I did a Survey Yesterday

[sweettractors]

I asked 3 lifelong farmers that were in their mid sixties this question. Do you know what "I Match" or "Quick Hitch" is or does. None of the 3, had a clue. I explained that it had to do with a tractors ability to easier hitch to a 3 point implement. Consensus was, that they had never had any problems hooking up to a 3 point implement. Must be CUT related or what do you think????. Ken Sweet

 

[JayC]

I don't think it's CUT related. Must be geographic location more than anything. Around here numerous farmers have quick hitches on their large machines. A farmer friend of mine has a quick hitch on his JD 4840.

 

[sweettractors]

I don't think it's CUT related. Must be geographic location more than anything. Around here numerous farmers have quick hitches on their large machines. A farmer friend of mine has a quick hitch on his JD 4840.

My Son that owns the Business with me, bought one for his 70 HP JD and took it off after a few weeks and sold it for $150. Said it was more trouble than it was worth. Ken Sweet

 

[brucewj]

My uncle farms about 2700 acres. He is the one who told me I need to get a quick hitch. He has them on all his tractors and most of those tractors cost more than most peoples houses cost.

 

[aczlan]

I don't think it's CUT related. Must be geographic location more than anything. Around here numerous farmers have quick hitches on their large machines. A farmer friend of mine has a quick hitch on his JD 4840.

Around here, I know of a farm with large Deere tractors (a 7405 in particular) who swear by them. I think they even have them (front and rear) on their 8 wheel articulated tractors...

Aaron Z

 

[Andrewnewy]

Yea I recon it's CUT related, over our way no one uses them, as really by the time you hook the implement on, all the hydraulics and the PTO, it doesn't save any time! It also add more bits to ware, more things to grease and more things to go wrong. And of course will lower you working load limit. The 3 point hitch system has been around for ever, and let's face it it just works! And what's more it's standard on all tractors!

 

[sweettractors]

I see several manufacturers making implements that are quick hitch compatible. They are taking the cheap way out by extending the top link bracket about 4 inches toward the tractor. In the long run, this quick fix will prove to be weaker at that point vs the conventional placement of the Top link holes. Ken Sweet

 

[zzvyb6]

You forget that 'Real' farmers have several tractors that are usually dedicated to specific purposes: plowing, seeding, mucking, baling, hauling, fertilizing, silage blowing, etc. That's why there are models without rear remotes, no 3 pt hitch, 4wd only, pivot steer, dual rear tires and heat and A/C. I'd never use a 200 hp tractor to slash my back 2 acres or pull out some weeds. The loader is always on the manure scraper, and the 4430 has a quick hitch built in especially for the 348 baler with a CV joint 1000 rpm propshaft. Can you imagine a 100 hp 4020 with a 5' wide front bucket or a 48" rototiller? It would qualify for Comedy Central. Its not so much a skill needed to switch all the implements around as a practical and optimum application of power required (hence fuel cost) to do certain farming jobs. Its only in the imagination of small tractor owners that they can afford and use 1 tractor to do a half dozen different jobs.

I suppose another argument would be that some tractor owners don't have the ability to figure out how to change off a 5' box blade and replace it with 7' mower in under 5 minutes without hurting themselves or their Confessor.

 

[Localmotion]

I think it's definately a CUT and[ geographic thing...

When we had the farm in the UK we had quick hitch style A-frames for the yard scraper and the silage pusher - this was purely for speed as it meant that we could swop between the two without leaving the cab (speed is essential when you only have a narrow time window between cows being in the parlour and coming back out onto the yard).

For our arable and grassland equipment, I'd never consider a quick hitch - what's the point when you can correctly position the tractor first time (9 times out of 10), have external linkage controls and have to connect up PTO's, hydraulics etc??? That said I see that many of the US users on this thread have indicated that they do use quickhitches on large tractors - something that you don't see in the UK...

When I first started out driving tractors profesionally (age 16) I operated a MB Trac 1000 - from the cab it is not possible to easily see the link arms when they are lowered. This was the best tractor the boss could have given me, as I quickly learned to get the position right for hitching up, without actually seeing the arms.

That said, I can see why quickhitches would appeal to CUT users, many of who are only weekend users so don't get the necessary pratice on a daily basis (not wanting to offend anyone of course) :laughing:

 

[Bird]

Of course I only had CUTs (Kubotas), but I worked for a neighbor cutting and baling hay. He had 3 and later 4 tractors and I was on the board of directors for our water co-op with some full time farmers, and I never saw or heard of the quick hitches except on TBN.:laughing: But they do seem like a good idea. For my own implements, I parked everything inside on a concrete floor, so I didn't have a problem hooking up rotary cutters, finish mower, tiller, or plows. Adding hydraulic top 'n tilt did make it a little quicker and easier, and I'd guess the quick hitches would make it even quicker.

