adjustment to HF 3pt hitch

[deereman64]

I have decided to modify my HF 3pt hitch by widening the arms. Im not a welder so Im going to have a welder to do it for me. Should I ask him to make 2 cuts either side of the center point and add a spacer to widen. Or should I get him to remove the center point and make one cut and widen there and then replace the centerpoint?

 

[BBB]

I'd cut each side and add a spacer. Just my 2 cts

 

[montanaman]

I can usually picture things well but I just can't picture what you are asking. Most welders have a good idea of how things are built and I think I would just leave it up to him.

Just tell him that you bought it cheap and would like to keep it cheap but you want it to work well.

I think I read something about the HF hitches a while back and I assume what you are talking about if the tabs for the lower lift balls are too close together for the balls to fit and need to be moved out? When I get confused is the one cut vs two cut thing?

Ken

 

[deereman64]

Sri montanaman. Its a bit difficult to picture. Its not the narrowness of the space where the balls go into thats fine. No I referring to the top arm. Its not wide (long?) enough to fit many of my implements, so I plan to cut this top arm and add about 2 inches of plate so that it will be wider. If I do it I will post a price. Remembering that Im in suburbia, speak with a foreign accent and look fairly green

 

[firemanpat2910]

If you only need 2 inches couldnt you just put a jack inside of it and spread it?

 

[JoeL4330]

It's hard without a picture. See attached image...presumably, the dimension you wish to enlarge is not (rpt not) "C", inasmuch as you said the "ball ends" fit in fine. That's the dimension that most have mentioned as problematic ...I had to use a pair of steel felling wedges to open up that dimension.

So, do you want to enlarge "A" or "B" ?? The dimension "A" is more or less a standard, and changing "B" seems like a job for top-link-adjustment.

 

[deereman64]

thanks for the image yes its A that has to widen. Im surprised that mine is short, perhaps I was the end of the beam. I thought about using a jack but dont think i would have much luck.

 

[radman1]

thanks for the image yes its A that has to widen. Im surprised that mine is short, perhaps I was the end of the beam. I thought about using a jack but dont think i would have much luck.

I used a hydraulic jack and 4x4 wood blocks to widen mine about 1.5". It actually splayed out quite nicely just at the bottom. It almost looks like it was made that way. You will actually have to over widen it, because it will spring back about 1/2".

 

[California]

The ASAE standard is 26.81" minimum inside to inside for the A dimension.

I referenced the source in this old post
QH measurement and ASAE Standard

If the QH is that far off, just take it back and get another. Mine was spot-on.

 

[deereman64]

I went out this morning and did some measurements.

The 3 pt hitch has a nice sticker on it that says it meets ASAE standards but in fact the inside measurements is 27 inches.

My KK stuff is 28.61 but my homier stuff and ironically the JD balance box is much narrower. Unfortunately the only jack I have is the auto raising type and I think a bottle jack is want is needed. So by the time I bought a new jack and turned the hitch into a pretzel Ill try my welder first.

 

[montanaman]

That's part of the problem with HF tools. You can get some great deals and prices that only Homier can beat but some of the stuff will let you down.

If you don't need it right away, I would call and ask to return it and have them send a new one.

The big problem is that there is NO way that you will know that the next one won't be built the same exact way when you get it.

It was cheap but you paid them what they were asking for it and it won't do what it is advertised to do so I'd think about a return.

Ken

 

[knute_m]

Mabye these photos will help answer some of the questions about the Harbor Freight Quick Hitches:

This first photo shows the Quick Hitch as it arrived from Harbor Freight.

This photo shows that the inside width is 26-3/4 inches.

But, as others have said on the other threads, it isn't wide enough. The attachement points on my KK 6-foot rear blade, my KK 5-foot box blade, and my PHD are all 28 to 28-1/2 inches wide. My Howse brush mower is 27-1/2 inches wide.

So . . .

I used a bottle jack and 2x3 to spread the hitch to approximately 28-1/2 inches.

Then I found that the hook wouldn't connect to any of my implements. So, I had to order the adapter, as shown in the picture below. The adapter is shown on the left.

The hitch adapter is not in Harbor Freight's catalogs or on their website. But, you can order it by phone. The part number is 93691. It cost about $8.00. I bought several other items also, and the total shipping was about $7.

When I first tried to use the hitch after I widened it, I had to take a 20 oz. ball peen hammer to the guards for the lift pin locks. They stayed straight, when I widened out the rest of hitch. A couple of good whacks did what I needed.

Anyway, I am real pleased with the hitch. It took about 10 minutes to widen it. Widened, and with the hitch adapter, it fits my 6-foot KK rear blade, my 5-foot KK box blade, my Howse brush hog, my post hole digger, and my carry-all. (I had to add bushings to by brush hog lift pins so that they were 28-inches wide. That cost about $2.00.)

It sure makes connecting heavy implements a lot easier. I've done some pretty heavy gravel pushing and pulling with my box blade, and some pretty heavy rear blade ice/snow pushing/pulling since I installed it.

I may have to find a shorter top link, as it doesn't shorten up quite enough to get the range I like to have on my box blade. It is fine with the other implements.

It doesn't fit my 30-inch KK dirt scoop, my single bottom plow, or my drawbar. But, the hitch only takes about a minute to remove from the tractor, and these implements are real easy to attach.

The closest price I've seen to this hitch is the Homier hitch, at about $125 -- without the adapter. I think it is the same hitch. It also appears to be the same hitch that TSC has for about $175 -- but they include the adapter.

Happy Tractorin'
Knute

 

[JoeL4330]

Forgot to mention that I have one (unused) that I don't plan to use ...already spread for the ball ends, and has the adapter. Let me know if you are nearby and interested

 

[deereman64]

Well, I and my back are indebted you guys. The welding man stood me up, so it was back to plan B. With the use of a neighbour's jack I was able to spread the hitch by 2 1/2 inches with out any damage. The KK implements fit fine.
Again, thanks for all your input.

 

[knute_m]

Well, I and my back are indebted you guys. The welding man stood me up, so it was back to plan B. With the use of a neighbour's jack I was able to spread the hitch by 2 1/2 inches with out any damage. The KK implements fit fine.
Again, thanks for all your input.

Glad to know it worked out.

I sure used my quick hitch in the last 36 hours.

With another impending snow storm, I needed to pull the gravel back into the middle of my driveway with my box scraper.

I also needed to put up wood, using my FEL and carry-all.

And, today, I had to plow 8-10 inches of heavy wet snow with my rear blade on our half-mile of mountain driveway.

The quick hitch sure made things a lot easier.