WranglerX
Elite Member
If you had stayed with "quick hitch" you would not be having this problem....
Pat's Quick Hitch and arms... slanting when lifting?
- Thread starter legbuh
- Start date
CobyRupert
Super Member
That’s just the way 3 point hitch arms work.
The adjust bolts on the Pats eliminates the swivel ball feature of your lift arms, but the connection STILL NEEDS TO SWIVEL.
Tightening the adjustment bolts so that the Pats can’t swivel means the implement’s pin HAS TO swivel in the Pat’s hook arm, and if it can’t, the Pat’s put pressure on the adjustment bolts and bends them. (Been there, done that.)
After years of experimenting, upgrading the strength/grade of the adjustment bolts, and having to take the Pats to a machine shop to get bent and broken bolts out, I’ve come to one solution that works great:
DON’T TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. Let the Pats swivel side to side (in the swivel ball) as it raises/lower, just like the implement’s pin would if you weren’t using the Pats. I can’t figure out a reason for those side-to-side adjustment bolts.
The adjust bolts on the Pats eliminates the swivel ball feature of your lift arms, but the connection STILL NEEDS TO SWIVEL.
Tightening the adjustment bolts so that the Pats can’t swivel means the implement’s pin HAS TO swivel in the Pat’s hook arm, and if it can’t, the Pat’s put pressure on the adjustment bolts and bends them. (Been there, done that.)
After years of experimenting, upgrading the strength/grade of the adjustment bolts, and having to take the Pats to a machine shop to get bent and broken bolts out, I’ve come to one solution that works great:
DON’T TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. Let the Pats swivel side to side (in the swivel ball) as it raises/lower, just like the implement’s pin would if you weren’t using the Pats. I can’t figure out a reason for those side-to-side adjustment bolts.
WranglerX
Elite Member
Use quick hitch, modify non conforming implements once, be happy forever.....
CADplans
Elite Member
I thought these were ONLY for carrying chain!!?? 
All kidding aside, I like the Pats,,
When I installed them, I determined the CORRECT bolt lengths, and went to TSC,,
I bought Grade 8 bolts that were closest to being correct length.
No extra bolt hanging out, neat looking,, and the Grade 8 is less prone to mushrooming.
You can see how nice the Pats hook looks with correct length bolts in the pic above.
I even used the Pats with my DIY landplane,, worked perfectly,,
Pats with an older Woods mower, and a view of the correct length bolts,,
Pats and the new Woods mower,,
If the three point hitch arms ever tilted, I never bothered to look,
I really do not think it would matter,,
All kidding aside, I like the Pats,,
When I installed them, I determined the CORRECT bolt lengths, and went to TSC,,
I bought Grade 8 bolts that were closest to being correct length.
No extra bolt hanging out, neat looking,, and the Grade 8 is less prone to mushrooming.
You can see how nice the Pats hook looks with correct length bolts in the pic above.
I even used the Pats with my DIY landplane,, worked perfectly,,
Pats with an older Woods mower, and a view of the correct length bolts,,
Pats and the new Woods mower,,
If the three point hitch arms ever tilted, I never bothered to look,
I really do not think it would matter,,
Piston
Elite Member
I have a couple of implements that don't fit the quick hitch I've been using for many years, but I've always just taken the quick hitch off in order to use those implements (log grapple, rotary cutter, and formerly box blade, I even bought a new box blade just because it was quick hitch compatible and I use it so often). However, I kept reading about Pat's, so I gave it a try. I bought the cat 1 hitch with the cat 2 size hooks because most all my implements are cat 2.
I found that it was more of a PIA to use the Pat's system than it was worth. I went back to using my old quick hitch and continue to take it off when needed. I will end up modifying my log grapple and rotary cutter so that they work wih the quick hitch like you mentioned.
Attachments
Last edited:
workinonit
Elite Member
I've noticed the "twist" on lift arms my whole life. It's the geometry of the lift on some if not most tractors. That's why they have balls on them and not rigid holes. And it's one reason I don't use Pat's. I love my QH.
CADplans
Elite Member
From what I have noticed,,,
different attachments are designed to be used with different Quick Hitch's
So, probably you need a JD Quick Hitch,, also a HF Quick Hitch, and at least one other manufacturers QH,,
THEN, you simply install the QH that matches THAT attachment,,
after using that attachment, switch to the next QH to sync to the NEXT attachment,,
WranglerX
Elite Member
Not really.....Many implements of any particular "category" (1-2-3) were manufactured to a loose standard before a more exacting standard of the "quick hitch" evolved... The QH standard tagged implement(s) just means manufacturer is reconfigured the attachment it meet more exact standard....Sad side is many manufacturers choose to not adopt the new standard.....From what I have noticed,,,
different attachments are designed to be used with different Quick Hitch's
So, probably you need a JD Quick Hitch,, also a HF Quick Hitch, and at least one other manufacturers QH,,
THEN, you simply install the QH that matches THAT attachment,,
after using that attachment, switch to the next QH to sync to the NEXT attachment,,
