Couple of Harbor Freight QH questions

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I ordered a Harbor Freight Quick Hitch, my first QH. Following are some pre use questions that came to mind:
1) I have some old implements in my arsenal which are most likely not QH compatible. Assuming the lower pins work, will the adapter bracket from Agri Supply likely solve most/all top link problems?
2) What has been your experience with PTO shafts; specifically have you had issues with PTO shafts becoming too short because the QH has moved an implement further away from the tractor spline?
3) Has the QH caused geometry changes that have affected how some implements work?

I'm just trying to anticipate things I am going to run into.

 

[knukey]

1) You will need to tweak implements to fit. You should get the hook with the QH. I use the adapter since my implements could not easily be modified to accept the hook.
2) No
3) No

 

[JRobyn]

Do a search on "Quick Hitch" on here - tons of great info.

You'll probably want a pair of these - http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dware&utm_campaign=NorTrac&utm_content=508701
for each implement. Northern always seems to have the best price and easy shipping.

I went ahead and modified my implements to fit. Just an hour or two of mount point re-drilling and now they all fit either QH or regular 3-pt.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Do a search on "Quick Hitch" on here - tons of great info.

You'll probably want a pair of these - http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dware&utm_campaign=NorTrac&utm_content=508701
for each implement. Northern always seems to have the best price and easy shipping.

I went ahead and modified my implements to fit. Just an hour or two of mount point re-drilling and now they all fit either QH or regular 3-pt.

What is the purpose of these bushings? This is my first QH so I'm not yet up to speed. Trying to learn the finer points prior to putting it on my tractor.

 

[Travelover]

What is the purpose of these bushings? This is my first QH so I'm not yet up to speed. Trying to learn the finer points prior to putting it on my tractor.

The quick hitch attaches to a larger diameter post with a wide end. I cheaped out and just slipped a piece of pipe over a big bolt.

 

[bcp]

Bushings of some style are needed as the specs for Cat 1 hitch are for Cat 3 size hooks. I never saw the use for those expensive bushings with the knobs. The cheap bushing seem to work fine. The implement can't slip off as the hitch structure on the other side prevents that.

The knob-end bushings are also not easily removed if for some reason the implement needs to be used on a tractor without a quick hitch.

Bruce

 

[Fallon]

I have yet to put any bushings on my old flail mower. Put em on pretty much all my other impliments. Several have that knob type for the bolt on pins. I ended up going to the steel place & got some pipe & tube that would get me from Cat1 to Cat3 diameter. Have 20' of that now to use for future implements unless I forget & build something out of it.

Those knobbed ones are nice for some sloppy implements that I don't trust not to shift around (my subsoiler comes to mind). Pipe is great for the clevis mount style though.

I just welded a 2" extension onto the back of my 4th QH top hook so it sticks out further. Other QHes got sold with the old machine or were for friends. On many of my implements the implement would hit the QH frame before the top hook could grab the top pin properly. Welding 1-2" onto the back & re-drilling the holes meant the hook sticks out further & grabs without interference issues. Can't tighten up the toplink as short because of it, but that was never really an issue for me.

Never had any real geometry issues, other than my PHD. I didn't measure enough when I cut it up & welded it back together to fit my QH (That only works with a hydraulic toplink by the way).

My ancient flail mower needed a new PTO shaft. It was 2" to short to touch, much less get the proper 1/3 length overlap, so I'd have had to get a new shaft regardless. Have yet to mount my 3pt trencher I recently picked up. Each half shaft is 6-8" so I might need a new longer one (might even without the QH).

As others have noted... modify the impliment so it will fit a QH. Your life will be so much easier in the long run. With TnT & a QH on my old machine I could hitch up to anything that didn't have a PTO shaft or hydraulics in 30 seconds without getting out of the seat no matter how crooked the impliment was sitting. It's easy to do if you can weld at all. I never used those adapters, just extra steps to hitch up.

I replaced the top hook bolts with pins so I could move em easier. Although really the only thing I moved it for was my LandPride rotary cutter. It had an flex link on it that would pop out if I didn't move the hook down. In retrospect i could have probably just removed the Cat3 bushing & pined it onto the QH. But it was 15 seconds to move the hook down & flip the link in after I hitched up the lower pins. I had to get off for the PTO shaft anyway.

I'm so annoyed that my TnT cylinders for my new L4060 aren't in. Have to get off & crank on links to hitch up. I can see the value of the extendable lower links now, but the QH kind of negates their usability. A QH & TnT is much easier than the extendable lower links though as there is usually no need to get off.

