JD quick hitch being re-designed?

JT on a JD · Jun 20, 2012

I ordered a John Deere quick hitch when I bought my tractor on May 11. Still no quick hitch. Apparently there is a re-design in progress, and they can't keep up with the orders yet. It's mid June, I'm now expecting the thing in mid July, but it ought to be the "new and improved" model.

Lesson learned, and heads up to new buyers: if you're ordering a quick hitch, don't depend on it anytime soon.

kennyd · Jun 20, 2012

Yes, they caved in and it's now going top have an adjustable top hook:thumbdown::thumbsdown:

firefighterjrm · Jun 21, 2012

WOW, nice to know traded the 2320 in on a 3032e last week they said they were waiting on the Rot. Cutter and the iMatch to come in I would think since I just ordered it last week it will be the new design great news about the adjustable top hook.

Birdmayon · Jun 21, 2012

kennyd said:
Yes, they caved in and it's now going top have an adjustable top hookQUOTE]

That's great news....about time.

glc24 · Jun 21, 2012

I don't know why they (JD) did it either. It was/is fine. Just because it's going to have an adjustable (more fiddling) top,there will still be a plethera of implements that will need tweaking one way or another. I know there are those that don't have the means to change their implement pins to fit the "original" I-Match,but IMHO,that is the best way. Everything is identical and no need to adjust anything. Hook up and go.

Greg

KennyG · Jun 21, 2012

A good move by JD. The I-Match was a non-starter for me because I have one attachment (log splitter) that can't be modified to be quick hitch compatible. Everything else is standard so I only have to move the hook when I use the splitter, but that's a lot easier than taking the QH off.

chevy · Jun 21, 2012

Mine was delivered 2 weeks ago. I did not know I was getting the new style until it was delivered. I do not like having to unbolt the top hook to adjust it.

KennyG · Jun 21, 2012

chevy said:
Mine was delivered 2 weeks ago. I did not know I was getting the new style until it was delivered. I do not like having to unbolt the top hook to adjust it.

Several of us with adjustable hooks have replaced the bolts with pins, which makes it quicker to adjust. Of course, if you had the old style you wouldn't have to worry, you just can't adjust it all. BTW, Looks like a high quality item just like you would expect from JD.

foggy1111 · Jun 21, 2012

kennyd said:
Yes, they caved in and it's now going top have an adjustable top hook:thumbdown::thumbsdown:

What's not to like?? If you don't want it adjustable.....simply leave it as-is and don't adjust it. No?

jd670 · Jun 21, 2012

That's right. My issue with the fixed hooks wasn't the height of the top hook but, it not sticking out far enough to catch the top link on my older attachments. Pins are a good idea though.

foggy1111 · Jun 22, 2012

jd670 said:
That's right. My issue with the fixed hooks wasn't the height of the top hook but, it not sticking out far enough to catch the top link on my older attachments. Pins are a good idea though.

This is the same issue I had with the cheap POS Horrible Freight Quick Hitch. After spending hours correcting the hitch and modifying a few of my implements.....I gave up and bought a set of PATS EZ Change. The top hook made for the lion's share of probelems IIRC.

Still....if this new JD hitch is "perfected" to use with all my implements....I'd still have an interest. But....now I gotta be showed. :laughing:

Gator6x4 · Jun 22, 2012

Looks great, this may make me get off the fence and buy one. I don't think John Deere would go to the expense of re-designing and re-tooling if they didn't think it was an improvement over the old design.

chevy · Jun 22, 2012

KennyG said:
Several of us with adjustable hooks have replaced the bolts with pins, which makes it quicker to adjust. Of course, if you had the old style you wouldn't have to worry, you just can't adjust it all. BTW, Looks like a high quality item just like you would expect from JD.

Thank you Kenny. I was not sure pins would work.
I do also have the old style & never had a problem with it.

catdozer · Jun 22, 2012

Chevy could you take a few more pics of your new style quick hitch? I really like that new set up!

Tx Jim · Jun 22, 2012

The one Chevy posted a photo looks very similar(except for color of paint) to the the one I bought from Harbor Freight for $69 that works fine.

kennyd · Jun 22, 2012

foggy1111 said:
What's not to like?? If you don't want it adjustable.....simply leave it as-is and don't adjust it. No?

Its about standards, thats all. There is a ASAE standard, that JD followed for years and sold plenty of iMatch's that conformed to this standard. Now they are caving in, so implement OEM's will have less of a reason to conform to it.

That's my reason, and thats my opinion.

BleedGreen · Jun 22, 2012

What I want to know is how chevy got one already!?!?!?

As of this morning my Parts Manager told me they are still showing on backorder - and I have several customers waiting! (and some of them, understandably, not patiently)

foggy1111 · Jun 22, 2012

kennyd said:
Its about standards, thats all. There is a ASAE standard, that JD followed for years and sold plenty of iMatch's that conformed to this standard. Now they are caving in, so implement OEM's will have less of a reason to conform to it.

That's my reason, and thats my opinion.

OK....that's a good point. Standards have value.

I must be getting old.....'cause this reminds me of a story....grin. A long time back....I used to get some tubular products with a threaded plug made in Taiwan. Those guys would custom make a thread size based on the lot of tubing I.D. they had at the moment.....and "sorta" make it all fit. No standards! (I could hardly believe they would do something like that.....all single pointed on a lathe yet. They had a size like 5.3 mm x 63 tpi. YIKES) They could not have made a replacement part for the many parts we used.....and nobody could even specify a part size. Luckily it was disposable cheap "junk". Drove me crazy. :confused3:

cottermac · Jun 23, 2012

I'm surprised that you had to wait, I went into the dealer to order one and they had 3 on hand, I was shocked. As for the top clevis I removed the bolts and replaced with quick pins. I didn't want to mess with wrenches if I needed to move it.

ralphtt · Jun 23, 2012

Interesting. I ordered a redesigned Imatch quick hitch from my JD dealer on February 12. Could have bought the old from his stock at that time but felt the adjustable top hook was worthwhile long term.

Had I know it would take this long, I would have taken the original version. The original 'promise date' was early April. Order has been on & off again many times during the last four months. Is now scheduled to ship June 26 and arrive at the dealer's on July 3.

Anyone believe I'll have my Imatch on July 3? :confused3: :irked: :hissyfit: