Harbor Freight 3-point quick hitch

[MrJimi]

Is there anyone that has one of these QH that does work without major surgery?
I have seen these pictures and from what I see? Like another member posted, its a waste of time and lots of unnecessary trouble to order and wait for something that can't be used?
I can't wait to get mine that won't work /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Jim

 

[SPYDERLK]

When you have a good reason - - "Item not as advertised" is a good one!!, you can call customer service, 800-4443353, and they will send you a postage paid return lable. You can probably negotiate a 10 or 20% discount if you will keep it to fix yourself. They offered me 10% off my order (a $174 order) if I decided to keep it. I have decided to send mine back for exchange at least once in the hopes of getting one with the slots near 1-3/8" so I can just flex them rather than bend or weld them. At least 0ne poster has gotten one very close to correct. HF will try to please those with a legit complaint. "Will not fit" is as legit as it gets.
Larry

 

[SPYDERLK]

HomeBrew, On your lift arms the balls are wider than the sockets holding them, so even something that fits tight on the balls will not prevent them from swiveling/floating in the socket toward a self aligned condition. With somethng looser on the balls (width) the balls can swivel more - all the way til the implement pin hits the socket if there is ample open space on each side of the ball. In the case of this QH implement, the slots on most are too narrow to allow the balls to enter. Widening the slots minimally so the balls will just fit gives the first situation I described. This is adequate - - no QH of any variety does much better. On the other hand, narrowing the balls to fit the too narrow slot will cause the ball and socket to be closer to the same width and the slot and ball socket will interfere more quickly preventing the ball from doing its natural swivel job.
dholly, this is what I meant in my earlier post regarding ball mod.
MrJimi, with your demonstrated abilities you will be able tofix this item to be acceptable if it is basically strong enuff for your purpose. As delivered tho,it is not likely to be a plug and play item.
Larry

 

[MrJimi]

Larry, I am planning on maybe ordering another one of these, I will be welding or bolting this on to a skid steer quick attach backing plate and I seriously believe this will work great for me? I hope.
I did not go for the gloves, we have a brick and mortar HF within 6 miles of us and I have 12 pair at 6 pair for 6 dollars, I opted for the attaché case instead, item #35233 which is offered in the online coupons with the $5 off also. I think I will be happy.
Thanks
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

Yes, of course, agreed, assuming you want to have full functionality of the balls when the QH is NOT mounted. I was assuming that, if I could get a QH that fit ALL my implements, I would have no prob "wasting" my ball-socket ends for the convenience. But I sure understand the reasons one might not want to do that. Hope some of youall can make those QH's working - sure is a great price.

 

[dholly]

Did Nathan ever measure his QH slot width? If I am not mistaken, he is the only one to date that has been able to slip it on with no modification? Either his balls are beat (no offense Nathan /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif), or his QH is 'the' exception. All others are coming with a 1-1/4" inside slot width consistently. Me thinks this goes beyond poor quality control in China, more likely someone at HF didn't do their homework...

 

[BamaRob]

I agree. If all of them but one are too narrow, it sounds like a mistake in the design phase, not the fabrication phase. In other words, it sounds like they may have been incorrectly spec'd at 1-1/4". All of them have been built to spec except for the one that Nathan got (maybe he's just lucky /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif).

Mine hasn't shipped yet (at least my CC hasn't been billed yet). It'll be interesting to see what I get.

BR

 

[CtRick]

On mine the right side fit, but not the left. A couple of "jabs" with a very heavy pry bar widened the left side enough for it to fit. Terrible quality control, if any.

 

[Bedlam]

Just got mine. Harbor Freight said it was shipped Fed Ex. Ive been waiting on the truck. And come to find out I get a call, and it came via mail. and to the wrong address on the package.
I went and picked it up. opened her up. Mine is the special one with no pins in the box.
And yes the spacing on the bottom was wrong also. The reason these are not fitting is that the bottom hooks are cast and they arent the fill width they should be. You can see where they just 'squished' the metal together to the hook thickness.
Im not sure what ill do with it now.
I hear that scrap metal prices are up...
Anyway thats my story with it. A bit disapointed at this stage. I expected the opening to have to be adjusted. But not to have to make my own pins.
Allan

 

[jjcc246]

The one I got from Homier (probally the same as H.F.) didn't fit on the first try either. I just spread the quick hitch apart with a pry bar a little and presto, it's the neatest thing since sneakers.

