Another Quick Hitch Mod

[KennyG]

This is pretty minor mod but it solved a big problem for me. I found my Harbor Freight quick hitch wouldn't work with my Frontier box blade. The BB has the QH pin recessed between braces that are 2 inches apart. The bolts on the QH hook hit the frame and keep the hook from engaging the pin. It must work OK with the iHitch hook because it sticks out farther and isn't adjustable.

Another TBN member cut the bolts down and staked them into the QH. That wouldn't work for me because my wood splitter doesn't have a QH upper pin so I have to be able to reposition the hook.

I bought a pair of 1/2" hitch pins and cut them down just long enough to span the hook bracket. I also cut a screwdriver slot in one end. I picked up a couple of smaller spring pins and ground down the edge of the hook a little to add some gap between the hook and the bracket. After I put the hitch pins in and insert the spring pins, I use the screwdriver slot to rotate the hitch pins so the spring pins are fully in the gap and out of the way. This way, I can use the QH on the BB and still easily move the hook to a higher position.

 

[MD09]

Very cool solution.
I did something simular but used a short pin with an external snap ring, but once in it is a pain to remove.....

Cheers

 

[DRL]

Nice job, I also have that problem with the box blade. I've been thinking about cutting out a new hook that sticks out a little farther. Been watching the scrap yard for a chunk of 1" or 1-1/8" plate.

DRL

 

[KennyG]

Nice job, I also have that problem with the box blade. I've been thinking about cutting out a new hook that sticks out a little farther. Been watching the scrap yard for a chunk of 1" or 1-1/8" plate.

DRL

One other "glitch" with the box blade. The QH standard says the hook should accept a 1.25" top pin (which is actually Cat 3 size). However, my Harbor Freight QH hook is slightly smaller than this. The JD BB pin is exactly 1.25", so I removed the BB bolt and replaced the sleeve with a Cat 1 to Cat 2 top link bushing, making it 1.00". It would have been better if the QH had actually been manufactured to the standard. I might grind on the hook one of these days to open it up to the standard.

 

[The Tractor Guy 22]

Sounds like a lot of headache all to save $150... cheaper isn't always better

 

[JB4310]

This is pretty minor mod but it solved a big problem for me. I found my Harbor Freight quick hitch wouldn't work with my Frontier box blade. The BB has the QH pin recessed between braces that are 2 inches apart. The bolts on the QH hook hit the frame and keep the hook from engaging the pin. It must work OK with the iHitch hook because it sticks out farther and isn't adjustable.

Another TBN member cut the bolts down and staked them into the QH. That wouldn't work for me because my wood splitter doesn't have a QH upper pin so I have to be able to reposition the hook.

I bought a pair of 1/2" hitch pins and cut them down just long enough to span the hook bracket. I also cut a screwdriver slot in one end. I picked up a couple of smaller spring pins and ground down the edge of the hook a little to add some gap between the hook and the bracket. After I put the hitch pins in and insert the spring pins, I use the screwdriver slot to rotate the hitch pins so the spring pins are fully in the gap and out of the way. This way, I can use the QH on the BB and still easily move the hook to a higher position.

Looks like a good idea, solves your problem.

I'm the guy who staked them in place, cause I don't have a need to move the top hook, but if I ever need to move it I'll remember this mod.

Sounds like a lot of headache all to save $150... cheaper isn't always better

If you mean he should of gotten the JD imatch, sounds like it would not work with his splitter, since he has to move that top hook to engage it ?

JB.

 

[KennyG]

If you mean he should of gotten the JD imatch, sounds like it would not work with his splitter, since he has to move that top hook to engage it ?

JB.

Exactly. The lack of adjustability in the imatch bothered me. Maybe I should have bought a Speeco or something, but I probably would have had the same problem. A lot of work to save $150? I spent about $5 and 10 or 15 minutes on this fix. I'm expensive, but not that expensive. :thumbsup:

 

[JB4310]

Well it seems a shame to cut those nice new pins could of just cut and drilled the bolts that came with the QH, or any old pins or bolts.

If you don't have a drill press, then it would be a little bit of a pain.

JB

 

[bcp]

The QH standard says the hook should accept a 1.25" top pin (which is actually Cat 3 size). However, my Harbor Freight QH hook is slightly smaller than this.

