Pat's Easy Change Calling Pat’s Cat 2 owners - Are you happy?

[BellyUpFish]

Long story short, I’ve got a 85hp MF. I’d love to have a smaller tractor but this one is paid.

I mainly use 3 attachments - bush hog, box blade and a grader blade. I’m also contemplating a land plane.

We typically leave the bush hog on, which is a pain due to how long it is. Makes it hard to work around the house. It’s really too big to be doing that anyway, but it is what it is. Lol

So, I’m looking at Quick Hitches and it seems like the Pats is going to be the best setup for me.

I’m looking at going with their Cat 2 easy change, but I recently read some comments that the Cat 2 guys tend to have issues over the Cat 1 guys.

The MF has adjustable lower lift arms and I’ve also read these combined with the Pat’s is basically a waste of time/money.

I want to be spinning my wheels on a fix that isn’t helpful.

How do you guys using the Cat 2 PEC feel about them? Happy with them?

 

[5030]

The MF has adjustable lower lift arms and I’ve also read these combined with the Pat’s is basically a waste of time/money.

Exactly my situation with both my large frame Kubota's and I've always felt they would be a waste of money in as much as the lower lift arms are already adjustable. They ain't cheap either.

 

[Smokeydog]

Not exactly apples to apples but have cat2 to cat1 Pat’s quick hitch on the Kubota M59. Most attachments are both cat1&2. With pin adjustable sway bars makes easy to hook up. Tractor is unique as it has hand creeper control accessible from the rear adds to easy hook up control. Just bump and lift. Like the lift added length on the PTO gave room for an overriding clutch.

Have had tractors with adjustable lower arms and agree they help considerably and not as much to gain by adding Pat’s.

Pat’s on the cat1 on the B26 gives easier pto hook up.

Nine years using Pat’s and only complaint is the adjustable jam bolts are a weak point. Some have used higher grade bolts. I think welding shims would work better but haven’t gotten around to it.

 

[RayIN]

I'm considering either Pat's,Tooltuff, or MotoAlliance brand. Can't make up my mind, even with the considerable price difference.
The MotoAlliance has a wedge that must be removed/installed each time.
edit: The Pat's and Tooltuff has a spring that might be problematic.

 

[HybridVigor]

The heavier the implement the more I’ve seen complaints from PEC. That said, your list of implements isn’t that demanding compared to say an offset hay mower or needing to till 40 acres. I suspect they’d hold up fine if you’re more somewhere around a weekend warrior or light duty hobby farmer.

Kind of a hard question on if the PEC is gonna save you that much more time vs the extendable links you already have though. If you really struggle with the extendable links then maybe it might be worth it.

So you know my bias I have three tractors with euro hooks. I even took the extendable links off my 80HP Deere and went with hooks. On my 8ft flail mower I’d fight to get the links to latch back into place after extending them. They run about the same price as a PEC but you need to be able to weld or add that to the price.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Not too many complaints about the Euro hooks. Nothing like the Pat's anyway.

3 common sizes. cat 1, cat 1-2, cat 2. Even cat 3 & 4 available.

My recommendation is cat 1 for under 3000lb lift capacity. Cat 1-2 for 3000lb-5000lb capacity and cat 2 for over 5000lb 3pt lift capacity.

Do the fabriction yourself and save some money, or ship the draft link pieces and pay to have the fabrication done.

Just an alternative to be considered.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Not too many complaints about the Euro hooks. Nothing like the Pat's anyway.

3 common sizes. cat 1, cat 1-2, cat 2. Even cat 3 & 4 available.

My recommendation is cat 1 for under 3000lb lift capacity. Cat 1-2 for 3000lb-5000lb capacity and cat 2 for over 5000lb 3pt lift capacity.

Do the fabriction yourself and save some money, or ship the draft link pieces and pay to have the fabrication done.

Just an alternative to be considered.

I’ve been considering Euro hooks.

Seems like it’d be the best of both worlds.

I can weld, so that’s an option.

 

[ptsg]

I’ve been considering Euro hooks.

Seems like it’d be the best of both worlds.

I can weld, so that’s an option.

You won't regret it, that's for sure. Well worth the money and time invested to install those.

 

[scootr]

I bought Pats before I learned about Euro hooks. The Euro hooks looks like a better system but I was already using the Pats cat 2. So if they fail I'll go Euro hooks. But 2 yrs in it's so far so good.
I have extending links but honestly when used they often wont slide back in until I push the attachment against the barn pillar...which I don't like doing

 

[jyoutz]

I had Pat’s for years on a smaller cat 1 tractor. Now my cat2 tractor has adjustable lift arms and top/tilt hydraulics. With those features, attaching and detaching implements is pretty easy.

 

[CobyRupert]

I had Pat’s on my Cat II. The adjustment bolts were weak and would bend so I replaced them with a stronger grade bolt. They bent too. I had to take them to a machine shop to remove.

But then I realized, why am I trying to make the Pat’s NOT pivot side to side in the lift arm balls? There’s no reason to. The Pat’s “hook” needs to be able to move side to side so the implement’s pins in them aren’t trying to twist the Pat’s hook sideways and bend the bolts as the implement is raised up and down and the pin’s angles change compared to the Pat’s hooks.


Leave the side to side adjustment bolts loose.

 

[BellyUpFish]

I had Pat’s for years on a smaller cat 1 tractor. Now my cat2 tractor has adjustable lift arms and top/tilt hydraulics. With those features, attaching and detaching implements is pretty easy.

I think I may go with the hydrualic top link and the see how much of a headache hooking up is and then go from there. I really want the top link first.

Really digging the idea of the Euro hooks, though.

 

[jyoutz]

I think I may go with the hydrualic top link and the see how much of a headache hooking up is and then go from there. I really want the top link first.

Really digging the idea of the Euro hooks, though.

What I like about the combination of hydraulic top and tilt and telescoping lift arms is that the implement can be sitting on uneven ground and the hook up is easy with all of the possible hitch position movements.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I think I may go with the hydrualic top link and the see how much of a headache hooking up is and then go from there. I really want the top link first.

Really digging the idea of the Euro hooks, though.

The issue with going with the top link first is that you don't know how much additional length you need. If you go with Pat's, the connection point is extended 3 3/4". The Euro hooks extend 2". So your typical top link for your std 3pt is going to be different for any of the 3 scenarios. Plus do you want a Euro hook on the top link also?

All things to consider.

 

[BufordBoone]

I've been using the Pat's Cat 2 for more than 10 years. Have them on both my Kubota L5740 and Kubota M7060.

Most abused is when I hook up my 10' Bush Hog semi-mount mower. It cuts behind and off to the right side so I have a lot of weight pushing up on one of the Pats when I level it up. I think I've replaced the locking lever once. I'm fine doing that ever 5 or whatever years.

Easy hookup means I'm more likely to change implements so I'm very pleased with the Pat's.

Yes, I've had to replace the side bolts. I went with Grade 8. I check them at the start of each mowing season and a couple of times during the season.

 

[GreenTime]

Another vote here for the Euro hooks. I have them on my Kubota L5740 and really like them.

 

[Cycledude]

Very happy with my category 1-2 euro hooks.

But other than reading about Pats system I have never actually seen them in real life.