Question for "Quick Hitch" Users

[Biggreenavalanche]

Question for those of you that utilize one of the "quick hitch" systems....Is it worth changing over ? If you don't mind, some pro's/con's ?

I have a Mahindra 4035, considering a swap to some sort of "quick hitch"...50 year old, bad back, tractor prim use is bush hogging, food plot maint, and some clearing and some dirt work...

Thanks in advance,

Rich

 

[dusty3030]

I used a JD Imatch, not the latest one, fixed top hook.

ITS AWESOME. Fix all your stuff to work with it, and forget it.

Benefits for me:
1. My back, safety - I don't have anyone to help me.
2. Time - I work a full time job and then some, the time saved for me doing the job instead of getting ready to do the job means actually being able to get it done before midnight.
3. Move stuff easy - I'll have stuff lined up sometimes, I can grab an implement and move it out of the way in order to get to something else easily.

Hope this helps. With a conventional quick hitch and hydraulic top link I can most times not get out of the seat to change implements.

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

Dusty,

Thanks for the quick answer...had a sneaky feeling the answers to my questions would end up costing me $$$ !! Other than the initial set up for your implements, any down side ? Ever had an implement come undone during use ?

Rich

 

[Sysop]

I've always been curious about the quick hitches too. I've always set implements off onto pallets or woodblocks or whatever to keep them off the ground and to make them easy to back up to for reconnecting. The hardest part of reconnecting has always been backing tractors up so both lower arms lined up with the pins. My Mahindra has the "nicer" links with the ends that will unlock and telescope slightly to help getting both sides connected even when the tractor is a bit "off". I've never had much issue reconnecting with these.

Besides not having to install the lynch pins on the lower arms, how does the quickhitch stuff help? Don't you still need to climb off the tractor and attach the top link and PTO? Either I'm missing something or the main benefit I see is the fact it gets the implements a couple inches farther from the rear tires and gives more room to work. Not needing to install the lower lynch pins seems like a minimal timesaver.

The main reason I've considered quickhitch kits is due to the PTO extender making the PTO release easier to get to as my tractor has a rigid PTO shield rather than hinged.

 

[vabiker23518]

I received a quick hitch when I purchased a used tractor and some implements. I tried it; but to me, its easier to not use it. Agree with Sysop, the hardest part is lining up the lower arms and pins...but I find it easier than the quick hitch.

 

[orangeandgreen]

I like the speed with which I can hook up my QH compatible implements. Back up, lift the implement, flip the locks down from the seat, hook up the PTO shaft : DONE.
Unfortunately, some of my implements aren't QH compatible, so I either use the adapter bracket for the top link or completely remove the QH for my CAT 2 implements.
All that to say if all your implements are compatible I think you will love it, if not, you will have mixed feelings.

 

[murphy1244]

I bought a Land Pride QH and had it now for 6 months. I would not go without one now. I have most of my implements on skids with wheels. All I have to do is back up in the barn pull up the skid, Pull up the handles and disconnect the PTO if used. Go to next implement and hook up and go.

 

[Sysop]

orangeandgreen: You can hook the PTO shaft up from the seat too? How's this work? In the "backing up" part, is there something that makes backing up with quickhitch easier? I guess my question is, if you can't get it lined up with standard hitches, how would lining it up with quickhitches be easier? Lining it all up was where I had the most difficulty and what led me to initially start looking at how quickhitches may help.

All I have to do is adjust the width for whatever attachment I'm putting on, hop on the tractor, back it up within a few inches, hop down and kick the releases for the lower arms and slide them on the pins and pop in the lynch pins, connect the PTO and top link, make whatever top link adjustments I want, hop on the tractor and lift the implement or backup to lock the lower arms and off I go. Now that I've gotten a good bit of practice at it, my average time for changing (removing and installing) implements is about 4-7 minutes (depending on which implements I'm changing between) and still, when it takes me longer it's cause I can't get backed into it properly.

I'm not spry, and I'm rather battered but not to the point of a disability.

 

[dusty3030]

I've always been curious about the quick hitches too. I've always set implements off onto pallets or woodblocks or whatever to keep them off the ground and to make them easy to back up to for reconnecting. The hardest part of reconnecting has always been backing tractors up so both lower arms lined up with the pins. My Mahindra has the "nicer" links with the ends that will unlock and telescope slightly to help getting both sides connected even when the tractor is a bit "off". I've never had much issue reconnecting with these.

