Widening a too narrow 3 point implement

[icehorse]

I've got a mini round baler, about 1200 pounds. It's bottom links are too close together to use my QH15. So I want to figure out how to make the bottom links wider. I was thinking getting longer pins, but that might put a lot of torque on the pins? Then I was thinking of getting a good welder to cut the bottom links off the baler and weld them back on to be wider.

Any thoughts / suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Edke6bnl]

Can you put longer pins and double shear the end of the pins and still connect from below

 

[icehorse]

Can you put longer pins and double shear the end of the pins and still connect from below

I think I understand your question. As an experiment, I bought a few 3/4" x 8" bolts with nuts. Not high quality steel. I was able to use the quick hitch to attach, but the bolts bent pretty quickly. So yes, I can attach to longer pins, if they'd be strong enough.

 

[Edke6bnl]

I think I understand your question. As an experiment, I bought a few 3/4" x 8" bolts with nuts. Not high quality steel. I was able to use the quick hitch to attach, but the bolts bent pretty quickly. So yes, I can attach to longer pins, if they'd be strong enough.

I am suggesting that you weld or bolt a piece of metal from the end of the bolt to the vertacal piece that the bolt is going through to make a triangle.

 

[icehorse]

I am suggesting that you weld or bolt a piece of metal from the end of the bolt to the vertacal piece that the bolt is going through to make a triangle.

Ah, interesting! So the pin would be supported from both ends! Any idea how to find a 3/4" x 8" piece of high quality steel? None of my local tractor dealers have pins that long..

 

[Dieseldonato]

Pictures of the implement would give room for different ideas...

 

[mcmxi]

If you have a way to cut and weld steel it sounds like a simple job.

 

[D2Cat]

Get some 2 1/2" by 3/8" flat stock and make something like this with a hole drilled for a pin. Make it whatever width you need.

 

[animals45]

Tractor supply sell a flat bar with pins on that will fit your cat 1 hitch . Get one of these & mount it to your implement

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-cross-drawbar-category-1-3-4-in-dia

animal

 

[Dieseldonato]

No idea if it's made like this, but in general this seems to be the set up on a lot of them. The links just mount to 2 plates that stick out. I would wonder of you could take them off and flip them around, as most of them claim to be cat 1 and 2 compatable. Looks like it would widen them a few inches. If not, I'd be cutting the plate off and revamping them. Without the bend in them.

 

[Edke6bnl]

Ah, interesting! So the pin would be supported from both ends! Any idea how to find a 3/4" x 8" piece of high quality steel? None of my local tractor dealers have pins that long..

McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster.com

 

[icehorse]

Lots of good ideas, thanks!

 

[rc51stierhoff]

How far off on the width are you?

 

[woodman55]

I've got a mini round baler, about 1200 pounds. It's bottom links are too close together to use my QH15. So I want to figure out how to make the bottom links wider. I was thinking getting longer pins, but that might put a lot of torque on the pins? Then I was thinking of getting a good welder to cut the bottom links off the baler and weld them back on to be wider.

Any thoughts / suggestions? Thanks.

so for the few times a year you will use the baler, why not just skip the Q, H, and connect directly to the tractor ?

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I am not sure the gap you need to close or how your implement is made but seems like maybe you could weld a bushing to existing tab and add a longer pin or if you could swap the tabs so they are inverse to current layout maybe that solves it…if they are bolted in that would be simple…or they could be cut and welded on opposite sides with the pins facing opposite direction as inverse…anyway I think the gap has some suggestion to which option you might consider. Just really depends on the gap and layout comparison to your QH.

 

[Creature Meadow]

My bush hog is cat 3 so my QH want work with it, so for the 3 or 4 times a year I use it I remove the QH.

Maybe you can do likewise?

Good luck

jay

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Really need to post the make/model of the baler and the 'QH' .It's not clear WHY a CAt1 implement doesn't fit a CAT1 QH. I've heard that some(most ??) QH units are really CAT3 and YOU have to supply adapters to connect your CAT 1 implements to them.
Maybe post a picture or two of your problem ?

 

[icehorse]

How far off on the width are you?

On each side, the inside of the QH is 2 3/4" from the baler. I ordered some Grade 8, 8" x 3/4" bolts from Grainger. I'm thinking that if I shim the bushing really tightly on the bolt and then add enough nuts so that the bushing and nuts and washers are all tight from left to right, that will add some strength.

I am concerned that that 2 3/4" will add a lot of torque. The steel on the baler is really strong though, 3/4".

 

[icehorse]

so for the few times a year you will use the baler, why not just skip the Q, H, and connect directly to the tractor ?

It's a fine question. I have to hay several different fields and so I have to bounce back and forth between my tedder-rake and the baler. I told my wife that the best solution would be to get a 2nd tractor

 

[icehorse]

I am not sure the gap you need to close or how your implement is made but seems like maybe you could weld a bushing to existing tab and add a longer pin or if you could swap the tabs so they are inverse to current layout maybe that solves it…if they are bolted in that would be simple…or they could be cut and welded on opposite sides with the pins facing opposite direction as inverse…anyway I think the gap has some suggestion to which option you might consider. Just really depends on the gap and layout comparison to your QH.

Does my answer on post #18 answer any of your questions? I've done just a tiny amount of welding - no way am I experienced enough to want to trust my baler to my welding I'm looking for a welder who will come to me, but so far, no luck.

As for swapping the "tabs" on the baler, I looked into that. It looks like a real "can of worms" project because the other ends of the bolts are behind all sorts of gears and rods and brackets and such.