Pat's quick hitch set screw/bolt design issue??

   / Pat's quick hitch set screw/bolt design issue?? #1  

disney

Gold Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
378
Location
orlando fl
Tractor
scag turf tiger 61" #2, gx95, sold f525 twice, f725 sold
Greetings all. I picked up a used Pats quick hitch for not much because the pervious owner sheared one the set screw/ adjuster bolts when he was trying to remove it. It was an easy fix for me to remove it, but I have found what I think might be a design issue, or at least poor planning. It appears that the ends of the all adjuster bolts (eight in total 3/8" GRADE 2--so SOFT METAL) have mushroomed from contacting/holding against the lift arms. If anyone were to try to remove the bolts, as soon as the damaged/mushroom section hits the cast section of the Pats, the soft grade 2 bolts will just shear off. I would think either grade 5 or maybe not having threads on the end of the bolts would be a much better idea, and would only have raised the total cost of a Pats set at most a dollar. I know people may not often remove the pat's but I do not think that is a good excuse for this. I am over looking something, or ???

I did not think to take pictures of the inside, but you can see the sheared bolt from the outside.

PATS.jpg
 
   / Pat's quick hitch set screw/bolt design issue?? #2  
I removed all those soft bolts from my Pat's hitch. I replaced them with appropriate Allen screws. I used different lengths based on where I put them and how I wanted it adjusted. The Allen screws will allow me to remove them by screwing through.
 
   / Pat's quick hitch set screw/bolt design issue?? #3  
I removed all those soft bolts from my Pat's hitch. I replaced them with appropriate Allen screws. I used different lengths based on where I put them and how I wanted it adjusted. The Allen screws will allow me to remove them by screwing through.

Great idea!
 

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