I-Match or Pat's Quick Change?

MichMan · Jul 20, 2005

I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

OK all, tell me which one is better? I have a 1987 JD 750 with 5' Frontier BB, 6" JD rear blade and 5' JD 550 tiller. I'm guessing the I-match would be the way to go, just want to hear anyone's opinion to the contrary...MM

beenthere · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

Won't hear a 'negative' from me on the iMatch. I don't have to get off to hook up my attachments, save for the PTO ones.

But there are those who like the quick change, for various reasons.

widmn · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I have an Imatch in WV if you want one. I don't like it because it doesn't match all attachments. I think Pat's does, but I could be wrong there.
Rich - widmn@msn.com

DHennet · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I lived without my imatch for a while. Now after having it, I would not trade it for anything. It works perfectly on my imatch compatible attachments, LX4, BB2048, and RB2072. It does not work so well on my Worksaver rake, but with a little persuasion...

FordTruckGuy · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I recently purchased Pat's and have had no problems with it. Couldn't be happier with it.

hbaird · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

Pat's fits standard Cat 1 implements well, and is very easy to use.
Harold

jeffinsgf · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

If all of your implements are JD, and you never plan on buying anything except JD implements, then iMatch is great. I returned mine because I have several different attachments, and without a great deal of modification, they won't fit. In this situation, the iMatch makes more work instead of minimizing it. The "standard" that iMatch fits has not been widely adopted yet.

beenthere · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

Not sure I could go along with your 'philosophy' or experience. The two mods I made to 'non-conforming' attachments so they would fit the iMatch were neither difficult nor major. The lower lift pins on everything were well positioned, and it was usually just a simple 'cut or torch' off, and 'add or weld' on the pin location at the top (where the top link attached) for the quick attach hook to line up.

The iMatch is standare SAE specs, but for many attachments made, they were not figuring on the eventual top hook of the iMatch type equipment (made by other mfg's such as SpeeCo as well as Deere).

Sorry Jeff. Don't like to disagree with TBN'rs, but felt a need here. The implication was the iMatch was non-standard. Just the opposite is true.

Iowa2210 · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

Actually the Quick Hitch is an ASAE standard, but I'm sure SAE has adopted it, but don't know why the automotive engineers would care about quick hitches.

I use the iMatch with wonderful results. I have been adding to my implements over the past few months. I just make sure that it is QH compatible, then get a set of lower pin QH bushings at TSC for about $21, pin them on, add a $2 bushing on the top link pin and I am good to go. I can change from rear blade to weight box to landscape rake in less than 60 seconds. LX4 takes about 2 minutes but only because I have to hook up the pto.

All major line manufacturers are building equipment that is QH compatible, you make run into some trouble with short line manufacturers, but the QH is more and more common every day and I think within a few years, everything will be compatible.

trlong · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

MM,

Beenthere has it right (as usual /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif). I love the I-Match but, as he says, the top pin may need a bit of modification on non-standard attatchments to get them to fit, easily. If you have welding skills, or a friend who does, any modification to get non-standard implements to fit should be pretty painless.

Jomo45 · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I concur with Jeff's post, I match works perfect with JD implements, not so perfect with others. My dealer had to exchange my Imatch prior to delivery with the Speedco version, the I match wouldn't work with the Sovema 64" tiller I also purchased from him. The Speedco (TSC?) has an adjustable top hook, as opposed to the fixed Imatch hook. Despite that boring explanation... the quick hitch concept is the only way to go!!

DJLX · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

MichMan
I have Pats on my 2210. It works as advertised although I would like something less fiddling. I find myself postioning the tractor then getting off and fiddling with the lower link placement, then backing up some more, etc. The weight box is easy because I have it on wheels and can roll it around. It is diffinitely better than having nothing but some day I will buy a quick hitch and give that a try.

jeffinsgf · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

( ....The two mods I made to 'non-conforming' attachments so they would fit the iMatch were neither difficult nor major.... and it was usually just a simple 'cut or torch' off, and 'add or weld' on the pin location at the top (where the top link attached) for the quick attach hook to line up.)

Those "cut, torch, add, weld" jobs may not seem "major" to you, but for some of us, they are. I have a welder, but little experience. I'm not inclined to start welding on brand new implements where a mistake could be costly and/or lead to the destruction of the implement or worse.

( The iMatch is standare SAE specs, but for many attachments made, they were not figuring on the eventual top hook of the iMatch type equipment (made by other mfg's such as SpeeCo as well as Deere).

Sorry Jeff. Don't like to disagree with TBN'rs, but felt a need here. The implication was the iMatch was non-standard. Just the opposite is true. )

The iMatch ASAE standard has not been widely adopted by many implement manufacturers. That is what I stated and that has been my experience. Look at Keen Kutter, Five Point, etc. and in most cases, the top link will not have the two positions necessary for both QH and normal 3pt hook up. It may be adopted in the next few years, but I am buying implements now, not 2 years from now. I thought the iMatch would be great, and on my JD and Frontier implements, it was nice. But the tenth time I took the hitch off to mount something, I decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

EDIT: Addition --

I also should mention that I had a devil of a time getting bushings for my implements. My JD dealer didn't stock them, nor did the other one in town and there's not a TSC in Springfield. Of the 5 or 6 different farm supply stores in town, nobody had what I needed. The bushings that come with the iMatch don't fit the Frontier Box Blade correctly. My point to MichMan is that you can spend as much time modifying implements and chasing down parts as you save by having the quick hitch.

Jomo45 · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I have expereinced some of the issues you had with your IMatch while helping my neighbor with his. We finally traded it off for the SpeeCo (www.speeco.com). I honestly wouldn't have a tractor without one anymore, takes most of the hassle out of hooking up.

Mike in Joplin

JasonL · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I have the Speeco QH. I love it. I originally bought it because it was cheaper than the I-Match (at least in my area) I found an advantage, though in the adjustable top hook. I don't move it because that requires wrenches, but I did try it in different locations to see which worked best for all my implements. I ended up only having to modify my carry all. So possibly the Speeco gives you more options? Jason

Joe_in_Madison · Jul 21, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

MichMan,

I'm a SpeeCo fan. You just know that adjustable top hook is gonna come in handy some day. I found my quick hitch at Fleet Farm, it was only $150 and came with a set of bushings. It fit my Five Point brand rear blade perfectly the first time I tried it, and works on the ballast box too.

I haven't read anyone mentioning this yet, but a big reason I got the quick hitch over Pat's was so my wife could hook and remove the implements. Having them on can sometimes be unwieldy, and her being able to take them off doubles my workforce around here. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

If you're looking at implements for a quick hitch, just know your dimensions and make sure it's got a wide enough attachment point on top for the hook. I'm not sure about the imatch, but the SpeeCo also comes with a link for the top in case you already own an implement where the top hook won't fit.

Jomo45 · Jul 22, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I got tired of the blots on the top pin, changed them out for the long pins with clips, works great. Most folks wouldn't have to do this if your implement are fairly standard, my Sovema tiller is the only oddball.

3320, 300CX, Box blade, 5' Rotary cutter, 64" Sovema tiller

MichMan · Jul 23, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

I'm going to have a mix of implements. A JD blade, tiller and box blade and TSC rake, boom, etc. I was wondering in this situation what would be most convenient?...MM

Jomo45 · Jul 25, 2005

Re: I-Match or Pat\'s Quick Change?

IMO, the Speeco is the way to go. It is essentially identical to the JD Imatch, it just gives the added benefit of having an adjustable top link. Good luck!