Harbor Freight 3-point quick hitch

[Bedlam]

wow ill have to try it, but follow your direction. seems like alot of steps.Funny how some things are made just so darn involved. You think we were using a computer.I believe it takes time. but the average 'Joe" usually gets a simple version.
'Thanks for the info ill give it a try.
Oh My hitch said it was shipped via Fed Ex, but I couldn't track it. Probably because it came to the post office
And the HF hitch continues
Al

 

[BamaRob]

Just got email notification that my package was dropped at the house about 35 minutes ago. Guess I'll get to check it out this evening. Wish me luck.

 

[Bedlam]

Good luck ROB they did the same with me. only 15 miles away at anothe person with the same last name. Even though the label had my full adress.
My friend has taken his and cut both sides off with the chop saw. and is adding a couple of inches to it for width. He found an old top link in the dump and plans to cut both ends off it and make a small . 4-5 inch ling link to use on the top of the HF hitch instead of the hook.AL

 

[3RRL]

Well, I've been reading this rediculous thread for what seems like years now...so I ordered one yesterday. hahaha Figure I can surely do something with it? No gloves available for me and they told me it was back ordered. So what... That'll just give me an exuse to post here later.

 

[tglass]

Well I finally got mine today and must have gotton one of the exceptions. Everything fits like a glove. I'm sure all my homemade projects won't hookup without some miner modifacations to the top link on them.(my mismeasurement), but the box blade did. Even came with a top link pin. Almost cancelled mine and glad I didn't now, and after seeing how it's made it doesn't look like that big a deal to make one fit if they don't meet factory spec. for the price.

 

[Ronbo]

Called to find out why my tracking number did not return any information. I was informed that it had been shipped within their system, but had not been delivered to Fed Ex yet. I was set for some more wait time. Got home and found a big box sitting on my porch.

Took me longer to remove Pats EZChange than it did to install the quick hitch. Bars slipped right in. Looked at the hooks and the sides were not pressed in to meet the hooks. A quick check looks like they put a filler in beside the hook.

Ron

 

[Bedlam]

Glad to hear the put in that filler. I had mentioned that to the person at the technical center at HF. He said he would pass it along. Seems that he must have done just that. And rather quickly. Good lucky with it. Were you not happy with the Pats hitch?
Allan

 

[mikim]

Figure I can surely do something with it?

What I have in mind is - if it won't work on the back with my stuff ... I'll weld a QA plate to it and use it on the FEL....BTW just received mine yesterday - will try it out this weekend.

 

[Ronbo]

Went out this morning to finisdh the install. I had already purchased 1/2 in pins to replace the top bolts. Good thing since one of the nuts and washers were not in place.

Had to file the holes to get the pins to fit. Not a defect. The holes were drilled and the metal was then bent. Tended to slightly mush the metal into the hole. ONly took 5 min to file them all so the pins fit. Now I have to file the holes in the top hook so both pins will fit.

Wife showed up, so I had her operate the tractor and do the hook up. She really likes it. She says just so long as I am around to flip the levers.

Ron

 

[3RRL]

Figure I can surely do something with it?

What I have in mind is - if it won't work on the back with my stuff ... I'll weld a QA plate to it and use it on the FEL....BTW just received mine yesterday - will try it out this weekend.

Yes indeed, there are a lot of projects that can be made from that base unit for up front and behind.

 

[BamaRob]

I wasn't so lucky. The hitch fit on my lower lift arms fine. No problem there. I was a bit disappointed in how thin the metal is, especially down there where it slips over the lower lift arms. Just doesn't look very strong. But, for < $75, I'm not complaining.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work with my boxblade (5' KK). And, it appears that my rotary cutter (5' KK) will be even more problematic. Perhaps with a hydraulic toplink it would work better. I never could get it to fit my boxblade with the existing lift pins and top link. Perhaps I need to practice with it more. I'll definitely play with it some more before deciding to build something from it or send it back.

Later,

BR

 

[Robertsen]

This thread reminds me of an old sci-fi movie "The thing from beyond space that wouldn't die" or someting like that. So, I couldn't resist and ordered one yesterday. Hopefully it'll fit my brush hog.

 

[Licklog]

Got my quick hitch today. Hooked it up quick and easy. No problems with dimensions. Must have responded to all the complaints and fixed the problem......So far it's worth the $65 and free gloves.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

My box blade and bush hog do not have clearance to hook the top link so I adjust it in, hook the bottom links, then adjust the top link hook out and insert the pin thru the hook and implement. Not ideal but still easeir than without the quick hitch.

 

[BamaRob]

I think I'll be sending it back. It fits on the tractor fine, but not my implements. I could possibly make it work with my box blade with a little work, but it doesn't even come close to working with my rotary cutter. The width of the cutter's frame where the lower lift pins are is about 3/4" too wide for the QH.

Now to go figure out how to get a return label from HF...

BR

 

[Bedlam]

Bob, before I returned mine, I saw another poster using it as a log arch. Its looks like it would be good for that , I'm not sure if you do that much tree pulling or not. I would have kept mine for that one use alone, but I already had made a hitch to tow and pull with. Just a thought.
If you do return , I did, and it was creditied to my charge acct about 2 weeks after I took it to the PO.
Al

 

[Slamfire]

I think I'll be sending it back. It fits on the tractor fine, but not my implements. I could possibly make it work with my box blade with a little work, but it doesn't even come close to working with my rotary cutter. The width of the cutter's frame where the lower lift pins are is about 3/4" too wide for the QH.

Now to go figure out how to get a return label from HF...

BR

Have you tried with the pins facing inward?

 

[BamaRob]

Bob, before I returned mine, I saw another poster using it as a log arch.

Great idea! I hadn't even thought of that. I haven't skidded any logs in several months, but wished I'd had something better than just a clevis on the drawbar. It's certainly worth what I've got in it for that purpose alone.

Thanks,

BR

 

[BamaRob]

Have you tried with the pins facing inward?

Yeah. I've had my pins facing inward since I got the implements. To even get it close, I had to turn the pins back out. It comes very close to fitting my boxblade; if the hitch were 1/8" wider it'd work. But, with the cutter, the hitch would need to be at least 3/4" wider.

Now, Bedlam's tip about using it as a logging arch definitely has me interested. I'll keep it around and give that a try.

Thanks,

BR

 

[Bedlam]

I cant take the credit for it as a logging arch. Ive seen a post here where some did use it that way.I'm sure you'd have to keep a real close eye on it and go slow, as you'd be pulling with the 3 point hitch.( a no no)
Others, and myself do it all time though.I usually keep mine as low to the ground as possible, and dont push the limits with it.
At least if you were to make any of your own implements you could make them "fit" .Alot of mine didn't fit anyways, thats why I returned it. And I really cant complain as some of them are home built, and I duplicated the factory implement spacing measurements.But with something like this ,those measurements are critical.
My friend is really modifying his. Somehow he is making a way to adjust it wider.Ill have to see how he does it.
Al