Quick hitch options

[beenthere]

I think I'll give the second link a try.

If me, I'd avoid anything that depends on the round wire lock pins, because I've found them to be easily ripped off when in brush mowing, or just moving around. When that wire lock pin goes, one side or the other lift arm is released, causing serious strain on the other side and likely damage or failure to occur.

I replaced all my pins that are lynch pin or wire lock pin style with bolts and lock nuts.
Each to their own, but have seen/heard too many horror stories from broken castings when losing one connection to a 3 ph lift arm.

 

[TomWhite]

I have the 3rd one and like it. I had the "all-in-one" 3 pt quick hitch but found that most of my implements didn't fit it very well. The EZ-Hitch works much better but you do have to get off the tractor to hook it up and attach the top link. No problem, really, since I never could get the other version to work properly anyway.

Do you find that yours wobbles about on the lift arms? Either side to side, or tipping back?

 

[TomWhite]

I like the way the second link extends horizontal. But I think the third link looks like the fastening system to the implement is more secure.

If you have not purchased already, and you do not want to spend the money on a Pat's system, I would suggest option number three.

With option two, you have to remove the latching pin, (which someone else point out may not be the most secure), then remove the bolt (just a cheap threaded bolt). After getting your implement in place you have to then replace the bolt and then put the pin back in place and secure it.

With the third option (from Carter & Sons) you have a bit of an easier set up. Just pull the pin and bolt at one time, and replace at one time. The bolt on the Carter & Sons looks to be more substantial to me than the threaded bolt on the other.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Do you find that yours wobbles about on the lift arms? Either side to side, or tipping back?

They don't wobble much side-to-side. (I replaced the spacers with wider spacers from PVC pipe). They do tip back some but I found that it helps during the hook-up. I have used them quite a bit and found it very easy to hook up implements.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I bush hogged for a few hours and the sytem worked well but when it gets daylight I am going to retighten every. I am going to get bolts with jam nuts to replace the clip hitch pins because the bent washers makes it hard for them to snap shut. There is no need to remove them after installing Pat's system that I can see.

 

[Okiesprayguy]

I ordered the one's from the 3rd link. We'll see in a few days.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I bush hogged for a few hours and the sytem worked well but when it gets daylight I am going to retighten every. I am going to get bolts with jam nuts to replace the clip hitch pins because the bent washers makes it hard for them to snap shut. There is no need to remove them after installing Pat's system that I can see.

If you just grind a little off the bent ear of those washers they work w/o interferring with the linch pin snap ring. Regular washers work fine also - you just have to move them to the outward extent during hookup.
larry

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Good point Larry. I did that and got one to fitting pretty good but the storm was coming in fast and I was having to move bolt settings on the lift arm of the tractor (one side was in different holes than the other side and the back wheel setting had the bushhog lower in the rear than the front so I did not do anymore grinding. I am not sure why the FIL/BIL had the set up so out of wack but we are getting it back into a standard set up.

I did learn if you bend the ear over with the drilled hole the wash will not kick out at the bottom on hitching. I do have an extra washer on the inside for extra clearance and it will need to be pushed to the inside when connecting as you pointed out.

The reason I am going with the bolts vs keeper pins is for safety mainly. With a bushhog over the years I have had large stuff flip a keeper open causing the pin to come out.

The 7' HD mower is SO heavy (kind of good when cutting 2-3" trees) that the Quick Hitch would shift a little from side to side on the front end of the hitch so I am going to look at options to shim from side to side too. I noted the side adjusting bolts in the bottom hole is clamped on the leveling shim so I am going to get bolts for the other four empty holes on each hitch and that may take care of any shimming needs.

When the rain stops I will look at that in more details. When pushing backwards with the 8' box blade the side to side shims would help I am sure stay straighter when using it as a bull dozer with the 60 HP tractor.

After working on the side of 30 degree slopes and the full weight of the bushhog flopping from side to side on turning (one stablizer was in place) on Pat's Quick Hitch set up I think they are going to work out fine under a heavy load of the bushhog and reverse pushing box blading with our heavy 265 MF.

What is so awesome now that I have put on Pat's QH is how easy it is to get into gain access to connect the PTO or level the arms, etc. One can stand between the rear tire and bushhog now. It is now like the new 1992 Zetor that I loved so much but that my business ate about 15 years ago along with two little farms.

 

[Okiesprayguy]

Install was fairly simple. They came with a couple round pvc spacers to keep them from wobbling. I drove them on with a mallet. It took about 2 minutes. I hooked up and used a 2 row planter with no problems. I also hooked my brush hog, just to see if they would work. They did. So 2 thumbs up for usability, value, and durability, so far.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Thanks for the great report. It is nice when a solution works as it should.