My Harbor Freight Quick Hitch

[whiteh2o]

I mowed over 2 acres yesterday with a 5' brush hog connected to my $69.99 HF hitch. It took only took a couple of minutes to hook it up and away I went. I sure don't see anything sloppy about it and considering the price of other alternatives I've seen, it's worth every dime. Considering it took a mallet hammer and pushing and shoving to get the brush hog disconected from the tractor when it was delivered, it is a sigh of relief not to deal with hooking/unhooking implements. Guess I could have spent a hundred more for sometime less 'sloppy', but, I just don't see the need to spend money on something that's not needed. "if it's not broken, why fit it?"

 

[Bedlam]

I believe the sloppy part in reference to the lower connections. the metal part that swings out to lock the lower pin in ,
There is a lot of 'slack' there. not enough to cause problems but not as tight as with the ball setup
It could be modified with a piece of metal and some welding to make it more tight.I'm unsure why this hasn't been changed. To me its just a pay attention to detail thing, that they didn't address with in the manufacturing .
perhaps it will be changed in the future.But after the correspondence I had with HF about the other slight adjustments needed , it was clear to me that they were this the way it is, take or leave it. there is no room for change.
Maybe the problem is that the group designing them has no idea how they work or have never used them they just copied the idea and made them.
But for the money they cant be beat in my opinion,

 

[California]

I wonder if putting adapter sleeves on the lower pins, like those provided on more expensive QH's, would reduce that slop.

Another issue: the QH upper hook allows less front-to-back slack compared to an ordinary hookup which lets the top pin slide in a long slot on the mower's mast. A mower needs that slack to go over uneven ground without stressing its chassis. I wince every time I drive off a slight terrace between orchard rows, similar to going down a stair, and the mower tailwheel is forced up to an unnaturally high level before it arrives at the stair.

Still, the QH is so much more convenient than before that I'll always use it.

 

[pclausen]

So does this unit (the 27.5" I suppose) work well with Woods implements?

I own the following implements for my JD 4700:

Woods MD172 Bush Hog
Woods RM990 Finish Mover
Woods HBL72 Blade
Gill PL60 Core Aerator
York 7' Rake
8' Disc (not sure of the brand)

It's a royal pain to change implements, so if this ~$85 device will make short work of it, it seems like a very reasonable investment. I'll mostly be switching between the bush hog and finish mover, but if I'm playing with dirt around the house, the blade, rake and disc also see a decent amount of use.

Thanks!

 

[California]

So does this unit (the 27.5" I suppose) work well with Woods implements?

I think you have to measure the width of each implement. Then buy whichever QH will fit most of them. To a limited extent, you can shim narrow implements up to standard. This is probably a better idea for an implement that pulls easy (mower) compared to say a box blade.

I bought a handfull of 3/8" thick washers 2" diameter, plus lower pins with longer threads, and got my only narrow implement up to standard width.

 

[whiteh2o]

I am using the optional top link adapter bracket as posted before. The hook that comes with the hitch doesn't give much play. I tried to use the hook, but, the adapter bracket works very very well. It was 8.99. Look back for the adapter bracket part#. I will probably never use the hook. I do have to get off the tractor to connect it. No big deal. It allows for a lot of adjustment on the top link.

I bought cat 2 bushings for the lower pins from Agri Supply. There is a little play or sloppiness, but, not much. I guess if it's a problem, I can weld a couple pieces of metal to make it secure.

My Howse box blade lower pins were not long enough for the 27.5 hitch, even tho it was 'quick hitch ready'. I bought some washers (2 for each side) and installed them on the lower pins. It fits well now. I think Agri also sells adjustable lower link pins, but, I didn't need much to extend the Howse box.

I have yet to connect the older Allied snow blower (no snow). Tape measure says it will work on the QH 27.5. I have no dought a couple of bushing and maybe a couple of washers will work. It is not QH ready.

I would take pictues and post them, but, the Canon digital went TU last weekend. So much for a 500 dollar camera that's only 2 years old. Sending it in for a remanufactured replacement.

 

[Texas Dodge]

I would take pictues and post them, but, the Canon digital went TU last weekend. So much for a 500 dollar camera that's only 2 years old. Sending it in for a remanufactured replacement.