My HF hook was large enough on one side but not the other. A few minutes with a grinder fixed it. Then I riveted it into place so it would go deeper into an implement to reach the pin (welder not wired yet).

On another implement I had to put 2 spacer washers on the top tube to widen the frame until the hook's mounting flanges would go inside.

Bruce

 

[KennyG]

Well it seems a shame to cut those nice new pins could of just cut and drilled the bolts that came with the QH, or any old pins or bolts.

If you don't have a drill press, then it would be a little bit of a pain.

JB

I thought about that but the pins were on sale for $1.98 each. Also, I'm rebuilding the shop and the drill press is somewhere under a pile of stuff in the corner. These days, time is harder to come by than money - up to a point.

 

[The Tractor Guy 22]

I paid $280 for the John Deere quick hitch. I had some problems too, but my theory was to modify and bush all my attachments to the quick hitch specs, not modify the quick hitch to each attachment. It looks good though, that is a good idea to pin the inside.

 

[davygp38]

I thought about that but the pins were on sale for $1.98 each. Also, I'm rebuilding the shop and the drill press is somewhere under a pile of stuff in the corner. These days, time is harder to come by than money - up to a point.

Thats the story of my life? Time is precious.

 

[moored4]

Thats the story of my life? Time is precious.

At my age I know Time is precious:thumbsup:.

BUT I SURE COULD USE SOME MORE :2cents::2cents::2cents:

 

[downsizingnow48]

This is an old thread but big hat tip to KennyG.

Gave me the idea for a similar mod to my HF hitch.

I finally broke down and got one. It isn't real pretty but the price is right and it does the job. Except the bolts for the hook are in the way.

I replaced the bolts with two 1/2" pins made from mild steel bar. There is just enough room between the ears and the hook for 7/64" holes and a piece of 3/32 music wire. It has a handle bent on the end and a slight bend in the middle to maintain tension.

 

[aeblank]

I made this same mod a couple weeks ago. It's an easy fix to have a sub-$100 quick hitch that functions great.
I'm sure for a couple hundred more I could have gotten one that "just worked", but gosh, it was just some grinder time (narrowing the hook).

 

[JRobyn]

Reviving this oldy but goody again.....

The "pinned pin" solution looks good, but I wonder if there could ever be loads sufficient to spread the hook side brackets enough for the pins to pop out? I may be able to get enough clearance to use a clipped-head bolt and one nut with no lockwasher. That would be flush, or nearly so on the bolt head side. Then grind down the bolt length to just meet the outside of the nut. Should still be easy enough to get out to adjust height, even with a little blue threadlocker.

http://www.edgefasteners.com/bolts/Plow_Bolts_Clipped_Head.pdf

 

[aeblank]

I can say that with a Land Pride LPGS, that would not be enough room.
It *barely* fits with the flush pin mod.

Honestly, it's tempting to position it and weld it solid.
More than likely, you're modding your attachments to fit anyway.

 

[KennyG]

I can say that with a Land Pride LPGS, that would not be enough room.
It *barely* fits with the flush pin mod.

Honestly, it's tempting to position it and weld it solid.
More than likely, you're modding your attachments to fit anyway.

Correct, any type of external fastener wouldn't have worked with my Frontier box blade. It takes a bit more precision to line up with the top hook than any of my other implements. As discussed above, my wood splitter couldn't be modified to work with a fixed hook QH. The standard hook position interferes with the splitter beam - and you can imagine what kind of a mod that would take. A fixed hook may work for most people but I think a adjustable hook will allow easy adaptation of almost any attachment.

 

[TheSpoon]

OK. Related question. I've got the HF QH, haven't done any mods to it. My 3 King Kutter implements all work with the lower arms, but it's the same issue with the hook that everyone has. My question is, all of the implements have a bolt near the top of the implement, near, but not exactly in the way of the top link (see photo). The bolt has, what appears to be a cat 3 (maybe 2), spacer on it. Is there any reason I shouldn't be able to replace the spacer with a smaller sized and use that to connect into the hook of the QH? That way I don't have to grind the opening of the hook?



Thanks

 

[aeblank]

I think that's been done, at least cheating it forward with the existing bolt. Smaller bolt isn't as strong, but may well be fine. I think you'll end up doing the mod eventually anyway though, honestly. Just do it and be done.