What a Great idea!
Next time I will modify 5 attachments to fit the next cheap QH I buy. Thanks for the advice!
3 Point Quick Hitch Suggestions
- Thread starter XSpecBx
- Start date
Next time I will modify 5 attachments to fit the next cheap QH I buy. Thanks for the advice!
sarcasm Mike ?
IF the QH follows the dimensions of the 'ASME CAT1 document', then your 5 attachments must be wrong ??
Odds are though that some of them should be within 'spec', maybe, depends on when and where built ?
It is sad though that manufacturers can say 'CAT1' yet knowingly build 'out of spec', then they come up with 'adapters' or 'spacers', at EXTRA cost, so that you hopefully can use YOUR implements with THEIR hitch.
I'm one of the lucky ones, run Allis-Chalmers tractors and implements using their Snap-Coupler system. Any implement fits any tractor,in seconds, hassle free.The 5' tiller is 3pt but use an A-C adapter to use it.
IF the QH follows the dimensions of the 'ASME CAT1 document', then your 5 attachments must be wrong ??
Odds are though that some of them should be within 'spec', maybe, depends on when and where built ?
It is sad though that manufacturers can say 'CAT1' yet knowingly build 'out of spec', then they come up with 'adapters' or 'spacers', at EXTRA cost, so that you hopefully can use YOUR implements with THEIR hitch.
I'm one of the lucky ones, run Allis-Chalmers tractors and implements using their Snap-Coupler system. Any implement fits any tractor,in seconds, hassle free.The 5' tiller is 3pt but use an A-C adapter to use it.
Magicman
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
I am fortunate by having two tractors. The old JD 1530 has Pat's and the M4900 has the Speeco QH. I bought Pat's for the M4900 but I removed them and reattached the QH. (I now have an unused Cat2 Pat's)
Each system has it's advantages as well as disadvantages.
Each system has it's advantages as well as disadvantages.
Pats requires too much on and off the tractor. It’s good if you have a lot of ancient now obsolete implements
I have some new implements, they're great.
AND, I have a 25 year old tedder rake that works fine, and a baler from India. The rake and the baler just don't fit the QH15.
This question led me to an "uh-oh" minute. But I checked, and my lower 3 point arms have ball joints(?) at both ends. So I'm thinking that even though the Pat's will lock down the ball joints at one end, the other end should still keep things from binding. Does that sound right?
To be honest I have never looked to see if mine has ball joints at both ends. I assumed it only has them on the implement end. Taking that pivot away seems like a bad idea if you need to tilt anything. I will go look at mine in the morning.
Land Pride recently came out with the QH16. I believe only major difference is it is designed for Cat 1 pins from the get-go. So no more spacers, etc. Haven't yet seen it, so can't confirm that, but I have one on order to replace my QH05. No idea what their delivery times to dealers will be.
The QH10 and 15 were discontinued and combined into a single QH. It appears that the 16 is essentially the same as the 15, but you no longer need bushings. I’ll have to contact my dealer because that would be the perfect solution. The website and internet have limited information on it, so it must be pretty new
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Yeah, I think they came out with it just in the last few weeks. And the QH15 and others must have come off the LP website just in the last week or so, since I was looking at them on there just last week. Good luck getting one. My dealer threw his arms up in the air and laughed when I asked him when they would be available. But who knows...
I had pats with l3301 and wasn’t too happy with it.
The bolts that attach it kept getting loose despite really torquing well. The u bolts also got loose and bent. The nuts literally just pulled through the threads stripping them. Company solution said use loctite, but to be fair they send me parts quickly and free (after some argument).
It helped get sidelinks engaged (the most difficult part), but the toplink is still a manual process. They do this so it’s more compatible and option of more float, but it kinda defeats the quick hitch portion of it.
The hitch geometry was off depending on lift height. This caused the arms to rub metal. Kinda brutal on boxblade. Plenty of slop on the connection too.
Also if you got a backhoe, pats really adds a lot of weight to the lower arms, making it more difficult to remove and reinstall.
Seems the traditional brackets work better. Land pride (aka kubota) models are more of a standard.
The bolts that attach it kept getting loose despite really torquing well. The u bolts also got loose and bent. The nuts literally just pulled through the threads stripping them. Company solution said use loctite, but to be fair they send me parts quickly and free (after some argument).
It helped get sidelinks engaged (the most difficult part), but the toplink is still a manual process. They do this so it’s more compatible and option of more float, but it kinda defeats the quick hitch portion of it.