Get ya one like mine

 

[California]

All that for $500? Where?

 

[3RRL]

lol, Brian what camera did you use to take a picture of your camera then?

 

[Illini22]

My qh is a perfect 27.5 but my adapter hasnt came yet. it will hook up good to my woods mower and KK middlebuster. The KK 6" rake is another story its over 28 inches on the fram and then the pins with a washer like buildup add a 1/4 on each side. I took it back to Farm and Fleet, the manager said since I used it once ( before QA came ) I culdn't take it back. I showed him % other KK impliments 2 rakes and they all had varying widths. If thier a little narrow thats ok (longer pins) but if there to wide your screwed unless you can cut it down and reweld. This will probably be the last KK att. I will buy.

 

[Texas Dodge]

lol, Brian what camera did you use to take a picture of your camera then?

My old Kodak Easyshare DX7630

 

[Texas Dodge]

All that for $500? Where?

No way that's $1200.00 sitting there

 

[whiteh2o]

I finally got some pics of the HF hitch. Howse brush hog attached, showing very little sloppyness on the lower links and the washers I added to the 'quick hitch ready' Howse Box scraper.

 

[whiteh2o]

Kind of off subject, but, this is where the tractor lives. Concrete is up and framing starts next week. The truck sits where the 46' front deck view is at. And no, the tractor did not excavate that. I think it was a 50+ thousand dollar cat.

 

[wedge40]

Kind of off subject, but, this is where the tractor lives. Concrete is up and framing starts next week. The truck sits where the 46' front deck view is at. And no, the tractor did not excavate that. I think it was a 50+ thousand dollar cat.

Sure is some beautiful country where you're at. Cant wait to see that finished.

Wedge

 

[EZ-HITCH]

In the first picture, what are all the round concrete circles for? I would assume support piers, but I have never seen that many under a house.

 

[whiteh2o]

In the first picture, what are all the round concrete circles for? I would assume support piers, but I have never seen that many under a house.

Yes pier supports for the joists. I tried to talk then into a solid pony wall all the way through, but, the designer is set in his ways. The concrete guy bitched about it...ha Something about 'the floor won't squeek' with all the tile I'm putting in. It's a 'conditioned crawl space'. There is only one intake vent and one exhaust. It's not vented like conventional spaces. 2x6 construction, R23 wall, R50 ceiling. It better get warm when someone far%s. Framing starts Wednesday or Thursday if the weather clears up. Too wet for the garage to be compacted yet. Having problems on the septic perk because of all the rain and 4' of snow last winter. I'll find a place to pump or dump it.

 

[Texas Dodge]

Yes pier supports for the joists. I tried to talk then into a solid pony wall all the way through, but, the designer is set in his ways. The concrete guy bitched about it...ha Something about 'the floor won't squeek' with all the tile I'm putting in. It's a 'conditioned crawl space'. There is only one intake vent and one exhaust. It's not vented like conventional spaces. 2x6 construction, R23 wall, R50 ceiling. It better get warm when someone far%s. Framing starts Wednesday or Thursday if the weather clears up. Too wet for the garage to be compacted yet. Having problems on the septic perk because of all the rain and 4' of snow last winter. I'll find a place to pump or dump it.

Have you looked into an aerobic system?

 

[whiteh2o]

We got a good perk on the NE side of the property. Just the cost involved to 'pump it up'..there. Not huge pump back there, but, it needs to be below frost level so it needs to be a least 3 feet deep. In this area of the country, especially in the mountains it snows before it starts to freeze thus keeping the frost line lower then does here in the city. My city home (soon to be gone) is only actually 60 feet lower then the property in the mountains. But, we get very little snow here and up to 4'+ up there. It all depends on the area and weather pattern. Plus, theres no close neighbors....ha

 

[mike57]

I saw a SPEECO quick hitch the other day, and it is EXACTLY the same as the Harbor Freight QH. I wonder if SPEECO makes it for H.F. or vice versa. It has the same removable top J-hook and the Y-adapter for non ASAE attachments. Only thing is, they want over $300 for theirs!
Mike57