phone call,Northern Tool says my Quick Hitch,6 sets bushings are in,leave work early,tell boss "not feeling well".1.5 hrs later I am home,30 min later hitch is installed,stabilizer bars adjusted,bushing on plow. Back up my L3901 to plows pick them up,adjust top hook .wow this is going to be so easy to change implement,no more getting off tractor,no more hard work 30 min job to change implement no more cursing busted knuckle pry bar hurt back. "Big Orange" is ready to go jump in the seat raise the plows CRACK THUMP! F#*@ Me stupida$$ho*#. I have just crashed both rear taillights on a tractor with 37 hours on it.I read almost everything in this forums using search for quick hitch and still managed to screw up my new tractor.the last 1/2 inch of lift did it,my fault.60 yrs old been around tractors/equipment my entire life. All of it goes back tomorrow,going to order Pats quick hitch,I'm sure I cant jack up anything else with Pats.If I was still drinking I would be blasted by now.Rant over ,wife says I have to go to bed for bad words.
Nortrac Quick Hitch vs Pats
- Thread starter 69 SS
- Start date
Oh no 
You are not the first person to do that with a quick hitch, not that that is much consolation. Would you please check the holes on the top and lower links that you were using when it did this? And see if there is another combination that gives enough clearance? Might save someone else a set of taillights-there are several of us happily using quick hitches, but it might just be luck that we didn't hit the combination that allowed enough lift that it hits the lights. Before you throw that hitch in the river that is.
You are not the first person to do that with a quick hitch, not that that is much consolation. Would you please check the holes on the top and lower links that you were using when it did this? And see if there is another combination that gives enough clearance? Might save someone else a set of taillights-there are several of us happily using quick hitches, but it might just be luck that we didn't hit the combination that allowed enough lift that it hits the lights. Before you throw that hitch in the river that is.Sorry I'm not able to vision how your quick hitch hit your lights.
I also have a new L3901 and have a quick hitch not yet installed. Picture possibly
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I also have a new L3901 and have a quick hitch not yet installed. Picture possibly
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry to hear this has happen to you. It would be nice if the lower arms were a couple of inches longer or the fenders were set out a couple inches.
If you have the top link connected to the tractor in the bottom hole it is really easy to break both tail lights. I have a quick hitch on my L3901 and noticed how close it was coming to the lights and figured that if I moved the top link to the top hole it would add some room between the hitch and lights. It is still close when I have the box blade on the hitch and I have it set to dig, I just have to watch it the first time I raise it. I was thinking of getting another stop for the 3pt control to limit how high I can lift the 3pt.
I think you can see in this picture how close the quick hitch comes to the fender and lights.
If you have the top link connected to the tractor in the bottom hole it is really easy to break both tail lights. I have a quick hitch on my L3901 and noticed how close it was coming to the lights and figured that if I moved the top link to the top hole it would add some room between the hitch and lights. It is still close when I have the box blade on the hitch and I have it set to dig, I just have to watch it the first time I raise it. I was thinking of getting another stop for the 3pt control to limit how high I can lift the 3pt.
I think you can see in this picture how close the quick hitch comes to the fender and lights.
Attachments
Ok,moved top link mounting hole to center position from lowest hole position,no more interference with taillights,lower links hole still in position closest to rear of tractor,problem solved. Still have to take it all back to Northern tool,top hook on quick hitch doesn't have enough vertical adjustment to hook up to Hardee HD bushog, Leinbach Landscape rake,old set of John Deere disc plows. Quick hitch did work for Land Pride scrape blade,subsoiler,Box blade. No complaints about Nortrac quick hitch,just won't fit without much modifications to my stuff.Cant go spend big$$$ to replace non Quick Hitch implements.Looks like Pats is next best.Anyone have any advice or better solution?Been up since daylight,back hurts and no progress. Good luck to all on your projects. Hope this will help some one to make better decision than I did. I am not totally worthless,I can always serve as a bad example.
Thanks 69, I have been there and done that, except didn't break taillights. As wonderful as the quick hitches are on some implements they don't work on all of them. Had to make a gadget to attach to flail mower because vertical distance for top link impossible. And even with that, quick hitch is too close to pto shaft. Someday another thread.
Had a Harbor Freight quick hitch and sold it. Too many of my implements didn't fit.
Had Pat's Quick and returned it for following reasons:
1. Had to get off the tractor to set the spacing bar to hold the lift arms to the correct width for the implement. So ,off the seat to set the spacing bar. On to the seat to back the tractor to the implement. Off the seat to remove the spacing bar. Back on to the seat to drive away. I could have lived with this except -
2. The added space requirement for both quick hitches, extended my PTO shafts beyond the minimum recommended engagement dimension. I think that was 6". I was not willing to purchase new PTO shafts
3. I just didn't like the idea of the additional torque being exerted on the lift arms (and tractor) by moving the earth engaging implements back the additional 4 inches that is required by the quick hitches.
Had Pat's Quick and returned it for following reasons:
1. Had to get off the tractor to set the spacing bar to hold the lift arms to the correct width for the implement. So ,off the seat to set the spacing bar. On to the seat to back the tractor to the implement. Off the seat to remove the spacing bar. Back on to the seat to drive away. I could have lived with this except -
2. The added space requirement for both quick hitches, extended my PTO shafts beyond the minimum recommended engagement dimension. I think that was 6". I was not willing to purchase new PTO shafts
3. I just didn't like the idea of the additional torque being exerted on the lift arms (and tractor) by moving the earth engaging implements back the additional 4 inches that is required by the quick hitches.
I have the weld on Pat's and love them. I went to the local Ag Supply and bought two new hitch balls, Had some new 2 1/2" x 1/2" flat bar. Made a new set of arms same length as original. Stabilizers are also ridged so no more chasing the arms. They are always the correct with apart. I will get some pictures when the backhoe comes off.
I have the bolt on Pats and love them compared to original factory setup. My implements are all different widths so without major modicications, this was the system for me, also with Hodges stabilizers hook up is a snap, no more chasing turnbuckles. All of my implements are on dollies so I roll them up to the tractor. Yes I have to get off the tractor but no tools are needed and everything can be installed in 1-2 minutes.
Food for thought, my dad has the green machine, installs Pats bolt on, leaves them on permanently. Already has a speeco quick hitch because he has like 5 tractors. Throws his speeco over his pats hitch for his imatch compatible, dont have to get off the seat, easy hook up implements.
Food for thought, my dad has the green machine, installs Pats bolt on, leaves them on permanently. Already has a speeco quick hitch because he has like 5 tractors. Throws his speeco over his pats hitch for his imatch compatible, dont have to get off the seat, easy hook up implements.
The product is fine but do not buy from Pats website because the return policy is a joke, no spacer bar, plus you will pay about $60 more than if you bought from Rural King: http://www.ruralking.com/pats-easy-c...t-1-w-bar.html. Even Amazon is a lot less.
85Hokie
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Equipment
BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
link did not work ....
thinking this is it:
looking at both links ---- still dont know why it didnt work ...but this does?
http://www.ruralking.com/pats-easy-change-cat-1-w-bar.html
I am having trouble finding a top link long enough for my L3901 outfitted with Pat's Quick Hitch. Went to Kubota...no joy. Bought a Cat 1 top link from Tractor Supply, but the ball socket size is too large. Any suggestions of where I can get one that fits? Thanks