Pat’s Quick Hitch / flail mower

[S854]

Recently purchased a Betstco flail and am thinking hard about Pat’s Quick Hitch for my new tractor…

The flail doesn’t appear to have room to “quick hitch” the traditional Pat’s way ( back up with the hooks under the pins and lift)…


Will Pat’s work with this setup? Not necessarily the quick hitch way, but can I remove the pins, get Pat into place then reinsert the pins? Not exactly easy, but the rest of my implements would be a breeze with Pat’s…

The other option, which sounds like a pain, would be to remove Pat when it’s time to mow and connect the old fashion way…

 

[workinonit]

What "room" is it missing?

 

[workinonit]

I modified my Maschio 300 to work with my JD Quickhitch. Without having a QH big ones like mine are a pain to attach.

 

[jfsawatzky]

Recently purchased a Betstco flail and am thinking hard about Pat’s Quick Hitch for my new tractor…

The flail doesn’t appear to have room to “quick hitch” the traditional Pat’s way ( back up with the hooks under the pins and lift)…

View attachment 787615
Will Pat’s work with this setup? Not necessarily the quick hitch way, but can I remove the pins, get Pat into place then reinsert the pins? Not exactly easy, but the rest of my implements would be a breeze with Pat’s…

The other option, which sounds like a pain, would be to remove Pat when it’s time to mow and connect the old fashion way…

Is the problem you don’t have 3 or 4 inches clearance under the pins while backing up you tractor? Removing the pats is not needed… You should be able to leave them attached to the 3pt arms and expand the arms as if they were not attached then push them onto the pins. You would have to remove the washers and pins that lock the pats onto the implement in order to attach your implement but seems simpler than removing the pats.
That’s asumming the pins are open on one side… it’s hard to tell in that photo.

 

[scootr]

I have this mower with Pat's QA on my Kubota. At first I thought it would not work but it does. The secret for me was to have the mower at the right height aka angle when backing into it.

 

[John0829]

I don't know about the Bestco but for my Mott and New Holland flails using the Pat's is the best thing ever. SO much easier on this old man to get hooked up to them now.

 

[WranglerX]

Seems to me the Pats system and a QH would have same problem of clearance under the pins.... Its a fault in design of attachment and no hitch system on tractor.... Seems to me manufacture expected for you to use the ball ends and pins at end of arms....

 

[scootr]

Seems to me the Pats system and a QH would have same problem of clearance under the pins.... Its a fault in design of attachment and no hitch system on tractor.... Seems to me manufacture expected for you to use the ball ends and pins at end of arms....

Right. The issue is the clearance behind the pin. The Pats barely fits but it does fit.

 

[S854]

I have this mower with Pat's QA on my Kubota. At first I thought it would not work but it does. The secret for me was to have the mower at the right height aka angle when backing into it.

Looks like I’m gonna be ordering Pat’s (when exactly does a person stop spending more money on their tractor?!? )…

After posting, then looking more closely at the flail pictures, it appears if the mower were tilted forward a bit there might be enough room for Pat to fit between the installed pin and the lower front of the flail housing…

Scootr, did you drill another hole in the kickstand to prop the mower at the “correct” angle?

 

[scootr]

Looks like I’m gonna be ordering Pat’s (when exactly does a person stop spending more money on their tractor?!? )…

After posting, then looking more closely at the flail pictures, it appears if the mower were tilted forward a bit there might be enough room for Pat to fit between the installed pin and the lower front of the flail housing…

Scootr, did you drill another hole in the kickstand to prop the mower at the “correct” angle?

I'm using the tallest hole on the kickstand with a piece of 2x6 wood under it. The wood lifts it up a bit more and keeps the stand from sinking in the ground when it rains. The stand itself is pretty dam cheap and I ended up welding it onto the mower.
If this is your first flail mower buy the replacement belt set with the mower. It's super easy to burn the belts up trying to cut too short. And watch out for surface rocks. They play hell with the hammers.
Also watch the scraper for the roller doesn't fall off. The stupid bolts won't stay despite being fine thread with nyloc nuts. Otherwise my 7 footer has been a great mower.

