Quick hitch and rear blade, difficulty

[ve9aa]

Hey guys,

Pretty new owner , Mike in NB, here.

I have a BX2380 and a RB1572 rear blade. Recently I bought the small Land Pride Quick hitch QH05 (fixed top hook)

It took me (literally) 20 minutes to get the blade on the first time. I don't know why, but I couldn't understand that the large bolt with sleeve was in the wrong position, but once I got that moved down and bolted into the right position (doh!) it still took me a good solid 10minutes to get the bloody thing all attached.

Now, I am not on a garage floor, but outside on reasonably flat ground. (not a driveway)

Is this the issue or do I need to adjust my 3-pt toplink in or out more/less. I think I got it where it'll catch the top "bolt" most of the time, but what seems to (usually) happen is I can get 1 lower "hook" on, and then can't get the top in, as it kinda all twists when I attempt to lift (if that makes sense), so then I have to get off the tractor and with a big pipe, I end up pushing and prodding to get everything into place, same as I did before I had the quick hitch. On and off the tractor a dozen times. The last few times are usually accompanied with colorful language.

In prep for the snow, I have the blade parked on top of 3 old winter tires on rims. It's pretty flat ground but not 100% perfectly level.

I released the blade from the QH, pulled the '2380 forward 5-10' and then backed up and was going to see how long it would take me "in real life" and I still had to fight with it.

Maybe more tweaking the top link out? Seems like it doesn't want to "hook" and that each time I raise the 3pt it's all "rotating away" from the blade.

Does any of this sound familiar to those of you with a quick hitch and putting 3-pt implements on and off outside?

I know I am new to all this, but videos (on garage floors) make it look like it's a 19.3 second job. (LOL)

The garage is full...there is zero option to park it in there.

Advice? Tricks?

Tnx guys !

Mike in NB, Canada......getting ready for winter.

 

[Crash277]

What i do for my box blade is have the top hook a bit further out than the bottom hooks, so when i back into it the top pin is hitting the QH and then once the bottom hooks are lines up, i hut the lift lever. when i first got the QH it was a pain in the butt i think it had more to do with the thickness of the powder coat, now that its a bit warn out i can pretty much hook or drop my box bade or snow blower relatively easily. i store the BB on a pallet, the snow blower is either in the gravel driveway or out back on a pallet.

 

[bearskinner]

You should keep adjusting your top hook out a little at a time till you can just back up ( without getting off) hook and go. Like you said 19 seconds. That’s going slow.
I hook my rear blade, without getting off the seat, lift so I can reach back and throw the two locking handles on the QH, lower and start blading.

 

[69 SS]

Same blade as you RB1572, same issues as you,couldn't ever get the dammned hooks lined up. Saw this somewhere on here and solved my problem. Took my portable Dewalt saw,sawed 1/2 inch off front of mast so that hole was closer to front edge,hit it with side grinder to smooth up sawed edge,spray bombed with close match paint,and life was good. Good luck on all your projects. OP on this is maybe WinWin7? He posted a bunch of QH adapt ideas for new and older Attachments. If you start searching on forum you can have a lot of good ideas for QH projects.

 

[i7win7]

Ideas to make implements QH compatible

Get the most benefit from your quick hitch. Buying new get QH compatible. Here is a photo of an implement whose manufacturer has their act together. Note how it's designed for cat 1 & 2. Also the lift arm spacing can be adjusted. Some "QH compatible" only need minor modification. This TSC...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[GreensvilleJay]

One 'trick' is to have level ground that BOTH tractor and implement are on for any 3PH operations. Get a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood as your 'base of operations'. It should be long enough to be an 'outdoor floor'.
I fought with 3PH on several tractors and implements and still the A-C SC sytem works the best. A bad day takes me 15 seconds to load and go, with zero adjustments to the implemnt. 5 seconds to remove.
I've even converted my 3PH rototiller to SC and BOLTED the toplink to it. Same for the cultivator.
The other 'trick' is to practice. Just like the Karate Kid, on/off..again, again,again, do it 100 times EVERY day for a month....and another month and.....

 

[OrangeKrush]

As you said.. adjust that top out to where all three are lined up with there counter parts evenly. Make sure the top hooks bolts or pins are not catching the implements frame.

 

[ve9aa]

Thanks everyone...small correction. I think it's the RB1560 I have (pretty much the same as the '1572 but slightly narrower blade) I am not in the same location as the tractor currently to double check.

I think I'll try to lengthen the top link on my tractor a little more to (hopefully) get things lined up better.
The main issue "seems" to be that the "hook won't catch" as I raise the 3-pt (if it raised perfectly vertically, I think I'd be OK, but it raises in an arc, as you all know...if that makes sense.

Cheers from NB

Mike

 

[OrangeKrush]

Thanks everyone...small correction. I think it's the RB1560 I have (pretty much the same as the '1572 but slightly narrower blade) I am not in the same location as the tractor currently to double check.

I think I'll try to lengthen the top link on my tractor a little more to (hopefully) get things lined up better.
The main issue "seems" to be that the "hook won't catch" as I raise the 3-pt (if it raised perfectly vertically, I think I'd be OK, but it raises in an arc, as you all know...if that makes sense.

Cheers from NB

Mike

Yep that will hopefully fix the problem, I have the 1560 also. I'm not familiar with QH you have but I had to get the extended hook for mine, the original did not extend far enough out to keep the pins or bolts holding the hook from bumping the frame of the 1560 first. Hope this helps!