The hitch geometry was off depending on lift height. This caused the arms to rub metal. Kinda brutal on boxblade. Plenty of slop on the connection too.
Also if you got a backhoe, pats really adds a lot of weight to the lower arms, making it more difficult to remove and reinstall.
Seems the traditional brackets work better. Land pride (aka kubota) models are more of a standard.
re: loose bolts
you might try ...
1) grinding a blunt point on the bolts
2) adding a lock washer under the nut,or 'double nut'.
The lift latches and starter on my D-14 use #1. They don't ever come off due to virbration
you might try ...
1) grinding a blunt point on the bolts
2) adding a lock washer under the nut,or 'double nut'.
The lift latches and starter on my D-14 use #1. They don't ever come off due to virbration
I got my QH15 a few months back. It's great for my box blade and "top and tilt", and I'm sure it will be fine for the LP cutter that should be here any day now. (Although I don't imagine I'll be doing much "top and tilt" with the cutter, but who knows?)
But the QH15 didn't work at all for my hay rake or my baler, so I just got the Pat's QH. I'm done haying for the season, but it looks like it'll be fine for my hay rake and baler. But I can also see that the geometry isn't quite "true" for my box blade.
They say that experts see more details than beginners. I'm far, far from being an expert, but installing the Pat's, truing it, and hooking it to various implements is definitely getting to see more detail than I've noticed in the past. For one thing, it looks to me as though the far ends(?) (the ends farthest from the tractor), of my bottom links are canted in a little bit until they're maybe 30" apart. So when they're only 26" or 27" inches apart they're not quite parallel. Is that normal?
The other thing I've noticed is that the bottom links seem to be canted in a bit from being perpendicular to the ground, and that canting in gets more severe the higher they're lifted. Is that normal?
Neither of these "slightly off from true" issues is important with no QH or with the standard QH15 sort of design, but with the Pat's it does seem like it (the being slightly off), could be an issue.
I'm gonna futz a bit with the truing of the Pat's to see if I can get them truer, but I'm concerned that the bottom links themselves, and the way they move, will make that hard.
If I was made of money, I'd keep both, but I was hoping to return the QH15. Now I fear I'm faced with needing both, the Pat's for haying season and the QH15 for the rest of the year. I'm not too thrilled with that conclusion.
Thoughts?
It seems no matter which 'quick hitch' version you buy, it may not be compatible with some implements.
At the end of the day, both systems work as well as the original 3 pt arms as purchased. Personally I have less issues with the pats as you control the width with the cross piece…after you set to an implement score or paint a line for repeatability. That being said the original 3 pt arms will grab whatever…if in doubt put it on a flat surface…if still a struggle set it on a dolly that you can roll / adjust to slip the 3pt arm over the pin on the implement. The tractor as purchase should work. The pats should make it easier. I personally don’t understand how folks with QH don’t seem to have to get off to flip the levers on the QH (whether to attach the top link in conjunction with the pats or flipper levers on QH…one way or another you have to get off the machine…I hope flipping the levers isnt straining folks too much
)or attach the PTO. I certainly have not figured out how to properly attach without getting off the tractor…(or doing some new yoga pose to flip the levers) unless there is help standing there waiting. Just IMO.So far my ONLY concern with the Pat's is that the lower pins on the implements aren't sitting square and flat on the Pat's's hooks. I'm thinking maybe that between washers and bushings on the implements, I shouldn't worry about the lack of square and flat?At the end of the day, both systems work as well as the original 3 pt arms as purchased. Personally I have less issues with the pats as you control the width with the cross piece…after you set to an implement score or paint a line for repeatability. That being said the original 3 pt arms will grab whatever…if in doubt put it on a flat surface…if still a struggle set it on a dolly that you can roll / adjust to slip the 3pt arm over the pin on the implement. The tractor as purchase should work. The pats should make it easier. I personally don’t understand how folks with QH don’t seem to have to get off to flip the levers on the QH (whether to attach the top link in conjunction with the pats or flipper levers on QH…one way or another you have to get off the machine…I hope flipping the levers isnt straining folks too much
I don’t think a slight cant is an issue if you get the width correct on the spreader.(if you have a severe condition or you are worried contact Pats) If it’s canted too much you should be able to adjust the screws as to how it sets/tightens to the link arms. Mine have a slight can’t but it’s not much and not so severe the that adjusting the spread can’t accomodate on the available space on the pin…also if mucking with the screws do your self a favor and put a drop of medium thread lock on for piece of mind…after you have them where you want them. It will still be removable but it should help keep the screws from backing out…just a drop.