Hooking up 3PT implements..........HELP!!!!!!!

[Grouse Feathers]

ASAE specifications call for Cat 3 hooks for Cat 1 quick hitches.

My Land Pride QH05 Cat 1 hitch has Cat 2 bottom hooks and a Cat 3 top hook.

My HF Cat 1 hitch is all Cat 3 hooks.

Larger hook size on Cat 1 hitches isn't for larger implements, as the bottom hook spacing is too narrow for Cat 2 or 3 implements. I've no idea why they were designed that way, but maybe so replaceable bushings and pins would wear out instead of permanent hooks wearing out.

Bruce

Bruce and NFW
Thanks for correcting me. Sometimes I learn when I am corrected for being stupid. At least I feel stupid for that post, but hey learning is always good.

 

[ShaunRH]

I've found that when changing implements without a quick hitch, practice and my boot usually is what comes into play the most. Neither are fun.

My own opinion is that the modern 3pt hitch was designed in the 1940's and hasn't been updated much since then. You'd think we could've advanced enough so you could do the changeover without getting out of your seat, but those systems are darned expensive!

 

[jrslick]

Personally, I have no problem hooking up and unhooking 3pt implements. I can do most everything in just a few minutes.

What is your problem with? The lower arms, the upper link?

I guess growing up on a farm, I have probably hooked and unhooked my fair share of implements. The biggest difference between then and now, is now the implements are much smaller and I can easily pick up and move the implement. But as my wife says I am a big old ox, so maybe it is just me.

Jay

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

I've got the Pat's quick hitch on my L3010 that's worked well. I don't like that it extends the lower arm length. My new M5140 has the telescoping lower arms. They've made life a lot easier. I think the key is practice, practice, practice with whatever system you have.

 

[GEPM64]

You may have it figured out by now.

Changing 3-point implements takes practice.

I like setting the implement on a pallet or on an old large truck tire---keep it off the ground while sitting and to me makes it easier to hook up.

Back up to pallet and set implement down solid.

Move your 3-point control lever to full 'down'--full down, past the screw lock stop if you have one.

Loosen top link by unscrewing it if necessary. Leave hooked to tractor. Clip pin and washers (if any) into loose end of top link.

Fully slack off any chains or bars or straps attached to lower links.

If you have adjustable (sliding in / out) lift balls make certain the catch levers are disengaged.

Don't use a hammer--wear boots and kick the lift arms off the implement pins. Or use a piece of hardwood 2x. Don't use a hammer or steel beater.

Be watchful for the implement shifting or falling forward or backward when it comes loose. Think ahead and block or brace based on observation and experience.

Pull forward slowly looking back to make sure a / the lift arm isn't hooked somehow to the implement and dragging it.

To install implement, reverse the process with the addition of a piece of pipe to use as a lever to get the lift arms and pins lined up. Sometimes that cheater will be handy when removing implement too.

Fast is relative and depends on the implement. A simple blade or pallet carrier might go fast, a heavy box blade or disk slower, and a bushhog or tiller with driveline slowest.

I've timed myself: to drop one implement and pick up a bushhog will take every bit of 20-minutes on a hot day. The fastest I ever did it was 15-min when everything went perfect. Once. And then you should hit all the bushhog U-joints and zerks with a grease gun before driving off.

Wear gloves and watch for things flopping around that will bite you. When hooking up PTO driveline STOP the engine and set the brakes. Try to not get mashed or pinched.

It just takes practice.

I'd like to hear how others accomplish this same task.

Please post back your continuing experiences so we may all learn. All ideas thoughts suggestions and comments invited.

That's a great explanation. I'm glad to see 20 minutes is the norm. When I was taking my tiller off (first time) it took me an hour. When I put the box scrapper back on I got it on within about 35 minutes. The one issue I had was it was sitting too high (on pallets). When I park it again I'll drop it down one pallet. I don't want to leave my implements on the ground. That should make it easier. We'll see how easy the tiller goes back on. Ill repot back in a day or two.

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm glad to see 20 minutes is the norm.

I wouldn't call that a norm, as I can change from one implement to another in a min or two.

 

[olthumpa]

I wouldn't call that a norm, as I can change from one implement to another in a min or two.

I am with Wolfman on this one. My counter weight took 10 to 15 min to attach because the pins were to low. Unacceptable! Because of the time to hook it up I found that I was not using it sometimes when I should. My solution was to reposition the hitch pins. Now a min or 2.

 

[Lil Foot]

When it is positioned correctly, I can usually hook up my Gannon in a couple of minutes by myself. First time I took it of, I dropped it in a shallow hole, and had a lot of grief hooking it back up. Now I make sure it is at the right height & it's level when I store it. A helper usually makes things easier/quicker.

