Anybody have experience with this product? I heard about it from Tractor Mike's YouTube and it certainly looks like something worth having. https://asktractormike.com/product/pats-easy-change-quick-hitch-category-1/
Pat's Easy change quick hitch
- Thread starter Tenalach Farms
- Start date
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
I had one on my last tractor for over 15 years and really liked it. But be forewarned: I had to buy a longer toplink to use the quick hitch. It worked flawlessly during the time I owned that machine. My new tractor has telescoping lift arms, so I haven’t seen the need for a quick hitch
I have Pats on my B. I have a QH20 on my MX but wish I had a Pats on it. I think the Pats accepts a wider variety of implements and also makes hook up easier. I prefer the Pats.
Thank you. I saw some words of caution about possibly needing longer toplinks and even PTO shaft issues. Good to hear that it was worth having, even if a new toplink was needed.
I’ve not yet needed to replace my top link, however it is very close to the end thread / stop. I have currently only used paired with a ballast box and a chipper though.
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
I never had an issue with needing a longer PTO shaft, but that could be the case if the shaft is already maxed out before adding the quick hitch.
Agreed. Only the chipper of mine is using the PTO and I cut it to length based on the pats. I think if switching from one to the other there could be a problem, and potentially the top link as well. For the OP it’s think decide what doing before cutting the PTO shaft and cut just the one time…hard to glue some back on. But the top link you might be able to check and see…there is not reason to buy a new top link before checking…the PTO though is a cut once thing IMO.
I've used Pat's system now for a couple of years. It made hookups much easier for me. It was the 2nd best thing I did to the 3 pt. The 1st was a Top N Tilt. The two combined almost make me look forward to swapping implements.
I have had a Pat's QH on my B7500 for several years. I bought a longer top link from TSC when I installed it. I have not had to make any changes to the PTO shafts on my attachments.
The Pat's QH will fit almost any attachment without modifications. Other hitches severely limit the attachments you can use with them.
The Pat's QH will fit almost any attachment without modifications. Other hitches severely limit the attachments you can use with them.
i7win7
Well-known member
Equipment
BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
Check out your lift arms. Notice they have ball joints on both ends. This is to compensate for geometry changes when you raise and lower implements or change the side link to angle the implement.
Tried Pats on a BX and rear tiller. It started to damage the tiller pins because all the bolts clamping Pats to the lift arms transferred twisting forces to the implement. Don't despair they make good boat anchors when you upgrade to a quick hitch.
www.orangetractortalks.com
Tried Pats on a BX and rear tiller. It started to damage the tiller pins because all the bolts clamping Pats to the lift arms transferred twisting forces to the implement. Don't despair they make good boat anchors when you upgrade to a quick hitch.
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
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
I never experienced that problem after using the quick hitch for over 15 years and yes I used a tiller on the tractor. But it was a larger tractor than a BX, so the lift arm geometry was different.Check out your lift arms. Notice they have ball joints on both ends. This is to compensate for geometry changes when you raise and lower implements or change the side link to angle the implement.
Tried Pats on a BX and rear tiller. It started to damage the tiller pins because all the bolts clamping Pats to the lift arms transferred twisting forces to the implement. Don't despair they make good boat anchors when you upgrade to a quick hitch.
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...
Well that's one of the downsides of a quick hitch, is you have to run all your pins the same way and some implements almost won't allow it to work without major metal mods.
Without a quick hitch you can often decide to face pins in or out on a given implement to fix clearance issues.. but then gotta mess with your stabilizers more often.
Also, top links are cheap, and the middle of it is just a pipe. If you need a longer one buy a longer one or weld 2-3" of pipe into the middle of the one you got.
Without a quick hitch you can often decide to face pins in or out on a given implement to fix clearance issues.. but then gotta mess with your stabilizers more often.
Also, top links are cheap, and the middle of it is just a pipe. If you need a longer one buy a longer one or weld 2-3" of pipe into the middle of the one you got.
I have the weld on version on both my L3800 and also installed them on friends tractors to include Ford 3000, JD3038, kubota B3200, kubota L3700su all are happy with them. We did not have to extend any shafts because I made the lift arms the same length as origina.
Attachments
Considering the downsides I've heard about quick hitches and the fact that they don't have ball joints either, I'm not that impressed by the hatchet job.Check out your lift arms. Notice they have ball joints on both ends. This is to compensate for geometry changes when you raise and lower implements or change the side link to angle the implement.
Tried Pats on a BX and rear tiller. It started to damage the tiller pins because all the bolts clamping Pats to the lift arms transferred twisting forces to the implement. Don't despair they make good boat anchors when you upgrade to a quick hitch.
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...
I have a conventional QH that I bought at the local farm store on a black Friday sale for $199. It's made in India but has good weld's and seems as good as the Land pride QH15. All my implements are QH compatible. It's not an issue to hook them up. The QH mounts to the factory balls. Plus I have a top and tilt kit. The advantage to me off the setup I have is the top link is always connected. So I don't have to deal with the top cylinder being loose and needing to have it hanging off the back.
Pats QH is awesome.
So much easier hooking up the rear blade. Attachments with lower pins are a pain…especially heavy ones. Now those attachments can be lifted from the seat of the tractor. Or lighter ones simply placed in the hooks. Easy.
Didn’t really need it for the finish mower as it’s on wheels and has floating(clevis?) type bottom links.
As a bonus I don’t need the QH straps either like you would with a normal QH and a finish mower.
I also did NOT have to get a longer top link. It extends enough on a B2301 to work with everything I currently have (which aint much). And the finish mower has some adjustment on the lower links to offset the length from the QH.
If you do get a set. Test fit first. I had a hell of time getting the pins in (a hammer and cuss’n was involved) before taking a Dremel to the casting and smoothing some of the inside edges. After that the pins slid right thru.
and do remember to rotate the locks in place. I have forgotten on more than one occasion. Things will release and come out off the hooks. Not sure how but they will.
So much easier hooking up the rear blade. Attachments with lower pins are a pain…especially heavy ones. Now those attachments can be lifted from the seat of the tractor. Or lighter ones simply placed in the hooks. Easy.
Didn’t really need it for the finish mower as it’s on wheels and has floating(clevis?) type bottom links.
As a bonus I don’t need the QH straps either like you would with a normal QH and a finish mower.
I also did NOT have to get a longer top link. It extends enough on a B2301 to work with everything I currently have (which aint much). And the finish mower has some adjustment on the lower links to offset the length from the QH.
If you do get a set. Test fit first. I had a hell of time getting the pins in (a hammer and cuss’n was involved) before taking a Dremel to the casting and smoothing some of the inside edges. After that the pins slid right thru.
and do remember to rotate the locks in place. I have forgotten on more than one occasion. Things will release and come out off the hooks. Not sure how but they will.
Well, the 3pt ball ends are still there. You can think of the qh as an implement of its own. It can still rotate on the ends of the arms if you adjust your side link, etc. You just have to leave enough space to either side of the ball ends to allow a bit of angle before the arms themselves start hitting something. That's why a lot of the balls in the ball ends on top links etc have 'spacers' sticking out the sides of the pin hole in the ball.. to keep the walls of the bracketry far enough away for the arm to be able to move around.
Not saying it's perfect, but putting a QH on a 3pt doesn't necessarily ruin ALL of its articulation.
I was able to avoid cutting down the PTO driveshaft on my new tiller as the Pat's quick hitch added enough length that I was able to use it at stock length! I've only used them to switch rear attachments a few times so far, but I like them a lot.