Telescoping Lower Links vs Pat's Easy Change

[RidgeHiker]

Telescoping lower links or Pat's Easy Change. Not sure which is the best option. Have never used the telescoping links.

Pat's:
Pro
Just lift and hooks onto implement.
Lower price (unless I buy telescoping stabilizers).

Con
Still have to get the right angle between the tractor and the implement. My snowblower weighs nearly 800 lbs. and is on bare ground or gravel.
Tractor is already long. Pat's adds another 4". Especially when snow blowing there are a lot of things I have to maneuver around that I prefer not to destroy.
May need longer top link (have not measured it yet).
Extra 4" lowers the weight lifting capacity some but that does not seem to be much of an issue here.

Telescoping:
Pro
Don't need to fiddle around getting angles just right or trying to move 800 lbs with a pry bar on the ground.
Does not add extra length.

Con
Price, though Kioti kit includes telescoping stabilizer arms so that seems like a significant advantage. If I added those with Pat's price would be at least as much.
Still have to slip link ends over implement pins.

Already have a regular quick attach but the structure is making it more difficult to get the pto shaft angles I want.
Are telescoping stabilizer bars a big advantage with Pat's?

Thanks for your assistance!

 

[sodamo]

Never had Pat’s, but 3 tractors with telescoping and won’t get one without. Doesn’t Pat’s just try to duplicate telescoping?

 

[RidgeHiker]

Pats is more like regular quick attach without top link.

 

[ptsg]

Although I don't have Pat's, I have what most likely Pat's is based on. The standard European Quick hook style:



In my opinion, this style is much stronger than the Pat's one, plus it's already welded on the lift arms, so no extra length there. The ball allows for more freedom of movement to prevent binding on any height position and allows you to offset the implement to one side or the other if it really needs. It will also self latch once the ball gets in.

Now, this style of hook won't need telescoping arms but it will surely benefit from telescopic stabilizers as it prevents the arm from moving around when trying to hook up to an implement.

 

[npalen]

I've found that a hydraulic top link that can be operated from the rear of the tractor is a tremendous aid when attaching 3PH implements. The only thing better is the hydraulic top link combined with a hydraulic side (lower) link.
Hook the top link to the implement first then use it to move the implement back and forth to align the lower links horizontally. Get the side links close using the 3PH up/down lever and then use the hydraulic side link to fine adjust for pin alignment.
Then, when operating the tractor with 3PH implement, the hydraulic top and side links will make life so much easier and more efficient. I like the telescopic stabilizer links also as they keep the lower links spread apart to clear the implement pins when backing up to the implement.
Another thing I like about all the above is no extra length on the 3PH to reduce lift capacity and no change in PTO length.

 

[jenkinsph]

It is important to consider that use of attachments can change over the years, My take would be to add telescopic links when buying a tractor . Regardless of whether you choose a quick hitch or Pat's.

I prefer quick hitch with hydraulic top and side links. Life is too short to stress over implement changes. Most changes can be done from the seat with one person.

 

[mikester]

How do you keep the Pats lift arms at the right width? Do you use a spacer bar? How does that work without interfering with the PTO? How much does it offset the PTO shaft? Any problems requiring new PTO tubes?

Ive seen knock off on sale at PrincessAuto and was considering getting them, but I figured whats the point if I still have to get off the tractor and mess around with getting them lined up with the pins. I have the C bracket quick hitch system but I cant use it on all my implements.

 

[dodge man]

I have Pats and I’m not sure what you mean when you say you have to get the angle right? With something heavy you would have to back up the correct distance to the implement so Pats is lined up with the rods on the implement. That would be the only thing telescoping links would help with. It’s not that hard to do without them. Pats also comes with a light weight bar that is used to hold your arms open the correct width. Once you get the implement hooked up you can remove it. Pats more or less acts like a quick hitch without a automatic top link. So far I’ve gotten by without a new top link but it is near maxed out. Like you say it does move the implement further back a little.

The reason I got Pats? Cheap. A JD I-Match is almost $500 and Pats is about 1/4 that.

 

[dodge man]

The spacer bar is down low so I don’t see how it would interfere with the PTO shaft. If your PTO was barely long enough you would need a new one but most would have an extra length needed.

With Pats I back up to the implement. The spacer bar keeps the arms spread open. I then lift the the three point arms to engage the pins on the implement. You may have to back up or pull forward to get it lined up close. Then lift the 3 point to engage the pins. Hop off and lock the pats to the pins and hook up the top link. Then there is hitch pins and washers you install on the holes in the implement pins to keep the lift arms from popping off the ends of the pins.