Besides not having to install the lynch pins on the lower arms, how does the quickhitch stuff help? Don't you still need to climb off the tractor and attach the top link and PTO? Either I'm missing something or the main benefit I see is the fact it gets the implements a couple inches farther from the rear tires and gives more room to work. Not needing to install the lower lynch pins seems like a minimal timesaver.

The main reason I've considered quickhitch kits is due to the PTO extender making the PTO release easier to get to as my tractor has a rigid PTO shield rather than hinged.

Top link, no, the top link hook on my quick hitch hooks right up.
PTO, yes, you have to get off and hook or unhook the PTO.

I've got a hydraulic top link, I adjust it from the seat.

If I had a sub compact or smaller sized tractor it wouldn't be as much of a difference, but since my stuff is heavy and not easy to manhandle quick hitch makes me more productive.

The bigger the tractor and the bigger the implements the more difference it makes.

 

[Sysop]

The bigger the tractor and the bigger the implements the more difference it makes.

That makes gobs of sense.

Although even though my stuff is small by comparison to many, it's too much for me to "manhandle". If I don't line it up right, I have to start over.

 

[jeff9366]

I will be different.

I recommend pin-adjustable rigid stabilizers. I bought mine from Stabilworks.

You pin the lower links open to the width of your draw pins, back up, un-pin one side, and push the lower link eyes over the draw pins.

Requires no additional paraphernalia on your implements, and you preserve leveling function of the eyes.

PTO shaft extensions not required. Proprietary lynch pins not required.

Reinforces lower links on rare occasions when you may wish to PUSH with the tractor in reverse.

You do have to get down off the tractor......

I am 66 and have the same wear-and-tear body issues.

Kubota tractor stabilizers Kubota [url]www.stabilworks.com - YouTube[/url]

 

[Sysop]

Those are the types of stabilizers my tractor shipped with. Mine are installed on the outsides of the arms and extended to limit the side to side travel whereas yours would be shortened to limit the travel. It appears from the image the connections on the tractor are spaced much wider on mine. Only image handy doesn't have the 3pt stuff in place.



I'll snap one with them on first chance I get.

I do agree they're much faster than having to crank on a turnbuckle to a width to get past the pins, then having to crank on them again once on the pins to adjust/limit travel. As far as that goes quickhitch may help with turnbuckles some due to the proper width for the implement only needing dialed in once per hook-up.

 

[Smallplot]

Would love to use them (actually have two, one class I and the other a class II). Found too many times had to swap the quick hitch between implements and too many times the darn top link pin would catch not allowing the hitch to fall into correct place. Easier to just leave it off.

 

[ovrszd]

In the "backing up" part, is there something that makes backing up with quickhitch easier? I guess my question is, if you can't get it lined up with standard hitches, how would lining it up with quickhitches be easier? Lining it all up was where I had the most difficulty and what led me to initially start looking at how quickhitches may help.

All I have to do is adjust the width for whatever attachment I'm putting on, hop on the tractor, back it up within a few inches, hop down and kick the releases for the lower arms and slide them on the pins and pop in the lynch pins, connect the PTO and top link, make whatever top link adjustments I want, hop on the tractor and lift the implement or backup to lock the lower arms and off I go.

As to the backing up part. With a Quick Hitch and compatible equipment the backing up part is extremely simple. The pins are the right width everytime. All it takes is a close to straight back up and you pick up the attachment, top link and all. No pins, no telescoping latches, no telescoping sway bar pins, no loose parts. If you've never tried a Quick Hitch I can't explain to you how easy it is.

Your description of hooking to an attachment wore me out just to read it.

If I'm hooking to a PTO attachment such as my 2000lb 10' JD brush cutter. I back up to the cutter and lift it with the Quick Hitch. Get off the tractor and latch the QH, then couple the PTO. Done. RARELY takes 60 seconds. Sometimes as little as 30 seconds.

If unhooking the cutter. I get off the tractor and unhook the PTO and unlatch the QH. Get back on and set the cutter down using the 3pt and drive away.

