3-Point Hitch Quick Hitch won't fit on my XR4140

[ColoradoBound]

I got a new quick hitch and it won't fit on the 3-point arms. The ball (don't know the correct term) at the end of the 3-point arm is too wide to fit in the "pocket" on the back of the quick hitch. Has anyone else had this issue? If so how did you fix it?

 

[George2615]

I have a HF quick hitch on my XR3037HC (same lower arms). What hitch did you buy?
Are the balls turned? They have to be turned so the pins will go through.

 

[CADplans]

I would contact LS and ask that they supply industry standard hitch arms.
If the balls will not fit the QH,, they will not fit any 3 point attachment.

 

[ColoradoBound]

The quick hitch came from Tool-Tuff and seems to be built like a tank.

The balls fit all my 3-point implements fine.

They are not turned. The issue is not getting the pins in, it is getting the balls in the "pocket". They are just too wide to fit.

 

[George2615]

Sounds like Tool-Tuff messed up on building the hitch. Is there any way to spread the pocket so they fit. Their site claims its the same hitch sold at TSC stores.

 

[bruceatlam]

You have me confused. All quick hitches that I'm familiar with will fit the existing "balls" in the ends of your lower arms. The pins that come with the quick hitch do not require you to change the balls. You buy a Cat1 quick hitch and it fits the existing balls. If you have a Cat2 hitch on your tractor, you buy a Cat2 quick hitch. Why are you trying to "get the balls in the pocket"? Are you trying to make a Cat2 quick hitch fit your Cat1 tractor 3 point hitch?? A picture would help me I think.

 

[ColoradoBound]

Let me see if I can explain what I am talking about.

The pins that came with the quick hitch fit in the holes in the balls just fine but on the quick hitch itself the balls fit between to metals plates on the quick hitch and then the pins go though those plates and the holes in the balls. The balls won't fit between the 2 metal plates on the quick hitch.

I don't know if the balls are a bit wider than normal or if the quick hitch "pocket" is a bit narrower than normal.

 

[ColoradoBound]

Sounds like Tool-Tuff messed up on building the hitch. Is there any way to spread the pocket so they fit. Their site claims its the same hitch sold at TSC stores.

I would like to spread the pockets a bit but I'm not sure what to use. The metal is pretty heavy gauge and I'm not sure it I have anything strong enough to spread it.

 

[George2615]

You have me confused. All quick hitches that I'm familiar with will fit the existing "balls" in the ends of your lower arms. The pins that come with the quick hitch do not require you to change the balls. You buy a Cat1 quick hitch and it fits the existing balls. If you have a Cat2 hitch on your tractor, you buy a Cat2 quick hitch. Why are you trying to "get the balls in the pocket"? Are you trying to make a Cat2 quick hitch fit your Cat1 tractor 3 point hitch?? A picture would help me I think.

His tractor is Cat I. Even if he bought a Cat II hitch by accident it would still fit the 3 pt. but the QH lower mount holes would be larger than his Cat I pins. I'd like to see a pic of his QH too. It wouldn't be the first time the builder messed up. I had to rebuild the first QH I bought from HF because it wasn't wide enough to fit Cat I implements. I think they sold me a mis labelled Cat 0 hitch.

If the balls are are only lacking 1/16" of going into the QH it seems like you have 3 choices. Exchange the hitch for one that fits, sell it and buy a different brand QH, grind 1/16" off the lower arm balls so it will fit in the improperly built QH.

 

[ColoradoBound]

I'd like to see a pic of his QH too. It wouldn't be the first time the builder messed up.

I will try to get a picture this afternoon.

 

[cford36]

I would contact LS and ask that they supply industry standard hitch arms.
If the balls will not fit the QH,, they will not fit any 3 point attachment.

I can't understand people that jump to make comments like this other than to take every opportunity to try to bash a company. With the minimal info and no pics from the OP, and no other LS owners reporting any problems before this how about try to rule out the more likely problems first.

 

[CADplans]

I can't understand people that jump to make comments like this other than to take every opportunity to try to bash a company. With the minimal info and no pics from the OP, and no other LS owners reporting any problems before this how about try to rule out the more likely problems first.