 

[buppy69]

I got mine today, but no gloves and no explanation. I measured the openings (both 1-1/4) but have not tried to fit it. It looks like it's only going to fit 3 out of my 8 implements anyway due to inconsistant spacing on the implements.

Eugene

 

[jand38]

I wonder if the Chinese tractor lift arms are narrow?That may be why the JD, KB,NH do not fit,just a thought.

 

[Slamfire]

Picked up mine at the post office, Wed. PM. Had to spread the sides of the part the lift arms go into. A 3/4" bolt, 2 nuts and a plate washer, did the trick. I had to taper one of the pins, but when it was in place the other fit without tapering.
Somebody else posted this method but I couldn't find it to quote. It'll work just fine on the disc, back blade, plow, cultivator and subsoiler. The rotary cutter is a bit to narrow, but I'll work something out. All I have to do now is fab a top link bracket.
For those who thought it was a pos, I wish I had a dollar for every roll cage, engine cage, set of exhaust headers I bought and didn't turn out to be a simple bolt on. A lot of small fabrication shops have jigs that just ain't exactly right. I can't expect the Chinese, who, for the most part, are working with 1950s technology to get it perfect.

 

[Bedlam]

I tuned mine today with a wood splitting wedge. it worked great. Not only opened it up enough to go on, but also tapered the metal before the holes.Its easy to see how they pulled the metal sides in to meet the cast hooks and weld them on. if those hooks were a bit wider, it would have been fine. Or even if they had welded a shim in between.
For me, most all my implements have a piece of metal of some sort that is too close to the "Hook" . This interferes with the hook being able to go under the top pin and set where it should.
I think I will make some type of adjustable plate for the top and just use a pin.
Hope everyone Else's works for them. I'm reality the "opening' of the slot isn't that big a deal.
A

 

[jjcc246]

Bedlam, I had that same piece of metal hitting the hook. I just took the torches (or a sawsall) and nipped the metal off. Worked perfect.

 

[MrJimi]

I have been wondering why so many of us are back ordered?
I made an ebay search for ( quick hitch ) and lots of hits came back? lots of pictures look just like our member photos? Is there some small chance that an ebayer bought 1,000 of these and is selling them marked up? And re-selling the free gift and raking the dollars big time? And we are stuck with waiting for our shipment? This doesn't look right to me? What do you think?
Jim

 

[JJT]

10 minutes with the portapower and mine fits like a glove, (and I didn't get the gloves... stocked out). I swapped out the 1/2" bolts on the top hok for a pair of pins. So far it's spent a few hours with the box scraper and rake. Works just fine.

 

[GONO2]

I have been wondering why so many of us are back ordered?
I made an ebay search for ( quick hitch ) and lots of hits came back? lots of pictures look just like our member photos? Is there some small chance that an ebayer bought 1,000 of these and is selling them marked up? And re-selling the free gift and raking the dollars big time? And we are stuck with waiting for our shipment? This doesn't look right to me? What do you think?
Jim

Might be on to something........

 

[Bedlam]

I did an inventory of my impliments.10 total. and only one will fit it , The others have "bracing" that wont let the hook "reach" under and into position. Some of mine are older, and probably werent designed to a standard.
One option I considered was to make a new top link on it. Like a previous poster use pins instead of bolts. but I would end up something thats to replace the upper hook, and weld on a swival repair link part. Then just use a factory top pin in it. I could adjust it up and down by removing the two pins.

Now to add another twist to this post. I have requested a return label , Ill see how that works out..

Has anyone returned an item to HF?
How has the return process been?
I dont have a bad track record , this will be my first return since I started buying from them years ago.
Thanks for all the feedback.
Allan

 

[3RRL]

Bedlam,
Has anyone returned an item to HF?

Yes, I've returned several items to them and they don't blink an eye. They are very good about it. You should have zero problems.