 

[ovrszd]

I vote for telescoping update.

I see no reason to add Pat's to telescoping links.

I think the time difference to hitch an implement, Pat's versus Telescoping, would be measured in a few seconds. Definitely less than a minute.

 

[jeff9366]

I see no reason to add Pat's to telescoping links.

I think the time difference to hitch an implement, Pat's versus Telescoping, would be measured in a few seconds. Definitely less than a minute.

^^^^^ I concur ^^^^^​

From the hundreds of posts on T-B-N regarding Pat's EZ Change it is clear steel used is good. Few reports of failures.

However, Pat's while adequate for 90% of tractor tasks has only a fraction of the strength of factory telescoping Lower Links.

If you have greater than moderate ground engagement tasks in mind, particularly PUSHING a ground engagement implement in reverse, go with telescoping Lower Links, not Pat's.

 

[Trillium Farm]

Why not get the arms that Kioti has and uses everywhere else in the world, xcept N. America, with the claws already in them? I'm sure the dealer can get them for you.
You may be able to sell the current ones and the new ones may not be all that much more than Pat's with all the bells & whistles. I like Pat's, but the added 4 or 6" can be a problem as you may have to also change the PTO shaft.

 

[ruffdog]

Two CONs of Pat's is the possibility of needing a longer PTO shaft and the questionable bent washer clip combo that keeps it from slipping off the implement.

My TC33D had telescoping arms and they did help hooking up equipment. The 3pt floats so you position the arms below the implements pins and lift by hand to slide on the pins...easy. I really don't want to add complexity to a straight forward attachment design using bolt-on end pieces. I would rather add telescoping arms to my toolcat than Pat's. :2cents:

 

[ovrszd]

All telescoping arms I've owned would relatch by design. Once the implement is attached, lift the 3pt and the implement will slide forward and relatch. Very clever design.

 

[old and tired]

I have two implements that really work better being 4" farther back. My chipper and my blower, both have a sharp pto angle to line them up and the extra 4" is nice. When the PTO shafts are too short, I use a PTO extender or the overrunning clutch (so that the internal L2800 overrunning clutch doesn't wear out).

To hold the 3ph arms in place, telescoping stabilizers were a great addition. Also, welding a nut onto a washer is better than the bent washers that come with Pat's!! Found that on TBN!

I would say, Telescoping Lower Links are really nice - I have used them and if I didn't need the extra space, would be nice to have.

 

[RidgeHiker]

"In my opinion, this style is much stronger than the Pat's one, plus it's already welded on the lift arms, so no extra length there. The ball allows for more freedom of movement to prevent binding on any height position and allows you to offset the implement to one side or the other if it really needs. It will also self latch once the ball gets in.

ptsg, not sure what you are referring to as the "ball".

 

[RidgeHiker]

"I have Pats and I知 not sure what you mean when you say you have to get the angle right? With something heavy you would have to back up the correct distance to the implement so Pats is lined up with the rods on the implement. That would be the only thing telescoping links would help with. It痴 not that hard to do without them. Pats also comes with a light weight bar that is used to hold your arms open the correct width. Once you get the implement hooked up you can remove it. Pats more or less acts like a quick hitch without a automatic top link. So far I致e gotten by without a new top link but it is near maxed out. Like you say it does move the implement further back a little."

Perhaps I am missing something here dodge man, but if the implement is not parallel to the hitches, ie the distance between one hitch to the implement pin is, greater than the other you have to either re-align the implement or the tractor.

 

[RidgeHiker]

"The spacer bar is down low so I don稚 see how it would interfere with the PTO shaft. If your PTO was barely long enough you would need a new one but most would have an extra length needed."

Dodge man I was referring to my current 3 point quick hitch that includes the top link.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

"In my opinion, this style is much stronger than the Pat's one, plus it's already welded on the lift arms, so no extra length there. The ball allows for more freedom of movement to prevent binding on any height position and allows you to offset the implement to one side or the other if it really needs. It will also self latch once the ball gets in.

ptsg, not sure what you are referring to as the "ball".

I believe that Kioti has the Euro styl QH hooks as an option. They simply replace the extendable link slide in part with a slide in hook.

The balls that the Euro hitch connect on are typically left in place on each implement.

Top link QH also pictured.

 

[old and tired]

...but if the implement is not parallel to the hitches, ie the distance between one hitch to the implement pin is, greater than the other you have to either re-align the implement or the tractor.

Not with the Telescoping Lower Links, if the angle is not parallel, one of the arms can be shorter than the other so you can connect to the implement. Once you pick up, they will lock in place equal distance.