Good Works Tractor Co. and their latest Quick Hitch

[mcmxi]

First vid I've seen on one other than GWT. Real world use although he didn't really work it all that hard.

Right at the start of the video some of the issues with the SpeeCo quick hitch are discussed. He had to replace the lock pins, and the locking handles weren't working properly, problems that I've not encountered with a QH05, QH10 or QH15 in just about 9 years of heavy use. Perhaps the excess space between the pins and the locks are to blame for that. Regardless, neither SpeeCo or GWTC quick hitches are on my list of "'approved" implements since I have no time or interest in poorly designed $hit. There are much better choices even if they cost more.

I continue to stand by my negative comments re the QH15. It's a poor concept despite being very well made. Fortunately I was able to upgrade the QH15 to a QH16 which better suits my needs.

 

[NCL4701]

Very much appreciate the discussion and info in this thread. A bit over 4 decades messing with 3 points I’ve been just fine without a quick hitch, but I have thought it might be a good thing as I get older. Y’all have saved me from wasting money on one. Thank you.

 

[JonM]

Very much appreciate the discussion and info in this thread. A bit over 4 decades messing with 3 points I’ve been just fine without a quick hitch, but I have thought it might be a good thing as I get older. Y’all have saved me from wasting money on one. Thank you.

just evaluate what attachments you have and then if a qh can cover those get one. they arent waste of money unless you get a cheap chinese made gwtc one... the guy makes entertaining videos but i dont believe he has good opinions on what products are good and bad.

 

[dirtydeed]

I have the speeco E hitch. Looks to be about 1/2" gap between the top of the pin and the lock. There's only about an 1/8" gap in the cradle. It's never given me a bit of trouble.

 

[mcmxi]

I have the speeco E hitch. Looks to be about 1/2" gap between the top of the pin and the lock. There's only about an 1/8" gap in the cradle. It's never given me a bit of trouble.

That's not a huge gap compared to the GWTC variant, but there's no gap with the QH10 or QH15. It takes more design and manufacturing effort to have no gap, which equates to higher cost, and it's easier to not care about it and build in excessive clearance.

I think we can all agree that the idea of the locks is to prevent the implement from bouncing out of the quick hitch, and also to prevent excessive movement of the implement relative to the QH. If the SpeeCo works for you then that's great, but I prefer a lock that allows minimal bouncing of the implement during use.

How an implement is used, and under what conditions is different for everyone. I think that Land Pride/Kubota designs their implements in a way that makes them perform for the widest possible group of users. Other companies not so much.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

It really wouldn't have cost them to design it properly. You just 'reverse engineer' or copy someone else's hitch. Fab one out of wood(easy to mod ) then 1 out of steel, confirm then tell computer to make a run of 10, OK ? make a run of 1,000.
In #43, you can see the SPEECO 'lock arm' has to 'arc' ,so the pivot point needs to be precisely placed.Any 'CAD' program in the past 4 decades could show the 'perfect point'....
Anything over 1/8" gap is too much.

 

[mcmxi]

It really wouldn't have cost them to design it properly. You just 'reverse engineer' or copy someone else's hitch. Fab one out of wood(easy to mod ) then 1 out of steel, confirm then tell computer to make a run of 10, OK ? make a run of 1,000.
In #43, you can see the SPEECO 'lock arm' has to 'arc' ,so the pivot point needs to be precisely placed.Any 'CAD' program in the past 4 decades could show the 'perfect point'....
Anything over 1/8" gap is too much.

Notice that I said design and manufacturing. In order to have a good fit between the lock and pin as the Land Pride QH does, the following features need to be controlled:

1. The outer dimensions of the lock
2. The location and size of the pivot pin hole in the lock
3. The location and size of the pivot pin hole in the QH frame
4. The size of the pivot pin
5. The location of the implement pin in the QH
6. Deformation due to welding

There's a lot going on with a significant tolerance stack up. The pin diameters whether CAT 1, 2 or 3 are well controlled based on the numerous pins I've measured, but it's much easier to not worry about a good fit between the lock and pin. This is one of the reasons why the QHs from GWTC and SpeeCo (to a lesser extent) are much cheaper. A monkey with a MIG welder could build the GWTC and SpeeCo QHs.

For example, if you send out a drawing to a vendor for the lock, the tolerances that you provide will directly impact the cost of the part. Extra QC, more scrap, slower cut or drill times etc., all add up to more cost.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Notice that I said design and manufacturing. In order to have a good fit between the lock and pin as the Land Pride QH does, the following features need to be controlled:

1. The outer dimensions of the lock
2. The location and size of the pivot pin hole in the lock
3. The location and size of the pivot pin hole in the QH frame
4. The size of the pivot pin
5. The location of the implement pin in the QH
6. Deformation due to welding

There's a lot going on with a significant tolerance stack up. The pin diameters whether CAT 1, 2 or 3 are well controlled based on the numerous pins I've measured, but it's much easier to not worry about a good fit between the lock and pin. This is one of the reasons why the QHs from GWTC and SpeeCo (to a lesser extent) are much cheaper. A monkey with a MIG welder could build the GWTC and SpeeCo QHs.

For example, if you send out a drawing to a vendor for the lock, the tolerances that you provide will directly impact the cost of the part. Extra QC, more scrap, slower cut or drill times etc., all add up to more cost.

Don’t knock my MiG Monkey

 

[jimh406]

Fwiw, I've repaired breaks on my Land Pride - land plane and my Ranger's snow plow with my MIG. It worked fine. But, maybe because I'm not a monkey.

But seriously, almost any welding process will work for steel, right?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: D & M

I can design a 'computer board' here on this PC, debug/test, confirm parts placement/fit, etc. send the 'files' overseas and in 4 days get back 100% functional PCB. A bit of a step up from 3 decades ago when I laid them out using donuts and tape, then got them shot on film, made, and then hand soldered238 parts per PCB.

On this PC , I can design a 'mechanical' thing ,test for fitment, when happy , send 'files' to a friend 42 miles away and his CNC LASER makes the parts, 'nested' of course to save material and reduce cost.

My point being that inexpensive technology exists today to make 'things' right from the 'getgo'.
That excessive gap could have and SHOULD have been avoided. We'd have to talk to the 'engineer' that actually designed it to hear WHY it's so poorly made. I suspect he has never ever USED 3PH implements otherwise he'd have spent another 10-15 minutes and got it right.

Sadly, like many products today, companies take 'shortcuts' to increase 'profit' BUT fail to understand that when the product fails, the company loses a customer. Pretty sure some here won't buy another car from XXX cause the tranny went out, or another fridge from YYY cause it died and 'not worth being repaired'. Be interesting to know how many have bought another Kubota ,after spending $3000 to $5000 for an ECU that blew when they change the battery.