Now, when I remove my FEL bucket to swap it with my plow blade & back, it's a SOB every time. Trying to get lined up square, positioned exactly right side-to-side, with all 4 pin holes lined up vertically, all at the same time, especially alone, is incredibly frustrating. I must make about 100 trips around the tractor to move it, the FEL sticks, the bucket/plow, or the pins before I'm finished. PIA.

 

[ShaunRH]

I leave my attachments on the lip of the storage containers the tractor and implements are stored in, and just pull the tractor back up to it. It usually works really well and I can slide the implements around with a few kicks of my boot. I have more problems when doing it in the field.

I think every farmer/rancher should have a 5'x5'x5" thick pad poured on the corner of a field someplace to drop and change attachments. If you are using large attachments, they hook up a bit differently and are usually very adjustable so don't need the pad.

 

[jrslick]

I agree 20 minutes is unacceptable too. I worked ground and mowed today and I timed myself, at a slow pace (could have gone much quicker). I unhooked my 3pt 48 inch mower and hooked onto my one bottom lister plow. It took 1 minute and 38 seconds. Then I unhooked my 1 bottom lister plow and hooked up my quick attach and then hooked up my 56inch tiller. It took 3 minutes and 58 seconds. It would have been faster, but I had to turn the PTO to get it to line up and it took several tries.

In 35 minutes I could hook up and unhook every attachment I own and enjoy a few cold ones.

 

[MadMax31]

My check-chains are a touch wompis, quick hitch is the only route Ill go. Bush hog to York rake in 5 mins. Back to Bush hog in another 5 minutes. Adjusting my chains was tough. Bad enough Im using a baby pipe wrench to adjust my toplink, cuts its never been inside....

 

[meackerman]

hooked up my Land Pride backhoe yesterday. that is the biggest PITA of all my implements...by far. Have to hook up the lower arms, the top link and the tow hitch. its gotta weigh 800 pounds. The hydraulic lines get hooked up first, then maneuver the backhoe on its stabilizer arms and bucket to get everything lined up. Usually takes 2 of us about 30 minutes. I can hookup my other implements in 10-15 minutes or less.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I park a couple of my implements on a concrete slab 4" thick. Back til tires touch concrete and drop it. Set for next time. Biggest sucksalot is my sickle mower. Off balance with parts that will remove a finger in the blink of an eye if you arent paying attention. Good thing i only use it two hours a year. That one goes in shed, its a hazard to even walk past it.

Practice, costom blocking and put it back in its place when done.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Lets see if 20 minutes is the norm, that's 10 minutes of kicking with boots on or swinging a block of wood and 10 minutes of standing on my head to adjust the check chains (hard to reach on a BX) versus one minute to back up and raise the 3 point with a quick hitch that leaves 19 minutes to drink a beer. I'm retired I can spend the 20 minutes how ever I want. Being retired and pushing close to 70 I don't choose to kick, swing, or stand on my head.

 

[bearskinner]

I have a feeling I will hate my Post Hole Digger, when and if I can figure out how to get the back hoe off and the PHD installed!

 

[clay45]

Before acquiring my 3-pt rototiller the only things I had used repeatedly were a middle buster plow, rake, and haul-around doohickey. The HF Quick-hitch made life relatively simple and I put one on both of my small tractors. I discovered that even the tiny extra weight and longer moment from the quick-hitch made it difficult to even steer my smaller tractor with the rake.

On my L2050DT with FEL no problem until having to manage the PTO shaft from my new tiller and keeping the top hook on quick-hitch engaged. The quick-hitch flat made it too crowded in back of my tractor to make the connection any easier to connect & disconnect than it was with just the 3-pt connection and just the 3-pt connection kept the weight closer to the rear axle and kept a positive connection even when the tiller jumped upon contact with rocks or tree roots.

I'm still learning and thanks to Glen for starting this thread and PHPaul for a nice play-by-play procedure!

 

[MadMax31]

My quick hitch moved my implements around 2" further back. I can live with that. I went from my york rake to my hog in less than 3 minutes. Hogged for 3 hours, dropped it in 3 minutes and did loader work for another 2 hours.

 

[seanbarr]

I don't bother adjusting & wiggling the implements in place. Instead, I manipulate my tractor in the right position. What? It's a B7100!

In seriousness, I find that I can move the tractor back & forth. Sometimes by rolling it by hand, sometimes using the bucket for fine adjustments. If it was just a 4' box cheap box blade, I just lift the damn thing and slap it on.


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[D2Cat]

Man, you're feeling frisky today! " If it was just a 4' box cheap box blade, I just lift the damn thing and slap it on."

Even a 4' blade has too much iron for me to want to throw!!!

 

[Chew]

So glad I'm not the only one. My rhino brush hog is a beast to hook up. Then my box blade has totally different 3 pt widths/lengths