 

[RobertN]

I found it interesting when I had my old Farmall-A, reading about the old International quick one point hitches. It seems years ago there were other hitches that were great, but the 3pt on high selling Fords seemed to get the most acceptance, maybe because of sheer volume.

While the three arm system of the 3pt still makes sense, it is a shame a more standard simple attach is not available, ala something along the lines of the skidsteer QA. Fast, simple, and works across different attachments and tractors.

 

[sweettractors]

I found it interesting when I had my old Farmall-A, reading about the old International quick one point hitches. It seems years ago there were other hitches that were great, but the 3pt on high selling Fords seemed to get the most acceptance, maybe because of sheer volume.

While the three arm system of the 3pt still makes sense, it is a shame a more standard simple attach is not available, ala something along the lines of the skidsteer QA. Fast, simple, and works across different attachments and tractors.

Case was way ahead of their time with the Eagle Claw hitch in the early fifties. It was essentially like the modern quick hitch except, you had to hookup the top link. Ken Sweet

 

[grnspot110]

I considered a quick hitch for my JD 790. By the time I rebuilt all my equipment (some at home & some at the farm), it simply isn't worth the cost! It's not that big of a deal to hook up the modern 3-pts anyway. Try hooking up the old John Deere 400 series hitches on the 1950's two-cylinders! ~~ grnspot

 

[SandburRanch]

I asked 3 lifelong farmers that were in their mid sixties this question. Do you know what "I Match" or "Quick Hitch" is or does. None of the 3, had a clue. I explained that it had to do with a tractors ability to easier hitch to a 3 point implement. Consensus was, that they had never had any problems hooking up to a 3 point implement. Must be CUT related or what do you think????. Ken Sweet

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I'm surprised no farmers that age didn't mention Allis Chalmers. It doesn't get much quicker when an implement can be hitched without the operator ever leaving the seat.

 

[tommu56]

IH had a fast hitch 2 point.
Again only their attachments would fit was the downfall in my opinion.

The IH Fast-Hitch Story: Implement Show-Stoppers Tell 2-Point Hitch History

 

[tglass]

IH had a fast hitch 2 point.
Again only their attachments would fit was the downfall in my opinion.

The IH Fast-Hitch Story: Implement Show-Stoppers Tell 2-Point Hitch History

Quick type of hitches have been around for a long time. Myself, I wish I'de heard of them years ago when we farmed. Now I have a CUT and have adapted everything I have to it even if modifications are required. That's why I bought the tractor. To use for multipule uses around my place and in confort are endless. To me it's well worth the little extra effort and give me something to do and improve on in my spare time.

 

[Rustyiron]

I believe that it is mostly a CUT thing because of the amount of smaller 3pt tasks that a typical CUT user can do around there yard that are just not tasks for a larger tractor. (and the vast array of smaller attachments available) Thinking about my past usage, a few times a year I'd throw on a (small 7') rotary cutter to "push the woods back" around the fields, and occasionally put on the york rake to dress up the lane. But mostly I had a 3pt wagon/trailer mover on the back and other machines would do the rest of the chores. On the other hand the drawbar got a work out, Batwing mower and 8' pull mower, haybine, rake, bailer, all used the drawbar. It's just what you have done since you were a kid and you're Dad first let you "hook it up" With telescoping ends on the 3pt it's very easy and usually there is a PTO shaft or a Hyd lines to attach anyway.

 

[SandburRanch]

IH had a fast hitch 2 point.
Again only their attachments would fit was the downfall in my opinion.

The IH Fast-Hitch Story: Implement Show-Stoppers Tell 2-Point Hitch History

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And I suspect when Harry developed the 3 point, John Deere , Case and many other manufactured implements wouldn't attach. In my eyes they made a mistake not adopting IH or Allis systems. Now there are manufacturers trying to make the Ferguson system easier.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have bought 3 John Deere imatches over the past few years and really loved them. My reasoning was to switch easily from implement to implement with little or no hassle. With my dad's MX6 rotary cutter I would have to move the 3720 forward and revers to just get the lower links to slide on. With the imatch I just back up and lift the mower. With my arena rake business I can imagine having to hook up every rake just to move it or assemble it. Just picking the implement up and moving it is easier than actually attaching it. Just my opinion. And I do think it is a CUT and SCUT thing.

 

[KennyG]

I think it may be a Category 1 thing. My equipment all seems to be just a little too wide for the Cat 1 arms, leading to a lot more pushing, pulling and prying than larger tractors seem to need. I bought a quick hitch because I couldn't see why it should be so much work to hook up a little implement, even after you back up perfectly.