tube guys"??? is that "One youtube guy"??? if so can you throw a link at us please? Might can understand your idea better with that.

 

[alleyyooper]

Yes I saw where one guy on you tube made bushings out of plain black pipe, then welded a heavy duty fender type washer on one end that went near the lynch pin.

Do a search of You tube quick hitches and you should find it along with other tips.


Al

 

[st8yd]

Thanks guys looks like that top link adapter will work on my scrape blade as well as the root cutter. I was in harbor freight yesterday and noticed their quick hitch sitting on display. Looks like the same one from agri supply but can be purchased $40 bucks cheaper. I'm a little skeered of buying from china freight and learned the hard way about buying anything with a electric motor or battery not sure about a chunk of steel. I'm sure the agri supply QH is china made as well. Waiting on a price on the land pride but I'm sure I will get sticker shock. Thanks for all your replies helps to have a different point of view from experienced folks.

The HF unit I got several years ago the pin keeper is way to high to hold down properly.

 

[st8yd]

Has anyone tried the Fiel Tuff quick attach?

Would be nice if these came weld on as well.

Upon further inspection, these are one sided which might be an issue bending the bolt.
I am also not sure they latch automatically, might have to pull latch back while attaching.
Can't find any info on how they operate.