 

[California]

I've had the HF qhitch since they first offered them. Here are a couple of things that have worked well for me.

With only 18 and 24 hp tractors, I never bothered with the sleeve adapters for pulling implements. After several years I don't see any resulting wear or feel noticeable slop. I suggest try operating with your Cat 1 implements riding directly in the qhitch's Cat 2 (Cat3?) hooks before making anything more complex than it needs to be.

The only place I used simple sleeve adapters - not the ones with shoulders - was when I made the adapters in my photo below, on the ends of my trailer-hitch crossbar. The flat pieces are bolted on their inner and outer ends to the crossbar and are also welded to sleeves. These adapters are removable, just unbolt and slide off. The purpose of these adapters is to keep the trailer ball pointing upward. They substitute for the more robust stabilizer that engages with a 3-point arm in a normal setup. While my sleeve adapters look lightweight I regularly tow a 2600 lb watering trailer on rough ground and as you can see, they haven't deformed.

Also shown in the photo is removable pins securing the top hook, and the lines I painted to show where to return the hook to after some specialty application. I bought the Y-shaped adapter shown in a post above but haven't used it recently. What works equally well is pull those pins and install the hook upside down over the upper mount point on my back blade etc, ie implements that have structural components near the top that block hooking under the implement's top mount point.

One more tip that works for me, YMMV: a rotary mower works better with a flexible top link to let it follow uneven ground with less stress on the upper 3-point link. I remove this qhitch hook, tighten the tractor's 3-point upper link to tip the qhitch forward, and throw a loop of chain around the top 'tower' on the qhitch and the top of the mower. The mower is carried entirely on its lower pins until I need to lift it, then the chain helps raise it.

Finally, here's another application of the qhitch, for mounting up to four ballast 70 lb weights on the back when I need to use the loader or loader forks in tight quarters and don't have room to maneuver carrying an implement. The trailer hitch crossbar shown in the photo below is normally on there also to reduce swinging (if I haven't left it wherever I left the trailer like in this instance).

 

[California]

If adding a the qhitch makes a pto shaft too short, you can add a pto extension to make up the difference. Here's Tractor Supply's selection.

Just thought of another advantage of a qhitch: you can back up to an implement and shove it all over the place to make it line up for mounting, then just lift. Especially helpful if the implement has sat unused and is partly embedded in the earth where it would be difficult to precision-align using a crowbar.

I think you'll find your new qhitch very useful.

 

[Catman8]

If adding a the qhitch makes a pto shaft too short, you can add a pto extension to make up the difference. Here's Tractor Supply's selection.

Just thought of another advantage of a qhitch: you can back up to an implement and shove it all over the place to make it line up for mounting, then just lift. Especially helpful if the implement has sat unused and is partly embedded in the earth where it would be difficult to precision-align using a crowbar.

I think you'll find your new qhitch very useful.

Thanks for pointing out the drive shaft extension, today I went shopping for a cat 1 QH, stopped by HF and looked there's over and then stopped by my local tractor supply and they had a countyline cat 1 QH out back that probably has been out there for a few years because the rubber handles were trash and it's not an item that they usually stock because it's not online. When I compared the two you could see the difference in quality, quality welds, thicker steel, and the three hooks were cut clean and square. HF welds not so great and the hooks looked like they cut them with a torch, not square and crooked. HF $99 vs Countyline $279 of course there is going to be a difference, the countyline came with two of the bushings and the connector for difficult top link hook ups, because the handles were trash they sold it to me for $240. I have read many threads about the HF QH and people are having good luck with them and I'm sure they will do the job just fine, if the welds break just pull out the old welder and fix it, you can't beat the price $99. I just thought I would share my observation and shopping experience with everyone, if I didn't find the countyline today I would of bought the HF.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Thanks for pointing out the drive shaft extension, today I went shopping for a cat 1 QH, stopped by HF and looked there's over and then stopped by my local tractor supply and they had a countyline cat 1 QH out back that probably has been out there for a few years because the rubber handles were trash and it's not an item that they usually stock because it's not online. When I compared the two you could see the difference in quality, quality welds, thicker steel, and the three hooks were cut clean and square. HF welds not so great and the hooks looked like they cut them with a torch, not square and crooked. HF $99 vs Countyline $279 of course there is going to be a difference, the countyline came with two of the bushings and the connector for difficult top link hook ups, because the handles were trash they sold it to me for $240. I have read many threads about the HF QH and people are having good luck with them and I'm sure they will do the job just fine, if the welds break just pull out the old welder and fix it, you can't beat the price $99. I just thought I would share my observation and shopping experience with everyone, if I didn't find the countyline today I would of bought the HF.

