Quick hitch for a JD 770?

[NickTaylor]

Hello,

Getting read to take delivery of a Woodland Mills chipper for my JD770. I've used my tractor for mowing, box blading, post hole digging, and always hated the process of mounting attachments on the cat 1 3 pt. Just tedious, and a lot of banging / skinning knuckles.

Has anyone used a quick hitch (such as the JD iMatch or a non-green equivalent) on a tractor this small? Any downsides or suggestions would be handy. I'd like to pick one up before this chipper arrives to make it easier to move around.

I'm assuming that putting on a quick hitch might change my PTO length for the shredder, etc right?

Thx!

 

[dusty3030]

Your tractor will work great with a category one quick hitch.
Your (and everyone else) problems will arise in your particular implements. Are they quick hitch compatible? Your mower and box blade may or may not be. If not, they won't be all that hard to modify. You will have to buy bushings to bring your cat 1 pins up to cat 3 size regardless of whether they are quick hitch compatible or not.
Your post hole digger won't be. It relies on it's direction connection to the tractor in lieu of using the top link. You will have to remove the quick hitch to use it.
On the pto's. Yes, shaft will have to be a little longer if using a quick hitch. Most likely won't have to change anything you likely have enough slack now; however, if it has been trimmed to the shorter side of tolerance you very well might have to replace it.

One option to consider is a Pat's category 1 quick hitch. You wouldn't need bushings, but you will have to manually connect the top link each time. One benefit is you wouldn't need to remove the Pat's to use your post hole digger.

 

[Roadworthy]

I went with Pat's Quick Hitch rather than adjusting my implements to fit the quick hitch frame. I'm happy with the result. The downside? I did need a longer driveshaft for my mower. It turned out it was marginally ling enough to start with - to the point of being unsafe. I should have checked it and lengthened it long before getting Pat's Quick Hitch. I did need a longer top link, too. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

 

[NickTaylor]

Your tractor will work great with a category one quick hitch.
Your (and everyone else) problems will arise in your particular implements. Are they quick hitch compatible? Your mower and box blade may or may not be. If not, they won't be all that hard to modify. You will have to buy bushings to bring your cat 1 pins up to cat 3 size regardless of whether they are quick hitch compatible or not.
Your post hole digger won't be. It relies on it's direction connection to the tractor in lieu of using the top link. You will have to remove the quick hitch to use it.
On the pto's. Yes, shaft will have to be a little longer if using a quick hitch. Most likely won't have to change anything you likely have enough slack now; however, if it has been trimmed to the shorter side of tolerance you very well might have to replace it.

One option to consider is a Pat's category 1 quick hitch. You wouldn't need bushings, but you will have to manually connect the top link each time. One benefit is you wouldn't need to remove the Pat's to use your post hole digger.

The Pat's system looks interesting. Watched some videos, and most were very positive. But there was one concern some mentioned, lost rear lift capacity due to 4" extension. My JD770 has a very limited rear lift capacity, and losing any of it is a concern... Did you experience this?

 

[dusty3030]

Any kind of quick hitch either pats or the "imatch" type will put your implement further out.
Yes, you will loose a little lift as a result. Will this make a difference for you? Can't answer that other than if you have something your tractor is struggling with now, you might have a problem. If not, you should be good to go.

 

[AndyMA]

Any kind of quick hitch either pats or the "imatch" type will put your implement further out.
Yes, you will loose a little lift as a result. Will this make a difference for you? Can't answer that other than if you have something your tractor is struggling with now, you might have a problem. If not, you should be good to go.

I've had a Quick Hitch for over 20 years hat I've used a couple of times. I find that the normal lower arms that you can adjust length are just easier for me. Pats seems like a good option,

Andy

 

[Arthur Douglas]

Have any Pat's-Easy-Change users out there had to swap out the top link on their hitch after installing? (Pat's appears to add 4" to the bottom arms. Guess I could just eat my spinach, extend my top link out as far as it will go, and see....) But also,"Pat's" got a few bad reviews on Amazon. (Although a cure for cancer would probably get a few bad reviews on Amazon....) Have any Pat's users had their implements fall off, devices fall apart, or pins bend? Some of the complaints seem to spring from Amazon's third-party vendors. (Duhhh.) The manufacturer, Greenwell Mrg., does not sell direct to consumers, so I would probably just pay the shipping and buy from Tractor Mike--who probably could use the money more and would likely be more helpful than Jeff Bezos if things went awry. Anyway, thanks.

 

[bearthebruce]

Have any Pat's users had their implements fall off, devices fall apart, or pins bend?

Yes, but I relate most of it to me not paying attention to the detail. After struggling to put stuff on the 3pt hitch, adding the PATS connect made life a whole bunch easier. I have a bent arm that needs replacing. That causes some of the troubles I experience. But I mow 15 acres on a fairly rough meadow - nothing really flat. Occasionally I will loose a clevis pin and then the mower will pop off. I think you would have similar problems with any loss of a clevis pin.. One loss did bend the lifting pin on the brush hog. I need to replace it. Life in the tractor lane!

 

[Arthur Douglas]

Yes, but I relate most of it to me not paying attention to the detail. After struggling to put stuff on the 3pt hitch, adding the PATS connect made life a whole bunch easier. I have a bent arm that needs replacing. That causes some of the troubles I experience. But I mow 15 acres on a fairly rough meadow - nothing really flat. Occasionally I will loose a clevis pin and then the mower will pop off. I think you would have similar problems with any loss of a clevis pin.. One loss did bend the lifting pin on the brush hog. I need to replace it. Life in the tractor lane!

Agreed. Thanks. What about your top link? They don't seem that expensive (as you say, "tractor lane"), but did you need to replace your top link to accommodate the extra length of the lower arms with the Pat's? I was out there "screwing around" with mine last night and I don't think there are another 4" on mine to adjust out.

 

[cjoffutt]

I use the old discontinued Freedom Hitch on my tractors. Got it when I had/used the JD770 that's just collecting dust in the barn now. It works great and never had any issues with it on that 'small' of a tractor, or with my NX5010.