 

[John0829]

Looks like I’m gonna be ordering Pat’s (when exactly does a person stop spending more money on their tractor?!? )…

Your tractor and money is like your kids and money, there is always something ....

But ain't it fun?

 

[scootr]

One aspect I like about Pat's QA is the bolt on application. This means I can remove it and the tractor is unchanged.
One thing I didn't like was having to extend the top link connection 4 inches. Again I made a spacer I could remove if I change my mind about this modification.
Below you can see a bit of the top link extension and the PTO extension which is in the form of a quick attach also. It is super easy to change attachments now. I marked the spacer bar that comes with the Pat's QA for each attachment. Just set it to width and back in and lift.
I did mod the PTO shield angle and reinstall.

 

[workinonit]

One aspect I like about the QH is that I knock the pins out and drop it. This means I can remove it and the tractor is unchanged.

 

[scootr]

One aspect I like about the QH is that I knock the pins out and drop it. This means I can remove it and the tractor is unchanged.

QH and QA are 2 different things.
I bought a QH and sold it before using it.
The QA is a better way to go.

 

[workinonit]

I know the difference. I'm one of the ones that wouldn't own a Pat's system but that's just me. Most of my attachments I never have to get out of the cab to attach. Only the ones with PTO.

 

[scootr]

I know the difference. I'm one of the ones that wouldn't own a Pat's system but that's just me. Most of my attachments I never have to get out of the cab to attach. Only the ones with PTO.

Glad you found the hitching option that works best for you. Sounds like a strong opinion.
Have you used a Pat's QA?
I have a collection of old and new attachments.
They vary in width so a QH will not work for me.
Pat's was the logical solution.

 

[workinonit]

I understand. I had the same thing and modified all of mine to fit my QH. I've seen the Pat's in use but it just isn't for me. I would still have to get off the tractor to connect the top link and honestly if I'm doing that I might as well connect with my extending links. With mine I never get off the tractor unless as I said if it's a PTO implement. And the other thing is I have several implements in excess of 2000 pounds. I just don't know how a set of bolt on QA hooks will work with that weight. Nah, I'm a QH guy all the way.

 

[S854]

I have a QH on my other tractor (MF 135)… I’ve been accumulating implements second hand (‘cept my BB… got 25% off at Murdochs sale), as such, many implements aren’t QH compatible… found out rather quick that my implements also don’t play well with each other (as far as the QH was concerned)… I settled on a method that works for me… my “quick hitch” is only a “slightly quicker/easier hitch”… I remove the top hook, catch the lower pins with the lift hooks then install the top hook upside down to capture the top pin… obviously I can’t do most of this “from the seat” but I also don‘t have to wrestle the BB into position where it lines up correctly …

Enter Pat’s QA… if this works well on my new tractor I may get a second set for the Massey…

If I had the capability of modifying my implements, I could make good use of a QH… when they work on YouTube they look incredibly convenient, unfortunately my “home shop” welder (and my less-than-perfect welds) won’t hold up to being tugged around by even a small tractor… and I don’t have a hope of drilling a 7/8” hole in mild steel with my hand-held drill…

 

[scootr]

TBN people giving their opinion on something when they don't even know what it is is just a waste of everybody's time.

 

[John0829]

Everyone has their opinion on which is best a QA or QH. Like so many others I prefer the Pat's for the simple reason it will connect to every implement without having to "mod" any of them. Simple fact is not all implements (which is a shame) are QH compatible so unless you are independently wealthy and can purchase all new... Most of us have or have bought older used implements for use in our tractoring careers and the Pat's will connect, only require a longer top link or PTO extension. For me the Pat's was the way to go since most every implement I am using requires the PTO to be connected and the top link is hydraulic so that is a no brainer.

IMHO, it comes down to personal preference, one is not necessarily better than the other so I see no need to put down either style. There are trade offs with each so it all comes down to what fits ones needs, just choose the one that makes ya happy.