I didnt know HF carried their QH in their stores. I've never seen one in my local store. I ordered one but would probably have got it at the store had I known.

 

[Catman8]

I didnt know HF carried their QH in their stores. I've never seen one in my local store. I ordered one but would probably have got it at the store had I known.

Different size HF stores are going to carry different items, I installed my QH today, had to machine the bushings down because they were to long for my tiller, everything went well, after hooking up a few attachments I said heck with this crap I need a QH. California, thanks for the idea of the pins on the top hook, I bought two today. How much swing from left to right should you have your 3pt set to, I have a compact tractor so there is not a lot of room before you hit the tires, should the movement be limited or should there be a lot of swing just stopping short of hitting the tires. TNhobbyfarmer, your really going to like your QH just hooking up my tiller today was simply and easy no more fuss.

 

[bcp]

Implements that are in the ground and can't move sideways need more side slack in the hitch. When you are using implements on top of the ground, most slack can be adjusted out.

Bruce

 

[Catman8]

Implements that are in the ground and can't move sideways need more side slack in the hitch. When you are using implements on top of the ground, most slack can be adjusted out.

Bruce

Bruce, can you explain why. if I did not have a lot of slack when using my tiller what would happen, would I damage something.

 

[California]

My neighbor who is a full time commercial-scale farmer (operates 200 acres of apples and grapes) looked at my setup and advised adjust all the slack out of the 3-point side to side motion. He said he likes everything taut. Seems to me that could be a cause for unnecessary wear so I set it for the slightest possible slack.


The tractor's lower 3-point pins and the PTO are all in line in the same plane. There's nothing that should get tighter as you raise/lower the implement.

 

[shui5612]

The way I have learned it is that slack is needed for when you use implements that need slack such as a plow or subsoiler. (2inches of slack)
For example when plowing and there is a rock, the implement can shift sideways to avoid it without bending the implement.
On something like a snow blower or rear blade, some slack is good too (1 inch)because the implement can move away from a root, stump, ice, etc.
Meanwhile then there are implements that you need 0 slack such as a car hitch on your 3point, when towing a trailer or pushing it backwards, you want accurate and a firmer connection.

This wasn't mentioned but the Quick connect will reduce lifting capacity slightly since it moves the pins further back.
On my little sub compact I have an implement that it could barely raise and after adding the quick connect or a pats easy change, it no longer lifts the implement to full height. You have to help the tractor and "lift" the implement by hand to get it up. Maybe only 10-15lbs of assist.

 

[California]

The way I have learned it is that slack is needed for when you use implements that need slack such as a plow or subsoiler.

That makes sense.

With tree roots everywhere in these orchards, we use only a heavy disk and sometimes a rototiller for cultivation. These will climb over a root without drama.

 

[number9L]

Do a search on "Quick Hitch" on here - tons of great info.

You'll probably want a pair of these - http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...dware&utm_campaign=NorTrac&utm_content=508701
for each implement. Northern always seems to have the best price and easy shipping.

I went ahead and modified my implements to fit. Just an hour or two of mount point re-drilling and now they all fit either QH or regular 3-pt.

Wow, thanks for the link to the bushing kit. I get sick every time I've bought one at TSC.
However, unless I'm bad wrong (I hope not cause I ordered two of them), the correct version for impliments with 7/8" dia pins is this one http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200479426_200479426?hotline=false

 

[Catman8]

Wow, thanks for the link to the bushing kit. I get sick every time I've bought one at TSC.
However, unless I'm bad wrong (I hope not cause I ordered two of them), the correct version for impliments with 7/8" dia pins is this one http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200479426_200479426?hotline=false

I hope those are the ones for a cat 1 because I just ordered three sets and they shipped today, Im sure they are . Being unfamiliar with three points, allowing movement so the implement can work around solid objects sounds logical, I just don't like when I'm traveling with the implement up that it swings side to side. QH will reduce lifting but I'm guessing that the extra weight could be an advantage to ground breaking implements. I was searching for a thread on adjusting a slip clutch drive shaft because I want to try out my new tiller for the first time and did not want to destroy my tractors PTO, searching for threads sure takes up time.

 

[Catman8]

Does someone make some kind of pin other than a spiral ring that is a pain to remove every time you want to adjust the 3pt side swing?