Lets see,, he gives us ZERO info to work with,,,
so we need to give him some reason to check what he has,,, and respond.
SOMETHING is wrong, the items are not in my driveway,,,
if he does nothing,, nothing will happen.
No company bashing,, just inspiring.

What exactly did your response do to help the OP?

 

[cford36]

Lets see,, he gives us ZERO info to work with,,,
so we need to give him some reason to check what he has,,, and respond.
SOMETHING is wrong, the items are not in my driveway,,,
if he does nothing,, nothing will happen.
No company bashing,, just inspiring.

What exactly did your response do to help the OP?

That was my point! You even read your response, or mine for that matter? How about we get more info before you tell him to contact his tractor manufacturer to "ask that they supply industry standard hitch arms".

"just inspiring".....not exactly.

Sorry to the OP. Done with the side track.

Waiting on some pics so hopefully we can give some help.

 

[redshirt]

Sounds like he has a clevis style hitch that the balls will not fit in. Bend the quick hitch arm a little bit and balls should fit.

 

[kthompson]

If you pull up "tool tuff on ebay", where he bought the hitch you can see the design. There is a gap the balls on the lift arm must slide into to be pinned. This info is in he second post.

A suggestion is to measure the width you have to slide the balls into and if you are where you can measure the width of the balls on other tractor arms. If you keep the quick hitch on guess grinding the sides of the ball a little will harm nothing, but the grinding does change the balls from being round and if you drove the tractor with no implement or quick hitch installed, it might allow the now not full size balls to rotate where the thinner ball could drop out the lift arm. Could not happen with any thing running the the lift arm.

It would seem one of two issues here or both combined: the balls on your lift arm are larger in diameter thus wider than standard which makes the question of asking the tractor company for arms that are industry standard sensible or the gap on the quick hitch is too narrow which the tractor would not be the fault or you may find both companies blew it.

 

[bruceatlam]

Alright I see (can understand) your problem. I'm not sure how much extra clearance you need in order to be able to slide the lower lift arm balls into the QH but I'm thinking you need just a small fraction of an inch extra clearance. So, assuming I'm right, here's what I would do:

1. Take your 4" hand held grinder and try to expand the width between the two sides of the pocket in the QH. Try to take a wee bit off both sides to see if you can get that extra fraction of an inch.

or

2. Take your porta power and see if you can insert the hydraulic spreader between the sides of the pocket and expand the pocket just a bit.

If none of that works or makes any sense for you, call up Tool Tuff ---- you can't be the only one with the problem. But if you are the only one ---- they may be able to exchange the one that they shipped to you with one with more clearance.

 

[PJSprog]

Everyone keeps citing "industry standard" here. I did a quick Google search, and couldn't easily find what the "standard" dimensions are supposed to be ... beyond the distances between pins. Does anyone know exactly what the dimension is supposed to be for that ball, or have a link to the information? That would make it pretty easy to determine if the problem is the ball or the QH.

 

[ColoradoBound]

I got the balls to fit. I just filed a slight amount off the sides of the balls. It is a tight fit but it does fit.

I did not file enough off to where the balls would fall out if they rotated in the arms.

I am pretty sure that it is the QH's problem not the LS. I am guessing that everything was correct when they built it and then they powder coated it which made the tolerances tighter.

Thanks for everyones suggestions.

 

[bruceatlam]

The standards show 35mm as the width of that ball with a deviation of +0 and -2. I'll attach the hitch standards.

View attachment Three Point Hitch Geometry.pdf

 

[jb1390]

I got the balls to fit. I just filed a slight amount off the sides of the balls. It is a tight fit but it does fit.

I did not file enough off to where the balls would fall out if they rotated in the arms.

I am pretty sure that it is the QH's problem not the LS. I am guessing that everything was correct when they built it and then they powder coated it which made the tolerances tighter.

Thanks for everyones suggestions.

I had the same issue with the quick hitch I put on my Mahindra. I ended up slicing the hitch below the hole, spreading it a bit, and welded it back together. Slides on nice now.