Again, if you've never used a QH it's hard to imagine how easy they are. I run a hydraulic top link and hydraulic side link. Since I've put the QH on my tractor I've never taken it off. See no reason to.

As someone else mentioned, I run CAT II equipment. You don't yank around on it and move it to the perfect spot if you miss a little when backing up to it.

If you can get past the initial cost of the QH and any modifications you might have to make to the attachments it's a great tool.

 

[ovrszd]

Would love to use them (actually have two, one class I and the other a class II). Found too many times had to swap the quick hitch between implements and too many times the darn top link pin would catch not allowing the hitch to fall into correct place. Easier to just leave it off.

I didn't quite understand having to swap the quick hitch between implements?? You mean CAT I equipment versus CAT II equipment?? Yeah, that would suck.

As for the top link not "catching". I will admit I'm spoiled there. I run a hydraulic top link. Eliminates all that problem.

I'm sure you can advertise your Quick Hitches and sell them both. There are always people looking for one.

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

I've always been curious about the quick hitches too. I've always set implements off onto pallets or woodblocks or whatever to keep them off the ground and to make them easy to back up to for reconnecting. The hardest part of reconnecting has always been backing tractors up so both lower arms lined up with the pins. My Mahindra has the "nicer" links with the ends that will unlock and telescope slightly to help getting both sides connected even when the tractor is a bit "off". I've never had much issue reconnecting with these.

Besides not having to install the lynch pins on the lower arms, how does the quickhitch stuff help? Don't you still need to climb off the tractor and attach the top link and PTO? Either I'm missing something or the main benefit I see is the fact it gets the implements a couple inches farther from the rear tires and gives more room to work. Not needing to install the lower lynch pins seems like a minimal timesaver.

The main reason I've considered quickhitch kits is due to the PTO extender making the PTO release easier to get to as my tractor has a rigid PTO shield rather than hinged.

Got the same tractor...good questions...interested in the answers...thanks...

 

[Sysop]

I am seeing there's allot more to "quickhitch" than described in all the quickhitch kits advertised all over such as Pat's Easy Change system, the ones at TSC, and other places, and the claims some make of how these two little addons will make every day sunny with rainbows and fluffy bunnies in top hats dance at your feet. To me a system like Pat's or the TSC stuff isn't worth the money to be able to save the two seconds of popping in the lynch pins when I'm back there dealing with connecting the PTO anyway. I've also came to the conclusion it doesn't matter what system it is, if you don't get backed up to it quite right, you're still stuck starting over.

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

seems mostly positive...a few neg though...I am going to hydraulic top&tilt and was thinking about just going ahead and making the swap to quick hitch...lot to spend to get all my attachments compatible, lot to think about...

 

[dusty3030]

Every since I got one I think my sticker pecks out a little further, my wife says I look taller, and by golly I think the birds do sing a little sweeter now when they see me walk by. :laughing:

 

[ovrszd]

I am seeing there's allot more to "quickhitch" than described in all the quickhitch kits advertised all over such as Pat's Easy Change system, the ones at TSC, and other places, and the claims some make of how these two little addons will make every day sunny with rainbows and fluffy bunnies in top hats dance at your feet. To me a system like Pat's or the TSC stuff isn't worth the money to be able to save the two seconds of popping in the lynch pins when I'm back there dealing with connecting the PTO anyway. I've also came to the conclusion it doesn't matter what system it is, if you don't get backed up to it quite right, you're still stuck starting over.

Yeah Sysop, don't get confused. Pat's Easy Change system is not a Quick Hitch. I used a set of Pat's on a tractor with rigid lower links and found them useful. If you have telescoping lower links the gain isn't quite as much.

As for the rainbows and fluffy bunnies, I've honestly not saw any but sometimes when I hit the pins just right the first time I hear Angels singing. And I ALWAYS get back on the tractor with a smile on my face after completing the hookup.

A Quick Hitch system uses hooks for the two lower links and a hook for the top link. Once you have picked up the attachment you lock the lower hooks so the attachment can't "hop" off the hooks.

Here's a couple pics I took when adding my hydraulic top and side links. You can see the "hook" design I'm talking about and the handles at the top of the beam at each end are what latches the lower hooks onto the attachment pins.