Quick hitch with 2 inch receiver , will it cause PTO interference ?

[ken erickson]

Finally ordered and received a cheap Amazon quick hitch for my L2501. This one has a 2 inch receiver welded to the horizontal cross bar. The Amazon website included a picture of cutting off the receiver with a angle grinder if it interferes with a pto shaft.

The only implement I have with a pto shaft is a Landpride light duty rotary cutter.

I figured if it does interfere I will cut it off and then have a ready made receiver that I could use on the front bucket lip or find a use elsewhere for it.

Has anyone used a quick hitch with this feature and have pto shaft interference issues? It seem to me that the gear box for the cutter sits pretty low to start with, and when raising the 3 point would this not give even more clearance?

Anyways, love to hear from those that might have gone this route. It will be a few weeks or so before I get a chance to set the hitch up and connect to the cutter.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I’ve not seen a element before that the marketing suggests ‘removable with angle grinder’…

I’ve not used that before but inside suspect your range of motion is going to be implement and angle of terrain specific. I would wonder would worst case being full up position or maybe actually in the down position? I’d keep an eye on it.

From the pics, I sure don’t see much wild to it…which I would wonder is it easy to remove or should not be expected to holding weight or durability for repeated use…does it require someone to finish welding it? I ask that based on the picture where to me it looks tacked in place compared to how I would weld it. (The pics look generated (AI? Or maybe cad?) to me vs something that was actually fabricated / welded - real).

I hope it has more weld to it in person when you receive…if not my recommendation would be proceed with caution. I want to respectfully say I am not knocking what you bought, but I don’t see a bead of weld in the pics.

As far as your actual question or thread, I think it depends on your intended use. Do you plan to use with pto or just using the hitch mount?

 

[ken erickson]

Thanks for you input, Those phots are sans welds, and suspect they are marketing or AI generated photos. When you look at photos of the real item it is of course welded.

I am more interested in real world use and if folks find the pto shaft will commonly interfere. When looking at videos of brush cutters in action with quick hitches there seems to be an abundance of clearance between the bottom of the receiver and the top of the pto shaft.

One of the reviewer pictures.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Thanks for you input, Those phots are sans welds, and suspect they are marketing or AI generated photos. When you look at photos of the real item it is of course welded.

I am more interested in real world use and if folks find the pto shaft will commonly interfere. When looking at videos of brush cutters in action with quick hitches there seems to be an abundance of clearance between the bottom of the receiver and the top of the pto shaft.

One of the reviewer pictures.

View attachment 170982

What’s with the dongle hanging down? Seems like that is a trailing link for the top link but it looks pinned through the receiver hitch? What’s that for? Maybe I misunderstand the implement?

 

[ken erickson]

It is a floating top link adapter. I am sure it was placed there for shipping purposes as to not get lost. Still has the protective wrap on it.

My Landpride rotary cutter is one of the early quick hitch compatible ones built. The new style does not require a separate floating top link adapter.

I am hoping the one that comes with the quick hitch will work. This is the kit that Kubota sells for my cutter if hooking up to a quick hitch.

 

[McMXi]

It is a floating top link adapter. I am sure it was placed there for shipping purposes as to not get lost. Still has the protective wrap on it.

My Landpride rotary cutter is one of the early quick hitch compatible ones built. The new style does not require a separate floating top link adapter.

I am hoping the one that comes with the quick hitch will work. This is the kit that Kubota sells for my cutter if hooking up to a quick hitch.

View attachment 170983

Thanks for posting that information. I have those parts in my toolbox and couldn't figure out where they came from or what they're for. Not sure what I bought that would have included that kit. Perhaps the QH15.

 

[McMXi]

Thanks for you input, Those phots are sans welds, and suspect they are marketing or AI generated photos. When you look at photos of the real item it is of course welded.

I am more interested in real world use and if folks find the pto shaft will commonly interfere. When looking at videos of brush cutters in action with quick hitches there seems to be an abundance of clearance between the bottom of the receiver and the top of the pto shaft.

One of the reviewer pictures.

View attachment 170982

It's hard to say if you'll have interference but I tend to think you should be fine. I run a QH10 on the MX and here's a photo of the RCR1884 behind my first MX with the QH10 on the back. Obviously it doesn't have a receiver welded to the underside of the top tube, but as @GrumpyFarmer mentioned, you'll have to watch the PTO shaft as you move around the property since some situations or orientations might be a problem.

Obviously, the most likely scenario for interference is if the tractor is heading up a hill as the cutter is heading down a hill e.g. crossing a ditch or something.

 

[GeoHorn]

First, let me say that I could have saved you some money buying a QH… you could HAVE MINE…. as I’ve found it so troublesome it’s relegated to the corner of the shed now for 15 years.