Tried to explain a little better!

 

[OrangeKrush]

Here is a couple pics, one of the original hook that I cut some of the meat off to allow extra room and it worked.. but I wasn't happy with it.

so I bought this one \/

 

[ve9aa]

A picture is worth 1000 words. Tnx

Once I extend the top link out a little more...and maybe(?) do a small amount of "landscaping" to level the old wheels I have everything sitting on.(by eye it looks fine)....if I *still* have issues, I'll snap some pix at that point. Maybe the issue is the tractor being not exactly level.

I liked the plywood idea, but I see this being a real issue mid-winter when lotsa ice and snow will be on the ground.

Likely be a week or two now.

Cheers from NB, Canada

Mike

 

[Old_Paint]

Krush, that looks a lot like the HaulMaster version from Harbor Freight. I see that exact same QH with a lotta different brand names.

As for connecting:

1. As others said make sure the top hook is slightly farther back than the bottom hooks so that it hits the top of the 3PH first. Not by much, but enough that you have to push back on the BB a little to get the bottom hooks to seat.

2. If there's a slight side pitch to the blade, extend/retract the levelling link (on the RH side of the 3PH lift arms) to set it to the same grade as the blade, With the thick hooks on the bottom like the HaulMaster, it'll hang on most anything that touches them.

I see where some have modified just the top hook to open it up some. That may require some additional adjustment on the top link to set it for cutting, maybe not. Depends on the BB. What I did, though, is take the corners off the outsides of the bottom hooks so that they will guide themselves into the pockets on my BB1248 and under the pins without binding/catching on the sharp corners of the BB frame, and sharpen the 'point' of my top hook because being flat, it would just hang up on the BB. I also spray some spray grease in the bushings on the Cat II to Cat I bushings that are required for top and bottom hooks so that they can spin freely on the pins, and hopefully, it'll keep the pins from wearing some.

When disconnecting, I reach back and flip the latch levers up (with the BB fully raised) and just lower the BB where I want it. I find that propping the BB up with some cribbing so that it's tilted back slightly tends to make it work better. Generally, I just put 4x4 scraps under the BB at a 45 degree angle so they point at each other under the middle of the blades. I haven't yet, but want to put some kind of brackets on the BB to store my 'parking stands' on the BB.

When I'm connecting the BB, I first put the latch levers in the LOCK position (down). The linkage is spring loaded and will snap into place when you get a successful hook. Lower the top hook just below the top pin on the BB, back it in far enough to get the top hook under the top pin, then lift. The mods I made to the hooks let it slide right on without having to mess with the level much (if I didn't put something else on that did make me mess with it). I can't reach the levelling link from the seat, but I can reach the top link. With nothing but the QH on there, top link and levelling link are both pretty easy to turn. Can't say the same once I hook something up, though. I'm not good enough at it to do it in 19 seconds, but my procedures typically save me some mounting/dismounting the tractor. That's pretty important with a bad back.

I put some photos up somewhere on here that show the mods I made to the QH hooks. I'll go see if I can find them and drop a link to them. Strangely, there seems to be only ONE brand of QH that is completely Cat I and requires no bushings. Can't remember the name, but it's a bit pricey, and since my mods to my el cheapo HF/HaulMaster, it's as good as any I've seen, and better than some. $100 bucks at Harbor Freight. I did boo-boo, though, and bought a Cat I 3PH Drawbar/Hitch. Needless to say, putting it on is somewhat of a PITA because I have to take the QH off, since the QH is Cat I/II compatible (much wider). That's another purchase another time, or maybe I'll just get a bit of 2" box beam and try my hand at some more significant welding so I can just drop it on the QH to use it.

 

[i7win7]

TOP HOOK FOR CAT 1 QUICK HITCH

qualityfarmsupply.com

Oregon Products | Homepage

Discover chainsaw chain, mower blades and more from Oregon, a leading manufacturer of replacement parts. Find the chain that fits your saw.

www.speeco.com

 

[jyoutz]

A picture is worth 1000 words. Tnx

Once I extend the top link out a little more...and maybe(?) do a small amount of "landscaping" to level the old wheels I have everything sitting on.(by eye it looks fine)....if I *still* have issues, I'll snap some pix at that point. Maybe the issue is the tractor being not exactly level.

I liked the plywood idea, but I see this being a real issue mid-winter when lotsa ice and snow will be on the ground.

Likely be a week or two now.

Cheers from NB, Canada

Mike

I leave my blade on all winter because the only use it gets that time of year is moving snow.

 

[Old_Paint]

Here's what I did to my HaulMaster hitch. Made a world of difference, but it still requires some attention to alignment when connecting anything. I didn't mention it before, but until I did this, the HaulMaster was a BEAR to connect the WC-68 chipper because the pin boxes on it are tighter than the BB. My only complaint with the QH using the chipper now is that it makes the PTO connection somewhat awkward. I seem to have better luck connecting the PTO before I back completely in to connect the 3PH. I still have to get really close because I don't want the shaft to slip apart, and with the QH on, there's just too much stuff in the way to reach the PTO. I've got pretty long arms, but I've also had rotator cuff surgery on both, twice on the right one. They'll never be as strong as they once were.

 

[mikester]

My QH is only useable on about half my implements. I wish I went with Pat's. Better yet, go all in with a euro style ball hitch system.