Second, let me caution you that pulling a trailer (or anything else) with a receiver on a QH can lead to injury….. because as your slow-down and BRAKE…the QH will “ride up” on the 3-point. The trailer can OVER-RUN the tractor and Injure you because the 3-pt has no down-force.
(Some folks chain-down …. (or bolt-down with braces)… the 3-pt…which can lead to damage to the tractor and 3-pt when you forget and try to raise it.

Running a shredder or mower using a QH adds unnecessary looseness to the implement connection and can allow the mower to “swing“ excessively, and to add wear-and-tear to the PTO shaft.
If a shredder/mower has already had it’s pto-shaft shortened…it may not even FIT the 3-pt hitch anymore. (and even if it does…..the sliding-shaft will lose a certain amount of “purchase”. … Watch-out for that because if the shaft separates while under-way it can sling and injure or kill you.)
On top of that, if you mow on un-even ground…for example, enter and leave a “swale”…. you can bend the driveshaft because the QH can interfere.

Only “tow” a trailer on a 3-point hitch if you realize that going DOWN-HILL can allow the trailer to OVER-RUN you…and if you Turn the tractor… the QH, when it rides-Up…can OVER-TURN you!

It’s always Best to TOW only on the draw-bar, and keep the hitch LOW. (below the tractor rear-axle.)

PS: If you’d grabbed my QH instead of buying one….. you could have avoided the trouble of cutting-off that useless and dangerous receiver on your new QH…thereby saving your next owner of it the trouble, as well as maybe saving him from injury.

QH = POS

(I’m thinking it might make a good trot-line anchor.)

 

[Bee-Positive]

You might want to look at the top hook that comes with it also. A lot of the inexpensive units come with top hooks that don't protrude out far enough, like my HF QH. Replacements can be found for around $20 on the net.

 

[McMXi]

@ken erickson, don't believe everything you read. Towing from the drawbar is preferable but you can easily tow from a QH and safely chain it to the drawbar to prevent problems. I bet that those who see no benefit of a QH don't have top-n-tilt. I started out with a QH05 on the BX25 more than 10 years ago and despite not having top-n-tilt on that tractor I still found it very useful.

After more than 10 years using quick hitches I recently bought a fourth at some considerable expense. I currently have a QH10, QH15 and recently bought a QH20. I want to be able to pick up the Buhler/Farm King rear blade easily, and then swap it for the EA box blade or EA land leveler in just a couple of minutes. Quick Hitches work exceptionally well for that, and as for QHs being a problem running a cutter out back, that's utter rubbish.

 

[ken erickson]

@ken erickson, don't believe everything you read. Towing from the drawbar is preferable but you can easily tow from a QH and safely chain it to the drawbar to prevent problems. I bet that those who see no benefit of a QH don't have top-n-tilt. I started out with a QH05 on the BX25 more than 10 years ago and despite not having top-n-tilt on that tractor I still found it very useful.

After more than 10 years using quick hitches I recently bought a fourth at some considerable expense. I currently have a QH10, QH15 and recently bought a QH20. I want to be able to pick up the Buhler/Farm King rear blade easily, and then swap it for the EA box blade or EA land leveler in just a couple of minutes. Quick Hitches work exceptionally well for that, and as for QHs being a problem running a cutter out back, that's utter rubbish.

I suspect your spot on and I am looking forward to getting it set up and figuring it out for myself.

The main reason I am trying the quick hitch is that me being in a wheelchair full time I enlist the help of poor souls (tongue in cheek, my friends and family are happy to help) to help swap from box blade to brush cutter. Some helpers have tractor experience, others not so much. I want to make it as easy as I can on my helpers!

 

[McMXi]

I suspect your spot on and I am looking forward to getting it set up and figuring it out for myself.

The main reason I am trying the quick hitch is that me being in a wheelchair full time I enlist the help of poor souls (tongue in cheek, my friends and family are happy to help) to help swap from box blade to brush cutter. Some helpers have tractor experience, others not so much. I want to make it as easy as I can on my helpers!

If there was a way to unlock/lock the levers hydraulically you wouldn't need any help. That would be a functional upgrade. By the way, you don't need to have the levers up in order to pick up an implement if the implement is heavy enough, at least not with LP QH models. Do you have top-n-tilt? It makes a QH even more useful since it doesn't matter how the implement is sitting (within reason) when you want to pick it up. But even without t-n-t, it's much easier to connect to and pick up an implement with a QH. Looking forward to hearing how you like it, how it works for you, etc.

 

[Old Machinist]

If it isn't too late to cancel the order I recommend anyone starting from scratch to pony up for the SpeeCo hitch. By the time you bushing everything to fit the cheap ones you could have just bought one that fits CAT1 pins.

I imagine that 2" receiver will interfere with any PTO implement.

Whether you will have PTO interference with it cut off depends on the height of the lift pins on the PTO implement. Most tillers and brush mowers will have the lift pins at a level it won't be a problem. Some finish mowers will have floating pins low enough the shaft may contact the hitch even with the receiver cut off.

I had that issue with my RFM and eventually modified my QH to gain more clearance for the driveshaft when I raise the mower. My shaft would touch the hitch and tear up the protection sleeve if I raised the mower with it running.





Most of us QH users had a Love/Hate relationship with them in the beginning. After you get everything modified to work with one you won't go back.

A big part of the problem is implement manufacturers didn't build in compliance with the CAT 1 standards. Mainly where the height of the top link in relation to the lift pins are concerned. I have modified all my implements so the top hook engages in it's lowest setting. This is lower than the standard but it happened to be where my first hookup worked. It also allows room for the floating mower adaptor to be swung forward when not in use and rearward when hooking up a mower without removing the hook.

That floating mower adaptor doesn't work in all instances. On my brush mower I use the top hook and connect a bolt through the top hole of the hook and the lower hole in the QH. I have to hook it on the mower's top pin before putting the bolt in. It floats there and won't come unhooked. On my RFM I use one of the U shaped adaptors that I leave connected and just swing it forward when not in use.

 

[ken erickson]

If there was a way to unlock/lock the levers hydraulically you wouldn't need any help. That would be a functional upgrade. By the way, you don't need to have the levers up in order to pick up an implement if the implement is heavy enough, at least not with LP QH models. Do you have top-n-tilt? It makes a QH even more useful since it doesn't matter how the implement is sitting (within reason) when you want to pick it up. But even without t-n-t, it's much easier to connect to and pick up an implement with a QH. Looking forward to hearing how you like it, how it works for you, etc.

I do not have top-n-tilt. A upgrade that would be worth while!

I typically only switch between a box blade and rotary cutter. I still have that pesky pto shaft connection! lol. Might look into one of the quick attache pto solutions down the line. People struggle getting in-between the lift arms etc and then deal with a heavy pto shaft and getting it lined up with the splines. I can imagine that the quick hitch might even constrict access even more.

 

[ken erickson]

If it isn't too late to cancel the order I recommend anyone starting from scratch to pony up for the SpeeCo hitch. By the time you bushing everything to fit the cheap ones you could have just bought one that fits CAT1 pins.

I imagine that 2" receiver will interfere with any PTO implement.

Whether you will have PTO interference with it cut off depends on the height of the lift pins on the PTO implement. Most tillers and brush mowers will have the lift pins at a level it won't be a problem. Some finish mowers will have floating pins low enough the shaft may contact the hitch even with the receiver cut off.

I had that issue with my RFM and eventually modified my QH to gain more clearance for the driveshaft when I raise the mower. My shaft would touch the hitch and tear up the protection sleeve if I raised the mower with it running.

View attachment 170999

View attachment 171000

Most of us QH users had a Love/Hate relationship with them in the beginning. After you get everything modified to work with one you won't go back.

A big part of the problem is implement manufacturers didn't build in compliance with the CAT 1 standards. Mainly where the height of the top link in relation to the lift pins are concerned. I have modified all my implements so the top hook engages in it's lowest setting. This is lower than the standard but it happened to be where my first hookup worked. It also allows room for the floating mower adaptor to be swung forward when not in use and rearward when hooking up a mower without removing the hook.

That floating mower adaptor doesn't work in all instances. On my brush mower I use the top hook and connect a bolt through the top hole of the hook and the lower hole in the QH. I have to hook it on the mower's top pin before putting the bolt in. It floats there and won't come unhooked. On my RFM I use one of the U shaped adaptors that I leave connected and just swing it forward when not in use.

Thank you for your input! The only pto driven implement is my rotary cutter so hoping it will not be a clearance issue with receiver left in place.

I like your solution giving more clearance!

This quick hitch is like the SpeedCO in that it is set up for standard class 1 pin diameters so bushing will not be an issue for me. At least until that point that end up with a implement that uses class 2 pins which I do not see in my future.

 

[McMXi]

I do not have top-n-tilt. A upgrade that would be worth while!

I typically only switch between a box blade and rotary cutter. I still have that pesky pto shaft connection! lol. Might look into one of the quick attache pto solutions down the line. People struggle getting in-between the lift arms etc and then deal with a heavy pto shaft and getting it lined up with the splines. I can imagine that the quick hitch might even constrict access even more.

I used to grumble about PTO shafts until I got the RC3712. The PTO shaft on that thing is massive and heavy and it's no fun to hook up.

 

[McMXi]

I do not have top-n-tilt. A upgrade that would be worth while!

A game changer for sure. If you have the rear remotes it's so worth it to invest in top-n-tilt for many reasons, the ability to move the QH around when connecting to an implement being one of them.

 

[mikester]

Get one of these and forget the QH with the built in receiver that sits way to low for a PTO shaft.

I had to modify my Speeco QH because it interferes with the PTO shaft on some implements